Chapter 50: Not Being A Shadow Girlfriend

[Chapter 50: Not Being A Shadow Girlfriend]

"Go ahead, you first."

"Alright, I just got an offer from the University of Kansas. Can you guess? A full scholarship!" Abigail was genuinely excited.

"What good news do you have?"

"I'm about to sign a record deal."

"Oh, like Taylor, you're going to be a singer too?" Abigail on the other end did not seem as enthusiastic.

"Pretty much."

"Are you still coming over today? I..." She hesitated.

She had planned to invite Ryan over for dinner with her family to celebrate receiving the scholarship.

"Probably not today. Once the contract is officially signed, we can all celebrate together," Ryan replied after thinking it over.

"Okay, just give me a call then."

...

Back at the studio, Ryan saw that everyone, including the producer, was already packing up. Clearly, the recording session was over, though Taylor seemed to be moving slower than usual.

"Well, see you later, Taylor. Don't forget to ask me to be your opening act on the tour," the other singer said as she bid farewell.

"I can't even handle a tour. I won't sell enough tickets," Taylor replied, chuckling as she shook her head, fully aware that her drawing power wasn't where it needed to be.

"Don't be so humble. Your new album is going to be a huge hit," Colbie Caillat complimented, with a hint of admiration.

"Let's hope so," Taylor said as she walked her to the door of the studio.

...

At this point, aside from a bunch of instruments and gear, the studio was left with just Ryan and Taylor.

"Did you hear that? She said I'm going on tour next year, a world tour, in stadiums with tens of thousands of people!" Taylor couldn't hide her grin.

"Come on, let's get your stuff. I'll drive you home," Ryan said.

"Why the rush?" Taylor leaned back, casually sitting against the soundboard, her long legs effortlessly positioned.

"Are you gonna cover the parking ticket?"

"Sure, I can cover that. I'm not worried about a bit of cash," Taylor said nonchalantly.

With that, she stood up, grabbed Ryan's wrist, and led him to the lounge connected to the studio.

"I still have a bit of work to wrap up," she gently pushed him onto the couch.

"Let's hope you're really talking about 'work,'" Ryan replied.

Taylor raised an eyebrow, "You're quite the dreamer, you know that?"

Then she actually went to the studio to grab a Taylor-branded guitar, but it merely shared the same name with her. This was the 614ce model she had been using during live performances.

The guitar she held had a glossy finish with a handmade polish, shining brightly under the lights. It had a spruce top, maple back and sides, and an ebony fretboard and bridge, producing a bright, clear, and pure tone. Of course, the price tag wasn't friendly to the wallet.

...

Sitting on the high stool across from Ryan, Taylor propped one leg up while the other rested on the footrest, cradling the guitar in her arms, instantly exuding the vibe of a country singer.

♫I wanna be somewhere where you areI wanna be whereYou're here, your eyes are looking into mineSo baby, make me fly♫

Her fingers danced across the strings as she sang softly, swaying lightly with the rhythm, her voice carrying a hint of youthful clarity.

Not many could have a CMA New Artist of the Year perform just for them, but Ryan found himself captivated solely by her long legs glistening under the warm lights.

If he had to write a song at that moment, it wouldn't be titled Beautiful Eyes; it would be Beautiful Legs.

Taylor didn't sing just one song. Instead, she launched into a medley, scarcely completing any song but playing snippets of many he had never heard before.

"So, which song did you like the most?" Taylor put the guitar down, tossing the pick onto the table.

"They all sounded good," Ryan quickly said. How could he say otherwise? Truthfully, he had only caught bits and pieces, his attention elsewhere.

"No kidding," Taylor replied as she opened a bottle of Evian and took a couple of gulps.

"I meant to say that one was better. Uh-huh, I mean the one that made me fly," Ryan pretended to think.

"Are you talking about Beautiful Eyes?"

"Yeah."

"Great, then that will be the lead single for my upcoming EP. The EP will be called Beautiful Eyes," Taylor winked at Ryan, showcasing her newly applied sparkling eye shadow.

"Wait a minute. You don't need Nathan Chapman to help with that?" Ryan felt a twinge of unease.

"He's the producer for the new album, not the EP, so he has no obligation. Plus, this EP is exclusive to Walmart. It's an addendum to a sales agreement from last year. If I put in too many great songs, I'll be at a disadvantage, but I can't shortchange them either, or I'll have trouble explaining it to the distributors," Taylor clarified.

Walmart was one of the leading distributors in physical album sales, so Taylor must have signed some sort of additional agreement; if she shipped a certain number of units, she would receive an exclusive EP for Walmart.

"By the way, have you been writing new songs lately? I know Harlem Shake is popular, but I'm thinking more of a soft country folk vibe," Taylor suddenly asked.

"I can reluctantly sing it and put it into this ep. The premise can't be trash like Fire and Rain." Taylor suggested.

For Ryan, this was undoubtedly a great opportunity, but he could only produce what Taylor would consider trash.

"Then hurry and write it; you've got a month!" Taylor urged.

"Couldn't you just give me one of yours? You have so many songs." Ryan argued. Taylor's request seemed a bit much considering his current situation.

"Then I might as well just give you all the money I make."

"That's not out of the question," Ryan joked, his confidence unshaken.

"Ha, maybe in the next life," Taylor teased while tucking a strand of her golden hair behind her ear.

"Let's just say I'm borrowing a song from you; I'll return it later."

"Borrow? What if you can't pay me back?"

"Then I could always use an asset as collateral, like a billion genes," Ryan quipped.

"Stop! Fine! You can have a song, just pick one that's in the trash pile!"

At this point, Ryan had already stood up and was walking toward Taylor.

"Wait, there are people outside!" Taylor perked up her ears.

Ryan also heard voices from outside. He opened the lounge door and saw a cleaning lady mopping the floor.

In the next moment, Taylor followed right behind him and turned to say, "Drive me home."

...

"Hey, Mom, yeah, I just got out. Running into some trouble with the new song, but I'm on the road now; I'll be home soon." Taylor's hair was a mess in the car; one hand held the phone while the other gripped the gearshift.

"Oh my gosh, what time is it?" Taylor exclaimed, glancing at her phone and gasping.

"Am I to blame?"

She had asked Ryan to take her home, and of course, he obliged, but he took a longer route... how could he pass up such an opportunity?

Ryan adjusted the seat. Unlike the last time in the Toyota Sequoia, this Challenger was a two-door model, which made it a bit cramped, especially since Taylor was tall.

"Once I make some money, I'll buy myself a nice ride," she muttered, still fanning herself in frustration.

"I was planning to compete fairly with Abigail," Taylor complained.

"I have a better plan," Ryan smiled.

Taylor immediately turned her head to look out the window, coldly replying, "I don't want to be a shadow girlfriend; if anyone's the shadow, it should be her."

*****

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