Final Encore by Scotty Cade Read Free Book Online

chuckle.
    “Not while I’m stil alive,” Bily responded.
    “Jean is very lucky to have someone like you
    looking out for her.”
    “Are you kidding? She and Jules are the only real
    friends I have in Nashvile, and I’d do anything for
    them.”
    “I’m thriled to hear that, Bily. How about adding
    one more to your short list of friends?”
    “I’m sure I can squeeze in one more,” Bily said
    with a smile. “Who do you have in mind?”
    “That’d be me,” Ian said with a grin.
    “Jean and Jules have spoken very highly of you,
    and any friend of theirs is a friend of mine.”
    Bily and Ian talked wel into the night. Jean came
    and went, just to make sure her boys were getting along
    okay. Each time she stopped by their table, they turned
    al their attention to her, and she loved it.
    “Now what have I done in this world to have two
    such handsome men swooning over me?” she said.
    “Just lucky, I guess,” Ian and Bily said
    simultaneously, as they looked at each other and then at
    Jean. They al had hearty laughs.
    Ian told Bily about his responsibilities at Capitol
    Records, and how he and Jean had met some eight
    years ago. Of course Ian didn’t go into any real detail
    but hit the highlights, and in return Bily shared about his
    responsibilities at the ranch. Bily talked about his family
    back in New Orleans a bit. But when it came time for
    Ian to do the same, he quickly brought the subject back
    to Bily.
    “So, Jean tels me that for the next month, you’l
    be opening for Jed. How do you feel about that?”
    “Excited and scared at the same time, if that’s
    possible,” Bily said.
    “Of course it is,” Ian replied, “but you’l get used
    to it. You’re a natural.”
    “Thanks.”
    “If you don’t mind, I’l try to get a few of my
    coleagues out to take a look at your show, and we’l
    see where that leads us.”
    Bily about slipped out of his chair. “Of course it’s
    al right, you kidding me?”
    “No promises, but I’l do the best I can.”
    “I don’t know how I can ever thank you,” Bily
    said.
    “We’l come up with something.”

    BILLY and Ian continued to talk about the ranch and
    the music business and everything in between until Jean
    came over one last time.
    “It’s closing time, boys.”
    Both of them looked at their watches in
    amazement, and neither could believe it was so late.
    “Where did the time go?” Ian said, shaking his
    head.
    “Not sure, man, but it sure flew by.”
    Both men stood up and offered to help Jean close
    the bar, and as usual, she refused. She positioned
    herself between them and walked them to the door with
    a hand on each of their arms.
    “I’l walk Ian to his car and be right back,” Bily
    said.
    “Okay, honey, see you in a minute.”
    Bily walked Ian to his SUV and thanked him for
    taking the time to stop and catch his show.
    “Now this is some ride,” Bily said as he admired
    Ian’s black Cadilac Escalade.
    “This old thing?” Ian smiled.
    “It’s a thousand times nicer than my old pickup.”
    Ian was just about to say how much he’d enjoyed
    the night when he remembered. “Damn, I was due at a
    recording session five hours ago, and I totaly forgot
    about it.”
    “Oh man, I am so sorry.”
    “What are you sorry about? You didn’t hold me
    hostage. I enjoyed every minute of your show and our
    time together. If I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have forgotten
    about the session. No worries,” Ian said. “I’m sure they
    tried to reach me, but it was so loud in there, I couldn’t
    have heard my phone ring. I’l check my voice mail on
    the way home. Either way, it won’t be a problem when
    I tel them I’ve found their next big star.”
    “Wow, I like the sound of that,” Bily said.
    “I’l bet you do,” Ian chuckled. “So where were
    we?”
    “Wel, let’s see, you were teling me how much
    you enjoyed the show and were about to ask for my
    telephone number.”
    “Now was I?” Ian said.
    “Yep, I remember