Page 111 of The Drummer

I maneuver as gently as I can until I’m lying on my side and tuck her against me. With a careful stretch, I grab the throw blanket and drape it over us. She stirs at the disruption, but quickly falls back to sleep once I’m settled behind her again.

I breathe in a hint of something floral, and a second later I’m out as well.

I’mstartled awake by the most obnoxious sound. It takes me a second to realize it’s a phone, but not my phone. Or any phone made since the year I was born.

With a groan, I push up on my elbows to track the culprit, and find the hotel phone on the end table blaring. No wonder people don’t use those things anymore.

Callie is gone, and since she’s not in the kitchen, she’s probably in the guest room showering.

I swat for the phone and yank it off the receiver.

“Yeah?” I croak.

“Mr. Craven? It’s Mara from the front desk.”

There’s no way I’m waking Luke up to talk to Mara.

“Hi, Mara.” My voice is still so scratchy, I can easily pull off Luke’s monosyllables.

“Sincerest apologies for disturbing you, sir, but we have anEli Blakeand aJeff Sweenyin the lobby who say they’re friends of yours?”

I burst up from the couch.

“Excuse me?”

“Should I tell them to leave?”

“Oh, um, no. They’re fine. Just wasn’t expecting them…”At all.“...so early.”

“Of course. I can have them wait or come back later,” she suggests.

“No, it’s fine. Send them up. Thanks.”

“Of course, sir.”

I hang up and stare at the wall in disbelief. Eli and Sweeny are here? How?! Why?! And why didn’t anyone tell me they… oh.

Well, shit.

I stagger to my feet and retrieve my phone from the island. Sure enough, the screen floods with missed calls and texts when I turn it on.

Guess what. Eli and Sweeny are coming.

They tried to contact me multiple times. There’s even a heads up from TJ letting me know he gave them our location since we need to get working on the demo. A trailer with our gear is on its way as well.

The demo!

I never made a better recording, so I’d sent TJ the original one. I told him it was rough and unfinished but thought it had potential.

I scroll through the text stream to find a missed voice message.

I press play and hold the phone six inches away at his shouting.

“Casey! Holy shit! What the hell, man?! Why didn’t you tell me you had this?! I’m calling Alberto right now to say we’re in business! I’ll reach out to Eli and Sweeny too! We need to get you guys in the studio A. S. A. P. Jackson Street is close to you! I’m calling Julian next! Wait, after Alberto. Shit shit shit!”

Guess he likes it.

The second message is similar to the first, except with moreexpletives and an update that the Label is just as excited and sending a trailer with our gear that should get here Friday.

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