Free Pleasure in the Rain by Inglath Cooper Page A

back and forth from home to Nashville to make sure I’m all right.
    The driver eases the limo to a stop at the front of the house and walks around to open Holden’s door.
    We’ve arrived.
     
    ♪
     
    AS A LITTLE GIRL , I had once visited the Biltmore Mansion in North Carolina with Mama. It’s one of the most extraordinary places I’ve ever seen, and the inside of this house reminds me so much of it.
    The foyer is huge, a winding staircase with shallow marble stairs leading up to the next floor. To the left is what looks like an enormous ballroom where at least a couple of hundred people are mingling, sipping drinks and some talking, others listening. An incredible speaker system streams music from what sounds like every direction and the song playing is one of ours from the new album. Pleasure in the Rain . It’s strange to hear my voice filling the room.
    “That’s pretty dang cool,” Thomas says as we walk into the main room.
    Gazes begin to turn our way.
    A man with short cropped white hair and smart-looking eyeglasses starts toward us. I recognize him as the label President Henry Ogilvy. We’ve only met him once at the label’s main office, but he’s not the kind of man that you forget. Confident but gracious, he knows the music business and is said to be the force behind many of the names who have made it big over the past ten years in Nashville.
    He walks up to the three of us, smiling his very white smile. He holds out both hands to me, forcing me to let go of Holden and Thomas. He leans in then and kisses me on both cheeks.
    “Wow,” he says. “If y’all don’t make a picture. You look beautiful, CeCe. Good grief, America is gonna be so in love with all three of you pretty soon.”
    We each offer him a slightly disbelieving smile.
    “Why don’t we get you a drink?” He holds up a hand and beckons a waiter with a small wave. The waiter asks what we’d like. Holden and Thomas opt for a beer. I ask for a Perrier.
    “Y’all get your sea legs,” Mr. Ogilvy says. “Relax a little bit, and then I’d like to introduce you around if you don’t mind.”
    “Of course.”I nod as if mixing with this crowd is something we’re used to when nothing could be further from the truth.
    When he walks away, the three of us turn to face each other.
    “How long do we have to stay?” I ask.
    “I think the rule is if you leave before midnight you’ll turn into a pumpkin,” Holden says.
    “Right now I think I’d rather be a pumpkin,” I say.
    We look at each other and a smile a small smile. It’s a really nice moment.
    From the corner of my eye, I see someone walking toward us. I turn my head. It’s Mama and Aunt Vera with Case Philips. A mixture of relief and disbelief rush over me at the same time.
    “Hi, honey,” Mama says, reaching out to pull me into her arms. “I hope we haven’t given you too much of a shock?”
    I hug her hard and say, “No, it’s wonderful.”
    Aunt Vera steps in and puts her arms around me, too. “We are so proud of you, honey.”
    I feel tears start to my eyes, and for the first time in a very long time, I realize they are tears of happiness. “I’m so glad you’re here. But how did you-”
    Case looks at me now with uncharacteristic uncertainty. “I flew over to Virginia this afternoon to pick these two pretty ladies up.”
    “You did?” I ask, still shocked.
    “I knew this was something your mama wouldn’t want to miss, so I offered to go get her.”
    “Oh, Case,” I say, reaching out to give him a hug as well. “Thank you. How are you?”
    “Doing better,” he says. “I have to tell you, your mama here is one of the main reasons why.”
    I glance at Mama, aware that I’m not hiding my surprise very well. She and Aunt Vera both give Holden and Thomas a hug.
    Case shakes their hands and says, “You three are making me very proud. I can say I knew a good thing when I saw it.”
    “Thank you, Case,” Holden says. “We wouldn’t be here if it weren’t