“I guess I just don’t have what it takes. Or never got my lucky break. Or something…” Disappointment rushed through her. Saying it all out loud made it seem so real. Terribly real. “I thought I had my life all planned out, you’re right. But it just hasn’t worked out how I intended. I guess the universe is laughing at me about now.”
“Maybe the universe has other plans for your life. Something you haven’t thought of.”
“I guess so, because life sure isn’t working out the way I thought it would.” Missy headed toward the kitchen. “Come on. Let’s raid the fridge and see if Becky Lee has some beer for us.”
Time to change the subject and move on. Now Dylan knew she’d failed. Soon everyone in town would know.
She felt Dylan’s hand on her arm and turned to look at him.
“You know, you’re not a failure just because things didn’t work out like you intended. Sometimes life has other plans for us, ones we haven’t thought of before. I really believe we end up where we’re supposed to be.”
“Maybe.” But Missy wasn’t so sure of that. Because if she wasn’t going to be a country singer… not on any level, not even a backup singer, then what was she going to do with her life? Her music had been her whole focus for as long as she could remember.
CHAPTER FIVE
“I’m so sorry, honey.” Missy’s mom sat across the kitchen table from her. She set her cup down and reached for Missy’s hand. “I know you always dreamed of being a country singer.”
Missy felt a catch in her throat. She did not want to break into tears in front of her mother. “It just didn’t work out for me. I tried. I tried so hard. Auditions, open mic nights, demos of my songs sent everywhere. I just couldn’t make it happen.”
“Well, I firmly believe that when one door closes, another one opens.”
“I don’t have any idea what I’m going to do now.” Her heart thumped dully in her chest
“We’ll sort it all out. You know you’re welcome to stay here for as long as you need to.”
How could she do that without feeling like an even bigger failure? A grown woman moving back in with her mother? “Thanks, Mom. We’ll see.”
“I still feel badly that we’ll have the house all filled up with Dwayne’s family for the holidays. You know we could still fit you in the den on the pull out sofa. I love his family, they’ve all been so accepting of me, but I still feel badly that the rooms will be filled.”
“I’m good at Becky Lee’s. I think she even likes the company for the holidays.” Which reminded Missy that she hadn’t told Becky Lee the move back to Comfort Crossing was permanent. Once again with the whole I-couldn’t-make-it conversation. She could feel her pulse thudding in her temple and she reached up one hand to massage it.
“Don’t you worry, dear. We’ll figure everything out after Christmas. I hope you can just relax and enjoy the holidays for now.”
“I’ll try.” Missy set down her coffee cup and stood up. “I’ve got to run now. I want to look through the costumes for the play and work on some of the set decorations.” What she really needed was some time alone. Time to think.
“I’ll see you later, then?”
“I’ll check in later today.” Missy walked out of her mother’s house. The house that didn’t feel like home to her, not that Dwayne wasn’t anything but welcoming to her. She just didn’t know where she fit in these days.
Missy walked down the street and crossed through the town park. It had been transformed from a magical tree lighting place to a town park in the bright light of day. She sat on a bench and watched a few young kids swing on the swings and slide down the slides, their mothers sitting together on a nearby bench, watching over them.
“Mind if I join you?” An older man with a red jacket and cabled scarf stood in the glare of the sunshine.
“Um, of course.” There were maybe a half dozen other benches scattered throughout the park, why did this guy want to sit with her?
“You looked kind of sad. I don’t mean to intrude.”
Where were her manners? Everyone was nice to everyone in Comfort Crossing. “No, please, sit down.”
“Don’t mind if I do.” The man sat on the bench and stretched out his legs. “I’m Mr. Nick.”
“Nice to meet you Mr. Nick. I’m Missy.”
He watched the kids playing on the playground and smiled. “Those mothers are probably trying to wear off some of the pre-Christmas energy with those young tykes. They’ve probably already made up their Christmas lists.” The man chuckled. “And changed their minds quite a few times.”