by Harkins, MK
“I gave both Laurel and her assistant, Sophie, my word we would entertain their offer first. She seemed so determined and excited to represent us. I can’t imagine why she isn’t calling me back.”
Scott lowers his voice. “Are these the same women you called prostitutes?”
I nod, wondering where is he going with this.
He laughs. “And you’re confused about why they aren’t calling you back?” He puts his hand on my shoulder and gives it a pat. “Cade, you really don’t know women at all.”
“I’m not going to argue with you there,” I reply.
I wonder if Laurel is still offended with the confusion during our first meeting. I can’t help smiling at the memory. I’ve never seen a woman with more sparks flying in my life. I remember feeling a little out of it that day, but her slap woke me up quickly. Once the shock cleared, I was met with the most exquisite, outraged eyes I’ve ever seen. I still can’t get the image out of my head.
The next day at lunch, she seemed okay with everything. Even after the lunch…shit, I wonder if she’s mad I kissed her. Maybe I should apologize to her about that, too. But it would be a lie. I’m not sorry about that kiss. I’m not sorry at all.
I’d never experienced anything like that before or after. My reaction was instantaneous. I felt like I was going to combust the second my lips touched hers. I knew it was inappropriate to press her up against the wall like I did, but I couldn’t resist.
The last time I felt this type of chemistry, it ended in disaster, and I’m only now starting to feel like my old self again. Even though my relationship with Mattie has survived, our friendship remaining intact, I’m not ready or willing to go through another heartbreak in the near future. Maybe ever.
I waited three months before I kissed Mattie. With Laurel, it was three hours. Now that I have some distance, and my feelings for Mattie have changed, I know the kiss with Laurel was the best of my life. I don’t think I can rest until I find out if it will happen again. That will be my goal. I’ll find Laurel, kiss her again, and put this to bed. No, put this to rest. I won’t allow her to get too close though. That’d be a major mistake. I’ll have a little fun with her, and that will be the end of it.
Now, I just need to track her down and find out why she’s not calling me back.
“Cade!” Scott interrupts, snapping his fingers. “Wake up! Where were you, anyway?”
I’m startled for a moment. This is what happens every time I think about Laurel. Maybe it isn’t such a good idea, forming a possible business relationship with her. She might distract the hell out of me, making it difficult to concentrate.
“Just planning some strategy, Scott.”
“Well hurry the hell up. I want to get this show on the road!” He brings his hand up for a high-five.
“What are we, five?” I ask.
Scott shakes his head, like it’s the saddest thing he’s ever heard. “Cade, you used to be so much fun. What’s with you, man? No one would ever believe you go home every night alone. You’re giving rock stars a bad name. Where’s your sense of fun? You’ve always loved this stuff.”
“I’ll have fun again after we figure all this ‘stuff’ out. Scott, this is a huge decision for us. We can’t make a mistake here, or it’ll affect our careers. I’m looking out for all of us.”
I plan to give notice to the engineering firm I’ve been working at for the past five years. It’s going to be tough, because I love engineering almost as much as I do music. I’m using a different part of my brain for each job, and, up until now, it’s been a toss-up. Lately, I’ve become a little restless, needing a change in my life. Also, the fact I’ve been harassed constantly by my band mates, who are more like brothers to me, also weighs heavily on my decision. I don’t want to let them down either. I need to go home, get some sleep, and figure this out by tomorrow.
I wave goodbye to Scott, noticing he’s kissing some random girl’s neck. He gives me an absent wave and continues on with his normal evening activities
∗∗∗
I arrive home just as the sun is setting over the Seattle skyline. Approaching my houseboat at the end of the dock, I take a minute to breathe in the air and enjoy the view. It never gets old. I knew, when I bought this house, I’d never want to leave. It feels right. It feels like me. Closing my eyes and taking another breath, I start to envision what the next year will look like. It’s a little scary, but a whole lot of exciting as well. Once we sign with an agent, whoever it turns out to be, we’ll be spending most days and nights in the recording studio, to be followed by multiple tour dates in cities around the US. It’s hard to believe everything is starting to click into place. We’re actually going to do this thing. I let myself enjoy the feelings of anticipation and exhilaration, until an unwanted reminder nags at me. There are decisions that need to be made.
The time has come to focus on the two potential music agents. Laurel or Kelly? I don’t even know if Laurel is in the running anymore. It’s possible she’s out of the country. It’s been almost a week since my first call. Even so, if she were out of town, wouldn’t she check her voicemail? Her phone could be dead. Or she’s just not interested. I hate that Kelly put the seed of doubt in my head.
Grabbing my iPad, I flop down on one of the lounge chairs on the deck. It’s a quiet night on Lake Union, with only a few kayakers paddling quietly across the water. I type in Google and insert Kelly Ricci in the search box.
The same info pops up, as it did in the bar. She’s twenty-six years old, single, graduated top of her class from UCLA where she received a D.M.A – Doctor of Musical Arts. Her portfolio is impressive. Usually, I wouldn’t have much hesitation.
But my mind keeps drifting back to Laurel, her expression when she found out I was going to wait a year before making a decision. She looked so disappointed. I wonder again why she won’t answer my calls.
Chapter 10
Laurel
“I think I’ve fallen in love.” Sophie takes in a deep breath, exhaling loudly. “This city has captivated me. It might even be worth the three hours of torture to get here.”
My eyes narrow as I question her. “Really? Because that’s not what you said when you were squeezing the flight attendant’s hand saying, ‘Why do I keep doing this to myself?’”
We’re perched on the rooftop deck of our hotel overlooking Pike Place Market and Puget Sound. It’s a spectacular day, and the views couldn’t be better. I don’t know what it is about this city, but every time I visit, I don’t want to leave.
“My fear of flying isn’t much different than your fear of elevators. My legs are aching already. Did you have to pick a hotel with twelve floors?” Sophie leans down to rub her legs.
“A little exercise won’t kill you. Besides, look at the views! If we were staying in a six-story hotel, we wouldn’t be able to see the sound. I think this is my favorite spot, right here.” I smile and relax a little.
Sophie and I are a pair, she with her fear of planes and flying, and me with my fear of elevators. It’s a wonder how we even get around.
“I know we’ve talked about this before, but are you sure you didn’t have some childhood trauma or something to do with elevators? I mean, planes are claustrophobic tin cans. Why aren’t you afraid of them?” Sophie questions.
“I might be if it weren’t for you. You keep me so occupied with your declarations of doom and gloom, I don’t have time to be scared.”
She knows I’m just kidding, well, sort of.
“So, all I’ll need to do once we get into an elevator is to start screaming about how we’re going to plummet to the basement, or wherever?” Sophie starts giggling.
I shake my head. “I’m pretty sure that’d make it worse. I’ve had this fear since birth, I think. My parents didn’t fight it. They just let me walk the stairs wherever we went. They called it “logical consequences,” like I was doing it on purpose.”
Sophie’s eyes widen. “You mean they never sought counseling or tried to
help you?”
“No, they were always too busy living their lives. I think my phobia was more of an inconvenience than anything.” I shrug. “Maybe one day, I’ll seek counseling for it. For right now, it’s not a problem. It’s just good exercise.”
Sophie’s eyes soften. “That sounds good, Laurel. I’ll keep taking the stairs with you. It’s the least I can do considering I’ve almost broken your fingers on a few flights.”
“A few?” I tease.
“I’ll keep your secret, if you keep mine,” I remind her.
Sophie is the only person on the planet who knows about my phobia. It’s so embarrassing.
Sophie reaches over and gives my hand a soft squeeze. “I love you, you know.”
“I love you, too,” I answer.
There isn’t anything better in the entire world right now.
∗∗∗
“Wake up sleepy head!” I can feel my body being shaken by the she-devil, Sophie.
“If you don’t take your hands off me right now, I will not be responsible for what I do to you.”
She knows I’m not a morning person. It’s this fact that gives her extra glee when she wakes me up.
“Don’t be like that! We’re going to have an extra fun day today.” She leans over to give my shoulder a pat. “I’ve done my research like a good assistant. I called the venue where Hard Reign is playing tonight, and the manager told me they reserved one of their banquet rooms at 4:00pm for some sort of band meeting. We have enough time beforehand to hop on one of the ferries to Bainbridge Island. You still want to go, right?”
I put the covers over my head and groan. “Ugh, too much information at once. Caffeine. I need my fix!”
The bedcovers are not sufficient to muffle Sophie’s laugh as she goes to the coffee maker. “One coffee for the grumpy girl coming up!” Sophie says in a sing-song voice. There is nothing worse than a happy person first thing in the morning.
I manage to finish two cups of coffee, take a shower, get dressed, put on my make-up, and fix my hair in less than an hour. A personal record for me. I’m excited as we make our way to the ferry dock. Luckily, our hotel is within walking distance, so we don’t even need to call a taxi.
As we walk past Pier 56 on our way to buy our tickets, I’m reminded of the last time I was here. We met Cade for lunch at this very place almost a year ago. I can’t believe it’s been that long. I gaze up at the large structure which holds Elliott’s Restaurant, along with a few souvenir shops, and I smile. It’s a fun memory. I wonder what he’ll be like when we see him later today. When I saw him last, it was hard to figure out what his dominant mood was. One minute, he seemed sad, the next, he was laughing, the next… Well, he seemed very passionate. Okay, deep breathing. When I see him tonight, it will be very important to keep myself in check. I can’t let him know he affects me like this. How embarrassing would that be?
“Why are you scowling? It’s a gorgeous day.” Sophie takes hold of my arm and guides me to the ticket counter.
“I’m not scowling. I’m concentrating, thinking about tonight. Maybe we should’ve called and let them know we were coming.” I’m starting to doubt our strategy.
“I think your first instincts were right, Laurel. If we called, they may put us off. It’s much better to meet face-to-face. We can remind Cade of his promise. He won’t be able to refuse those gorgeous brown eyes of yours.” Sophie seems convinced, but I’m not so sure.
“I hope you’re right.”
Cade
“Scott, you know Kelly already. Kelly, this is Ayden and Mica.” Everyone shakes hands politely, and we sit down in the leather chairs scattered around the long, rectangular table. This room at the Emerald City Nightclub is too large for this small meeting of five, but it was available, so we snatched it up.
Kelly remains standing, rubbing her hands together, about to make her pitch. I study her carefully. She’s quite regal-looking with her long, wavy red hair. It’s an unusual color, a deep red with brown and gold highlights. She’s wearing a designer suit, a deep green color, showcasing her curves without being too suggestive. A smattering of freckles across her nose implies innocence, but I sense anything but. This girl is a shark, and I’m trying to figure out if it is a good thing or not.
She asks, “Has everyone had the chance to go over the contract? Do you have any questions?”
I answer, “I’ve had my lawyer look it over today. The terms we discussed earlier are all included. Now, we just need to make sure we all get along and work well together. I understand you have an assistant. Will he be joining us today?”
Kelly shifts and adjusts her blouse. “Well, um, yeah. Rodney had an emergency earlier, so he won’t be able to make it today. He’s a really great guy. You’ll like him.”
She pulls out a file folder and begins. “I’d like to get started on the plan we have for you. At Ricci and Associates, we’ll make you our top priority. I see a lot of talent in this room, and, believe me, I won’t let it go to waste. I’ll be sending out your demo to the top record labels. We’ve worked with them all, so we’ll get you in the door and your music heard right away. I don’t have any reservations there. You’ll be picked up in no time.” She smiles brightly at us. I take a look at the guys. They seem enthralled. Of course they would. She’s tapping into their egos.
She continues. “Once you’re offered a contract, we’ll negotiate for the best terms possible.” As soon as she finishes her sentence, the door swings open and in walks a tall guy with long, brown hair.
Kelly looks at him, closing her eyes briefly. “Oh, look who made it. Everyone, this is my assistant, Rodney.” She smiles at him, but I can tell it isn’t genuine.
“Rodney, I’m so sorry to hear about your emergency earlier. I hope everything is okay?” She questions him while nervously tapping her pencil.
He flops down into one of the chairs next to Ayden. “It’s all good,” he replies.
Kelly returns to her presentation, quickly regaining her composure. She goes over her bullet points regarding contracts, recording time, marketing and promotion, and tour dates until my brain feels numb. After she finishes, Rodney launches into a half hour description on his job duties. He’ll be in charge of booking us into the top venues to promote our band before we record our first album.
Both of them are very convincing, and everyone is excited. Except for me.
Kelly whips out the contract and asks, “So, are we all good? If we get this signed today, we can start scheduling everything as early as tomorrow.”
Scott grabs it first and signs the contract without hesitation. He shoves it over to Ayden, who signs and gives it to Mica. Mica looks at me briefly, signs it, and hands it to me. This is it. When my signature goes onto the contract it’s a done deal.
Laurel. Why do I keep thinking about her? I feel regret as I clasp the pen.
Laurel
“These one-way streets are confusing. Maybe if I smack the GPS it will turn on.” Sophie turns her wrath onto the non-functioning contraption. We’ve been circling around the downtown area for the past hour, trying to find Emerald City Nightclub, without any luck. I turn the car north, hoping this direction will finally lead us to the venue.
“I’m sorry, Laurel, we should have just called a taxi instead of driving this worthless rental.” Sophie rests her head against the window, seemingly defeated. “I thought I’d remember how to get here. All these streets look the same!”
“Don’t sweat it, Sophie. I can’t remember either. How much time do we have?”
I’m concerned we’ll miss the meeting, but I don’t want to show it. Sophie takes her job seriously, including appointments. But technically, we aren’t late, because we never set anything up.
“It’s 4:30 now. Most band meetings take at least an hour, don’t you think?” She anxiously looks up and down the darkening street.
“It depends on how many they have. This could be a monthly meeting, or maybe they just have one long one every year. I gue
ss we could always catch up with them after the show if we’re too late.” I don’t know why, but I have this edgy feeling, like we need to hurry up.
“There! Finally, I see it. Pull over, Laurel, into the parking lot on your right.”
We lock up the car and head toward the venue. I’m going to see Cade again. I wonder if he’ll be glad to see us. I’m getting nervous, and I think I know why. The last time I saw him, he had me pressed up against the wall. I try to bat the memory away. It won’t help the jittery feelings I’ve had ever since we decided to make the trip back to Seattle. I know Sophie is right. This band is too good to pass up. I just hope I can keep my emotions in check so I can carry on a professional relationship. I would never consider dating a member of a band I was representing. It just isn’t done. My reputation means too much. Besides, a guy like Cade will undoubtedly have a girlfriend by now. Or perhaps two or three, but he won’t be alone, I’m sure of it. Anyway, even if he’s single, I could never date a man like him. He’s too messy. Sophie calls it passionate. I call it dangerous.
We enter the front doors and walk into the lobby. It’s empty. The nightclub won’t start filling up until the band goes on, so it should be quiet for a few more hours.
A man in a suit and tie approaches us. “May I help you?” he asks politely.
“Yes, we’re looking for the band playing here later – Hard Reign? We’ve heard they’re having a meeting today, actually right now.”
He smiles. “Yes, that was me you talked to. My name is Don Grolh, I’m the manager.” He shakes both of our hands.
“It’s nice to meet you. Can we head back to the banquet room?” I ask.
He pauses. “Unfortunately, the agent asked for a closed-door meeting.”
Sophie and I look at each other, stunned.
“The agent?” Sophie asks casually, like his statement hasn’t floored us.
He laughs. “Yes, apparently they’re taking this to the next level. They’ll be famous in no time at all.”
Sophie smiles and says, “Oh, yes, we know. We work with the agency. We’re here to deliver these files.” She holds up our files, the ones we were going to use tonight. I’m going to need to give Sophie a raise. Starting right now.