Page 30 of Uriah's Orbit
Rand rolled his eyes and walked away.
“I don’t think they were expecting you,” I said to Maddox. “Look at the way the five of them keep looking over here.”
“Marcus never told them.” He laughed. “God, I love that bastard.”
Marcus slapped his arm as he walked by with Chase tucked against him. “I love being a bastard. Enjoy the mutual musical masturbation.”
“It’s Up Down Left Right,” Maddox said.
“Wait until you hear them really sing,” Marcus and I chorused.
“Whoa.” Maddox laughed.
“Go.” Marcus nodded at the unassuming, slim blonde woman who was standing with the band. “Hailey is here all night and she’s an absolute doll.”
Maddox rubbed his hands together and grabbed Damon by the arm across me. “Dude. Hailey. Find Rand and Fingers.”
Noah choked. “You really call him fingers?”
“What the hell else are you supposed to call someone who can play like The Edge?”
“I don’t know, maybe his name? Lyle?” Noah asked.
Maddox stared him down. “If you call him Lyle he will punch you in both nuts at different times.”
“Fingers is better?”
“I usually go by Holland, if I need a real name.”
I sighed. “Well, then, fine,Holland. Go and talk to Hailey.”
They walked over to where Hailey was hanging on the edge of the stage, and Chase leaned over to me. “Fingers’ real name is Lyle Holland?”
“Lyle Thomas Holland,” Marcus said. He elbowed me. “You need to go talk to Austin before he stares a hole in your head.”
Noah leaned into me. “He’s really fixed on you. Is he…one of us?”
“What the hell? Are we a cult now?” I laughed. “I don’t know man. I’m his costumer, not his confessor.” And what a spectacular lie that was.
“You should find out,” Noah said. “He’s hot.”
I rolled my eyes.
It took a few minutes for everything to get rolling and settled in. There were buffet tables and passed hors d’oeuvres. The bar was all top shelf and the people were insanely well ranked in the music world.
The music, a selection of the other songs UDLR had put out, cut off about half an hour into the party, and the older black woman with the amazing braids was standing center stage waiting for everyone’s attention.
“Hi! Welcome to the listening party for the new Up Down Left Right album. After much consternation and hard work, I believe these boys—excuse me, men, have put together something that they have been trying to achieve for years. They have finally been allowed, under the direction of Hailey Demarest, to put out an album that showcases their talents and abilities they have spent eight years learning and honing.
“Everyone will receive a copy of the album at the end of the night with liner notes. The album will officially drop at midnight, and the first singleWith No Optionwill be available for broadcast immediately. All of you have media packets for more information—and I would just like to take a moment to thank you all for coming and supporting these boys. I’ve been watching them strive for this since they were just out of their teenage years.”
She put her hand on Grant’s shoulder and smile at him. “I’m especially proud of this young man and overcoming so many obstacles in his life to sit at the top of the charts.”
The other four of them whooped and hollered and slapped Grant on the back. He pushed them all away, and turned and hugged the woman. “Aunt Angela, the best aunt ever.”
“Hey, mister DJ. Play that album!” Austin yelled at the guy in the booth above the stage.
The room went dead silent.
