“Perhaps sooner.”
“Tour?”
Why was he even asking? They promoted every new album with a tour, except these days, Taylor wasn’t too keen on being away from his family for very long. Bo wasn’t either now that he had one, but surely, he’d bring Ava and Emery along with them again.
“Most likely.” Tipping his head onto the back of the sofa, the lead guitarist blew out a breath. “But that’s what we’re here to discuss.”
“Okay.” Matt grabbed his coffee and sat between Kit and Sloan. “In that case, where’s CJ?”
If they were talking about release dates and tours, their manager should be here.
“I didn’t invite him.” Taylor lifted his head, scraping his hand through his hair. “CJ’s contract is up, and after the shite he pulled with Vanessa Parisi, I think we need to re-evaluate keeping him on.”
Matt picked up a doughnut, or whatever Sara called it, from the box and bit into it. He swallowed, licking the remains of vanilla cream from the corner of his lip. “Yeah, well, I’ve been thinking it’s time we part ways with CJ for a while now.”
“I’m with you, dude,” Bo chimed in. “What he tried to do wasn’t cool.”
“Manipulative, meddling, greedy motherfucker taking twenty percent of our gross, and for what?” The voice of Venery had a way with words. It almost sounded like an angry ballad. “He doesn’t give a shit about any of us and he isn’t acting in the best interest of the band—only himself. We’ve done more for that ass-kissing dick than he’s ever done for us.”
Sloan wasn’t lying. Fast cars. Plenty of women. Lots of money. The dude was rolling in dough, living the dream off of their sweat, their fame, their music.
“I don’t know.” Kit rubbed at the back of his neck. “He’s been our manager for a long time, man.”
Seventeen years.
Taylor nodded with a loud exhale. “I hate to say it, but he’s changed since we left the label.”
“Nah, man. He was a slimy motherfucker long before then. You just weren’t paying attention.”
Tell us how you really feel, Sloan.
“Perhaps, so.” Conceding, Taylor shrugged. “Are we all in agreement, then?”
“Yeah,” Kit said, pushing the hair from his eyes. “He’s out.”
“Think he’ll start trouble?” Jesse asked.
Dillon answered, “I’d expect some backlash.”
Yeah, count on it.
“I’ll have Phil draw up a severance agreement.” Taylor dismissed their concern. “We’ll give him a nice bonus and send him on his way.”
“We’ll need to find a new manager,” Matt reminded him. “Won’t be easy.”
“Brendan’s offered to help us out until we do.”
“Yeah?” He turned his head toward the club chair occupied by their tattooed giant of a friend.
“However I can.” Brendan tipped his head as if the offer was nothing to speak of. “Finances, contract negotiations—that sort of thing. I don’t know much when it comes to the rest of it.”
And the rest of it was a lot.
A band manager wears many hats. Marketing and promotion, scheduling appearances, coordinating tours, and all the shit that goes with it. Brendan might not possess in-depth knowledge ofthe music industry, but hewasa savvy businessman, and if there was anyone who had their interests at heart, it was him.
“CJ didn’t know shit when we started out either, remember?” And that was the truth. “You got this, brother.”
“I’ll do my best.”
