Better in the Long Run

What I Wouldn't Give

"Guys, come on, y'all are gonna be late for school!" I called out, shoving food into lunch bags. I slept through my alarm and Hunter left early for work so I was frazzled.

"Mom," Sutton shouted, "Beckett isn't dressed yet." She came into the kitchen and took her lunch into her backpack.

I marched over to the foyer and shouted up the stairs, "Beckett Layne Hayes if I come up there and you are not dressed, you're grounded!" Easton came running down the stairs and I counted to five before marching upstairs to find Beckett struggling to button his shirt.

"Mom!" He shouted, "I just can't do the buttons!"

"Let me help you," I said, taking a deep breath, and finished his buttons, "let's run down and grab a banana." I shooed him downstairs and put the boys lunches in their bags before getting them out in the car. I turned on the car and we headed to school. "Hey y'all," my voice was gentle, "sorry for snapping, I just don't want you guys being late. I know it's my fault I slept in." I felt like I looked like a train wreck, my hair was up in a bun and I grabbed the closest things that looked and smelled clean.

"It's okay mom," Beckett said, "am I grounded?"

"No baby, you're not." I pulled up to the schools drop off. "Looks like we made it in the knick of time, I love you guys." They hopped out and I took a deep breath before pulling out of the parking lot and headed back home to clean up before my meeting at the label.

"Hey Jenna, glad you could come in today," Melanie, one of the assistants at the label welcomed me, "Byron had a thing pop up but we have a lot to talk about."

"Yes, we do," I smiled and looked at the list of agenda items, "let's get started." We discussed the success of my previous album and if there was anything in the works to follow up with it. "Hunter and I had an idea but we haven't ironed it out. It's just a lot. Was the tour DVD and deluxe album well received?"

"Very much so!" She smiled, handing me a paper that had all the business and numbers side of it. Over the course of the year, both the single and the album went platinum, Twitter and Instagram follower skyrocketed, YouTube views were at a personal record high. "Well, I want to get you and Hunter together to iron out if you're doing something together. We have your Hayes Three Sixty tour in the UK, end of June through early July. You're home while Hunter goes to Australia and New Zealand."

"Yes and that's all perfect because the kids have school." I smiled, "If the opportunity arises for a tour, as long as it doesn't clash with Hunter's schedule, I'm pretty willing."

"Noted." We touches on a few other things, the major topic being an assistant.

"It's touchy, like I feel like we've been getting by this long without, we don't need one." I sighed, "I don't know if Hunter feels otherwise. Courtney has been doing a great job keeping us connected, like the People interview and stuff." There was a knock at the door and I looked over my shoulder to see Hunter holding two lattes.

"I was in the area." He handed me one and sat down, "How's it going?"

"Good thing you're here," Melanie smiled, making mention about ironing out details for what's next.

"Well Jenna has a book full of amazing songs that we were thinking of finishing together as cowrites and producing the album ourselves." He explained in full detail from the acoustic perspective and how we wanted it to be our project.

"I can't say I'm surprised Hunter," Mandy smiled, "you always find a way to put neat spin on things. I think having an album like that would be great for both of you." We wrapped up the meeting and Hunter and I walked out hand in hand.

He kissed my cheek, "You look cute today."

"Aw thanks, I definitely didn't wake up this cute." I laughed and told him about the morning from hell. "The best part was Beck asking me in the parking lot of the school if he was grounded. I assured him he wasn't." I shook my head, "I actually shouted his whole name. I don't think I've ever done that."

"I don't think I've ever heard you yell." Hunter walked me to my car, "I'm glad you turned it around though. I gotta go back to the studio. I'm helping some new guy cut some guitar for his record. Nice guy but gosh he can't play any instruments to save his life."

"Good thing he's got you." I kissed his cheek, "it was nice to see you. Thank you for the surprise business." Hunter headed off and I headed back home to tackle some writing and cleaning up the house before picking the kids up from school.

"This is what I had to finish off that spotty second verse on With You," I showed Hunter my notes and sang it aCapella on the floor of our basement studio.

When you speak, it's like a song
Just like that all my walls fall down
I relate to you naturally
Everybody else just fades away
Sometimes it's hard to breathe
Knowing that you found me

"Jenna it's so sweet," he smiled, "it almost feels poppy. But it's incredible."

"Well as I got writing this more and more, I thought it would only make sense that we focus on some more duet songs. I don't want to be the only vocal. You should be singing Because You Live, in my opinion." I squeezed his hand.

"You think so?"

"I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it." I gently swiped my notebook from his hand and scooted closer to him, placing a kiss on his cheek.