Page 71 of Hard Rock Temptation
Ithrew myself into my production work. I’d been collaborating with other bands, newer and recently signed, on their first major albums. It was challenging, but in a good way. The skills I honed would only make Until We Break’s second album even stronger.
If we even got a second album.
I leaned back in my chair and ran a hand over my face. The multi-color tracks on the computer screen in front of me looked blurry through my tired eyes. Sleep had been hard to come by ever since that phone call from Kay’s mom.
I was still in a state of disbelief. How could Kaylee do something so obviously risky? How could she do something to put the whole band in danger? How could she have done something so reckless, and, not to mention,illegal?
Every time I thought about it, a spike of panic hit me in the gut. What would the label do, if…or ratherwhen…they found out? Just how much shit were we going to be in? How much was Kay going to pay for what she did?
Because it wasn’tjustabout the band. There was a possibility of real legal consequences for what Kay had done. She’d said I was thinking in worst case scenarios again, but the chances of the label suing her or pressing charges weren’t zero.
All her mom had to do was make one phone call and she could cause real, lasting damage to the daughter she’d always resented and emotionally abused.
More than anything, that was what kept me up at night. As angry as I was over what she’d done, I loved Kaylee. I didn’t want anything bad to happen to her. I wanted to protect her. But this was one thing I wasn’t sure I could protect her from.
I glanced over at my phone, where a dozen angry texts from Kaylee’s mom waited for me to delete them unread.
I heaved a bitter sigh and flung a pen across the room in anger and frustration.
“Whoa, hey!” Finn’s voice called out. “Watch where you’re throwing things, I almost lost an eye.”
“Finn?” I blinked at him in the doorway of the studio. “What are you doing here?”
“Checking in on you, what else?” Finn shrugged. “Kay’s usually the one you talk to when you’re upset, but considering what’s happened, I figured you two might not be on speaking terms. Therefore,” he lifted his head proudly, “I am offering my services instead.”
I snorted, not quite up for a laugh just yet. “And what sort of services might that be? Kay and I do a lot more than talk nowadays, you know.”
Finn scrunched up his face and threw the pen back at me. “I’m here to take her place listening to your whining and complaining, dumbass.”
“You’re failing in your task already,” I pointed out. “Kay would never call me a dumbass.”
“Yes she would,” Finn laughed. “You should be grateful I’m taking time out of my busy schedule to lend you a kind ear.”
His words were flippant but there was a sincerity on his face that I rarely saw from Finn.
It was true that Kay was the one I went to whenever I was upset. But I couldn’t do that this time. Instead, I’d been stuck stewing in my own angst, as my mom would say.
“So, how have you been?” Finn pulled up a chair, turned it around and sat on it backwards, resting his forearms against backrest with an expectant look on his face.
I had decided not to tell the band about what Kay had done, for now. I knew it would only add on to their worry. They didn’t all need one more thing to be stressed about.
“I’m doing fine,” I replied. Finn’s doubtful face told me he didn’t believe the lie. “I’m doing about as well as you’d expect,” I amended.
“Which means,not well at all?” Finn guessed.
“Do you think any of us are doing well?” I countered.
Finn dropped his gaze to the floor. “I suppose not,” he murmured. “I was just hoping you had some sort of plan.”
“Ah, so that’s why you really came,” I said, leaning back in my chair.
“No!” Finn protested. “I wanted to see how you were doing. Really.” He ducked his head and continued sheepishly. “But Corinnadidsuggest I stop avoiding everyone and at least come talk to you.”
“Well, it’s a wasted trip,” I said irritably. “I don’t have a plan. The best thing I can think up is getting us all in a room together to try and hash it out again.” I raised an eyebrow at Finn. “But I think you know exactly how that’s going to turn out.”
“Yeah,” Finn said sadly. “Unless something changes, we’re all going to continue disagreeing and fighting over the same thing.”
“They’re all just so stubborn,” I said, irritation turning into a kind of resentment.
