Page 80 of Voice to Raise
Pauletta pursed her lips. “Perhaps not. What Carson is offering is more than an album, though. He’s offering to create a cohesive band. To up their game. To help secure them a spot in the Rocktoberfest lineup.”
“Seven months is still a long time. They have lives here in Vancouver.”
Malik shot me a look.
I shrugged. “You’re expected to stay secluded on his Greek island for the entire seven months.”
Reese’s eyes went wide. “Are you shitting me?”
I shook my head. “It’s all spelled out in the contract. Now, I didn’t catch all of the details—and I don’t know how much is negotiable.”
“Not much.” Pauletta sipped her hot chocolate again. “This is damn good.”
“Uh, thanks.” Malik continued to flip pages. “Seven months?” He cast me a surreptitious glance.
Don’t give anything away. You’ll miss him like fuck, but this could be his big break.“I think they need some time—”
“I don’t.” Creed raised his mug. “Carson Keriakos? Tell me where and when and I’m there. He’s just about the best there is.”
“He’s…” Malik gestured.
“Eccentric?” Reese contributing.
“Filthy rich?” Freddie having his say.
“Award-winning.” Malik placed his contract on the coffee table and took his mug. He didn’t lean back. “You’ve given us a lot to consider. Is your offer of representation contingent on whether we accept or not?”
Pauletta held his gaze. “One is negotiable. One is not.”
Her answer felt cryptic to me, but Malik nodded. “Understood.”
Mickey raised their hand.
Absurdly, I nodded.
“Mr. Keriakos has invited me to shoot a documentary about your time on the island. Well, I’d be the director. Lydia is the videographer, Kato is the sound engineer, and Thornton Graves would be doing much of the interviews. None of us would be there full-time, though. We’d come in periodically.”
“That’s the same with me.” Pauletta wrapped her hands around her mug. “I would have regular check-ins with all of you—to ensure everything’s running smoothly.”
“What about our family?” Freddie tapped the contract.
“You’ll have weekly phone calls, and for a week in May, they might visit.”
“That’s it?” Reese frowned. “This seems…” She gestured.
“Controlling?” I met Pauletta’s gaze.
“He has a process.” She looked at each band member. “He’s award-winning for a reason. I think a couple of years ago, Grindstone would’ve done anything for this opportunity. That you’re receiving it so early in your career shows Carson thinks highly of you. He sees great potential.”
“And he won’t consider coming to Vancouver? Or maybe a studio in London or LA?” I didn’t have authorization to negotiate on behalf of the band. That said, I wanted to know what other options were open.
Pauletta shook her head. “This is an all-or-nothing deal. They go to Greece or they’re on their own.”
“That’s pretty harsh.”
She arched an eyebrow at me. “I can still rep them, but they’d be fools to give this up.”
“Maybe we have reasons for wanting to stay in Vancouver—”
