“Ashley.” Drew’s deep voice—and his hand over hers—stopped her in her tracks. “Stay. Please.”
She looked into his eyes, and when she saw just how much he seemed to need her support, she moved back to sit with him on the couch opposite the one Smith and Valentina were sitting on. She squeezed his hand, a silent message of support that she hoped he’d understand.
She watched as he steeled himself to deliver the bad news, turning to Smith and Valentina and saying in a grave voice, “Working on the soundtrack for your movie is the opportunity of a lifetime. Honestly, when you asked me to do it, I was floored. But even then I should have been upfront with both of you about the problems I was already having.” He ran his free hand through his hair, leaving it standing on end. “The rushes are incredible. You deserve a soundtrack just as good. I can’t do it justice.”
“Of course you will,” Valentina said. “We wouldn’t have asked you to work with us if we didn’t think you would more than do our film justice, Drew.”
Valentina’s words were as firm as they were soothing. Ashley belatedly remembered that she had managed her sister’s acting career for a long time. Clearly, she was good with artists.
But Drew shook his head. “Everything I’ve tried to write for your film—it’s not coming out the way you’re expecting.”
“How so?” Smith asked.
Ashley couldn’t quite read Smith’s expression, although he didn’t look worried or angry. Instead, it was as though he needed more data before he decided which way to feel. Clearly, neither he nor Valentina were the type to jump to conclusions. Not even when someone they had hired told them flat-out that they weren’t up to working with them on a film.
“The songs I’ve been hearing in my head aren’t rock. Not like my last album.” Drew looked at Ashley, and even though she’d been trying like crazy to avoid temptation these past few days by keeping her distance, she hoped he knew she was on his side. Always. “There’s still a little bit of rock there,” Drew continued, “but there’s some folk, too. Even some classical.” He scowled as he admitted, “Honestly, I don’t know what the songs are yet. Just that whenever I try to force them in the direction I know you’re looking for, everything stalls out.”
Smith looked at Valentina and Ashley got the sense the power couple was having a silent conversation before Smith said, “We trust your vision, Drew.”
“Whatever your vision ends up being,” Valentina added. “Rock, folk, classical, zydeco—all that matters is the emotion behind it. Style really has nothing to do with it as far as we’re concerned.”
After a bit of a pause where he looked more than a little gobsmacked by their instant and unconditional support, Drew said, “I appreciate your vote of confidence. But I’m sure you want to sell a lot of soundtracks, and without a guaranteed hit—”
Smith held up a hand. “Ever since Nicola married my brother Marcus and Ford Vincent married my cousin Mia, I’ve learned a few things about the music business. Mostly that hits may come, and that it’s great when they do, but the most important thing of all is that the musicians truly believe in what they’re creating.” Smith looked at Drew with laser focus. “All we’re asking you to do is to put your heart—the whole damned thing—into the music you create for this movie.”
“That’s all, huh?”
Ashley nearly sighed out loud with relief when Drew’s mouth quirked up slightly at his own question. So, she thought, did Smith and Valentina. Clearly, they hadn’t wanted to lose Drew.
“Keep writing for the film for another couple of weeks,” Valentina suggested. “And then if you’re still having trouble, let us know. But we still have a good feeling about what you’re going to give us, Drew.”
Drew stood up to thank both of them for giving him another chance to get it right. Ashley hoped at least a chunk of the huge weight on Drew’s shoulders had just fallen away.
A few moments later, Smith headed outside to deal with the drunken grip while Valentina went to see if their clothes were dry.
When they were alone, Ashley needed him to know, “I think they’re right.” She didn’t want her voice to carry, so she spoke softly, but she hoped Drew could hear the passion behind her words. “I know we talked about it in the desert, and then again on the beach, but Smith and Valentina both just put it perfectly—you need to trust your new musical vision the way you’ve always instinctively trusted your old one.” She hoped it wouldn’t hurt him to hear her say, “It’s like your mom said in her letter—you’ve always been perfectly in tune with the music in your heart.”