Rock Star: The Song (Book 1 of a Bad Boy Romance) (12 page)

“But it’s been working?”

“No. It hasn’t. Why do you think so many musicians are getting out from under these labels? Going out on their own?”

“Are you telling me you want to walk away from this all? As you can’t do that? You do know that, right?”

“Contract. Yeah. I get it.”

“You are still obligated to give them two more albums.”

“So what if I don’t give them that?”

“They will sue you, Chase. And if they do, I’m not going to be there to get you out of it. You are on your own.”

“Depends. What about that artist… what was his name?”

“I know who you are on about. He might have won it but they still get a portion of his earnings for several years.”

“But he’s not under their thumb, right? It means it can be done. I could get out from it?”

She rolled her eyes. “Yes. You could get out from it with a good lawyer, but is that what you even want? I mean, what has this girl done to your head?”

I remained silent.

She sighed. “Oh come on, Chase. She’s not Emily. And even if she was, you know how that ended.”

My eyes dropped to the ground. When I looked up she had taken a seat.

“You know, Chase, when I first met you, you were floundering around. I saw in you talent. It was raw, but I could see something we could mold.”

“That’s part of the problem, Mia. I don’t want to be molded into something I’m not.”

“Who does? But people want what they want. And if you aren’t giving it to them, there is no end of bands and artists that will give it. I’m all for supporting artistic expression. But at the cost of having a career? One that pays? Originality doesn’t pay the bills in this business.”

“Are you listening to yourself?” I asked. “What have we become?”

“Filthy rich. And I for one want to keep it that way.”

I ran my hand across my face, exasperated by the whole conversation.

“Make a decision, Chase. Whatever you do, you’re still going to have to pay the bills. My way, we can do that. It might not be heartfelt. It might not be the way you envisioned it. But it will give you the lifestyle that you want.”

“That’s it. I’m not sure if it is the lifestyle I want anymore.”

“Well, don’t make a decision right away. Let’s get this song over to them and we’ll figure it out from there.”

T
hey had been
downstairs talking for quite some time. I couldn’t make out what was being said. Mainly because Spike had been talking over their voices with his update on how his epic chase had gone down. Apparently he led an entire group of paparazzi through the town, and would have escaped them if it weren’t for a lone lamppost that shouldn’t have been there. He now sported an epic purple bump on the front of his forehead. Though it hadn’t slowed his speech, or knocked any sense into him. The whole event had been an adrenaline rush. He wondered if life in the spotlight was always like that, and if it was, he was ready to sign up. I shook my head.

Sophie had been quiet the whole time we had been upstairs. It was very unusual for her.

“So, what do you make of this?”

She made a face but said nothing.

“Something wrong?” I asked.

“Depends.”

Now I was curious.

“Want to talk about it?”

She glanced at Spike. My eyes darted between the two of them.

“I think Spike should be the one to tell you.”

With that she got up and left.

“OK, you want to tell me what’s going on?”

“We broke up.”

“Why?”

His eyes looked away.

“Spike. Just spit it out.”

“I think I’m in love with you.”

I burst out laughing. Within seconds I realized that may not have been the best response to what obviously was a very brave and heartfelt confession. Even if I thought he was joking. Once I had regained my composure, I nodded.

“Oh. Um. I’m not sure how to reply to that.”

“I didn’t really know how I felt. I guess I have always had strong feelings for you.”

“And you waited until now to tell me?”

“Sweet cheeks, that’s love for you. We don’t know when the arrow is going to hit.”

“I...”

“You don’t need to give me an answer right away. I’m just telling you.”

“Well, what about Sophie?”

“What can I do? I can’t lie about how I feel.”

“But Spike. I mean. I like you but…”

“You don’t love me?”

I stared at him.

“I don’t know anything right now. This is really bad timing.”

As we were speaking, both Mia and Chase came in. My eyes darted to Chase, and I think Spike picked up on that as he excused himself.

“I just got a call from the studio. The master will be ready tomorrow. So maybe we’ll hang out here. Or we can head over to the cottage. My place, I mean.”

“Yeah, I guess I can find some extra bedding for you.”

“I’m Mia, by the way.”

I extended my hand and she shook it.

“Yes. I have heard a lot about you.”

“Good things, I hope?”

She looked at Chase, who raised his eyebrows and gave a sneaky smile.

“Well, listen. We shouldn’t allow these fools to hold us prisoner here. What do you say we go for dinner at one of the local restaurants?”

“We could that. Yes. There is…”

“Oh sorry, dear. I was meaning me and Chase. I have a lot that I still need to go over with him.”

“Right.” I felt like a fool. “Yeah, go ahead, no worries.”

“Mia. She can come with us,” Chase added.

“No. Actually, Chase, I do have a few things I need to get done around here. You know, with us having been away for a while.” I feigned a look that it hadn’t bothered me. It had. But what could you do?

“OK, sure. I’ll swing by again later.”

I nodded. He stepped in and planted a kiss on my lips. As he did I could see Mia’s eyes widen. A look of disgust or embarrassment. Either way she didn’t look comfortable.

* * *

A
fter they had left
, I spent the next fifteen minutes tidying up. It wasn’t that the apartment was really untidy, but cleaning had always been a way for me to take my mind off pressing matters. Chase, Mia, Spike and Sophie. It was all becoming a little too much on my plate. I yearned for the solitude that I had before any of it. Where I could open my café, and greet my usual weirdo customers. There was bliss in ignorance. Thoughts of the contest flooded through my mind. We hadn’t spoken about it. But I had the strange impression that all the work that had gone into the song was more for Chase than it was for what I had hoped would be my demo for the contest.

I had never felt guarded over my songs. I did it for pleasure. Hell, until a few weeks ago I wasn’t sure I was any good.

As I wandered down into the café, I found both Sophie and Spike. They were sitting at opposite ends of the shop. Sophie was sorting through boxes of coffee and restocking the shelves, Spike fiddling around on his guitar. They glanced up for a brief moment, locked eyes and continued.

“Sophie.”

She ignored me.

“Hon. You know that I wasn’t even aware about Spike. Hell, he’s not even my type,” I whispered, wanting to make sure that he wasn’t listening. All I needed right now was to have the two people I most cared about against me. They were like pillars to me. The one consistent thing in my life that I could depend on.

“I just don’t get it. I mean, is there something wrong with me?”

I gave her a warm hug. “Darlin’, if I was a guy I would date you in a heartbeat. Hell, if I ever have any lesbian tendencies in the near future, you can be certain that you will be the first person I phone.”

I knew that would get a smile out of her.

“Anyway, I got my eyes on someone else.”

“How is he?”

I pursed my lips thinking about the previous night.

“You didn’t? Oh, you did. You dirty little hussy.” She spun around, her eyes wide with curiosity. “Now tell me everything. How big is he?”

I burst out laughing.

I spent the next half an hour bringing her up to speed on our night. She hung on my every word, unable to comprehend that I had sex with him. I could barely wrap my head around it myself, even as I filled her in on all the juicy details. When I got to the part about us doing the deed, she could barely contain herself.

“You know what this means?”

“Well, you’ll have to get him to hook me up with one of those hot stud band members of his.”

“You got over Spike quick.”

She glanced at him and rolled her eyes. “Ah, if he can’t see a good thing when it’s right in front of him, it’s his loss.”

“Exactly,” I said, reassuring her.

As she wiped down the counter she had a great idea.

“It’s a bit of a shame, having all those folks lined up outside. I mean, they must be getting thirsty?”

I nodded. “Screw it.”

I went over to the door and unlocked it.

“Come on in. But,” I held up my hand, “no one will get any questions answered unless you spend at least ten dollars.”

That was all it took. They charged inside, waving money around. I yelled to Spike to give us a hand behind the counter. Over the next hour, we took in more money than I had taken in over the previous week. When it came time for questions to be answered, I simply stated that I had won a competition to spend the day with Chase. It was easy. They bought it and beyond a few more questions as to whether or not I had kissed him, and what had occurred in the parking lot, they appeared to have been satisfied with the answers.

As I was still serving them, Mia returned.

Her face was priceless. A look of horror, and perhaps anger.

“Oh, Meghan. Would you mind us having a word?” she said, yelling over the top of several photographers. I gestured that I would be a few minutes, while I helped with a couple of more orders. Once I had that taken care of, I cleaned up and followed her out back.

“Where’s Chase?”

“He’s gone to collect the master recording.”

“OK. That’s great.”

She walked up and down, examining a few of the boxes in the storage area. The faint sound of chatter came from the main café. Music blended. For the first time since we had got back I actually felt relaxed.

“What did you tell them?”

“That I had won a competition to spend the day with Chase.”

She smiled. “Smart. Good thinking.” She ran her fingers along one of the shelves that was covered in dust. “Anything else?”

“No.”

“Nothing about last night?”

I frowned. “Did Chase tell you?”

“No, but I assumed that’s what would have gone down.”

“I didn’t mention anything to them about that.”

“Good, as that can really be detrimental to his career. He’s already walking on thin ice.”

“Yeah, He told me things are little challenging.”

“Challenging. That’s an interesting way to put it.”

She continued walking back and forth.

“Did he ever tell you about Emily?”

I leaned back against the wall. “A little. He said she was in an accident.”

“Yes. Good girl. She reminds me of you. I think he sees her in you.”

I nodded, wondering where she was going with this.

“Is there a problem?”

She raised her eyebrows. “Oh God no, these things happen all the time. I’m forever cleaning up his mess. Different town. Different town. It’s all the same. Last month it was a town in Washington, the month before that New York. He’s fond of his women.”

“I’m not sure I follow you?”

“How do I put this?” She sucked air in while looking up.

“This evening, we’ll be leaving. He won’t be returning.”

I contemplated what she was saying. I could see her eyes were studying my reaction. Was she hoping to get a rise out of me? Was this his way of letting me down? Had he done this before? Confusion overtook me.

“I know he’ll be going back to the city, and going into the studio. But the song…”

“Yes, the song,” she fished around inside her handbag. It was made of what appeared to be snakeskin. A brand I didn’t recognize. But no doubt expensive.

Pulling out a checkbook, she flipped it open and clicked the end of her pen.

“How much?”

“What?”

“How much do we owe you?”

I furrowed my brow. “I think there’s been a mistake.”

“No. No mistake. You assisted my client in writing a song. It’s only right you should be paid for your contribution. Obviously we won’t be able to use your name on it but…”

“You want me to give me money, to use a song that I wrote?”

“Well, you and he wrote it.”

“But it’s mainly mine.”

“Fifty, fifty, sixty, forty. It’s splitting hairs really. Just name a price.”

I remained silent for a moment.

“Is this what he wants?”

“What he wants isn’t really the issue here. It’s what his label wants. And this is what’s going to get him and me out of the hole he has put us in.”

“I don’t want any money.”

A look of surprise crossed her face. “My dear, everyone wants money. I’m sure this coffee store isn’t exactly raking in large sums each month?”

“The song was going to be used for a contest. We had an agreement. I would submit it, he would use it after.”

“Sorry, my dear, that’s not going to be possible. You see once people get wind that you wrote it, and not him, the label won’t… well, I don’t even need to explain this. Now, I’m willing to pay you a reasonable, fair amount for your part in the writing process. But if you don’t want it, then I’m not going to force you to take the money.”

“It’s not —”

“So it is about money. OK, look…”

She scribbled on the check and tore it off.

“This should about cover it. If you don’t feel this is enough we can work out some kind of royalty deal on this, obviously it would need to be kept on the low. You can’t be telling anyone you wrote it.”

I glanced at the check. She had made it out for the amount of ten thousand dollars. I had no clue what the value of a song was. Especially one that had not sold. However, she seemed pretty certain it would make more than that, otherwise she wouldn’t have thought it was worth that. Unless… unless it was money to keep my mouth shut. And it wasn’t anything to do with the song.

“You want me to stay quiet?”

“Oh my dear, it’s not like that. But this is bigger than just a song. It’s a person’s livelihood and reputation that is at stake.”

“I don’t want your money. You can’t buy me out of Chase’s life.”

“Young lady, Meghan. I know right now you think you are special. But tomorrow you will be just another girl. You are, just another girl.”

I wasn’t sure whether to spit in her face, or cry. Why did I allow myself to be drawn into this? I should have avoided him. Sent his order over to the other café.

“Does Chase know about this?”

Mia pulled some lipstick from her purse. Popped open the mirror and applied it.

“Chase pays me a lot of money to ensure that if he appears in the media, he appears there for all the right reasons. He pays me to think, when he doesn’t. I’m the one who makes the hard choices, and because of that he gets to continue doing what he loves.”

She hadn’t answered the question. All she had done was spin it around and use it as a means to talk about herself. I was beginning to dislike this woman even more than I had before. She was controlling, and I could tell why Chase felt as if he was living under the thumb. He wasn’t working for a faceless label. She was the face, and the one that called the shots. An aging diva whose only reason for doing anything for Chase, was to cover her own ass.