Final Encore (21 page)

do list with each of them taking away items to complete.

Josh said he would put together some musicians and

schedule the studio time needed to cut a demo, if Ian

would line up a Capitol publicist and start working on a

preliminary marketing plan. Josh also agreed to get the

label execs to Jean’s over the next few nights to see

Bily perform live, as that would make the most impact.

Josh said he had no idea why some other label hadn’t

signed him already, but he didn’t want to waste any

time. If a competitor got wind of Capitol’s interest in

Bily, they would be al over him.

Secretly, Ian hoped that would happen because

that’s how Bily would get the best deal, but he was

under a blanket nondisclosure and non-compete

agreement with Capitol. Although he wanted to do the

best by Bily, he wouldn’t risk his job playing both

sides, and he knew Bily wouldn’t want that, anyway.

Josh and Ian hung up the telephone, and although Ian

couldn’t wait to get to work, he had promised Bily that

he would cal him if he heard anything, so he kept his

promise and punched in Bily’s cel phone number.

“This is Bily.”

“How’s it hanging, cowboy?”

“Uh, a little to the right, but you already know

that, so tel me you‘ve got good news.”

“I’ve got good news, but I can’t talk now, I’ve

got work to do,” Ian said.

“Very funny, handsome, tel me, pleeeease.”

“Oh, how I like it when you beg,” Ian whispered.

“You better stop teasing me and tel me what’s

going on, or I’l make you pay big time,” Bily said in a

huff.

“Okay, okay. I spent the last couple of hours on

the phone with Josh, and he’s very excited about you.

He’s hand-picking musicians and scheduling studio time

for a demo.”

“Are you serious, Ian?”

“Very serious. I’m about to get on the phone with

a publicist and start on a preliminary marketing plan,

and cowboy?”

“Yeah?” Bily said.

“You better start thinking about giving notice at

the Lazy H, because your life is about to get very

complicated.”

“Wow, Ian, this is al happening so fast.”

“And it’s only the beginning,” Ian said.

“Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me yet. Get back to work and cal

me on your way home.”

The next week, Bily, Ian, and Josh spent two

days in the studio with some of the best musicians Bily

had ever worked with. They recorded two demos, a

cover of “Moments” by Emerson Drive, which Bily had

sung the night he’d won the open mic contest, and “The

Love of a Man,” which he always used as an encore at

Jean’s. After listening to both songs a hundred times,

they were al satisfied that these two songs showed off

Bily’s range and his ability to express emotion in his

voice.

THE entire next month was a blur to Bily. When they

were at Jean’s, while he was performing, Ian was

entertaining various label executives who stopped in to

see what al the hoopla was about. When he and Ian

were at home, Ian was on the phone constantly with

Capitol’s public relations and marketing departments

and Bily’s new publicist, making plans for Bily’s

launch. Bily spent endless hours with an attorney that

Jean had recommended to help negotiate the contract.

Ian was already under an employment contract with

Capitol, so he had to play it cool, but behind the

scenes, he helped guide Bily in the right direction.

Two weeks prior to the date he was to sign the

recording contract, Bily gave his notice at the Lazy H

Ranch.

Before he knew it, he was saying his goodbyes to

the guys at the ranch, al of them vowing to keep in

touch and teling him to remember that they knew him

when.

In preparation for leaving the ranch, Bily had to

find a place to live. He knew it was too soon to talk

about sharing Ian’s townhouse, not that Ian had

extended the invitation, but even if Ian had made the

offer, Bily knew he should have his own place in case it

ever came up with the press. So he did some hunting

and found a great little one-bedroom right off

Broadway near Jean’s. He also figured that it wouldn’t

hurt to have a place downtown if he and Ian had a late

night in town and didn’t want to make the hour drive

back to Westhaven. It seemed like everything was

faling into place. He and his attorney had negotiated

what he thought was a great recording contract, he had

a roof over his head, in fact two roofs, and most

importantly, he had Ian. His life was moving right along

as scheduled.

On the morning Bily was to sign his recording

contract, he woke to an empty bed. He could barely

catch a hint of coffee through a strong smel of burning

bacon. He instantly knew Ian was trying to make him a

celebratory breakfast and smiled at the effort. Hopping

out of bed, he puled his jeans on and ran downstairs.

As he had pictured it in his mind, there was Ian in front

of the stove, cursing and mumbling about burned bacon

and rubbery eggs. He walked up behind him and

snuggled into his back. “Morning, handsome.”

“What are you doing down here, cowboy? I’m

trying to surprise you with breakfast in bed, although

I’m not doing such a great job.”

“Everything looks perfect to me,” Bily said.

“Let’s eat.”

“At your own risk,” Ian laughed.

“I’l take any risk if it wil make you happy.”

“Even if you end up in the hospital and miss the

signing of your new recording contract?”

“You’ve got a good point. You try it first.”

“Very funny,” Ian said.

“I’m just kidding. It looks perfect, and besides,”

Bily replied, “I’m so hungry I could eat anything.”

“Oh realy, but just so you’l know, that kind of

backward compliment wil get you everywhere.”

“I’l remember that,” Bily said.

They finished breakfast, and it wasn’t half bad,

Bily thought. Ian’s cooking was getting better, but Bily

thought it was best that he continue his role as head

chef, just for their safety. Ian rinsed the dishes and Bily

loaded the dishwasher, and when they were finished,

they went upstairs to get showered and dressed for the

big day.

Traffic was pretty light, so they made good time.

They puled into the parking garage at Capitol with

thirty minutes to spare. When they reached the glass-

enclosed conference room, Josh was already there, as

were Bily’s attorney and two other attorneys

representing Capitol.

Josh said, “Morning, boys. Since we’re al here,

do you want to get started?”

“Morning, Josh,” Ian said, and he nodded to the

attorneys.

“Morning, al.” Bily and Ian exchanged smiles,

and Bily said, “Let’s get this show on the road.”

Ian sat fairly silently as the attorneys shuffled

papers back and forth, handed them to Bily for his

signature and then to Josh for his. The entire process

took less than an hour, and before noon, Bily Eagan

was Capitol Records Nashvile’s latest recording artist.

When the process was complete, they al took

turns shaking hands and congratulating Bily. As a

tradition, Josh always took his new talent to a

celebratory lunch or dinner, depending on the time, at

Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge. Tootsie’s was wel known in

Nashvile, steeped in country music history, and

guaranteed to provide a glimpse of country music’s

finest. Since Josh and Ian pretty much knew everyone

in Nashvile, as soon as they walked in, Ian got a wave

from Troy Gentry, of Montgomery-Gentry, sitting in the

corner with his wife. Josh headed over to a table of

three men. One was Capitol producer Scott Hendricks

and the other two were Luke Bryan and Chris Cagle.

Josh waved Ian and Bily over, and Ian said his helos

and introduced Bily to the three men. “So you’re the

guy we’ve been hearing so much about,” Scott said.

Bily blushed and said, “I don’t know about that,

but I’m very excited to meet you guys. I love your

stuff.”

“Thanks, man,” Chris said.

Luke nodded and said, “Thanks, welcome

aboard.”

“Hopefuly we’l be able to work together soon,”

Scott said.

“I’d like that,” Bily responded.

As the three men left the table, Josh and Ian

explained that Scott had just produced Chris’ new

album and was about to do one for Luke, so he was a

good man to know. They walked back to the hostess

and were seated at a table across from the popular

“window booth,” usualy reserved for paying tourists

who wanted to sit where famous people like Wilie

Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and Kris Kristofferson

enjoyed some downtime.

After they ordered their lunch, Josh said, “Bily,

your life is about to become pretty demanding.”

“Nothing I can’t handle,” Bily said. “I’ve waited

for this al of my life, and I won’t let a bunch of

demands do me in.”

“Great attitude,” Josh said. “And besides, Ian wil

be there to make sure you don’t screw this up.” Bily

and Ian exchanged glances like guilty six-year-olds,

caught with their hands in the cookie jar.
I wonder if he

suspects that Billy and I are more than friends?
Ian

had never come out to Josh or anyone at work; there

was never a need. He’d been able to dodge the “fix me

up” game by always working and traveling a good bit,

so eventualy people gave up and stopped trying. Ian

snapped back to reality and straightened in his chair.

“Josh, since you brought up the fact that I wil be

right there with Bily, I’ve been considering something

for a while now and wanted to talk to you about it. In

fact, Bily doesn’t even know what I’m about to say, so

you’re both hearing it for the first time.”

Bily raised an eyebrow.
Oh my, is he going to

tell Josh about our relationship?
Then he thought if

Ian trusted Josh enough to do that, then Bily trusted

him as wel. He rested his chin in the palm of his hand

and looked at Josh, as if to say,
Don’t look at me, I

have no idea what he’s about to say
. They both

looked at Ian and waited for him to speak.

Ian cleared his throat. “Josh, you already know I

found Bily and brought him to Capitol, and you also

know that I’ve taken a personal interest in his career

and getting him signed. And, wel, to be honest, we

work realy wel together and, wel, I wanted to

know… wondered if you’d have a problem with me

focusing on his career ful time?”

Josh’s mouth dropped open. “You want to leave

Capitol and manage Bily’s career?”

“Yes and no. I would prefer not to leave Capitol,

but I do want to manage his career.”

Bily’s eyes widened. He smiled and looked at

Josh and asked, “Could that happen?”

“Technicaly, yes,” Josh said, “but Capitol’s

management division only handles their top-tier talent

and only if it makes a hel of a lot of sense to keep it in-

house.”

Ian defended his idea. “Before you rule it out, I’m

prepared to leave Capitol and go out on my own if

that’s what it takes, but I would certainly rather have

the Capitol machine behind me.”

“Now, wait a minute, Ian,” Bily said, taking his

turn at sitting up straight. “You’re not going to quit your

job to take a chance on me.”

“Listen to the man,” Josh said to Ian.