“If what you’re saying is true, if you know within an inch of your soul that what you have sitting next to you is very precious to me, then you have my blessing,” Daddy stated.
“Thank you,” Aiden said softly. “She’s precious to me too and it means a lot to both of us for you to know how serious I am. You wanna show them the ring, Sunny?”
I opened my clutch. When I was sure that no one was spying on us, I took my engagement ring out of the pocket and slipped it on my finger.
“Oh,” my mother gasped. “That’s simply beautiful, Aiden. You did a really good job.” She looked at me and smiled. “Come here, babygirl.”
I got up and walked around the table so that I was between my mother and father. I hugged them both.
“Congratulations, baby,” Daddy said in my ear.
“When can we start planning this wedding?” Peaches asked after I sat back down.
“Well,” Aiden answered. “We don’t want to start doing anything until after Sunny debuts at Fashion Week. We don’t think the focus should be on anything except her collection. If we announce it now and start planning, someone is going to ask about the wedding every time there’s a mic around. This is big for her so she deserves her moment.”
Tears poured from my eyes. He sounded so sincere and supportive of something that is such a big deal to me that “God, I love you,” slipped out of my mouth without any help from me.
“You know what,” I said. “I don’t even care about that anymore. My collection is a big deal but I get to marry you and that’s a big deal too. My show is going to be great whether people know we’re engaged or not. We can start doing a little bit of planning now as long as it doesn’t interfere with me finishing my collection.”
My sudden change of heart even surprised me. However, I am marrying the love of my life with my parents’ blessing. I should be screaming that from the mountaintops. Being Aiden’s wife means more to me than anything else.
Chapter 6: Just Like a Woman
“HEY, YOUNGBLOOD. GOT A MINUTE?”
Joey was standing in my office door at the new CMG office. We had to move into a bigger space since the label got substantially bigger. My office was a mess. Boxes were everywhere waiting for me and Mona to unpack. Mona has her own office, if that’s what you want to call it. It’s an open room where she, Joey’s assistant, and our other partner’s assistant have set up their desks and computers so they can chitchat all day.
I don’t really care about this office. I’m barely here anyway. Joey’s an office guy, the Diddy of CMG. I’m in the studio or hitting up venues looking for new talent. If I am in the office, I’m usually just watching YouTube videos or listening to artists on SoundCloud.
“How’d the session go with Dreamz?” Joey asked.
“It was good. He had your boys sounding right. I just finished uploading the songs in our Dropbox. Check ‘em out.”
“I will. So, I got another project if you’re up for it. This one came to Roxy but she asked me to ask you first.”
That was new. Normally Roxy wouldn’t hesitate to tell me about a job.
“What is it?”
“Roxx got a call from Jennifer Myers. Cash is looking for new management. Apryl Cox is close to signing him to Steele Management but he wants the promise of a collab album and you to Executive Produce the album he’s currently working on.”
After managing me for over a decade, there was no way in hell I could pass on this opportunity to catapult Steele Management to the stratosphere of the artist management game. With me and Cash Myers on the roster, Roxy’s company would be unstoppable. She’d probably chop my balls off and mail them to me if I said no anyway.
“Yeah, you can tell wifey to put that in writing and I’ll sign that agreement. That’s a win-win all the way around.”
“Glad we’re on the same page.”
“Any way we can get Cash on our roster?”
“Not a chance. We got you. We don’t need Cash.”
“I’ll get Mona to book some studio time then.”
Joey raised his eyebrows. “So soon?”
“Yeah. I got a lot on my plate. Ask your woman. She’s workin’ me like a dog.”
Joey chuckled when he said, “Yeah, act like you don’t like it. And go through those resumes I emailed you last week. We need to hire at least three marketing people this month, partner.”
“I’m on it.”
“Yeah, sure you are, Youngblood,” Joey replied as he started down the hall. I heard him holler,
“And book yourself some studio time too. I want at least two new songs in the vault before you start working on Cash’s project. You need to start writing a new album soon.”
Yeah, that’s not going to work. I guess Roxy was keeping my secret from Joey because the amount of work they were piling on me was insane. Roxy is booking me for everything and now Joey wants me to EP one of the most anticipated albums of the year, collab with Cash, start a new album, and finish the Final Hour alum. I can’t be this tied up with my fiancée pregnant and a wedding to plan.
***
“Aiden! Aiden!”
I heard my mother’s voice calling my name, amplified by my sister who was also screaming for me as I sat in my poolside studio. I’ve been working these tracks for Cash for a couple of weeks. Now that he and the fellas were on their way over to hear the finished product, Sara and my mom obviously had some pressing need for my attention. I opened the door and stood in the doorway.
“I’m in the back!” I hollered. “Make it quick ‘cause I’m working in here!”
Sara, still in her hospital scrubs, and my mom hurried around the pool. They were running so quickly that I almost wished one of them would fall in. They should know better than to run around the pool. If Summer, our resident lifeguard and overall bossypants, was here, she’d tell them a thing or two.
“Guess what we did!” Sara shouted breathlessly when she and Mom got to me.
“You’ll never believe it!” Mom added.
“Don’t have time to guess so just tell me.”
“We got you and Sunny a meeting with Sinclair Gray…the Sinclair Gray.” Sara was about to burst with joy.
“Who?”
“Sinclair Gray of A Day to Remember,” Mom answered as if repeating the name would trigger any other response than confusion and annoyance.
“Let’s skip past the part where I try to figure out who you’re talking about and get straight to the part where you explain how this affects me.”
“Oh Aiden.” My mom smiled. “You can’t possibly live in Los Angeles and not know who Sinclair Gray is.”
“Well, I do and I don’t.”
“Sinclair Gray is the best wedding and event planner in the world,” Sara sighed, completely exasperated that I was taking all of the excitement out of their announcement.
“This is information you should be sharing with Sunny,” I told them. “I don’t need a wedding planner. I have my part handled.”
The division of labor in the planning of my wedding was Sunny’s idea. There was no way I’d let her and her friends plan the entire thing by themselves without my input, especially since I’m the one writing the checks for this thing.
Sunny put me in charge of choosing the reception venue, transportation, and our signature drink. Because she was still working on her collection, Sunny was just handling the easy stuff for now like the legal stuff, colors, and coming up with a list of dates that will work with our schedules. Mom, Sara, Peaches, Delilah, and Erica were stuck with everything else. As long as everyone stayed in their lane, this wedding will go off without a hitch. Setting meetings with a wedding planner for me to attend was not staying in their lane.
“What exactly to do you mean by you have your part handled?” my mom asked cautiously. “You booked a reception venue already?”
“No,” I answered slowly. “You know we can’t even start visiting places in person until next month. But I have a few places in mind and appointments t
o see them next month. I don’t know why you’re acting like we need a wedding planner. This wedding shit is easy.”
Mom chuckled and patted my shoulder condescendingly. I hate when she does that.
“That’s cute, baby. You have no idea how much work goes into planning a wedding. We need a planner so you and Sunny will be meeting with Sinclair on the twenty-seventh. Put it in your phone so you don’t forget.”
“Mona’s in her office. Go tell her.”
“Helpless,” Sara muttered and shook her head. “Utterly helpless. Do you pay someone to tie your shoes for you too?”
“Go away, Freeloader,” I laughed. “And don’t lose your shit but, Cash is on his way over. Stay away from my studio until he leaves.”
“Are you kidding me?” Sara screeched. “Cash Myers is coming here? Now? Ohmigod! Does Delilah know?”
I threw my mother a quick glance. “What is wrong with your daughter? Sara! Where the hell are you going?” I yelled. Sara had taken off in a mad dash around the pool.
“I have to change and do my hair!” she yelled as she practically hurdled over a pile of Summer’s pool toys. “Cash Myers is coming to my house!”
“She’s still married, right?” I joked with my mom.
“She’s a fan,” Mom answered. “Besides, I’m sure there are a million girls who’d react the exact same way if their brother casually announced that you were on your way over.”
“Yeah, you’re right,” I laughed.
“It’s nice that you allow your sisters to bask in your superstar status.” Dina smiled and kissed my cheek. “Where’s your mini-me? With Sunny?”
“Ma, it’s two weeks before she goes to New York. Sunny ain’t checkin’ for me or the kiddo. Summer went grocery shopping with Michelle.”
Mom frowned at me and I knew, superstar or not, she had something else to say about the choices I made.
“Aiden, how many times do you have to be told that your staff doesn’t double as your babysitters? I’m sure Chef Michelle has better things to do with her time than to take your daughter with her when she is shopping. If you need a babysitter when I’m not around, hire a nanny.”
I brushed off my mother’s scolding and went back inside my studio to wait for Cash. I don’t need a nanny. Why pay an extra person to be in my house when I’m trying to get rid of the people that are already here?
I sat behind the soundboard and listened to the tracks that I’d already recorded with Wild Mike and Eddie, the ones that Joey wanted. The best thing about having my own studio and friends that never sleep is that we can come in here to jam and record whenever we feel like it. We’ve recorded hundred of sessions and songs that will probably never make it on a record simply because we’re musicians and that’s what we do.
The world is going to go crazy when they learn that Cash and I are working on music together. Cash is a big name and an A-lister like me. He plays guitar but I think his real talent lies in the piano. We don’t play the same type of music all the time but given the fact that we’re both white boys who play the guitar, we share much of the same fan base. I’d heard Cash’s music a lot thanks to my sisters but I’d never met the guy until we ran into each other at the House of Blues a few months ago. He seems like a cool person. Some asshole snapped a picture and posted it on Instagram talking about we have a new bromance. I didn’t know what the hell that was supposed to mean. I’m just excited to lay down some good music with the dude. I don’t care about all that other stuff.
A few minutes later, Mona walked into the pool house with Cash and some girl who looked way too young to be a groupie. She looked like she’d rather be anywhere else than at my house with him so I figured she wasn’t part of his band or entourage. I stood up and gave Cash a pound then looked at his guest.
“Who’s this?”
“My little sister,” he explained. “She’s lost her staying at my house alone privileges for awhile. Now she’s gotta tag along with me until she learns not to throw parties and invite people over who are gonna destroy my shit while I’m on the road. Don’t be rude, Brittany. Say hi to Aiden.”
The angry redhead looked up from her phone. “Hi, Aiden,” she said quickly then returned to her phone.
“She can hang in the house with Mona and my sisters,” I suggested to Cash. “She doesn’t have to be stuck out here with us all day.”
Cash nodded and sent Brittany into the house with Mona. I’m so glad my sisters are grown. Dee-Lee had graduated from high school by the time she came to LA and started working for me. I missed most of her teen years while I was in Atlanta, thank God. Dealing with Sara was enough.
“My band should be here soon,” I told Cash. “Make yourself comfortable. The fridge is stocked with whatever you want to drink.”
Cash wasn’t hearing me. He was looking around the studio as if he’d never been in one before. Most artists who come here are in awe of my recording space. My mother is the only one who despises my place. She claims that having a studio on my property that is better than most of the recording studios in LA is just an excuse to stay at home and avoid people. I don’t know what she’s talking about because this place is usually packed with people.
“Damn, man! How much did a spot like this set you back?”
“A little over a mil when it was done,” I bragged. “But I did have to practically rebuild the entire pool house. It wasn’t big enough to have a booth we all could fit in with our instruments.”
Cash looked around and laughed. “Shit, dude, I wanna be like you when I grow up.”
“I’m trying to be like you! How many Grammys did you win last year?”
“Grammys don’t mean anything anymore,” Cash replied. “I’m trying to get a couple of those ASCAPS you got.”
“So, are y’all gonna kiss or what? Should we come back later?” Erica teased from the doorway. “It’s sounding real Queer as Folks up in here.”
“Holla at me when you get a Grammy that doesn’t have my name on it,” I said to Erica as she and the other two members of my band made their way through the door.
“Hey, Cash,” Erica flirted. “You’re lookin’ good. How are you?”
“Married,” I replied before she could get started.
Mike and Eddie burst out laughing. I will admit that the four of us don’t have the best reputation and some of the shenanigans that have gone on in this studio and by the pool aren’t something we should be proud of. People talk about me but Eddie and Mike have done their share of womanizing too. There was a time when no female was exempt from getting hit on or better by someone in our group but things have calmed down a little.
Mike is in an on again- off again relationship with a mental hospital candidate named Jessica. Eddie is very married to a ball buster named Sharon. Then there’s Erica. She calmed down while we were together but now that she’s free and single, she has a hit list a mile long. I’m sure Cash is on it. From the looks of his current girlfriend, he likes thick dark-skinned girls and Erica certainly fits the bill.
“He is not,” Erica scowled at me. “You’re such a fuckin’ cockblocker, Aiden. I see your girl is wearing off on you. Besides, I’m not tryin’ to get with Cash. I know his girl, and Savannah will cut a bitch.”
Erica pulled her reed case out of her shorts pocket and popped one in her mouth to moisten it. I guess that’s our universal cue to get ready to play because everyone started unpacking their instruments and heading to the sound booth. My strat and Gibson were already in the booth since I’d been playing all day.
This was our first time actually playing together with Cash, but when he took a seat at the baby grand piano against the wall and started tinkering with the keys, the atmosphere became electric. He was just freestyling but Mike picked up the beat and started a cool drumbeat. Then Erica and Eddie jumped in. I just stood there holding Dee-Dee and listening for at least five minutes. This was exactly the sound I’ve been trying to get for this project I had in mind!
Erica abruptly stopped pl
aying and looked at me. “Why are you grinning like that? That’s that evil genius look that’s gonna have us locked in this studio until six in the morning. I got shit to do, Aiden.”
“While I was in Atlanta, I was working with Dreamz.” I stopped and shook my head at Erica. Everyone already knew that Dreamz was at the top of her hit list and we didn’t need a reminder every time his name came up. She is one of the main reasons we can’t tour with Times Three.
“I want to do a song for Sunny’s show in New York and he’s going to produce it. I need all of you on it because it’s an instrument medley of Jodeci songs. Y’all know Jodeci, right?”
My all black band looked at me like I’d lost every ounce of good sense that the good Lord blessed me with. Cash shot an uneasy glance my way.
“You’re trippin’,” Eddie said, shaking his head. “You think two white boys and us can cover Jodeci’s biggest hits and do it well? Come on, A.T.! Do you know how many R&B artists have tried to cover Jodeci and failed miserably?”
“Wait a minute, Eddie,” Mike said. “Let’s hear the kid out. We’re just doing the instrumentals, right? Fuck that, we played Prince on tour for Prince. We can cover Jodeci. Plus this is for Sunny. We gotta do it for Sunny. Hold on a sec.”
Mike left the booth and went into the engineering room. He pulled up something on the laptop and then the instrumental version of ‘Freek’n You’ started playing through the studio speakers. Mike came back in.
“You hear that?” he said. “I mean, there’s some talk box in there and computer shit, but most of that is real instruments. I think Aiden might be on to something here.”
“Nah,” Erica shook her head. “I mean, I hear the drums and keys but what makes this song great is what DeVante does behind K-Ci and JoJo’s vocals. The production on this is brilliant. No tea, no shade, Aiden ‘cause you and Joey are damn good producers, but y’all aren’t no DeVante Swing.”
“Were you not listening? We’re doing a medley, Dreamz is going to produce it, and it’s for Sunny’s show. We’re not putting it on iTunes. Y’all can do this for my girl, right?”
UNBROKEN (Friends, Lovers, or Nothing Book 5) Page 7