A Christmas Duet

Chapter Nine

Because Hailey was nervous about cooking for Jay, she was in the kitchen instead of spending time working on her Christmas song. While in town, she’d logged on to Google to check him out. What she’d learned made her all the more nervous. Jay was the lead guitarist for a well-known band. She’d heard their music for years. It had been big news when the group had broken apart. The article mentioned the lawsuits. Alex, the lead singer, had ventured out on his own successful solo career. The only other name mentioned was Jay, who had turned to producing music. Knowing what she did, Hailey was both impressed and intimidated. It was clear from their earlier conversation that Jay preferred to put the past behind him. He’d downplayed his success. She was stunned at the interest and encouragement he’d given her. And grateful, too. She had to remind herself, he wasn’t in town to work. He was in Podunk to celebrate Christmas. If he found her songs worthy of his consideration, he’d say so. Hailey had no intention of using him for her own purposes.

Even before Jay was due to arrive, the table was set, the pasta water was boiling, and the sauce was simmering on the stovetop. The salad was already prepared and sat on the top shelf of the refrigerator. Her one fear was overcooking the spaghetti noodles, and she was determined to keep a close eye on the time. This was the best Hailey could do, and she prayed it would be good enough.

When she heard his truck door close, she inhaled and nervously rubbed her palms together like she was grating sandpaper, wanting this evening to be perfect.

Jay knocked and she let himin.

“I brought wine,” he said, lifting a bottle in each hand. “I didn’t know if you preferred red or white, so I brought both.”

“I’m fine with either,” she assured him.

He set the wine down on the kitchen countertop and returned to his truck for his guitar. When he came back, he balanced the guitar against the wall by the picture window and joined Hailey in the kitchen.

“Something smells good,” he said, sniffing the air appreciatively.

“That’s dinner, and like I said earlier, don’t expect much.” She did her best to disguise how nervous she was about this meal. “I’m really not much of a cook.”

“No problem. I’m not a picky eater. Ask my mother.”

His words of reassurance helped settle her nerves. “Everything is ready. I’ll warm the bread in the oven while the pasta finishes cooking, and then we can eat.”

“While you do that, I’ll open the wine,” Jay offered. “Is the red okay?”

“It’s perfect.” She noticed he’d brought a bottle of Carmenère. She had not heard of the varietal before and said as much.

Jay held up the bottle for her to examine. “Carmenère was one of the original six varieties from Bordeaux. It was planted in the New World, but was confused with the merlot grape until 1994, when the Carmenère grape was recognized in Chile.”

Hailey found the story fascinating. “Just hearing the history behind it already makes it a favorite.”

Jay searched the drawers until he found a corkscrew, then manipulated the bottle as though he were a seasoned wine steward.

While Jay filled their wineglasses, Hailey set the salad in the middle of the table. It wasn’t long before the timer on her phone dinged, indicating that the pasta was cooked. She drained it, sliced the bread, and brought both to the table. Jay joined her, and before long they were enjoying the wine, the dinner, and talking, as if they’d been lifelong friends.

Hailey had never met anyone, man or woman, who she felt this comfortable with after such a short acquaintance. The wine was everything Jay had claimed, rich and medium-bodied; it was the perfect complement to their meal.

As dinner progressed, Hailey noticed how Jay often steered the conversation away from himself, another indication that he’d rather not discuss business. It was as if he regretted saying as much as he had earlier. He seemed far more interested in learning about her, especially when it came to her love of music and creating her own.

From her dating experiences since Zach, Hailey found this a welcome change. The men she’d met up to this point had been huge disappointments. Her male companions seemed to find it essential that she know every detail of their lives. It was almost as if their meeting was more of a job interview than a date. Most bragged about their success in the business world, their various achievements and athleticism. They seemed to think Hailey was fortunate to have met them and, after a single evening out, she would swoon at their feet.

By the end of the evening, Hailey doubted any one of them remembered her name, as the entire conversation had centered on them. Most were shocked when she declined a second date.

Once they finished eating, Jay carried their dishes into the kitchen, and they worked together on the cleanup. Hailey hadn’t expected him to wash dishes. This man seemed too good to be true.

When done, they sat, side by side, in front of the fire with a second glass of wine. Hailey felt warm and relaxed.

“Dinner was delicious,” Jay commented. “Thanks for inviting me.”

The spaghetti had worked out well, and Hailey was pleased. “I’ve done most of the talking tonight. Tell me something about you. What do you like best about being a musician?”

He leaned his head back and closed his eyes. “The last few years it’s been more about what I don’t like. At first everything was a thrill, working hard to make a name for ourselves, playing in crappy bars. Performing live was always the best part, but even that eventually started to feel like a grind. But that life is over and I’m thankful. In the years since, I realized that I was dying creatively, which is the main reason I started up Cantor Music. I can sleep in my own bed and eat regular meals. The best part of what I do now is finding talent and developing it. It’s definitely an investment of time and money, but so far it’s really satisfying; I’m grateful for the opportunity.”

Hailey could understand that. She sincerely loved working with the teens at the high school and spent a lot of time encouraging them to grow as musicians. Some took her words to heart, others didn’t. The ones who discouraged her were the students who assumed this would be an easy class and attended for the credit with no real desire for any kind of music education.

“Producing is a whole new field for me. It’s going to take some time to get my feet on the ground, so to speak.” He reached for his guitar and strummed a few chords, as if eager to move the conversation to other subjects.

“You mentioned college earlier,” Hailey said, unwilling to drop the subject completely. “What was your degree in?”

“Much to my parents’ disappointment, I didn’t graduate.” Jay was quiet for a bit, before he added, “My dad was more disappointed than my mom.”

“I hope that didn’t last long.”

“It didn’t. Dad came around eventually and even encouraged me. What about your parents?”

Once again, she noticed how he diverted the conversation back to her. “Mom thought it was charming the way I made up songs. When it came to a career in music, they were both skeptical, and insisted that if I went to college, I should major in education. Instead, I got a degree in music theory also. As it turned out, they were right. I needed a means of supporting myself.”

“You’ve got what it takes, Hailey, and I know talent when I hear it.”

Although he’d said as much earlier, his words felt like a warm bath after being outside in subzero temperatures. “Coming from you, that means a great deal.”

“Speaking of talent, did you work on your song this afternoon?”

“Only a little.” She had wanted to do more but spent most of the time, once she returned from town, putting away groceries and fretting about dinner and everything she’d learned about Jay.

“Let’s hear it.”

“You sure?”

“I wouldn’t ask if I wasn’t.”

Hailey stood up, collected her guitar, and played. Whether it was the wine or being with Jay, the verses she’d only half written came to mind. She continued playing the notes and the music kept coming to her as she played.

Have a very merry Christmas

A very merry Christmas

A very merry Christmas

this year!

Well, the sleigh bells are ringing andthe

children are singing have a very merry Christmas this year!

Moms, dads, girls and boys

in church choirs singing songs celebrating ChristmasDay

Jesus Christ is born!

Jesus Christ is born!

Have a very merry Christmas

A very merry Christmas

A very merry Christmas

this year!

A shadow of a cloud cameby

Sang the Christmas blues

Angel whispered in myear

There’s a miracle for you!

Have a very merry Christmas

A very merry Christmas

A very merry Christmas

this year!

When she finished, she looked up to find Jay sitting at the edge of the sofa, closely studying her. She set aside her guitar and sat back down.

“Hailey, wow, that was great. Exceptional.”

She glowed with pleasure. “Thank you.”

“I’m not just saying that; I’m sincere. Your Christmas song is as good as anything I’ve heard. With the right singer and marketing, it could become a classic.”

Hailey hardly knew what to say. As silly as it sounded, she felt like crying. He seemed to be saying he would be willing to sign her. That would definitely be a dream come true. Tears gathered in her eyes, and she blinked several times, not wanting to embarrass herself.

He must have noticed, because he softly said her name: “Hailey?”

“Sorry, it’s just that I’m not used to my songwriting skills being validated by a professional. My piano teacher was a great encourager, and my friends claimed I had talent, but this is the first time, the very first time…” She paused, because her voice started to crack with emotion. “Forgive me, I’m usually not the crying type.” She wiped the moisture from her cheeks, and then, because she felt she needed an excuse, she waved her hand toward the wineglass. “It’s likely the wine.”

“There’s a saying that in wine there is truth,” Jay said. “And the truth is, you are a naturally gifted songwriter.”

Sniffling, she smiled. “You write music yourself, don’t you?”

He nodded. “I do, and many of the songs our band played over the years were mine.”

“Play me one,” she asked, eager to hear one of his creations.

Jay reached for his guitar. “I wrote this after leaving the band. I guess you could call it a farewell piece.” He bowed his head and sang.

Sometimes

Photos come unglued

But I’ll always rememberyou

Suddenly a melody

Brings you to mind

So grateful for all the years and time

The music and miles and miles of road

We so often carried each other’s load

I can’t help wondering what might have been

And yet I know it’s my time to say good-bye

Go and succeed

You have all you need

Withoutme

Hailey’s eyes drifted closed as the words and the music swirled around her like a misty cloud. While Jay said he’d written the song as a tribute and farewell to his friends, his brothers, it felt more like a love song, a parting, with a heart bursting with gratitude and love.

When he finished, Hailey once again found herself speechless. His song swept her away. It was magical.

He paused and set the guitar aside. “There’s more, but you get the gist.

“The decision to move my career in a different direction was one of the most difficult ones I’ve ever made,” Jay said. “I had to face the fact that nothing was going to bring the band back together. If I was going to have a career in music, I would need to forge one myself, hence my starting out on my own as a producer. I seek fresh talent, talent like yours, Hailey. It’s like panning for gold, finding talented composers and performers. It gives me a feeling of pride to be able to encourage and support these budding artists.”

His words went a long way toward boosting her confidence. She wasn’t entirely sure what he meant when he said he supported these budding artists, and hoped to ask him more later.

“Your song is beautiful,” she said, meaning it. “I felt your heart when you sang.” It was as if he was singing to her, reaching into her own heart.

“It’s the emotion I experienced as I wrote it,” Jay explained. “This is something I’ve learned over the years, something you’ll discover yourself as you progress in the business.”

“What?” she asked, curious to know what he meant.

“The power of emotion. Whatever you’re feeling when you write the song is somehow mystically transmitted to the listener. That is what makes your Christmas song special,” he continued. “I could feel your joy in each note. Composing music is your passion and it shows.”

“I experienced that with your song in the same way. Your sadness at the breakup of the band and wishing the others success as they moved forward came through beautifully. It’s a love song, from you to your fellow band members. But it can have a broader interpretation for a romantic relationship as well, which gives it even more impact. You should record it.” If others experienced even half of what she had, this song would be a hit.

“Perhaps one day. The thing is, I wrote it for me. You’re the only person to hear it. For now, I’d like to keep it that way.”

“I’m deeply honored,” she told him, and she was.

“Shall we play together?” Jay suggested, running his fingers over the chords.

Hailey reached for her guitar again and joined him.

For the next several hours they jammed together. Jay asked her to sing him other songs she’d composed and nodded approvingly with each one. They bounced from there to current favorites, one hit song leading to another. Some they sang, their voices blending together beautifully, and with others, they simply played. Now and again, they’d stop and discuss the lyrics and the composer.

Hailey lost track of time, the hours flew by, and when she happened to glance at the kitchen clock, she was stunned to see it was nearly one in the morning.

Jay seemed surprised as well. “I had no idea it was this late,” he said, getting up from the sofa.

“Me neither.” She didn’t want the evening to end, but she knew he had to work for his mother in the morning.

He reached for his coat and appeared as reluctant to leave as she was to see him go. “Thank you for dinner. I had a great time, one of the best that I can remember in a long while.”

Hailey felt like she should be the one to thank him. “I feel the same.”

He started toward the door and hesitated before turning back to her. “There’s a Winter Festival in town tomorrow evening. Would you like to go with me?”

Her heart skipped a beat. “I’d love that.” She’d intended to go on her own but would enjoy it far more if she was with Jay.

“I’ll come collect you around six, if that works?”

“Sure.”

“Don’t eat dinner before we go,” he said. Then he gave her the biggest smile, nodded once, and walked to the door. He hesitated and then leaned forward and kissed her. The move took her by surprise, and before she could respond, he broke contact and headed out to his truck.

Hailey stood with her fingers pressed against her lips for the longest moment, taking in what had just happened.

After Jay departed, she didn’t feel the least bit sleepy. All she could think about was what a wonderful evening they’d had, and how alive she felt, jamming with Jay on their guitars.

The Podunk Winter Festival couldn’t come soon enough.