Page 41 of Hiding in the Limelight
I understand the implications of my tone and try to remedy it immediately. “I didn’t take your hand and join you here to take advantage of the situation. I just want to be here for you. As long as you need.” I pull up a chair across the table from her just to make my point.
The color returns to her face as she absentmindedly pulls her hair into a ponytail and whips the computer around. “If you’re gonna be here, you’re going to work so that neither of us get distracted.” Once the computer is soundly in front of me, she floats to the kitchenette and returns with two full glasses of water. Can’t say I’m disappointed. A beer would have been nice, but Raleigh can get through this without any sustenance then so can I.
We clink water bottles as if we were sharing a drink at a nice restaurant downtown and let the late night work overtake us. It’s another instance where the energy between is easy, almost too easy for the circumstances. Raleigh senses the bizarreness of it too, I can feel it when she looks at me or when her fingers brush mine when she reaches for her computer.
I’ve never had it easy with a partner before, but I could get used to it. To be fair, I think I could get used to anything with Raleigh beside me.
Chapter 29
Raleigh
THE DOORS ARE CLOSED to the outside world and chairs have been pulled to the big table into the sitting room of Mae’s suite. Dour moods mix with the rumpled burger wrappers on the table. “I don’t think I can perform,” Mae says for the third time since the meeting began.
The rest of the band lounges around in varying states of unrest. “Don’t think you can, or don’t want to?” Robert asks.
“I can’t,” Mae seethes, sinking into her chair further.
“But it’s in the contract,” I state as softly as I can. I know the hurt Mae is going through, but there’s nothing we can do about it unless we areveryready to lose averybig amount of money. The debate has been going on for nearly an hour. The more minutes that tick by, the closer to curtain call night two in New Orleans.
This wretched city has put me through more than I thought was possible. What I believed would be a fight over Mae’smother and the pull of home has turned into what could be a career altering experience for her, for her band. For me.
“Can we fake the stomach flu and buy us a couple of days to let things simmer down?” Robert asks, the slightest bit of understanding entering his voice.
I nod. “We could, but after the fallout between Mae and Trenton last night and this morning, it might be a tough sell.” I glance over at Mae who’s left her engagement ring off her finger this morning. Her cell comes to life with light but she quickly turns it over.
“Can’t you just pretend, like you always do?” Joe speaks again, the ease gone from his voice. “I mean, really Mae, this is the worst timing.”
Theresa throws out a hand and backhands his chest. “Really, Joe, now is not the time.”
Joe, ever the unhinged drummer, finds his feet. “No, I had to give up a lot to be here. I deal with that prick Trenton because of the doors he’s opened for us, but I am so sick of him and the way he treats Mae. I’m sick of watching her crawl back to him time and time again.”
It’s meant to hit Mae where it hurts, but she merely sighs and waves him away. “I’ll pay you what you’re owed, Joe.” Despite the discourse, Mae’s voice doesn’t wobble in the slightest. She simply sounds tired.
Joe scoffs as if Mae doesn’t understand what he’s saying. “It’s about more than the money, Mae. You—weare better than this.”
Theresa shakes her head wildly. “I’m with Mae on this one. We’ve all been mistreated by Trenton’s team, the behavior after last night’s incident only proved that they don’t care for us being here in the slightest.” Trenton’s suspected cheating is of course part of that, but the fact they neglected to show any aid to Mae or share any empathy to the situation has me ready to go to war. “The way to get through this is not to keep suffering on the road.We should go back to Nashville now before the expectations grow any larger.” Mae and Theresa share a knowing nod. I wish I could be a girl’s girl in this moment, but the fact of the matter is, I have to make the call one way or the other. Either way, it’s going to make members of this team unhappy.
I turn to the members who have yet to share their opinions. “Robert, Jake, Lyle, I need opinions.” Tapping my fingers lightly on the mahogany table, I patiently wait for their thoughts. Robert refuses to give me anything more than a shrug. Jake shakes his head and takes a drink of his soda.
“Lyle?” Mae asks.
After a long deep breath, Lyle climbs to his feet. “I only came here to play music. I thought I might want to try something new, but if it’s all the same to you, I might reserve myself to the studio. I have three kids at home and all this uncertainty isn’t what I was promised when I was given this job.”
“I understand,” Mae says, perking up at the bitter honesty. “I’ll get you a ticket home. I promise that this decision will not hinder my choices when it comes to recording sessions.”
Lyle nods at Mae and then turns to me as he grabs his jacket. “I thank you for the opportunity. Good luck to you all.”
As the vocalist makes his way out the front door, I catch just a glimpse of Dalton in the hallway. Seeing him makes my heart lurch. We had spent the early morning hours working together and it had come so simply. Wanting that sweet and simple feeling back, I turn back to our dwindling numbers.
“It’s a team decision,” I proclaim with a sigh. Laying it all out on the table, I explain the nature of the contract. Running through every number that will come from our pocket and how this may come across at the label. Then I run through the potential bargaining chips we may have about Trenton’s behavior, the harmful situation with Mae’s stalker, and the factthat an album could come together faster if the tour were to continue on without Mae’s involvement.
The conclusion comes far before I come to terms with the phone call I will be making in mere moments.
The decision? To pull out of the tour. Fight like hell for some grace from the label and then whatever hell to pay is left, Mae will cover.
I hate it. I hate that we have to do it. I hate that I’m dialing the studio manager and I hate that I have a traumatized Nashville star across the table from me who has no idea what’s happened to her life in the last 24 hours.
The only consolation that I can see right now in the haze of the aftermath is that maybe, just maybe, Mae finally sees the Trenton we’ve seen since the beginning. I hope Mae sees the blessing in disguise sooner rather than later. Despite our world crumbling around us, I feel that we’re on the same page for the first time in forever.
