Page 50 of Broken Melody
“Sailor-” I start.
“Look. I’m invested in this too. We’ve worked hard. We all need to demonstrate our commitment to our success. I am no expert on these items so must look to you, but if you both, Rick and Jace, honestly believe that this is in our collective best interest and has a low probability of hurting anyone or backfiring, then I’ll do it. Why not? Besides, my being part of the band is only temporary anyway,” she says with a shrug. “If all else fails, the timing of this relationship will be the perfect out when the time is right.”
“Are you sure about this?” Nixon asks.
“Maddox? What do you think?” she asks me. “Can you handle it?”
I stare at her hard. Her eyes and posture are full of that sass I love. Her last question was full of challenge. I briefly imagine her body wrapped around mine, how close she’ll need to get to me, hopefully, at times to sell our act. And hell if I’m not all in. “Oh, I can handle it,” I tell her, “Sure, let’s do this.”
“Alright,” Rick claps his hands together, a smile on his face. “Just look at it as roles you are playing. Actors do this all the time when they have a movie coming out to draw more attention to the movie, this is no different.”
The limo arrives at our destination and slows to a stop, “We’re here,” Jace announces.
“When are they starting this whole charade?” Henley asks.
“Now is as good a time as any. The photographer, makeup artists, hair stylists will all be watching and listening and we all know that at least one of them will defy their confidentiality agreement and be happy to leak some insider information.” With that Rick tells us what he wants us to do for the photos that will be in the magazine and on the album cover before we leave the limo.
Henley, Rocco, Jace and Nixon all exit the limo first. Rick is heading back to the office apparently. I look at Sailor, and she looks at me. “You ready for this?” I ask her.
“As I’ll ever be,” she says.
With that, I step out of the limo first and reach out a hand to her. She grasps mine and I help her out. We each pause and smile at one another, just because. This is a private lot, there are no photographers here, “Let’s do this,” I tell her and she nods.
We’re barely through the door before Sailor is whisked away to get ready and the guys are taken in the opposite direction to do the same. When we are shown into a large dressing area, some overly friendly women hand us our clothing and then direct us to where we need to go once we’re changed. I pull the clothes away from myself, “I’ve got a white button down and leather pants. Typical. You guys?”
“I’ve got all black here. Pants and a button up,” Henley says.
Nixon nods, “Me too on the black. Jeans and a t-shirt for me.”
“Black pants and a black shirt with vest and tie for me,” Rocco adds.
“Looks like you and Sailor will be the focal point, which we now know has been the plan. I’m not surprised. In fact, I think we all kind of expected they would showcase Sailor anyway,” Nixon says and we all nod.
“Did you know, Jace?” I ask him.
“Know?” he looks at me in confusion.
“What Rick was going to suggest today?” I clarify.
“Yes. I was already here making sure the photographer and everyone working was present and going to be ready to go, answering any questions, and making sure everything would run smoothly, which as you know, is my job,” he smiles widely.
“Yeah, yeah, and you get paid well to do so, though at times I wonder if you remember who it is exactly that pays you.” Henley says with a roll of his eyes.
“Oh I know and I would have made the pitch myself, but you see, I know that allowing Rick to own this idea is the best business decision. If it goes well, he’ll initially relish in his business prowess, finesse and power of persuasion but certainly will transfer some of those feelings to Graffiti. We’ve seen him do that in other things. Contrarily, if anything goes askew – though I don’t think that will happen – he will also be willing to accept accountability and find a way to make it right for you. So, a win-win for Graffiti. I believe, that thinking through the strategy behind this proposition is my job. Which, I also believe, I managed quite well. You’re welcome,” Jace says. “After agreeing to his desire to pitch this in the limo today, Rick had no issue with me being along for the ride so I could witness it all.”
“Well, okay. Then I guess I won’t have to kick your ass. So you think this is a good idea too? One that’s needed?” I question.
“I think it’s one approach likely to work in our favor – more quickly and more easily than many other potential options. And by the way---ass kicking? Really? That will be the day.” Jace says with a laugh.
“Well, glad we don’t need to remind you who exactly you work for,” Nixon says, slightly flummoxed.
“Don’t worry. I know damn well. Even though I agreed, I told Rick that I understood where he was coming from, but the decision of course was all yours. Should you have said no, we would have gone to plan B or C.”
We are reminded that the clock is ticking so need to sever this discussion though there are several other things I would have liked to have asked. Like what was plan B or C? What about the female fans who like the fantasy of capturing the heart of their available man crushes? Will we lose many since I won’t be in their dreams? Immediately, I realize that I don’t mind decreasing the number of men who may have chosen to target Sailor. But no time now, and really those questions don’t matter given our agreement to initiate this engineered relationship.
We change our clothes quickly and then are ushered into hair and makeup. They style our hair, put powder on our noses so we ‘don’t shine’ under the light, put lip balm on our lips and even shit on our cheeks. When they try to add guy liner to me, I put on the brakes. “No way, not happening. I’m not into that look.”
“I’ll take some,” Henley says while he checks himself out in the mirror.
