by J. M. Nevins
Sean nodded. “I’m gonna keep an extra close watch on ‘em once you leave, Kit. We can’t have them burning out. This tour is a long haul. We’re only six weeks in, and I can already tell that Sully is performing at a hundred and ten percent. He’s on fire. It’s not sustainable.”
She nodded, instinctively knowing Sully’s patterns. “He’ll be fine, Sean. He’ll cool his jets and back off a bit. I think he’s just so excited about the shows. Almost every show on the schedule is sold out or close to being sold out, and he loves his fans. He wants to give them the best possible performance. That’s why he’s out there hitting it harder than he ever has.” She watched Sully as he headed up the stairs to the stage. She nodded to Sean again. “I’m out.”
“Gotcha, chief.” He saluted Kit as she walked away.
She headed into the arena where the soundboards were located. Giselle trailed after her. Kit had stopped doing this at soundchecks after their last immensely successful tour. They were all at the top of their game now with the best sound engineers in the business on the boards finessing any bugs or hiccups that could potentially throw things off. The band’s performance had jumped up to another level again.
She stood on the elevated platform on high alert watching everything. The band hadn’t started playing yet, but she was in awe assessing how large their crew had become. They were all working like busy little bees to ensure that the evening’s performance was its best.
She was amazed. She knew Gypsy Tango would be successful and famous, but this level of big production and fame was something that took some getting used to. They were now one of the most popular and beloved rock bands in the world.
Giselle looked at the stage. “It’s cool being out here when a show’s not going on.”
She nodded. “Yep. Wait until you hear them play. It’s unique because the arena is empty. Different sound when the arena is packed. It’s a cool experience.” She grinned and winked at Giselle.
Sully took the stage and stepped in front of his mic. He noticed Kit standing out at the boards, smiled and pointed at her. She grinned and waved. They started ‘Jaded,’ the very song that put them on the map in the first place. She hadn’t heard it in a while. They very rarely checked with this song, but she was pleasantly surprised.
When the song filled the arena, Giselle glanced at Kit and smiled. She nodded silently and grinned acknowledging that she liked what she heard. Since the tour started, Giselle usually remained at the hotel during the day and met up with Kit at the arena for the show. Kit was pleased she picked a great day to share the full experience of soundcheck with her. The entire band sounded fantastic, and Kit was impressed not only with them, but with the sound engineers. Not one thing needed attention. They were on it. When the song was over, she held two thumbs up so the band could see them clearly.
Sully grabbed the mic. “Really? No tweaks?” She shook her head, smiling.
Jimmy leaned forward and spoke into his mic. “This is a first. We must be doing something right this tour.”
She nodded from where she was and then headed up to the stage. Sully walked over to her and hugged her. “It sounded that good, huh?”
“Yes. It did. You guys have reached the super pro level. You aren’t selling out arenas for nothing.”
Sully shrugged his shoulders and grinned. “I guess. I wanna keep having fun with it and give those fans a good time.”
She grinned. “And I know you will.”
Jimmy and Kit were chatting in the dressing room when she noticed Sully go dashing by to catch Sean. They were due to go on in ten minutes. She wondered what was suddenly so urgent. She heard him request his own limo. He wanted it ready and waiting the minute he stepped off the stage at the end of the show. She wondered what he was up to.
Kit stood on the side of the stage as they performed their last song of the night, ‘Pretty Poison.’ She watched intently, taking it all in. She wasn’t sure when she’d be back out on the road with them for any extended amount of time. She was flying home the next morning with Giselle. She had no plans to jump back on the tour anytime soon, and that bothered Sully to no end.
She heard Sully yell into his microphone, “Thank you, goodnight!” It echoed loudly through the arena as the crowd cheered. Moments later, he came rushing off the stage at the conclusion of the final encore, sweaty and smiling from ear to ear. He seized her arm, dragging her along with him.
She chuckled. “Where are you taking me?”
He grabbed her hand and interlocked his fingers in hers. “We’re getting out of here. Don’t think for a minute that I forgot you’re flying out in the morning. I won’t be seeing you for a while.”
Kit giggled. “Oh. So, you have plans for me?”
He raised his eyebrows and smiled as he led her to the limo that was waiting for them. “You have no idea.”
Sully sat on the edge of the bed the next morning, half asleep, looking completely disheveled. He sadly watched Kit as she finished her packing. She poured a cup of coffee, walked back over and handed it to him, giving him a kiss on the cheek. She grinned. “Wake up, baby.”
He sighed. “You don’t have to do this. Stay.”
She looked up at him as she zippered her large suitcase closed. “I do, babe. I have obligations.”
It was time she dropped the bomb. She had exactly fifteen minutes to spring the news on him. She hoped her explanation was succinct enough to pacify him, but she couldn’t deny the doubts she held.
He sighed again, his eyes downcast. He looked like a pouty little boy. “I know. You have your duties as CCO at Diamond, and you have to help out Mom with our foundation. I get it.”
She sat down next to him. “Actually, honey, there’s something else.”
He stared at her. “What?”
Her eyes met his. “I’ve agreed to produce the debut album for Jade Riff. They saw what I did with Triple Tango, and they were impressed. So was Diamond, so they gave me an offer. I couldn’t refuse it, babe. It was the opportunity of a lifetime. Grunge is going to be the voice of the nineties, and I can’t pass up the opportunity to get on the map in a different genre.” She searched his eyes for approval, and it wasn’t coming.
He continued to stare into her eyes, despite his increasing disappointment. “You’re leaving me and the guys out here on the road? A band that you manage that is making you millions upon millions of dollars, to go produce an album for a band that nobody knows about? Are you fucking high, Kit?”
She shifted her eyes up at the ceiling and let out a long breath. She knew he wouldn’t be pleased, but she hadn’t anticipated him taking it so personally. She glanced over at him and took his hand in hers. “Babe, listen, I need to do this for me. I want to explore having a career as a successful producer, and I have to expand out of rock. I don’t want to be pigeonholed.”
He shook his head, annoyed as he removed his hand from hers. He stood up and started pacing, then met her eyes, this time reflecting an anger that wasn’t there earlier that morning. His voice was curt when he responded. “So, our triple platinum album is not good enough for you now, huh?”
She stared at him and willed herself to stay calm and not feed into his reaction. She closed her eyes for a moment to get composed and clear her mind. When she opened her eyes, she spoke evenly. “C’mon, please don’t be like this, babe. What if Triple Tango was a fluke for me? I need to find out for sure. I thought you wanted me to let my creative side take over. That’s what I’m trying to do.”
He shifted his gaze down and stopped in his tracks. He sighed and shook his head. He did want to support her, but he also wanted her out there on the road all to himself. He was conflicted, but he loved her and knew her creative expression was on the line. He had to let her go. She was always good at letting him do whatever he wanted as an artist. Now, it was time for him to return the favor. He knew it wasn’t fair for him to keep her all to himself.
He looked up and forced a grin. “When do you start?”
S
he chuckled. “Next week.”
He folded his arms in front of his chest. “Where?”
“Seattle.”
He nodded and then grinned. “Congratulations, babe. You’ll do great.” He leaned forward and kissed her.
She smiled and gazed into his eyes. “You sure you’re ok with this?”
He nodded, trying more to convince himself rather than her. “Just don’t forget about me out here on the road, ok?”
She giggled. “That would be impossible, my love.” She kissed him. “Thank you for letting me do this. It means a lot to me.”
He smiled. “Anything for you.”
They both burst out laughing at his reference to the song he had written for her that was still sitting on the Billboard Hot 100 in the top ten after eight weeks.
There was a knock at the door, and Giselle’s voice called out seconds later. “Kit, limo’s here. We gotta go.”
Sully put his hand out to help Kit up from where she was sitting. “Looks like the bell boy stood you up. I’ll take your bag down for you, babe.”
Kit stayed in Sully’s arms outside next to the limo as long as possible until Giselle yelled from the interior that they had to go, or they’d miss their flight.
She kissed him, gazed into his eyes and grinned. “Be good.”
He chuckled. “Of course. You be good too.”
She smiled and winked. “I love you, baby.”
He smiled back at her. “I love you too. Call me when you get home.”
“I will.” She climbed into the limousine.
The driver was about to close the door, when Sully leaned in. He looked at Kit and grinned. “If I don’t get a chance to talk to you before you leave, good luck in Seattle. Crush it!”
She smiled. “Thanks, baby.”
As the limo pulled away, Giselle looked over at her. “I’m surprised he took it so well.”
She chuckled. “Me too. He wasn’t happy at first, but then he warmed up to it. There isn’t much he can do about it out here on the road.”
Giselle nodded. “Oh, by the way, I was able to secure that condo you wanted in Seattle. They’ve agreed to be flexible with the lease terms.”
She let out a sigh of relief. “Thank you. Looks like Seattle won’t be so bad, after all.”
CHAPTER 16
The fantastic view from the spacious, luxurious condo that Kit cohabited with Giselle showcased the beauty of Puget Sound better than she could have imagined. She grabbed a glass of wine and her cigarettes to relax on the balcony and soak it all in.
As she admired the tranquility and gentle movement of the water out in the distance, she reflected back to where she was a year ago and couldn’t have predicted she’d be sitting there.
Life was moving at a rapid pace. Her new career as a producer was taking a steep, positive trajectory. The sessions with Jade Riff had been surprisingly smooth and efficient. There was a different level of respect collaborating with them. They didn’t have a previous history with Kit, and it worked to her advantage.
They had only favorable impressions of her as a music industry leader with a penchant for creating chart toppers and being producer of an album that was now sitting at five times platinum. She was a professional to them—not a manager, not a friend, not a wife, but a producer and a top executive that could make their career.
The guys in Jade Riff absorbed her direction like sponges and had no problem taking action at her prompts. Lack of resistance in the studio was a breath of fresh air, and she found herself loving it way too much. She wasn’t sure if it was spurred by their newness to the big leagues of recording for a major label or if this was a band of professionals more committed to their career than pettiness and power dynamics.
The production of Jade Riff’s album, ‘Jigsaw’, was tracking along faster than she anticipated. She didn’t want to clue Diamond in on it just yet. Jade Riff was scheduled for a November release. By her calculations, they would be wrapping production by June and mix for a month or two. She knew that Diamond would be ecstatic to have a late summer or early fall release.
She was careful not to put too much pressure on them. She knew that the grunge movement was gaining in popularity and the last thing she wanted to do was push them out before they were ready. There would be no career suicide on her watch if she could help it.
Giselle walked out onto the balcony, holding the cordless phone out to Kit. “Hubby is on the line.”
She grinned and took the phone from Giselle, mouthing “Thank you” to her silently as she left the balcony.
The plane touched down effortlessly, and the band cheered. They were back in Los Angeles for two shows and were happy to be home even though they only had a day off before they had to perform again at the Forum for two sold out nights.
It has been almost three months since Sully had seen Kit. As he got into the limousine waiting to take him home, it seemed like the moments dragged along. He wondered how much time he’d get with her. The L.A. press circuit was relentless with the band and Kit was finishing up mixing Jade Riff’s album in their home studio with a staunch deadline from Diamond corporate hanging over her head.
Sully had dozed off and awoke as the limousine pulled up the driveway. The house came into view, and he recognized a few cars in their circular driveway. It looked like Fred and Spencer were there.
He got out of the limo and headed to the door while the driver unpacked his bags and one guitar. He stepped into the house that was so quiet it was startling. Kit’s office was dark when he checked, and as he glanced at the clock, he realized it was getting close to one in the morning. There were only two places she could be at this hour—asleep in bed or out in the studio working. Knowing his wife, he opted for the studio.
He strolled in, and everyone stopped talking as they turned around to look at him. He grinned sheepishly, feeling awkward like he had inadvertently interrupted a confidential conversation. “Hey, guys.”
Spencer grinned. “Hey man, welcome home. For a few days at least.”
He nodded. Kit got up and walked over to him, hugging him tightly and giving him a kiss. “How was your flight?”
“A little hop over from Nevada, it was quick. I’m pretty beat.”
She nodded. “Ok. Why don’t you head into the house and go to sleep?”
He took her hand and pleaded with his exhausted steel blue eyes. “Come with me.”
She shook her head. “I can’t, babe. I’ve got to keep pushing through with Fred. It’s crunch time.”
Sully gazed at her sadly and sighed. “Will I be able to see you tomorrow?”
She nodded. “Yes. That’s why I have to push through tonight, ok? We’ll have time tomorrow. I promise.” She gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Sleep well.”
He nodded and waved as he left the studio feeling like he had just been dismissed. He didn’t have enough energy to care. He went upstairs and plopped onto the bed, falling asleep instantly in his clothes.
When Sully awoke the next morning, he rolled over reaching out for Kit and found an empty bed instead. He sat up and frowned. He glanced down and realized he was still in his clothes from the night before. He shook his head in annoyance. He got up and stared at the clock—almost noon. He groaned and jumped into the shower.
Twenty minutes later, he threw on a robe and padded down the stairs on a hunt for his wife. He heard a voice coming from the office, but as he approached, he quickly realized it belonged to Giselle. He poked his head into the office.
She spotted him and smiled. “Hey, Sull. Sleep well?”
He strolled into the office, his hands fixed in the pockets of his robe. “Yeah. Still a little tired.”
She stood up. “Want me to make you some coffee?”
He frowned and motioned to her to sit back down. “No, no, I can do that. You’ve got work to do. Is Kit out in the studio?”
“Yeah, she’s out there with Fred and the band.”
He raised his eyebrows, surprised. “Jade Riff is he
re today?”
Giselle nodded. “Yeah. They’re here until two. She has a conference call with Pete Lundy and Spencer at three.” She looked down at the schedule in front of her and continued. “Then she’s scheduled with you for the rest of the day.” She shifted her gaze up to meet his eyes and gave him a reassuring grin. Don’t worry, Sully, she blocked out time for you.” She winked at him. “She got an early start today so she could spend the day and evening with you as well as attend your L.A. shows.”
He grinned and suddenly felt better. “Thanks, G. You just made my day.” He nodded. “I’m going to leave her alone and let her get her work done. Anything you need me to do?”
Giselle raised her eyebrows. “Do you mean it?”
He shrugged his shoulders. “Sure.”
“Have lunch with me.”
He laughed. “Oooh, G. I never thought you’d try to seduce me while Kit’s busy.” He put his hands on her desk and leaned forward, grinning and meeting her eyes, unable to stop the joking. “Personally, I’m shocked. I’ll have lunch with you, but I’m not doing a nooner with you. No way. I’m a monogamous, happily married man, y’know.”
She laughed and shook her head. “You’re twisted. I want your advice, not your body, Sully.”
He laughed and stood back. “Oh, sorry. Got confused on that one.” He nodded and offered a friendly smile. “I’d be happy to help. Where am I taking you to lunch?”
She snorted. “Here. We’re having take-out Mexican food on the terrace. Going to lunch with you in public is not a good idea right now. I don’t feel like making more work for myself managing the publicists who would be bombed by a press frenzy after the paparazzi snapped even one shot of us laughing across a table from each other. Not gonna happen, sweetie.”
He nodded. “Good point. What are we talking about?”
She grinned. “Bryan.”
He smiled and rubbed his hands together. “Ooh, this is gonna be good. Let me go get dressed.”
Bruce and Fred talked with Kit as they trailed behind the band with Spencer, headed to the house. As they got closer, she noticed Giselle and Sully on the terrace talking. Sully donned dark sunglasses and was reclined in his seat, his feet up on the table, getting some sun. She shook her head and chuckled. One would never know he was in the middle of one of the biggest world tours of his career. He looked completely calm, relaxed and at home.