Page 20 of Hold Still

“When Platinum discovered me, my band was playing at clubs in San Juan. Selling out, actually.”

She smiles. “I believe it.”

“Yeah, well, I was the lead singer and guitarist, while Luis played keys and couple of other buddies rounded out the group.”

“Are any of them still with you now?”

I shake my head. “No.”

She cocks her head. “Why not?”

How do I explain what happened all those years ago? “Platinum happened.”

“Your record label?”

“Yes. You see, they came up to me after one of our shows and told me they’d been following me for the better part of a year. They wanted to sign me. I was so excited. This was my big break.” Turned out to be an empty victory. I stall by taking a swig of the prosecco, not even tasting it on the way down.

“Go on.”

“Platinum only wanted me. They said they had other musicians who would form my band.”

“How awful. What did you tell Luis and your other friends?”

“I explained everything to them. My drummer and bass player were cool with it—they both had kids on the island and didn’t want to go out on tour.”

“But Luis?”

I try to take another swallow, surprised to find my glass empty. “We had several rounds of discussions. I wanted to make sure he got credit for co-writing our songs, which he did.”

“I don’t understand. If you and Luis were sort of a package deal, why did Platinum want to break you up?”

“In a word? He didn’t have ‘the look.’” I make finger quotes around the term that Platinum used to justify leaving Luis out of the bigger part of the deal.

“The look?”

“Yes.” I shift in my seat. “Let me paint a picture. Luis is short, a little underweight and doesn’t work out. He always wears bandanas or hats to cover his thinning hair. Ladies weren’t exactly throwing their panties at him on stage.”

“So you’re, well, you, and Luis didn’t add to your mystique.”

I roll my eyes. “I guess you can put it that way.”

“But, you said Platinum gave him writing credit on the album. So why can’t you collaborate together, like Bernie Taupin and Elton John?”

I chuckle. “We’re no Bernie and Elton.”

“You are in your own way.”

Her belief in me shocks me. “Aw, McKenna, I didn’t know you cared.”

“I’ve always enjoyed your music.”

“And here I thought you were after me for my other talents.” I rock my hips.

“C’mon, Ozzy. Be serious. Why don’t you just call up Luis and start to collaborate again?”

Because the fucker jumped in bed with my wife the first time my back was turned. But I’m not about to share that with her. So I offer another truth. “I haven’t talked with him since I signed the contract with Platinum. It was his decision.” I run my hand through my hair. My writer’s block stems from my lack of a partner, but it’s more than that.

“Oh. I’m so sorry. I know what it’s like to lose touch with a best friend. Rose and I went our separate ways after college and, even though we didn’t have a falling out like you two did, I know how difficult it was for me.”

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