“Nah, her attitude isherproblem.” And with a half-hearted shrug, Matt began stretching his fingers. “It might take a helluva long time, but I’ll earn Rosemary’s trust the same way I earned Gina’s love.”
Sloan glanced up at the ceiling and rolled his eyes.
“Yeah, man, she’ll come around.” Sitting behind his kit, Bo stretched his fingers much the same way he had been, but then they’d been playing for hours now. “Eventually.”
“Are we finished with the idle chatter yet?” Taylor asked with a lift of his brow. “I promised Chloe I’d be home in time for dinner for once.”
Me thinks break time is over.
“Chillax, my dude.” Bo stood, raising his arms above his head.
They’d just signed that three-record deal, and being under a label again had everyone on edge. Striving for perfection—Taylor’s idea of it, anyway—they’d been spending twelve hours a day in the studio. Matt had Gina to get to. He wanted to go home, too.
“We’re recording,” Taylor announced. “Tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?” Bo looked as genuinely surprised as he was.
“UMG wants the demos.”
“Well, all right.” Bo sat back down.
“And they want them now.”
“It’s all good, Tay. We’re ready.” And they were. Matt clasped his bandmate’s shoulder. “One more play through, and we call it a day. Okay?”
Picking up his guitar, Taylor nodded.
While the timeline wasn’t set in stone yet, UMG was looking to release the album in the spring, in time for them to headline at the European festivals, then following up with a North American tour. A year had gone by since Venery’s last one, and Matt was itching to get back on stage. But not without Gina. The thought of leaving her behind was unthinkable. She had to go with him.
I’ll make her my wife before then.
After they finished, Matt watched Kit mope on a stool in the corner, just plucking at the strings of his bass. He was always quiet, but for the last several weeks, he’d been especially so, andhe wondered what could be troubling him.Must be nothing. If it were truly something, then he would know, right?
“I’m off.” And Taylor bolted for the stairs. “See you in the morning.”
“Can’t wait.” Rolling his eyes with a snicker, Sloan turned to follow him. “Later, dudes.”
“Sheesh, is Tay wound up tight or what?” With a slow shake of his head, Bo watched his ascent. “I sure hope Jesse and Chloe work some magic on him, so he comes back chill in the morning.”
“Cut the guy some slack,” Matt said. “You know how he can get when he’s anxious.”
“Yeah.”
“He’ll be all right once we’ve got the demos down.”
“You guys doing anything? Want to come over?” Using his T-shirt as a towel on his sweaty chest, Bo got up from behind the kit. “Ava has to stay late at school—parent-teacher conferences. We can order pizza. Have a few beers.”
“Thanks, man.” Matt grinned. His pizza girl was waiting for him at home. “I’ve got plans. I’ll take a rain check, though.”
Bo looked at Kit. “Another time, maybe. I’ve got plans too.”
That’s a damn lie.
Unless he considered taking a nap or blasting his music asplans.
“You’re not doing shit.”
“So?”
