Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Shayna Judson's smile never wavers during these things. Auditions. If they see your smile drop, even momentarily, as she waits and waits all day for her chance, they'll think she doesn't have watch it takes. But she knows she does.

Usually.

No, she definitely does have what it takes. And she's going to prove it to Duke Sterling. This could be her big break. Finally. She has been trying for years in Nashville. Going to auditions, a small performance here and there. Something bigger is bound to happen for her soon.

And she really hopes Duke's the answer. Not only does she need the gig, but she's a huge fan of Duke Sterling. This would be huge for her, personally and professionally.

As she sings A Life in Love in her head again, making sure her performance is perfect, she hears someone stumble into the lobby of Carl Campbell Management. Her smile turns sympathetic towards the woman.

Wait, does she actually know that woman? She's not sure but she puts aside her guitar and goes to help her.

"Hey, are you alright?"

"Yes, thank you, honey. I'm just possibly a tiny bit late so I had to run here. Me and my boyfriend had an intense discussion on whether I should come here at all. But here I am!"

The more the woman talks the more familiar she becomes. But Shayna still can't quite place her.

"Well, I don't think you've missed your shot yet. Everyone who's been called has gone in, so I think you're good."

"Oh, I am so glad to hear that! I am usually late to things as it is but Boone just had to make this an issue."

Suddenly, that settles it for Shayna. "Say, do you and your boyfriend perform at Tootsies?"

"Why, yes, we do! I'm Bailey Hart and he's Boone Calhoun."

"Shayna Judson. I've seen you perform there a bunch of times. You two are really good!" Shayna hangs out at Tootsies sometimes and she's not just saying it.

"Thank you, I appreciate that. I can't say I remember you though."

Shayna tries to chuckle dismissively, "You wouldn't. I haven't performed there. Or much of anywhere in Nashville. That seems like a great gig to have."

"Well, I do love to perform. And it pays some of our bills. But getting this would be big. Different, though." Bailey sounds slightly hesitant about that. Probably why she and Boone ended up discussing the issue.

Shayna doesn't quite know how to react. She keeps her smile in place, but she is jealous. She would do anything for a semi permanent gig like that.

"Well, different can be good. Maybe we'll both make it."

"Oh, I'm sure you're good too, Shayna."

Just then a woman appears by the opening again, "Bailey Hart."

"Ah! That's me!"

"I told you didn't miss it," Shayna smiles at Bailey.

"Thank you, and good luck to you!"

Bailey disappears with the woman and Shayna is alone again.

The smile doesn't leave her face but a part of her is wondering just how long she should keep trying in Nashville if this doesn't work out.

Maybe she should head home to Silverado for a while. At least that's an option.

Chapter Text

"C'mon, Boone, you know this is a good opportunity for me!"

"Right, for you!"

Bailey Hart and Boone Calhoun are yelling at each other at their rehearsal space at Tootsies. Their band members politely ignore them.

Bailey takes a breath and tries to calm down a bit as she explains.

"If they like me, they'll like the band and maybe we can get an audition as an opener. Think about it, Boone! Opening for Duke Sterling!"

Boone laughs at heart, and it's part affectionate and part exasperated.

"It's a backup singer audition, Bailey, it's not gonna lead to that."

"It might!" Bailey puts all her optimism and conviction into her voice.

Boone smiles and kisses her. "I love that even after 8 years of this, you believe that."

" And if it doesn't get to that, it's only a month or so anyway."

"I know, babe. Yeah, go. Knock them dead. The band will be fine. Go impress Duke Sterling."

"Thank you, Boone! Oh, I'm gonna be late! See you later, guys!" And then Bailey runs out of the room.

Boone sighs and shrugs at their band mates. She will be back for the gig tonight. And maybe they should start trying different things.

---

Bailey stumbles into Carl Campbell Management. She's pretty sure she's late already, though she doesn't even have the time to check her phone for the time.

The only other person in the lobby is a woman with brown hair who smiles at her sympathetically.

"Hey, are you alright?" The woman asks and puts away her guitar to help her, and when Bailey looks at her, she looks like she's trying to maybe recognize her.

"Yes, thank you, honey. I'm just possibly a tiny bit late so I had to run here. Me and my boyfriend had an intense discussion on whether I should come here at all. But here I am!" Bailey knows her nerves make her rambley.

"Well, I don't think you've missed your shot yet. Everyone who's been called has gone in, so I think you're good."

Bailey breathes a big sigh of relief.

"Oh, I am so glad to hear that! I am usually late to things as it is but Boone just had to make this an issue." She throws up her hands in frustration.

When she looks at the other woman again, suddenly there is recognition in her eyes.

"Say, do you and your boyfriend perform at Tootsies?"

"Why, yes, we do! I'm Bailey Hart and he's Boone Calhoun." The woman's recognition makes her indescribably happy. All that time hasn't gone to waste.

"Shayna Judson. I've seen you perform there a bunch of times. You two are really good!"

"Thank you, I appreciate that. I can't say I remember you though."

Shayna chuckles dismissively, "You wouldn't. I haven't performed there. Or much of anywhere in Nashville. That seems like a great gig to have."

Bailey can hear a slight jealousy in Shayna's voice but she understands it. Sometimes, she doesn't appreciate how good she has it.

"Well, I do love to perform. And it pays some of our bills. But getting this would be big. Different, though." It's finally kinda hitting Bailey that if she succeeds, despite her words to Boone, this would be a solo success. She's so used to having Boone by her side. 'Different' is an understatement.

Shayna's smile seems slightly forced. Bailey gets that. If their roles were reversed, she would probably also not be too sympathetic for maybe sacrificing a sure thing for something like this. But she has to try.

"Well, different can be good. Maybe we'll both make it." Shayna ends up saying.

"Oh, I'm sure you're good too, Shayna." She wishes she could properly compliment Shayna. She seems so lovely.

Just then a woman appears by the opening again, "Bailey Hart."

"Ah! That's me!"

"I told you didn't miss it," Shayna smiles at Bailey.

"Thank you, and good luck to you!"

--

Bailey leaves Shayna behind as she follows the woman into something that looks like meeting room.

"Hello, I'm Bailey Hart and I'm here to audition for Duke Sterling's backup singer!"

"Great. What are you performing?" Asks Carl Campbell, not sounding very excited.

It dampens Bailey only a little. "I'm singing Dream Baby."

"Great, whenever you're ready."

Bailey gets her guitar and starts singing, and she thinks she crushes it! Well, she mostly concentrates on her own performance but when she looks up after finishing, neither Carl nor the man next to him seem to even be paying attention to her.

"Um, hello? I'm done."

"Oh, great. We'll let you know."

"Right, thanks. Here's my demo, and my band's."

"Thanks," a woman takes the CDs.

Bailey leaves, feeling slightly discouraged. Maybe she should just settle herself at Tootsies.