When Maggie walked in, she took one look at the four of us in the studio and her face fell. “What the hell are you doing?” she asked, in a quiet, fierce voice. She seemed to be looking mainly at Zane when she saidit.
Zane was still standing at the mic; the rest of us were still tossed on the couches, where we’d been mesmerized by him doing histhing.
“That depends,” Elle said. “Are you here spying forBrody?”
Maggie looked taken aback as her gaze swung to Elle. “No,” she said carefully. “I was just in the area, and Zane said you werehere.”
Elle threw Zane a look and Zane justgrinned.
“You haven’t been returning my calls,” Maggie said, still addressingElle.
“I told you guys I needed some time,” was Elle’sresponse.
“Yeah, well,” Maggie said. “I’ve been worried about you. First, you take off to Hawaii with Seth.” She spared me a glance. “And now you’re alone all the time, shutting everyone out. Although, clearly… you’renotalone.” She looked around at the rest of usaccusingly.
I felt kinda like a kid getting caught smoking in the boys’ room. I did not know what to say. Or if I should say athing.
“What we’re doing,” Zane told her, “is what we do best.” And as Maggie turned to him again, he told Cody, “Play it back forher.”
Cody played the song, and we all listened to what we’d put together, Maggie with her arms crossed tightly over her chest. With Dylan on the drums, Elle on the bass, and now Zane’s vocals… the song totally fuckingrocked.
When it ended, Zane said, “It’s fucking good,right?”
But Maggie didn’t lookimpressed.
“You guys realize what you’re doing?” She looked around at each of us. The three members of Dirty got nailed first: Dylan, Elle, Zane. Then me. Even Cody got a withering glance. “You’re working on a Dirty album without Jesse. Without Jessa. Without talking toBrody.”
No one said anything. What could theysay?
She wasright.
And I was hardly gonna be the one to open my mouthfirst.
Maggie turned and walked out, and I didn’t know the woman, but I could say with certainty that she was incredibly pissed. Hurt,even.
Zane went afterher.
No one else said a thing for a solid minute. Then Cody announced, “I’ll, uh, take a lunch break. See you in a bit.” Then he wasgone.
I wasn’t sure what to say. But no matter what I said, this was not myproblem.
I wasn’t part of Dirty. Maggie wasn’t my management. This was something they all had to work out, and even though I’d kinda caused the problem, I figured I should get the fuck out of the way right aboutnow.
“I’m gonna get a coffee,” I said, tentatively. “Anyone wantanything?”
“Nope,” Dylansaid.
Elle shook her head, so I left the two of them there. Elle made no move to join me as I headedoutside.
The sunshine and fresh air were welcome after hours in the studio. After all thattension…
I glimpsed Zane and Maggie in the small parking lot, standing by the open driver’s door of a car that must’ve been hers. They were talking in quiet, heated voices, and I turned away, heading to the little coffee shop across thestreet.
Flynn was there, too, on the other side of the lot, having a smoke with another security dude who must’ve come withZane.
When I headed back, coffee in hand, they were all still there. Zane and Maggie were still there; they were standing close together, and things still looked heated. I watched as Zane took her face in his hands, getting closer. They were almost nose-to-nose. Her hands went to his, but she didn’t push him off. They kept talking, eyes locked on oneanother.
Then she yanked away, and turned to get in hercar.
