“And you think that’s not a business? Until now, all you’ve had to do is play your music, sit back, and let me do the rest. Not anymore. Your brand is growing, thanks to me. You’ve seen the royalty checks, and they’re only going to get bigger.”
“She’s right,” Crew says. “This is a business. Now let’s get this over with so we can get to rehearsal and do what we do that makes them money.”
Ronni sits at the head of the table. “Open to page one. It’s the schedule I’ve set for you. It covers six months. We’ll need to cut two more albums and make a whole lot of music videos. You’re getting a lot of airtime, but we don’t want the songs to get stale. We need to freshen things up. On page two is a list of all the clubs I’ve booked. We’re in a different league now. No more bars and taverns. High-end dance clubs only from here on out. I predict that within a year, you may not be playing clubs at all. Tours and appearances only, that’s the goal.”
“We’re going to need more security,” Crew says, talking to Ronni but looking at Bria.
“We’ll deal with it as needed,” Ronni says.
Crew pounds a fist on the table. “We’ll deal with it now, before we have a situation.”
“Crew’s right,” Jeremy says. “In Florida we needed event security more than we ever have.”
“Fine,” she says. “It’s your money. The first one was on us. Any additional security is your responsibility. Read the contract. Can we move on please? I don’t have all day.”
I turn to the next page and skim it. “Dancing? What the hell, Ronni?”
“I’ve hired a dance instructor and choreographer. I saw video of some of your performances in Florida. You were all over the place. Uncoordinated. We need to clean it up.”
“We’re not NSYNC.” Everyone at the table complains but Garrett. He’s laughing because he’s the drummer and drummers don’t dance. I point at him. “Shut up.”
He pulls his sticks from his back pocket and beats them on his thigh.
“We’re not dancing,” Crew says.
Ronni arches a mocking brow. “Think of it more as having synchronized movements to the beat of the music.”
“What’s the difference?” I say. I pull the page out of the packet and rip it in half. “I’m not fucking dancing.”
Ronni comes over and puts an authoritative hand on the table in front of me. “You’ll dance if I say you dance.”
“Are you guys hearing this shit?” I stand and cross to the other side of the room, not wanting to hit a woman.
“Sit down,” Jeremy says. “No one is going to make you dance. Especially if you’re terrible at it.”
Ronni glares at him like he’s her worst enemy. “Really, Jeremy? Now they’ll be bad on purpose.”
“Noooo,” he says melodramatically. “They wouldn’t dare.” He turns to us, smiling. “Would you?”
It still amazes me how Jeremy went from being Ronni’s lackey to being on our side.
“Either way, it’s a done deal,” Ronni says, her lips forming an uncompromising line. “Let’s move on.”
“What the hell is this about imposing fines?” Garrett says, leafing through the packet.
We all turn to the page he’s referring to.
“Oh, yes,” Ronni says. “In order to keep you from pulling any further stunts that will damage your brand, we’ve instituted a system of fines.”
“You’re kidding!” I say.
“You may not realize it,” she says. “But stunts like what Crew pulled in Florida—proposing on stage—hurt you. I understand you thought it was romantic, but that has no place here. You shouldn’t be airing your dirty laundry in front of the fans.”
“You think us getting engaged is dirty laundry?” Bria says defensively.
“Obviously not if you were bank tellers, but you’re rock stars. There is a certain reputation you need to uphold. You have to keep the fantasy alive for the fans. If they think you’re taken and will live happily ever after, they have no reason to worship you.”
“Haven’t we been over this a hundred times?” Crew asks.
“And we’ll keep talking about it until you hear me. You’re on the cusp of being famous. Years from now, when you’re established and bringing in serious money, you can have some latitude. Until then I’m your rep. IRL handles your PR, and you’ll do as we say.”
“You can’t tell us how to act,” Garrett says.
“I suggest you read your contract, because it clearly says we can.”
“No,” Crew says. “That’s how you interpret it.”
“And right now mine is the only opinion that matters.” Ronni’s fake smile becomes a smirk. “You’re free to hire an attorney at any time. If you don’t like what you hear, write us a check for a million dollars, and we’ll gladly part ways. Until then, you’ll do things my way.”
“How much longer are we stuck with IRL?” Crew asks.
“Two years, one month, and thirteen days,” I say flatly.
Jeremy laughs. “But who’s counting?”
Ronni shoots him a traitorous glance.
“Listen, people, it’s imperative I have my finger on the pulse of Reckless Alibi, or I won’t be able to help you. Crew and Bria, have you considered what a messy divorce would do to the band? Have you thought about children? What will you do with them when you’re on the road?”
“Plenty of musicians have kids,” Bria says.
“And they have a spouse to take care of them when they go on tour.”
Crew takes Bria’s hand. “We’ll work it out.”
Ronni turns to Garrett. “What about you? Anything I need to know?”
“Uh, I masturbated in the shower this morning, thinking about a hot chick I met last night.”
“See?” She motions to Garrett. “This is how rock stars behave.” She looks in my direction. “What about you?”
“Fuck off, Ronni.”
“Do you deny being in a relationship with that awful girl I was tricked into paying for an album cover?”
“Ella is none of your business.”
She puts her hands on her hips. “I’ll take that as a yes. Wow, rarely do things surprise me, but Liam Campbell having a girlfriend is definitely one of them.”
“I don’t have a girlfriend.”
Ronni looks to the others. “Does he?”
They shrug.
“People, keep your personal shit out of the limelight.” She points to the packet. “Read the rules. Follow them, and we won’t have a problem. You’re awfully quiet, Brad. You good with all this?”
He clears his throat. “There’s something you should know.”
“Oh, for Christ’s sake, what is it now?”
“Katie’s pregnant.”
Ronni sits down and her head falls back. “Will you people ever learn?”
It all makes sense now, why Brad has been distant. Why he seemed pissed the other day.
“How far along is she?” Bria asks.
“Three months.”
“Good,” Ronni says. “Not so far along you can’t do something about it.”
Anger flares in Brad’s eyes. “I know you’re not suggesting we get rid of the baby.”
“It happens all the time. Some women practically use abortions as birth control.”
“You really are a bitch, Ronni,” I say. “I swear to God if I had a million bucks, I’d write you a check right fucking now.”
“We’re keeping it,” Brad snarls through gritted teeth.
“We?” she asks.
“Yes. We. We’re getting married.”
“Then congratulations are in order,” Jeremy says.
Ronni slaps the table. “Just fucking perfect.” She gets up and stares out the window for a minute. “Okay, fine. Here’s what we’re going to do. Brad will be the family man. Every band has one. The clean-cut, untouchable bassist. The rest of you will play the part of being desirable rock stars. Got it?”
I get up. “If you’re done being a dictator, we have
to get to practice.”
“I expect you to put in a full day. You had your week off. It’s time to get back to work.”
“Give it a rest, Ronni,” Jeremy says. “They know what they have to do.”
She strides over to him and jabs a finger in his chest. “Don’t forget, everyone is replaceable. Especially you.”
He holds up his hands in surrender, and she leaves.
We swarm Brad. “A baby, wow,” Crew says.
“I’m still wrapping my head around it. She told me last week when I got home.”
“Congratulations,” Bria says. “I know you didn’t plan it, but it will be fantastic all the same.”
“Thanks. I can’t believe I’m going to be a dad.”
“Did you and Katie talk about having kids?”
“All the time. She really wants to be a mom, but I thought that was far off in the future.”
Garrett steps forward. “You think she’s trying to trap you, man?”
“Trap me?” he says, angrily. “We’re engaged. She doesn’t have to trap me. It was an accident.”
“She hates RA,” I say. “Could be she’s trying to get you to quit.”
He gets in my face. “It was an accident.”
“Whatever you say.”
“You don’t get it, do you?” he says. “When you find the person you’re meant to be with, you’ll do anything for them.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
“Nothing. Let’s go rehearse.”
We practice for seven hours, but I’m not sure any of us are into it. Brad’s concerned about the position he’s in. Crew and Bria are worried about the ridiculous restrictions Ronni wants to put on them. Garrett—well, I don’t know what the hell Garrett is thinking about. Maybe the girl from last night.
Me—I’m thinking about the one person I know I’d do anything for.
Chapter Forty-two
Ella
I pick up my chirping phone. “Hi, Mom.”
“Hi, sweetie. How are you?”
“Good.”
“Are your illustrations coming along well?”
“They are. Even faster than I thought they would.”
“And the boy? What was his name again? How’s he?”
“It’s Liam, Mom. I’ve told you a dozen times.”
“Right. How are things going there?”
“Good, I think. I don’t know. It’s complicated.”
“Things were never complicated with Corey.”
“Right up until he cheated on me.”
“Hasn’t he apologized? He still calls us, you know. We even had lunch with him the other day.”
“I wish you wouldn’t see him. He’s not a part of my life anymore.”
“He said he wants to marry you.”
“He cheated on me.”
There’s a long moment of silence. “Things like that can be overcome. It doesn’t have to mean the end of a relationship.”
“Did Dad cheat on you?”
“No.”
“Then how can you sa—”
“I’m the one who cheated, Ella.”
I sit on my bed, floored. Everything I thought about my parents is a lie. They aren’t the perfect couple with the perfect marriage.
“Say something,” she says.
“I … I can’t. I’m shocked. When? How?”
“It was a long time ago. I never truly got over losing your sister. I was delighted to have you, and I loved you with all my heart, but a piece of me was missing. I guess I went looking for that piece.”
“And Dad forgave you?”
“Not at first. But you weren’t even two years old. He stayed for you and eventually we worked it out.”
“Wow, okay.”
“My indiscretions were far worse than Corey’s.”
“How so?”
“I had a long-term affair. It lasted almost a year.”
“You cheated on Dad for a year?” Did New York City just have an earthquake, because it feels like the ground shifted under my feet.
“In my whole life, it’s the thing I’m most ashamed of.”
“Did you love the other man?”
“I thought I did, but in the end, no. He was a replacement for Ava. He was shiny and new and exciting. He made me feel like I wasn’t the mother of a dead baby.”
“Mom, that’s awful.”
“I know. But it’s how I felt about myself. When I was with your father, I was the sad woman who’d lost a child. But with him, I was just Ann.”
“How did it end?”
“Your father found a letter the man wrote me. He confronted him, even told his wife.”
I gasp. “He was married, too?”
“We were young and stupid. Your father hated me for a while. I begged him to go to counseling. He resisted for months. I went on my own. I learned a lot about myself. I finally wore him down. And now look where we are, twenty years later.”
“I always thought you and Daddy were perfect together.”
“We are, but it took a while for us to get back there.”
“Still, I’m not sure how this all applies to me. I love Liam, not Corey.”
“You love him?”
“I do.”
“Does he share the sentiment?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t told him. We don’t talk about that stuff.”
“You have only known each other for a few months. Are you sure you’re not with him to get over Corey?”
“Mom, drop it. I’m not getting back with Corey. Even if Liam and I don’t work out, I still won’t go back to him.” As I say the words, a weight lifts off my shoulders. I realize I’d rather be alone than with someone I can’t love and trust fully.
“If you’re sure.”
“I’m sure.”
“When can we meet this new man then? How about tonight? Can we take you out for dinner?”
“Tonight?” I try to think up a quick excuse, but my mind fails me. “I’ll have to check with him. He’s pretty busy.”
“I’m sure he’s not too busy to meet your parents.”
Would he agree to meet them? It’s a big step. I’m almost afraid to ask him. Our relationship is fragile at best.
“We won’t bite, Ella.”
“You promise not to come on too strong?”
“I’ll wait to plan the wedding until our second meeting.”
“Mo-om.”
“I’m kidding.”
We hang up. I text Liam with the dinner invitation. While I wait for his reply, I think about Mom’s revelation. She told me so I’d reconsider things with Corey, but it did the opposite. Her telling me makes me think Liam and I might be able to overcome his past. They went to therapy. What if Liam did too? I could go with him. It’s far too early to bring something like that up with him, but the thought of it gives me hope.
~ ~ ~
“So,” Liam says, leaning in the doorway. “Meeting the parents. You know I’ve never done this before, right?”
We’re on the way out. I pull the door closed and lock it. “I figured. It doesn’t mean anything. I talk about you sometimes, and they want to meet you, that’s all.”
He raises a brow. “You talk about me? What do you say?”
“I had to tell them something, Liam. I did go to Florida with you for six weeks. I told them about Reckless Alibi and the tour.”
“What did you say about me specifically?”
We get on the empty elevator. “That you’re super talented, and nice. And … hot.”
He traps me in a corner. “You told them I’m hot?”
I swallow and look up at him. “I think I may have used the word handsome.”
He kisses me. I wish we could ride back up and go to my bedroom.
“What else did you say?”
I shrug.
“Do they think I’m your boyfriend?”
“I didn’t put a label on it. Don’t worry, I don’t think they’ll call you that.”
“What d
o you call it when the guy you’re with doesn’t want to be with anyone else, and you don’t want to be with anyone else?”
I suck my bottom lip into my mouth. “You don’t want to date anyone else?”
He whispers, “I don’t want to do anything with anyone else. Do you?”
“No.”
“Good.”
The elevator doors open. I’m reeling. Did we just enter into an actual, adult, committed relationship? He holds my hand as we walk down the street. I can’t stop smiling.
He glances at me. “Cat got your tongue, El?”
“I’m happy, is all.”
“Happy,” he muses, like it’s an emotion he’s not familiar with.
“There is something I should probably warn you about, though.”
“Oh, shit, is your dad a huge motherfucker? Is he going to talk to me about safe sex or some shit like that?”
I laugh. “You’re bigger than him and no, he won’t talk about sex. But you should know they really liked Corey.”
“Great. They love your ex. So what you’re saying is I don’t have a snowball’s chance in hell to impress them.”
He wants to impress them? This night is already going better than I expected.
“I didn’t say that. I just wanted you to know. Maybe don’t cuss a lot around them. You know, tone down the rock star.”
“You don’t think they’ll like me the way I am?”
“They will eventually. You’re an acquired taste, Liam. I don’t want them to get the wrong impression.”
“Fine. I’ll be on my best behavior.”
“There they are.” I point ahead.
Mom pulls me into her arms. “Sweetie!”
Then Dad gives me a hug. I hug him extra tight and long, feeling bad for what Mom did to him.
When I finally let go, I make introductions. “Mom, Dad, this is Liam. Liam, my parents, Ann and Peter.”
They shake hands.
“Our table is ready,” Dad says.
We are seated and place our drink orders.
“Liam, what’s your last name?” Mom asks.
Liam looks at me, surprised I hadn’t told them. “Campbell.”
Dad glances between us. “You don’t say?”
Mom chuckles. “Have you checked to make sure you aren’t related?”
“We’re not. I’m a Campbell by adoption,” Liam says.
Reckless Invitation (The Reckless Rockstar Series) Page 23