Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 102339 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 512(@200wpm)___ 409(@250wpm)___ 341(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102339 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 512(@200wpm)___ 409(@250wpm)___ 341(@300wpm)
“See you tomorrow, Robert,” I said as I ended the call and stood. Zeus had worn himself out, and the only thing I wanted to do was crawl into bed and sleep for days.
“Come on, buddy. Let’s head inside and find some ice cream.”
Zeus barked and ran ahead of me. Clearly, he was on board with our evening plans.
Sittin’ on our rock
The sun at our backs
Starin’ at those old railroad tracks
Hell, nothing was gonna hold us back
It was you and me, baby
A life full of dreams
Now I’ve got nothin’ but regrets
And an empty hole in my chest
I stared at the words on the paper as I sat in my dressing room. The light knock on the door had me setting the notebook down and glancing up at Lanny.
“You ready?”
With a forced smile, I stood. “Did you tell the band about the change in the line-up for the encore?”
“I did. Robert won’t be happy, you know. You always close with ‘Let It Burn,’ so why the change now?”
“I’m gonna do another song with just my guitar.”
Her brows rose. “Like when you first started?”
I nodded.
The first two years I toured, I closed out every concert, no matter how big or small, with me sitting on a stool, my guitar in my hand. I would sing a song—or part of a song—that I was in the midst of writing. The fans loved it. They felt like they were a part of a once-in-a-lifetime moment…and they really were.
“What are you going to sing?”
“A new one.”
“I’ll let the band know.”
Lanny turned and walked out of my dressing room, quietly closing the door behind her.
I placed my black cowboy hat on my head, grabbed my guitar, and put it back into the case. It was the only guitar I used when I wrote songs, and the only one I used when we recorded. I hadn’t played it onstage ever—only because Bristol’s name was on the side of it. She had given it to me when I turned sixteen.
My fingers ran over the engraving.
To Anson.
Use this to soar to the stars and beyond.
Love forever,
Bristol
“Bri,” I whispered as I dropped my head and pushed away the pain in my heart.
Two hours later, I walked back out onto the stage alone for my encore. A stool with a guitar stood in the middle of the stage. I sat and motioned for everyone to quiet down.
There was a camera crew that was filming the concert for a documentary that the record company was doing, but they were down to just two guys. When they found out I was simply going to sit here and sing, Lanny stated it should be filmed more organically, and the producer of the documentary agreed.
After I took a drink of water, I picked up the guitar and placed it around my neck, looking out over the sold-out crowd.
“When I first started out, I used to close out my shows with just me and the guitar. I miss those simpler days and thought we would do that tonight.”
The crowd went wild. I glanced down and saw some girl holding up a sign that said, “I burn for you, Anson!”
I winked at her, and for a moment, I thought she might faint. The fans would eat this moment up. But that’s not why I had changed up the playlist.
“This is a little song I wrote about a girl.” Then I laughed and shook my head. “What is it about that one girl we let get away, guys?”
I heard a few guys whistle and call out.
“Let’s take a walk down memory lane, y’all.”
The first notes from the guitar started, and a hush fell on the arena. Flashlights from camera phones came on as I played the intro to the song. Tens of thousands of people filled this place, and I swear you could have heard a pin drop in the moment when I stopped strumming, right before I sang.
“Sitting on my back porch, tryin’ to clear my head
But the thoughts of you stay with me like a story left unread
You own every piece of my soul
Though I’ve tried to move on
Girl, I can’t let you go
Remember that time I said I love you
You told me I was your everything
I never felt more complete than when I was wrapped up in your arms
Walking down memory lane
It’s painful and it hurts
But the thought of never having had you, darlin’, is worse
I’d rather hurt a thousand years than to have never known your touch
You’re seared into my heart forever
This I know as much
Walking down memory lane
The first time I had you, I never wanted anyone else
You were meant to be my forever
With that smile and your touch
But what I wanted never came to be, so that’s why I keep
Walking down memory lane
It’s painful and it hurts
But the thought of never having had you, darlin’… hell, that’s so much worse…”