Free Something I Need (xoxo Nashville Book 1) by Lena Lowe

hairline. “Your roots are showing, darlin’, and your eyebrows are a little bushy. What are ya planning on wearing?”
    “Jeans?” Jonte said, certain that was the wrong answer.
    Dolly tutted and shook her head. “I figured as much. Last night I did some rearranging of my appointments today and called my hairdresser.” Dolly paused when she caught Jonte’s look of absolute shock. “I’m not saying you need to cut all your hair off or dress like me, but you need to do something, ‘cause I don’t believe for one second that you belong in flip-flops and tank tops. You wanna be a star. So let’s make you one!”
    “Seriously, Dolly, it’s too much –”
    “Nonsense. Let me take you out. It’ll be fun.”
    “I don’t know, Dolly. I mean, I don’t have an actual job, just Cash’s offer, and I have to be careful with how much money I spend.” Jonte hesitated, trying to balance practicalities with her curiosity of what it would be like to spend the day with Dolly. Her reality wasn’t like that of the twins, who seemed to have a bottomless pit of money to buy businesses, cars, clothes, and bikes with. Not that she had any idea where on earth they’d gotten that pit from, seeing as it really wasn’t her place to ask.
    “Fear not, I know the absolute best place in Nashville. You need boots, yeah?”
    “Cash did mock me for not having any the other night.”
    “Darlin’, you traveled over here with nothing but an oversized duffel bag. Surely ya knew you’d have to buy some stuff, right?”
    Jonte nodded again at the truth in Dolly’s words.
    “Give me a budget and we’ll work with that.”
    “Okay,” Jonte said, glad to be going out with Dolly and relieved to have a legitimate excuse to ignore the fifth text message her older brother Jack had sent through, demanding she return home. Clearly their mother had now dragged him into her let’s-bring-Jonte-home mission. She’d message Jack later. Or not.
    “Yes!” Dolly squealed and did a crazy shimmy victory dance.

    J onte was taken aback when Dolly pulled her near new shiny black VW convertible up in front of a group of what appeared to be brown, green, and red boxy shops. This certainly wasn’t what she’d been expecting.
    “The Idea Hatchery,” Jonte read off the sign.
    “Trust me.” Dolly grinned, grabbed her small clutch, and jumped out of the car, keen to get shopping.
    “Okay.” Jonte smiled and followed Dolly. She’d signed up for the day, so she may as well just go with whatever Dolly threw at her. Within reason, of course. “So what’s the go with these huts?”
    “They were built a couple years back and marketed at small businesses who wanted somewhere low key and affordable to start up. Really it’s a win-win. Win for the business owner and big win for us, ‘cause they have the best stuff here.”
    “Right.” Jonte nodded. She knew Dolly was a business owner, but it was kind of weird hearing her talk all serious like that.
    Dolly pulled Jonte past a few art and indie shops that sold everything from oats to leather goods, all the way down to the back of the complex.
    “Shopping time,” Dolly sing-songed, leading Jonte into the shop with a small Goodbuy Girls sign hanging out the front.
    Jonte gasped. The space was no bigger than a bedroom and jam packed with boots – walls of them, all unique – clothes, jewelry, hats, bags, nick-nacks, everything stacked on wooden shelves or small tables, or tucked away on the wooden faux-fireplace behind the counter. At first glance, it seemed like a bit of a mess, but as she continued to take it all in, Jonte realized it was definitely designed to be organized chaos. It had a distinct country feel to it, but there was a mash-up of modern and vintage happening too.
    “What is this place?” she asked, wide-eyed.
    “Your new best friend.” Dolly smiled triumphantly and made a bee-line for a shelf of boots. “What size are you?”

    T wo hours . That’s how long the duo spent