The Merger Read online

  Her stomach began to slowly twist into a knot.

  She looked toward the bar where Avery stood with a woman who was very pregnant. They laughed and both turned toward the stage before they walked back to the table.

  “Julie, this is my cousin Clara,” Avery said setting two beers on the table.

  Clara held out her hand to shake Julie’s and it was then she got a good look at the woman with the dark hair and familiar face.

  No words came out. She was meeting Clara Wright. Warner Wright’s wife. Half of the duo of The Wrights.

  Clara smiled warmly. “It’s nice to meet you. Avery says you’re the newest tenant in the basement.”

  Julie could only nod and then she pushed that lawyer’s gut into place and took back her calm. “It’s very nice to meet you. Yes, I’m living in the basement.”

  Clara sat down and placed the bottle of water she carried on the table.

  “I love to watch those two perform,” Clara said watching her husband with dreamy eyes. “They work well together.”

  “And here I always thought you’d end up with Randy.” Avery lifted her bottle to her lips and sipped.

  “I had as much chance with Randy as you do with Pete.” She considered for a moment. “I had less. I still think you and Pete will figure it out.”

  Avery nearly choked on her beer. “What I have with Pete is exactly what my mother had with Uncle Zach. Nothing. All I can hope for someday is he will marry someone with a nice brother and set me up. It worked for my parents.”

  Julie sat and listened to the two women banter. What an interesting web this family had woven. She tried to put all the pieces together.

  “So your dads are brothers, right?”

  Both women nodded.

  Julie pointed toward Clara. “Your dad is the adopted one?”

  “You’ve been getting a Keller family run down.”

  Julie shrugged. “I thought it was a Benson run down.”

  Both women laughed. “It all ties together,” Clara confirmed. “But yes, my father was adopted by the Kellers when he was seven. Avery’s dad is the only biological son of my grandparents.”

  “That’s awesome,” Julie said with quite a bit of enthusiasm. Being an only child she couldn’t even image what it would be like to have a bounty of cousins and siblings.

  Clara rolled her bottle between her hands. “My parents were high school sweethearts. Got married. Had kids. Got divorced and married other people—then got married again. To each other.”

  Julie realized her mouth had dropped open. “They’re married now? To each other?”

  “Have been for nearly twenty-five years this time.”

  “Why did they divorce?”

  “Times were hard. They just forgot their way. But you can’t mess with fate. When it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be.”

  Julie turned to Avery. “Your Uncle Zach, is that Spencer’s dad?”

  Avery grinned. “Yep.”

  “Your mom had a thing for his dad?”

  Avery’s shoulders straightened as she crossed one slender leg over the other. “They grew up together. His dad was shipped off to France to boarding school. My mother is French.”

  That explained the beauty of Avery, Julie thought. The dark hair, the fine, nearly fragile features of her face—she was model perfect.

  Avery tossed her hair over her shoulder. “My mother fell in love as a small girl and chased Spencer’s dad until he married Spencer’s mom Regan. Then at Clara’s dad’s wedding to…” she looked at Clara for confirmation.

  “Kathy.” Clara looked at Julie. “He married a woman named Kathy. They were married about eight hours.”

  Julie nodded as if she had kept up, but she might need a refresher course later.

  “Right,” Avery said. “Kathy. Anyway, my dad was set up as my mother’s date for the wedding. They ran off and had this quick affair. Jetted off to my grandfather’s yacht where my mother stranded him.”

  Julie swallowed hard. Who was this woman?

  “You know they had some affair?”

  “It was a big deal because I came from that lustful week.”

  Clara laughed and her cheeks filled with color. “Her family is a lot more open about this stuff than mine would have been.”

  Avery shrugged. “Sex is sex. Love is love. My mother doesn’t hide that she had sex with a lot of different men. She was in a position to have whatever she wanted. My dad was a young, and handsome doctor with his own list of go to nurses.”

  Julie had to remind herself to blink. “You know all of this?”

  “I know all of this. It’s no big deal.”

  It sure would have been to her, Julie thought. Then again, her parents were in their late forties when she was born. She didn’t really know anything about their younger lives. She’d missed out on grandparents and everything these girls seemed to have.

  “Anyway,” Avery continued as she picked up her beer. “Mom got pregnant, moved to Nashville and did what she could to prove to my dad she could be more than some rich snob. She could be a good mother and she wanted him to fall in love with her.”

  “Rich snob?”

  Avery’s eyes lit. “Pierpont Oil ring a bell?”

  “Are you kidding me?” Julie’s voice rose in pitch and volume.

  “That’s my grandfather.”

  Clara shook her head. “Tell her about the vineyard. You’re going to want to.”

  Avery grinned. “He just purchased a vineyard in France and it’s going to be mine. I’m going to be producing my own line of wines.”

  That would explain the extensive collection in her kitchen, Julie thought.

  “Wow. And here I am without two nickels to rub together.” She reconsidered her comment. “I’m sorry. That was very rude.”

  “Don’t worry about it.” Avery brushed off the comment with her hand. “I’m excited for the opportunity. My grandfather and mother only recently began speaking again, so this is all new to me, but I certainly can embrace the vineyard and château,” she said with a hint of an accent. “It won’t change who I am.”

  “No, because she’ll have Pete right there to remind her that she’s a Tennessee girl not some Parisian princess,” Clara joked with a thick Southern accent.

  “He’s my rock,” Avery said and Julie noted the darkness that shifted in her eyes when she thought of him.

  “Well, look what walked in,” Avery said.

  Julie and Clara turned their heads toward the door.

  A man walked in and gave them a wave as he stopped by the bar and collected a beer. He had the same dark complexion as Clara and Julie was sure she’d seen him before.

  “Hey, they sound good.” The man looked toward the stage and lifted his beer in salute.

  “Of course they do,” Clara agreed. “Where’s your family?”

  “Mom took Darcy for a pedicure with Aunt Regan. Dad has Emily,” he said as he sat down next to her.

  Clara laughed. “Who’d have thought she’d be a grandpa’s girl.”

  The man looked toward Julie. His dark eyes smiled before his mouth did. He reached his hand across the table. “I’m Ed. Clara’s brother.”

  Julie shook his hand. “Julie Jacobson.”

  Now his eyes widened. The smile remained, but it had a strain to it. “Lawyer.”

  “Yes.”

  He nodded as he retracted his hand. “Very nice to meet you.” He eased back in his seat. “I didn’t know you guys would be here.”

  “I’d rather be here than sitting at home with my feet up,” Clara said giving her stomach a rub. “It won’t be long until backstage and loud bars aren’t going to fit into my schedule.”

  Ed rubbed her back. “That baby will fit in just fine here.”

  Julie thought the tenderness between them might just make her cry. She’d longed her whole life for something like that—compassion from someone. Wasn’t that why she’d gotten married? And still she longed for it.

  She took her bee
r from the table and noticed her hand shaking. Quickly, she lifted the bottle to her lips and took a sip to calm her nerves. These people who surrounded her already treated her with compassion as she’d never known. Regardless of what came from showing up in Nashville, she decided she’d made the right choice. And she was extremely grateful that Spencer had set her up in Avery’s house.

  She felt the panic slide away and she took another, now steady, sip of her beer.

  “Oh, hey! It’s a party!” Avery waved again at someone walking in the door.

  Julie looked up and the panic set back in as she saw Spencer and Tiffany walk in, hand in hand.

  Chapter Eight

  Spencer reminded himself to breathe when he saw his cousins sitting at the table with Julie. He certainly hadn’t expected to see her there. And he didn’t like what it did to him when he saw her.

  He stopped at the bar. “I’ll take a Bud and she’ll have a Blue Moon,” he said nodding toward Tiffany.

  “No, I’ll have a glass of water, please.”

  “Pansy,” he joked.

  “My head hurts so bad I can’t see.”

  “You shouldn’t get drunk with strangers in my apartment.”

  Tiffany closed her eyes, but he could see them roll at what he said. “I’ll get him. I’ll just try it sober next time.”

  “You’re lucky he tucked your sorry ass into bed and left without touching you or stealing anything.”

  “Don’t lecture me.”

  “Someone has to. I don’t want to come home and find you dead in my apartment or yours. Or raped. Or drugged. Or…”

  “I get it.” She rested her hands on both sides of her head. “Maybe I should just go home.”

  “No,” he said softly covering her hand with his. “Stay a while.”

  “Afraid to be alone with her?”

  They both looked toward the table. “Maybe just a little.”

  The bartender handed him his beer and Tiffany a glass of water. He took her hand, as much to steady himself as to balance her, and walked toward the table where his cousins and Julie sat.

  She had turned to watch Warner and Randy. Her blonde hair was pulled up and he noted the dainty little earrings she wore on her ears. Were they butterflies? They were cute.

  He shook his head. That was about the most stupid thought he could ever have. They were cute. Who the hell was he? Someone’s grandfather?

  “Hey, guys,” he said as warmly as he could as they approached the table.

  That caused her to turn and force a smile so strained it made his own cheeks hurt.

  “Pull that table over,” Ed said as Avery scooted her chair closer toward Julie to make room for the tables to push together. “Hey, Tiff.”

  “Hi,” her voice was low.

  “Don’t mind her she’s a little hungover from a date,” Spencer shifted his eyes toward Julie as he sipped his beer. She darted her gaze in another direction. He made her uncomfortable when Tiffany was around. He wondered if he’d always make her this uncomfortable.

  Tiffany had her head down and he knew it had been a mistake to bring her. It was too loud. This little relaxing trip downtown was about to be cut short. But that wasn’t what he wanted. He had an urge to talk to Julie more. This wasn’t as intimate as his office, Avery’s kitchen table, or the basement where she was living. Maybe she’d relax a little around Ed, Clara, and Avery, but having Tiffany there wasn’t helping.

  Nachos arrived at the table and Spencer ordered another, noticing that all six hands dove into the platter.

  Tiffany moaned as she ate. “I don’t think this is going to help either.” She slowly sipped her water.

  Spencer knew he needed to get her home. He should probably stay with her for a few hours too and make sure she was okay, but Ed had said something to Julie and she’d actually thrown her head back in laughter. The sound of it was electrifying, sending a jolt through his veins.

  Warner and Randy finished their set and the volume in the room lowered. People moved to the bar, a few cornered Warner for autographs before he made it to the table.

  Randy passed by the bar, collected a glass of water and headed toward them.

  Ed stood and held out his hand to him. Spencer watched the greeting and the introduction to Julie. Her eyes were wide and he’d seen enough women flirt to notice that when she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear she was certainly attracted to the musician.

  “You’re grinding your teeth,” Tiffany leaned in close and whispered in his ear.

  “Am not.”

  “She’s being friendly. Don’t read into it.”

  He shifted his eyes to her and she narrowed her gaze at him. She knew him well enough to know when he had an interest. Julie seemed to strike that nerve. Hadn’t Tiffany said that when she’d kissed him in his kitchen?

  Warner joined them and they all moved to accommodate two more chairs as the second platter of nachos arrived. He kept Tiffany’s groans stirring in his ear as he watched Julie lean in on her elbows and intently listen to Randy talk as she twisted that damn butterfly in her ear.

  To his left Avery pulled her ringing phone from her purse and put it to her ear as she covered the other with her hand.

  Her frustration with the phone call caused Spencer to shift his attention from Julie to his cousin.

  “Okay. I need an hour. Tyler, I said I’d help. But just one more time. Okay? I don’t want to do this.” She finished the discussion and ended the call.

  “My brother?” Spencer asked.

  “They swore I wouldn’t have to help with the Diamond Gift gala this year. But it seems that big sponsor I brought in last year only wants to talk to me.”

  She tucked her phone back into her designer purse with big bangles that jingled on the strap.

  Tiffany looked up at her. “Are you leaving?”

  “Yes. Tyler and Courtney need me to help them with the gala.”

  “Can I bum a ride home on your way? Please,” Tiffany moaned.

  “Sure, let’s go.”

  Avery stood and swung that jingly purse over her shoulder and gave her hair a push back. Tiffany slid off the stool next to him and then gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Make your move, slick.” She winked.

  “Give my girl a ride home, okay?” Avery nodded toward Julie, who was nearly forehead to forehead with Randy as he showed her something on his phone. “She’s occupied and having a good time.” She patted him on the shoulder and walked out of the bar with Tiffany, leaving him at the end of the table watching Warner run his hand over Clara’s stomach, Ed texting on his phone, and Randy flirting with Julie.

  Spencer swallowed hard. He could use another beer and then maybe another. First he’d better finish the one in his hand, so he downed it and let it swim in his head.

  He signaled the waitress for another as Ed lifted his head and gave him a nod. He hopped down from his stool and walked toward Spencer.

  “Where’d your date go?” Ed joked as he sat where Tiffany had been.

  “Avery had to go and she took Tiffany home.”

  “Looks like Julie is hitting it off with Randy.”

  Spencer bit the inside of his cheek. “Looks that way.” He took the beer when the waitress arrived with it and set it on the table. He wrapped his hands around it. “I hired her,” he admitted in a low, quiet voice.

  “You did?”

  “She came to Nashville looking for a job.”

  Ed nodded slowly. “Why did she leave PLL? Don’t we need her there? She’s an intricate part of the structure.”

  “Was. They fired her the morning the merger went through.”

  “So send her back. They all work for us now.”

  Spencer nodded. He actually hadn’t thought about that. Why hadn’t he thought about that? He’d spent the past five months damning her name and then she shows up and he gives her a local job.

  He drank again. He knew why he did it. It was just that he wasn’t sure he wanted to admit it yet.

  Ed
lifted his beer to his lips and sipped. “What’s her job title here?” He kept his voice low as another act took to the stage.

  “She’s going to assist me on the neighborhood build. At least until she passes the bar in Tennessee.”

  Ed ran his fingers across his chin. “Family? Husband? What’s her story?”

  She twisted that butterfly on her ear again and placed a hand on Randy’s shoulder as she laughed.

  Spencer took another long, purposeful pull from his beer. “Newly divorced. Looking for a new start somewhere else.”

  “Are you sure you want her this close to you? She made you miserable for the past five months. I’ve never heard her name and anything pleasant come out of your mouth.”

  Spencer felt the regret sink in his stomach. He wished he’d known her better before he’d said all those things about her.

  “She’s been dealing with a lot this year. She’s not who I thought she was,” he admitted.

  “I figured. Avery wouldn’t have taken to her so quickly if she wasn’t a good person.”

  That was true enough. Spencer finished off his second beer and assessed how he felt. He could drive home now, but one more he’d need a ride. He needed to consider that she’d need a ride home. Avery had asked him to get her home. Maybe if he needed a ride she could take him home. He could invite her inside. Show her the view from the top floor. Maybe they could…

  Randy and Julie both stood from their stools. Julie assessed the table. “Where did Avery go?”

  “She had to leave. She took Tiffany home on her way,” Spencer explained.

  “Oh, good. Randy and I are headed to get some barbecue for lunch. I’ll catch up with her at home.”

  She threw her purse over her shoulder and gave them a wave as she said goodbye to Clara and Warner before she walked out of the building with Randy.

  Spencer could only assume Avery didn’t get around to asking Julie if she had dinner plans or not. He let out a regretful breath, ordered up that third beer after securing a ride with Ed, and had every intention of following it with a fourth.

  ~*~

  Julie had no idea the music industry could be so temperamental. She and Randy hadn’t even made it to the restaurant when his phone rang. They needed him in the studio because something somewhere had been lost and they needed it now.