Dissonance Read Online Free Page A

and one of my colleagues persuaded me to go up there and give it a shot. I thought she was crazy, but I’d always kind of liked to sing, so I went for it. It turns out Jesse Cole was in the audience that night. He came up to me afterward and told me he could make me a star.”
    Kenzie closed her eyes for a second, hoping it might block out the memory. As if. She’d never forget Jesse’s sweet talking, nor his sexy smile and his promise to make all of her dreams come true. For a brief time, it seemed like he would do exactly that. Then it all turned into a nightmare.
    “And I guess he did,” Chase said. “So what happened? Why the switch to Carey?”
    Because I wanted my life back. I wanted to be me again. Not some asshole’s idea of what the perfect woman looked like . “Creative differences,” Kenzie said, using the standard industry line. “I wanted to go in a different direction with my career.” It was true enough, anyway. “Carey came highly recommended.”
    Chase nodded. “Carey knows his stuff.”
    “He seems to, yes,” Kenzie said, relieved that Chase hadn’t pressed her for a lot of details about Jesse. He came from outside the Nashville circle, way outside, so he probably didn’t even know who Jesse was. Lucky him.
    They ate in silence for a few minutes before Kenzie asked, “Is there somewhere you want to go after this? I can show you around Nashville, if you’d like.”
    Chase wiped his mouth with a napkin. “Sure, maybe. First, I want to hear some of your music, though, and I can play you some of my stuff.”
    “You can download all of my music online,” Kenzie told him.
    “Sure, I know that. But I won’t know the story behind the songs if I do that. I want you to show me the ones that mean the most to you. I think that’s the best way to learn about each other, and we have to decide pretty quick whether we want this gig or not.”
    Kenzie had already made up her mind. She wanted this gig. She needed it. Hopefully she could convince Chase that he did, too. “Okay. I don’t live too far from here, if you don’t mind going there. Let’s see if we can make music together.”
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

 

     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER FOUR
     
    W hat was he doing? This whole thing had already gone too far and on too long. He was supposed to be on a plane back home by now, or at least at the airport waiting to board one. Instead, Chase stood in Kenzie’s downtown brownstone, complete with exposed brick and ventilation ducts, checking out the space. It was decorated simply, but stylishly, and Chase wondered what she could do with his own place. His cousin’s wife was always telling him it needed a woman’s touch, and saying Chase needed to let go of the “Distressed fratboy” style, whatever the hell that meant.
    “I work up here,” Kenzie said, leading him up the stairs to a loft area which housed a bed and assorted musical instruments.
    One in particular caught Chase’s eye. “You play the ukelele?”
    “Sometimes, yeah. Is that weird?”
    “No. I think it’s cool.” It was hard not to be impressed, and he picked it up and strummed a few chords. “I love the uke. I’ve been trying to find a way to incorporate it into a song, but my band mates think I’m crazy.”
    Kenzie cocked her head to the side. “Maybe you need to find new band mates.”
    Or at least a new temporary project ? “Nah. They’re great guys and good friends. I just sometimes like to push the creative envelope a little more than they do.” Chase set the ukelele down. “Anyway, you were going to play some of your music for me?”
    “You make it sound like an audition,” Kenzie said with a laugh.
    “Sorry, I don’t mean to. I do need to hear you, though, to decide if this is all going to work out.”
    “I know. I’m just kidding.” Kenzie set her iPod into a sound dock speaker system. “This was my biggest hit. It’s called Honky Tonk Night . It won an ACM award for record of the year.”
    The way