Page 14 of The Devil's Tattoo
“Zoe, they asked for us. The band askedforus.”
“Why?”
“Because they know something shit hot when theyhearit.”
I thought about Will Strickland, and my stomach churned, the notion crossing my mind that he had something to do with it, and I shook my head. In what twisted reality would Will Strickland do over his band’s record label to get us on tour? Someone who’d only spoken one word to me. I tried to forget it. “I better go, Dee. Frank will be here soon for the call-in for the radiointerview.”
“Say something niceaboutme.”
Simone called as Dee said she would. The thing about Simone was she was the total opposite of me. Blonde, bubbly, and talked a mile a minute about nothing and everything all in the same breath. Give her something to organize, and she was happier than a kid in a candy store. Over the last few months, we had become close, and I was glad she was along fortheride.
“Tour dates are confirmed for February through March, nationwide. We just have to get the okay from you and Chris. Everyone else has agreed to it. The record company is prepared to foot most of the expenses since the single is doing so well. They’re cutting you the same deal as TheStabs.”
We were in the same monetary caliber as The Stabs?Already?
“Even though it was only released today?” Iasked.
“They are prepared to take a risk since sales have gone through the roof in the first few hours. The national radio play has helped too,youknow.”
I sighed. “Why are we even discussing this? Of course, I agree. It’s The Stabs, after all. It’ll be good for us.” What I didn’t say was I could perv on Will Strickland for five weeks straight while watching Dee lose his mind trying to stay between us. Not that Will would go for it. I wasn’t exactly the warmest of people. It was better as a fantasy in my own head than inreality.
“Brilliant! Hey, good luck with the interview this afternoon. Dee tells me you’ll be rehearsing tonight, so if you don’t mind, I’ll stop by and give you all the details for the tour. Kickoff is just over three weeks!” Simone squealed a little and abruptlyhungup.
I grimaced at the phone and threw it on the bedside table, rubbing my eyes. My earlier thought echoed around my head like a coin in a tumble dryer. This was going way too fast. I almost felt sick, but I rolled out of bed and dragged myself into the shower. Thank God, radio meant I didn’t have to lookpresentable.
I’d just managed to get dressed when there was a knock on the door. I opened it up, hair still dripping, and found Frank standing outside, looking handsome and buff in a red flannel shirt and a Devil’s Tattoo T-shirt he’d had one of his mates make a couple of months ago. It had been our attempt at making someextracash.
“Self-advertising, Frankie?” I asked, lettinghimin.
“I love tooting my own horn,” he declared proudly, then realized what he’d just said. “Oh,man.”
Shutting the door behind him, I laughed and pushed him onto the couch. “Make sure you toot that behind closed doors. Some things people don’t needtosee.”
Frank opened his mouth to shoot something back but thought better of it and hid his face behind hishands.
“Drink?”
“Please.”
I got him a glass of water as he pulled out his phone and dialed the number the radio station gave us for the conference call. Butterflies fluttered in my stomach as I sat across from him. I wondered if this would get any easier. He placed his phone on the coffee table and turned it on speaker. As we listened to the hold music, Frank patted me ontheknee.
Hugo was the host of the afternoon drive show on the nationwide alternative radio station Absolute. When he came on the line, they were still playing ‘Walls.’
“Hey, guys.” He sounded friendly.Professional.
“Hey,” Frankreplied.
“Ready? We’re on in aminute.”
“Give usyourbest.”
As the song ended and Hugo took the mic, I was jealous of his ability to fill the silence with hiswords.
“You’re listening to Absolute, and that track was ‘Walls’ from a new and exciting band out of Melbourne called The Devil’s Tattoo.Hey, I’m Hugo, and I’ll be taking you right through to five. But really, wasn’t that an awesome song? And right now, as promised, I’ve got two of the members from The Devil’s Tattoo on the line. Frank and Zoe. How areyouguys?”
“Great, thanks,” we bothechoed.
“Latest reports are that ‘Walls’ has gone to the number six spot on the iTunes chart. That is absolutely phenomenal. How are you guys dealingwiththat?”
