In the heart of Nashville's country music scene, two stars shine bright but from opposite ends of the spectrum. Piper James, the quintessential girl next door, captivates audiences with her soulful voice and down-to-earth charm. Loved by all, she em...
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As I watched Piper disappear into her house, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of concern. She'd had a rough night, and I hoped she would take the day to recover. I turned the car around and headed back home, the events of the night replaying in my mind.
Last night got way out of hand— I couldn't let it happen again. Not with her. She was my ticket back into the public's good graces. Danny called me yesterday... I lost 3 brand deals. Shit was getting bad. I couldn't take her down with me.
Once I got back to my place, I parked and sat in the car for a moment, letting out a deep sigh. It wasn't like me to play the knight in shining armor, but seeing her overwhelmed and vulnerable had stirred something in me. I got out of the car and walked inside, not liking this feeling I couldn't shake.
I kicked off my shoes and headed to the kitchen, grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge. As I took a long drink, I glanced at my phone and saw a slew of notifications. News about last night had spread like wildfire. There were pictures of Piper and me at the bar, and speculation was running rampant.
"Great," I muttered to myself. "This is exactly what she didn't need."
I sat down on the couch and scrolled through the headlines. It was all typical tabloid nonsense, but I knew it could affect Piper's career. She didn't deserve this kind of scrutiny, especially with the Grammys coming up. I scolded myself for when giving a shit about how she might be feeling. What the hell was I thinking? I couldn't care about anyone this much, let alone her. I didn't didn't care about people's feelings. I couldn't. Not again.
Despite my inner battle, I put my phone down, I found myself thinking about Piper's pretty face, her tear-streaked cheeks, and the way she looked at me with those big, vulnerable eyes this morning. Why couldn't I stop thinking about her? She was just another country singer, after all. Or at least that's what I kept telling myself.
I leaned back on the couch and closed my eyes, trying to shake the image of her from my mind. But even as I drifted off, her face lingered in my thoughts, and I felt an unfamiliar pull in my chest.
---
When I woke up, it was late afternoon. I stretched and groggily got up from the couch, feeling a bit more rested. I checked my phone and saw a message from Danny.
From Danny Briggs Meeting tomorrow 8am @ Studio G with Piper James' team
Oh shit. We'd be going over the official stuff for the single. Between her performance yesterday, the Grammy's, and our single, yesterday's drunken mistake will be long forgotten.
She was electric on stage last night. I couldn't keep my eyes off her as she gave it her all. I felt a pang of guilt for not sticking around, but the phone call from home dragged me away.
I always forget how much I love being on that stage. It might be my favorite place to play. Something about it just feels like... home.
That evening, I found myself scrolling through social media again, checking on how the story was developing. The initial frenzy seemed to be dying down, which was a relief. I saw a post from Piper's friend, Grace, talking about Piper's incredible night at the Grand Ole Opry and her surprise duet with Dolly Parton. The comments were overwhelmingly positive, praising Piper's talent and the unforgettable moment.
