Page 34 of Call and Response

“Sure.” She nodded, glancing back to make sure we were alone in the studio foyer before she continued. “Speaking plainly…I'm not trying to get into anything serious right now. I love the energy of the last week, but I don't want to give the impression I want something I don't. Or that this is something it's not. At least not until it's time for it to be whatever it’s going to be.”

When she stopped speaking, I raised an eyebrow. “That feels plain to you?”

She shrugged. “I'm a songwriter.”

“That you are, through and through.” I chuckled. “Nah though… I get what you're saying, and we're on the same page, really. I can’t offer much more than vibes until I get this music figured out.”

“Oh, you’rerealserious about it, huh?” she teased. “I should probably stop holding you up then, let you get in there and work it out?”

My eyebrows went up. “Wait, you’re still joining me, right?”

“Of course,” she agreed, already pushing the door open. “Somebodyhas to bless you with some background vocals worth a damn, right?”

“Oh, is that what it is?” I laughed, following her inside.

Dean tossed up a wave from his perch at the mixing board then went right back to what he was doing—tweaking the music I’d already put in his hands to customize to what we needed.

It already felt better.

And from the smile on Audra’s face, I could tell she agreed, bobbing her head to the beat as she took off her bag and everything and found a seat.

It was time to get into it.

More than once over the next couple of hours, it struck me how—honestly—blessedI was to be working with these two people. Audra was so lowkey it was easy to not keep at the forefront of your mind that she was adecoratedsongwriter. Same for Dean, with production. I’d avoided coming to him with my solo stuff, not wanting to lean on his talent or overstep as a friend.

Another thing that struck me was how sillythatshit was.

Bringing talented people into your creative process didn’t make it any less of a process, or any less creative. It relieved the frustration of what you couldn’t do—or couldn’t do quite as well—and allowed you to focus on whatever area you really shined.

Vocal arrangements.

Melodies.

Key changes.

I could write, I could produce, yes, but mystrongesttalent was in performance, so that was what I focused on the most. By the time Audra had to head out—after laying down beautiful background vocals that delivered fully on her claim from earlier—we hadthreestrong tracks I would end up having to choose from to release to the world.

After I’d seen her out to the elevator—resisting themightyurge to taste the mouth those golden vocals had been spilling from for the last few hours—I went back into the studio to talk to Dean about the way things had gone.

“Hey, I’m thinking about one more layer in the background, to make sure the harmonies are fully—what’s up?” I asked, stopping when he started shaking his head at me. “You think it’s too much?”

“Not that—you’re a damn trip.” He chuckled, leaning back in his chair. “You’re really gonna pop back in here and pretend I didn’t see what I just saw?”

I frowned. “Dean… I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I told him.

Especially since I kept my hands to myself specifically because you were here.

“So you and Audraaren’tfucking around?”

“What would even make you think that?!”

“Where should I start?” he said, laughing. “You motherfuckers been grinning in each other’s face all day, ad-libbing like you’re fucking and shit. I started to ask if y’all needed me to step out!”

I shrugged. “You got all that from us enjoying working together?”

“Ienjoy workingwith plenty of folks I never gavelet’s fuckeyes to.”

“What about Holly?” I asked, with a pointed stare, and Dean sucked his teeth.

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