“Yeah,” I say, trying not to spit in anger as I talk. “Why in the hell didn’t you tell us Dirk bought the label?”
“Because it doesn’t change anything, and because Dirk asked me not to.” She glances at me. “I’m good at keeping secrets.”
I empty another one of the tiny bottles, shaking every last drop down my throat. “It’s not going to work, you know. He’ll want to control everything and everyone.”
“I don’t think so. He’s more like a silent partner. Niles is still the president and the boss as far as I’m concerned. I suppose he has to report to Dirk, but Dirk is leaving the day-to-day operations to us. And speaking of day-to-day operations, Niles and I have been able to procure you a new rehearsal space at IRL.”
“You want us to rehearse in New York?” Brad asks. None of us seem as bothered by it as he does. In fact Bria and Crew appear downright excited.
I suspect it’s another way for Dirk to keep me close, but it’s better than his barn. It’s also more than an hour away from his house.
“As you know we only have the one studio. We reserve it for our best clients. Right now, you’re our best client.”
Crew snorts. “What happens when we’re not?”
Ronni studies her manicured nails. “Then I guess you’ll be out on your asses. So do yourselves a favor and remain at the top.” She eyes the empties on my tray table and returns to business class.
“New York?” Brad says. “That’s a long way from Stamford. Isn’t there someplace closer to home?”
Crew, Bria and I look at each other. Guess it’s time to tell Brad and Garrett what we talked about.
“I was thinking I’d move to the city,” I say. “We play more gigs there than anywhere else. Now that we’ll be rehearsing at IRL, it makes sense. I asked Crew to have his stepdad check into some places.” I turn to him. “Has he had any luck?”
“That depends. One-bedrooms in decent locations are off-the-chart expensive. Maybe if it were a year from now, you could afford it. The two-bedroom apartments he found didn’t hold much promise. I know you talked about living with Garrett, but what if three of us live together? Gary found a modest three-bedroom on a great street. It’s about two miles from Bria’s.”
“Three of us?” Garrett asks. “As in you, me and Liam? What about our boy, Brad?”
Brad grins. “I told you Katie and I are moving in together.”
“So both of you move to the city.”
“She works in Stamford. That wouldn’t be fair to her.”
“Sorry, man,” Garrett says. “That would have been sick if we all lived together. Well, everyone but Bria.”
Crew studies his girlfriend. “It could still work you know.” Bria questions him with her eyes. “Brad’s out. That’s three bedrooms and four of us. You and I could share one.”
Her lips form a flirtatious grin. “You want to live together?”
“Hell yes, I do. I’ve been asking you for six months. We sleep over at each other’s places half the time anyway. What do you say?”
Her smile fades. “I don’t know. I don’t think I could share a bathroom with three men.”
“There are two bathrooms. We get one, Liam and Garrett use the other.”
“Can we afford it?” she asks.
“With all four of us making money now, yes.”
“It could work,” I say, turning to Garrett. “You in?”
“I’m in. Just say when, and I’ll give notice.”
“Gary said the place is available in two weeks. I’ll see how far he can push them out. Obviously May would be best for us, but we might have to start paying rent sooner.”
“We’re really doing this?” I ask.
“I guess we are,” Crew says.
I flag down the flight attendant and order more drinks to celebrate.
For the next hour, the four of us talk about how great it will be to live together in the city. We go over what furniture we have. Well, what furniture they have; I have none. Crew can’t stop smiling. He hates where Bria currently lives.
Brad stares out the window.
“He’s feeling left out,” she whispers.
“It’s his choice,” I say. “Katie has him so far up her ass, he can’t see daylight.”
“But he’s a part of RA,” Crew says, “and Katie is a permanent fixture in his life. We’d better get used to it.”
“Maybe she’s the one who needs to get used to us,” I say. “Who doesn’t like to be around rock stars?”
I’m thinking of Ella again, the woman who thinks I