Page 43 of For Eva

The latter wasn’t a total lie, but I knew she wouldn’t turn down the chance to work for Keith. Not in a million fucking years. Her eyes lit up every time she talked about the band…every time she got us the cover of a magazine…every time she dreamed up some promotion that sent our album sales soaring even higher.

He grinned and patted his wallet. “I’ll make it worth her while.”

Fuck me again.

“I don’t know, man.” I ground my teeth on an ice cube. “Is it a good idea for her to work for you when me and her are together?”

“Has it been a problem so far?”

“I don’t think you know, but there was this thing with Jesse Trainor and—”

He waved me off. “I know everything, Danny. Including the fact Jesse Trainor is an asshole who likes to talk big but never backs it up.”

“Yeah, but…” I trailed off, drumming my fingers on the table and tapping my foot against the floor. How was I once again in this fucking position? Could I not have this one fucking thing to my fucking self? “Maybe she could work with one of your other bands?”

“My plan is for her to work with all my bands, but I want her with me for now. She’s learned a lot on her own, but I can really show her the ropes. Plus, she—” He paused and cocked his head to the side, studying my face, which had lost all the poker it had left. “What’s going on, Danny?”

I shook my head and shrugged. “I just think it might get tough…working together constantly.”

“It won’t be forever. I just wanna take her under my wing for a bit, then I’ll set her up in my offices back in LA so she can work on marketing plans, handle press, those sorts of things.” Keith pulled in a deep breath and crossed his arms over his chest, leaning back in his chair. “Look, I know Bryan tries to take a lot of credit for the success you guys have had since you’ve been on the road, but I’m not stupid. That girl has major potential in this business, and I think everyone in this band knows it.”

Christ, had Eric given him the same speech he’d given me a million fucking times about how much she did for us? Did he have it fucking written down in a notebook and whip it out for anyone who would listen?

“Yeah, she’s smart, but…”

“But what? Any other issues I need to know about?” His eyes narrowed from behind the mug as he took a final sip of coffee.

I fumbled with another cigarette, nearly dropping it as I brought it to my lips. Yeah, there were fucking issues. And they involved me wanting her back in LA picking out the fucking house where the platinum albums would go. But I couldn’t tell him that without sounding like an asshole. So, I shook my head, lit my smoke, and sucked the things I wanted to say deep inside.

He stood and clapped my shoulder. “This is gonna be good for her. And the band.”

I nodded and gulped the rest of my drink as he headed out of the restaurant to the meeting where he’d tell Eva she had a new job. A job she’d say she wanted. A job I couldn’t deny her because it would break us if I did.

EIGHTEEN

Eva

April 1989

“This is insane.” I fell back onto the mattress, chirping and flapping my arms against the palm leaf bedspread like some sort of hyperactive bird. “I never imagined…I never thought…Can you believe this?”

Danny sat in the chair between the bed and the long row of hotel room windows, plucking out the chords of a Led Zeppelin tune on his acoustic. “You must’ve really impressed Keith…or whatever.”

“You really think so?”

He nodded, not taking his eyes off his fingers as they moved along the fretboard. “Mm-hmm.”

I sat up and hugged my knees to my chest. “Are you sure you’re ok with this?”

“I said I was.” His foot, propped on his opposite leg, bobbed slowly as he blew several dark strands of hair from face.

“Actually, you didn’t.”

He sighed and leaned his guitar against the arm of the chair. “What do you want me to say, Eva? You came in here, told me you took the job, andthenasked for my opinion.”

His words bore into me like a screw, twisting and tightening my insides. Heat blossomed on my cheeks, but I didn’t know whether it was because I was ashamed I hadn’t consulted him beforehand or pissed that he’d expected me to.

“Look, I just don’t want you making some major decision without thinking it through.” He fell back in the chair and lit a cigarette. “I know you miss Denise and your friends from the bar. And what about wanting to find us a place of our own? You shouldn’t have to put all those things on the back burner because you wanna help the band.”

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