Page 12 of Charm City Rocks
“Hi, G,” says Billy. “Now’s not a great time.”
“Okay. I’m actually glad you’re here,” says Grady. “We should really talk about that apartment thing. Because we—”
“Maybe not now, okay?” Billy scans the store. “Fair warning: I think something insane is about to happen.”
The door swings open just then. Even-keeled by nature, Grady stays true to type by touching his chin thoughtfully and saying, “You know what, you guys? I think that’s Margot Hammer.”
Billy holds his breath as Margot Hammer walks right by him. She’s followed by a cameraman and a young woman with a ponytail, wearing Chuck Taylor sneakers.
“Yeah,” says Grady. “It definitely is.”
“Dad,” Caleb whispers. “Holy shit.”
Billy knew she was going to be here. His idiot son justfrantically told him so two blocks away. Still, it’s difficult to process. “Cay, don’t swear.”
“Yeah, this kinda feels like a holy-shit moment, though, right?” says Caleb, which is tough to dispute. “You should go talk to her.”
“Me?” says Billy. “This is your fault.You’regonna talk to her. And you’re gonna apologize. Profusely.”
Grady stands listening, understandably confused. He sets his stack of records on a shelf and walks over to Margot Hammer. “Hello there. This is a quite a thrill. Would you like to sign our Wall of Fame?”
Margot Hammer is rubbing her hands together, and Billy is surprised to see that she looks nervous. The young woman beside her steps up. “Hi, I’m Rebecca Yang with Stage Dive Records. You work here, right? In the store?”
“My wife and I own it,” Grady says.
“We’re looking for a band. Four girls. Hot Twist. We’re meeting them here.”
Grady looks out the window toward Gustavo’s pretzel stand. “Maybe you could sign between David Simon and Laura Lippman. It’s a good spot. She’s a writer, and he created the showThe Wireon HBO.”
Billy tries not to stare at her. He’s not doing a good job of it, though. Rebecca looks at her phone. “We’re right on time. Mazzy’s dad said they’d be ready. I’ll text him.”
Caleb was a flurry of words a moment ago as they hustled over from the Champagne Supernova. Now, though, as Rebecca thumb-taps at her phone, his son has fallen into stiff silence. When the phone in Caleb’s pocket makes a noise like a cartoon robot, he whispers, “Shit.”
“Um,” says Rebecca.
Everyone assembled at Charm City Rocks is now looking atCaleb. Consequently, Caleb looks like he might throw up. Or run away. Or throw up while running away. He needs Billy’s help.
“Margot,” says Billy. “Or…Miss Hammer? Hi. I think there’s been a misunderstanding.”
“And you are?” It’s Rebecca. She’s smaller than all of them but suddenly very much in charge.
“I’m Billy. This is my son, Caleb.”
Margot Hammer’s attention falls then on Billy, and his breath catches in his throat. She’s in jeans and scuffed boots, a loose button-up with the sleeves rolled just past her elbows. Her eyes. Her drumstick tattoos. Her hair—part up, part falling across her face. She’s Margot Hammer.
“Caleb? Do you have something you’d like to say?”
His son slouches, like he’s trying desperately to be smaller than he is. “I’m Mazzy,” Caleb says. “And I’m Mazzy’s dad, too. I’m also Caleb. I’m so sorry.”
Rebecca’s fists move to her hips. “You’re…who?”
“I ate three gummy bears,” Caleb says.
“You ate what?”
“They had pot in them. It may’ve been four, actually. Dad, a couple were smooshed together. I didn’t tell you that part.”
“You could sign the wall later, maybe,” Grady says.
