Chapter 115

Frank took another sip of his drink. "I don't blame you, but I'm sure that Curt wouldn't feel that way. After all, he's a business man and business is business."
I absentmindedly stirred my drink with the skinny drink straw. "Well, I'm going to leave it with just Alanna and me first and I'll see." I took a sip of my drink. "If I need money, I'll borrow some from him."
Frank smiled as he looked up from his beer. "Or you can borrow some from me."
I laughed in disbelief. "You
He smiled. "Hey. I trust you! And we've been friends too long for me not to."
I reached across the table and gave his hand a gentle squeeze. "Thanks, Frank."
He smiled as he nodded. "Now, what do they have to eat in this place?"
I laughed. "You and your stomach!"
He smiled. "Hey. It's been my constant companion over the years."
I smiled. "I'll let Roxanne know."
He almost spit out his beer. "She already knows." He took another swig and then set down his mug. "And don't worry about the contracts from my office. I'll send them to Alanna. I'm sure she'll take good care of us."
I took a sip of my drink. "You can always send them to New York to me, too." I set down my drink. "Which brings me to something else that I'd like to discuss."
"And what's that?" Frank asked, intrigued.
"What do you think of me scouting talent in New York?" I had been practicing this speech all morning, but now I was suddenly nervous. I wasn't sure why. After all, this was Frank that I was talking to.
"Country talent?"
I cocked my head to the side. "Yes. Country, as well as hip hop, top forty, rhythm and blues, and performers in a lot of other genres."
"Okay. Talk to me." He folded his hands on the table.
We spent the next hour talking business, and by the end of our conversation, he had agreed.
"Well, I've always trusted your judgment when it comes to talent," Frank said. "Why not in other genres, too?"
I smiled. "Thanks, Frank. Also, you can come to New York to hear them and meet with them before we sign them."
He nodded. "It'll give me an excuse to see New York again."
"Hey!" I said, giving his arm a light slap. "What about me?"
He shrugged, smiling. "Yeah, I can see you, too."
I laughed as I shook my head. "Frank, what am I going to do with you?"
He shook his head as he let out a deep breath. "Roxanne has been asking herself that for a long time. I'm afraid I'm a hopeless case."
I shook my head, smiling. "Helpless? Maybe, but not hopeless."
"Hey! I resemble that remark!" he teased.
Suddenly, the bartender from the week before set down anther drink for both of us on the table. "Here you go," he said, smiling. "I thought you might be getting a little low."
I smiled. "I apologize for last week. I usually don't behave that way."
He shook his head. "Hey, think nothing of it. We all have bad days." Then, he looked at Frank. "Can I get you anything else?"
"Yeah. What do you have to eat?" he asked.
I shook my head as I listened to him banter with the bartender. My life was about to change again, and it was Frank that I would miss the most
***
"Now, don't forget to write!" Alanna teased as she pulled me in for a hug at the airport.
I had spent the weekend packing and had boxed up everything for her to send to me. What I couldn't pack, Alanna said she would pack for me. "You know, I'm lucky to have you for a friend."
When she pulled back, tears were in her eyes. "And don't you ever forget it."
I smiled. "It's going to seem strange, us not living together." After all, we'd been roommates since college.
"Well, try not to miss me too much," she said seductively as she gave me a wink.
I laughed. "Call me when you can."
"You do the same."
"And if you need anything, let me know."
She pulled me in for one more hug. "Yes," she whispered into my ear. "I need you to stay."
Tears were in my eyes when I pulled back and smoothed a hand over my red dress suit. "Love you."
"Love you more."
When she pulled back, there were tears in her eyes.
One of the hardest things I'd ever had to do was to wave one last time to Alanna and then walk down the jetway to the plane alone. Tears ran down my cheeks as I took my seat in first class on the plane beside a man dressed in a power suit. I stowed my bag in the overhead compartment, and then sat down, dabbing my eyes. Suddenly, a handkerchief appeared in front of me.
A business man sitting next to me held it out it me. "Here. Take this," he said, his eyes kind.
I nodded. "Thank you." I took the handkerchief that he offered and dabbed at my eyes. When I pulled it back, I was mortified. My black mascara and eyeliner had obviously run down my cheeks, and it was now all over the white monogrammed linen material. I held it out to him with an apologetic look. "I'm so sorry."
He held up his hand as he smiled. "Keep it." After a moment, he asked, "Care to talk about it?"
I shook my head. "It's nothing. I'm just moving to New York."
He smiled. "Well, I didn't know that moving to New York could
cause so many tears. I've been living there for a while. Trust me, it's a great city to live in."
I laughed. "Oh. It's not that. I'm just leaving my friends."
He nodded reassuringly. "Well, you can always keep in touch."
I smiled politely. "Yes, I know, but it won't be the same."
"You'll make new friends in New York. Trust me. New York is full of people."
I smiled through my tears. "Yes, but it won't be the same."
"You'll need to give it time," he said sympathetically.
Soon, the FASTEN SEATBELT sign came on and we taxied to the runway.
"Good afternoon, folks!" a chipper voice came over the loudspeaker. "This is your captain speaking. We will be taking off to New York in just a few minutes. The weather will be fine all the way, and our flight should arrive on time. So, fasten your seatbelt and we'll take off in just a minute."
Suddenly, the pilot thrust the engines into full gear, throwing us back in our seats. Within seconds, the plane lifted from the ground and we were in the air, high above the clouds. I looked toward the window. It was a beautiful day.
"Would you like the window seat?" the businessman asked. Now that we were in flight, I had a moment to look at him. He was a few years older than myself and had bright blue eyes and blond hair that curled on the ends near his collar.
I smiled. "That's very kind of you, but not necessary."
"Actually, I'd rather have the aisle seat, if you don't mind." He looked at me with kind eyes.
"No problem," I said as I got up from my seat. He slid past him to the window seat. "Thank you." I knew he did it for me.
He smiled. "No, thank you." He reached over and held out his hand. "The name's Vince. Vince Carlton. Nice to meet you."
I smiled as I shook his hand. "Alyssa Collins."
He scrunched up his eyes to look at me closely. "You look familiar "
I looked away.
"Were you ever in the music business?" he asked, clearly intrigued.
I nodded. "Alyssa Case was my stage name."
His blue eyes flew open wide. "Alyssa Case? Really? Well, it's nice to meet you."
"It's my pleasure." I turned toward the open window, watching the puffy white clouds below me as we flew past. It didn't feel right to me anymore when people recognized me. I guess I preferred to stay anonymous. But then a thought occurred to me. He didn't seem like a typical fan, dressed in a business suit. "Are you in the music business, too?"
He smiled. "Well, actually, I'm an agent. I represent a lot of the talent in New York."
I smiled. "You're kidding."
His eyebrows pulled together as he smiled. "No."
I shook my head. "What are the chances?" I asked myself.
"Excuse me?"
"I'm now a contract lawyer," I said. "I write half the contracts in Nashville. Well, I did before moving."
"Really?" he asked in disbelief. "Do you have a card?"
"Oh! Of course." I dug in my purse and handed him one of my business cards. "It still has my Nashville address on it, but the cell phone number is the same." I looked at him apologetically. "I'm going to print new cards after I get situated. But if I can do anything for you, please let me know."