Page 25 of Places I've Never Been

He tucked the phone away. Maybe once the music started, she’d settle into the creativity and forget the drama. “Let’s start with ‘Her Demons Beat My Angels and go down the list.”

The guys all nodded their agreement.

“Let’s party!” Flynn shouted and counted down.

After what Mattie had done earlier with Johnny J’s song, Adam knew she was exactly what they needed. If she agreed towork with him, they’d not only be able to finish off the album, he’d be able to spend a lot of quality time with her.

Problem was, even though she looked up from time to time as they ran through each track, he could tell she was only half paying attention. He checked Twitter surreptitiously during instrumental sections. Devon Morales was certainly making an ass of himself, but it seemed mostly harmless. Just empty words from a blowhard drama queen.

He had to come up with a way to take her mind off the douchebag and get her undivided attention.

They started the fifth track, “Get Back,” when the idea sparked. The song was about getting back to the simple things of life. They’d written it near the end of a tour three years ago. They’d been exhausted and running on fumes. Someone, he thought maybe Brandon, had mentioned how they should take a vacation after the last show, which started a round-robin on where they would go.

The ideas grew more and more outrageous as they’d unwound from the show high. Cooper had ended up researching the world’s most expensive resorts and had found one they’d all agreed on. But life had interfered, and they’d never made it. As he watched Mattie’s expression shift from worried to tired to sad and back, he had a feeling she now might be a great time to put that plan into action.

When they finished the tenth track, they all filed out of the studio and collapsed onto the couches and chairs in the control room.

Mattie put her phone in her lap and covered it with her hands. “That was really…that was great, guys. Thanks for running through all that.”

LT picked up one of the donuts from earlier and took a big bite. “What’d you think of track five?”

Everyone had to have noticed how distractedMattie was while they were playing, but LT would have taken it the worst. He was the middle child of a large family and fought for scraps of attention as a survival sport. He was probably trying to get her to admit that she’d been ignoring them.

Adam jumped in. “We aren’t really worried about track five. We need the help on the last three tracks.”

Mattie flashed Adam an indignant look, then gave LT her full attention. “I think the title’s wrong, and the chorus could use a little polish, but overall the melody is full of surprises and it’s fun. I think it’s a keeper.”

Adam leaned against the side counter and crossed his arms in satisfaction. Shehadbeen listening.

“What’s wrong with the title?” Flynn asked, sounding a little hurt. The title had been his idea.

Mattie turned a patient smile on him. “Have you really thought about how people who don’t know you might interpret ‘Pleasure Sticks’?It sounds like you’re masturbating with dildos.”

There was a moment of stunned silence, and then they all burst out laughing.

“I meant these,” Flynn protested, twirling drumsticks.

She held her hands up in surrender. “I’m just saying maybe something like ‘Stuck on Love’ might work better.”

“Dude, Iknewwe shouldn’t let you pick the title,” Brandon said. “Your mind is in the gutter most of the time.”

“Glad Mattie pointed that outbeforewe released,” Adam said. “Although now that you mention it, maybe we should pass the song to a girl band.”

“Don’t do that.” Mattie said. “It’s perfect for you.”

“Not sure what that means exactly,” LT grinned, “but I like the direction you’re going.”

Adam was about to ask her take on the other songs, whenMattie started and looked down at her phone. Again. Yet another text flashed on the screen.

Time to put his new plan into action. He pushed off from the counter and paced closer to Mattie to get her attention. She glanced up long enough for him to make eye contact.

“Now that you’ve heard most of the album, you can see what we need for the last three. I was hoping for a transition from ‘This Is Not the End’ to the more lively stuff, but so far nothing I’ve tried has felt right. That’s where you come in.”

“Yeah, since Johnny left his writing sucks,” Brandon said.

“Not just mine,” Adam pointed out. “The melody of that last try was more like something for a horror movie.”

“What’s wrong with it?” Brandon looked affronted.

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