Page 16 of Follow the Rhythm
The receptionist manning the front desk of the label office led us to a conference room with large windows overlooking the city.
Four people were already sitting at the long table. One of them was a young blonde woman with short, side-shaved hair, wearing a cut-off t-shirt that said, “Live, Laugh, Lesbian.” Based on Johnny’s sour look and her triumphant smile, this was the new drummer for the tour.
Next to her was a woman who was probably in her sixties, with bright purple hair in two braids and a septum piercing. She was wearing coveralls and looked annoyed at even being in the room.
I recognized Karen Carlson immediately, the head of Echelon Records’ Fairview office. We’d met several times over the years at industry parties. She was known for being ruthless, but I’d yet to see that side of her. She was in her fifties but looked younger, with thick black hair cut short and frameless glasses. Next to her was a thin young man who seemed both terrified and smug, and who I suspected was Karen’s assistant.
“Charlie, good to see you,” Karen said after greeting Kieran and Johnny. “I was pleased when I saw your name on the tour.”
“Thanks, I’m excited to be working with such a talented group.”
“This is Grace Ridgefield. She’s going to be touring on drums with Velvet Howl. She’s based out of California most of the time, like you,” Karen said.
“Love the shirt,” I said, shaking Grace’s hand from across the table. She beamed.
“And this is Ursula, the tour’s creative director and production designer.” Karen gestured to the woman with purple hair. Kieran and Johnny both shook her hand as well.
“Can we get this show on the road?” Ursula said in a thick Fairview accent after the pleasantries concluded. “Some of us have shit to do.”
“Where is Ellis?” Karen asked Johnny tightly.
“I’ll just give him a ring.” Johnny scurried out into the hallway. Kieran took the seat next to Grace. I plopped down in the seat across from Ursula, next to Karen’s squirrelly assistant.
“So how’s your dad doing?” Karen asked with what sounded like real concern.
“He’s alright. He’s recovering better than the doctors expected.” I hadn’t seen him in months, but Mom was giving me regular updates. “He’s walking again.”
“That’s great to hear,” Karen said.
It was depressing, actually. No one wanted to hear about the legendary Dean Bennett, laid low by something so mundane as a stroke. I changed the subject.
“So, what’s the creative direction for the tour?” I asked Ursula. Complicated set pieces would require more complicated transportation, so it would be good to tackle that early.
Grace grimaced at me and shook her head while Ursula pinned me with a glare.
“It’s a work in progress. Which I would have explained if you’d been here for longer than a minute,” Ursula said.
I held up my hands in surrender and smiled. “Understood. We can talk more whenever you want. I’m staying just around the corner.”
The label had provided a beautiful furnished apartment that I definitely would never have been offered if I weren’t Charlie Bennett, king of the nepo babies. Growing up, there had been some expectations that I’d take up the family business, so to speak. With my dad as the frontman for North Portal, and my mother leading the Grammy-winning folk band Porchlight Choir, everyone had high hopes for my musical talent.
Too bad I didn’t have a musical bone in my body.
But I still loved being around the creative process, and tour management played to my strengths. And, as much as I hated to admit it, having famous parents had opened a lot of doors. The ass-kissing used to bother me, but now I just embraced it. Plus, I needed help with rent; funds were running low, as usual. I’d spent so long being too self-righteous to accept my parent’s money that I couldn’t ask for help now.
If anyone in the room had known that I worked as a professional heat Alpha to make ends meet between contracts, it probably would’ve blown their minds.
I forced myselfnotto think about my latest client, even though the anticipation of seeing her that night was almost unbearable. Her citrus and ginger scent, more tangy than sweet, had embedded itself in my mind like a sexy parasite. Working as a heat Alpha was never a hardship, but this was the first time I’d ever been tempted to keep in touch with one of my Omegas.
Luckily, I was saved from any further reminiscence on Jess’s large, dark eyes, or luscious curves, or hair that hung down to her waist in chocolate waves, by the arrival of the one and only Ellis Fox.
Karen jumped to her feet to shake his hand as he came into the conference room, followed by Johnny. “Ellis! So glad youcould make it. And what a fantastic idea for the secret show this weekend. I’m being told that the numbers on social are exceeding expectations.”
Ellis nodded magnanimously. “I couldn’t get a coffee, could I?”
Karen’s smile faltered, but she recovered quickly. “Of course, Mitchell will get you one.”
He scurried out, and Ellis turned to survey the room.
