on the piano player.
His name was Jack and he looked like he belonged in England in the sixties.
I liked the look. And he could play piano like a mad man.
Not exactly the rock star vibe we all had, but for this song, he was perfect.
There were parts of the song he added to - with and without asking the band.
Those were all things we could deal with later.
Our only goal today was to get the song recorded.
The first recording, at least.
Then we’d listen to it three hundred times and make changes.
Nash was in his booth.
The three singers were in their own booth too.
When they sang, all I heard was Abby’s voice.
Not that I tried to pick out her voice, but it was just so damn strong. She could out sing people without even trying.
So far, so good today with her.
We hadn’t spoken a word to each other.
Jay went into his last guitar solo.
Nash’s vocals faded out.
Jay’s guitar cried as I popped the last note on my bass.
Dex strummed the last chord of the song on his guitar.
The song ended with the ooohhh’s and aaahhh’s of the three singers and the intro piano part being played again.
Jack looked at me with his small framed glasses with their red tint and he grinned and nodded his head as he played the riff one last time, then hitting the low note on the piano and holding it.
Just like that, the song was over.
I quickly took my guitar from around my neck and leaned it against the amp.
“That was awesome,” Sab said as he stood up from behind his drum kit.
“Not bad,” Dex said.
Nash came from the vocal booth. “We’ll have to play that back a few times.”
“Send me the file,” I said.
“What?” Jay asked. “You’re leaving?”
“Yeah,” I said. “We came to record and we did. I’m not fucking around with anything else today.”
“We have to go back through it, Reed,” Sab said.
“No shit, Sab,” I said.
“Let’s get fucking tuned up and keep this song rolling,” Jay said.
“I’m out,” I said.
I side eye glanced toward the other vocal booth and saw Abby.
She looked better than I thought she would.
Fucking Neils and his fucking magic smoothie.
“What the hell is going on here?” Nash asked.
“I’m just out of here,” I said. “You’ve all done it before. I’m tired.”
“Too much pussy last night?” Jay asked.
“I hope not,” Dex said. “Are you slipping, Reed?”
“You should talk,” I said. “What’s it like eating the same pussy each night? It’s got to get old sooner rather than later.”
“What did you just say?” Dex asked.
He took a step and Jay put his hand out.
“Whoa, brothers, what’s the worry here?” Jack asked in a soothing voice.
“Reed, don’t,” Nash said.
I turned and looked at Jack. “Maybe it’s all peace and love in your heart, Jack, but stay the fuck out of the band’s business. And don’t fuck around with what we wrote. Don’t add parts. Don’t fuck with our song.”
I walked out of the studio and slammed the door behind me.
What Jack added to the song was good. I’d have to eat that crow later in life.
Right now, I just needed to get out of the studio and away from Abby.
I kept moving and kicked the door open to go outside.
The sun smacked my face.
I had dozens of places to go.
There were enough bars and strip clubs to keep me busy for years.
I had enough contacts in my phone to keep my dick busy for years too.
I threw my leg over my motorcycle and heard someone scream my name.
It wasn’t anyone in the band.
I hesitated for a second.
Just to hear her voice again.
Screaming my name.
I started my motorcycle and took off as fast as I could.
Leaving Abby in the dust behind me.
Just like before.
10
ABBY
Nobody knew about me being in Reed’s house.
I hadn’t had the nerve to confess it, not even to Jess.
Mostly because I was still trying to understand what had happened.
I didn’t remember much about that night.
Just the main parts.
Like me throwing up all over Reed’s driveway.
Him putting me on the bedroom floor to sleep.
That was it for the night.
I dreamt of Reed cuddling with me. My hand holding his. That was more of a nightmare than a good dream.
Then came this morning when I had to wander through his house.
Some guy named Neils was waiting for me with a large breakfast and smoothie that he said would cure my hangover. The way my head felt, I would have tried anything.
And it worked.
Whatever he put in that smoothie, it made me feel