Fast Lane - Kristen Ashley Page 0,95

money to couture houses to clothe Vanessa so she could be appropriately attired when she was on his arm when he raked in all his awards.

[Laughs]

Though no one had been writing as much as Preach.

I mean, seriously.

We’re sittin’ around, takin’ a break, and as usual, Dave’s the first to bring it up.

McCade:

[Eyes aimed straight ahead at the shelves behind the bar]

Well, what can I say?

I had something on my mind.

Something to relate.

[Turns head to me]

And that was my medium to do it.

Jesse:

Preacher wants to title the album Follow Your Star.

And Dave is literally physically averse to callin’ it that. I mean, literally in the proper sense of the word literally. The man nearly upchucks every time he says those three words.

So, he asks how fixed we all are on the name.

McCade:

For my part, I’m very fixed.

Jesse:

Preacher tells Dave he’s pretty firm on this idea.

Dave tells Preacher that he’s pretty sure, we name an album that, people are gonna think we got Celine Dion featured on one of the songs.

McCade:

Right, if you’re gonna dis someone, pick wisely.

Celine Dion is not my thing.

But I don’t hesitate to share with Dave that when the Roadmasters got an upcoming residency in Vegas in the most expensive venue in that fuckin’ town, and it was being built for us, we can flip the bird at Celine Dion.

Jesse:

So, Tim might have spent some time reflecting, getting his shit together, learnin’ with hands-on experience to be a great dad and finding a good, decent woman to spend the rest of his life with, but the guy’s still a dope.

And just to say, he’s not gonna be offended by that because he knows he’s a dope.

This he learned during his years of surfing reflection.

[Grins]

So, he leans to me and whispers, [starts chuckling] “Does Preach want one of the tracks to feature Celine Dion?”

[Laughs fully]

This is such a stupid question, I say, “Yes.”

Then…

[Unable to speak further due to laughter]

McCade:

Timmy says, “I call lead on that and I don’t give a fuck what song it is.”

Jesse:

Then Tim says, “I love her. Have you heard her cover of ‘All By Myself’? I mean, she kills it. She’s Marty’s favorite.”

McCade:

[Stares steadily, not speaking]

Jesse:

We all…

[Shakes head]

We got no words.

So, Preach tells him…

McCade:

“When we do a duet with Celine Dion, she’s all yours.”

Jesse:

[Dissolves into laughter, it wanes, and he sobers completely]

Christ, it felt good to be back with my boys.

So, Dave provides the band with another Spinal Tap moment and says, “I’m gonna raise a practical question at this point, are we namin’ the album Follow Your Star?”

[Chuckles, but again sobers]

Then Preach says, “Those were the last words Lyla’s mom said to her before she died.”

And well…

[Pause]

Shit.

We’re still out in the desert, layin’ down the album, Preach and me at the mixing board with Danny and Hans, who came back onboard because this is a Roadmasters reunion, [grins] when DuShawn’s cell rings.

I do not get a good feeling when he takes the call and walks outside.

When he comes back in, he’s learned…hell, we’ve all learned, he does not delay in sharing.

“That was Lyla,” he says. “She’s decided, and she doesn’t think it’s a good idea to come to the charity gig.”

Now, I do not know about everybody else.

For my part, I want them back together.

This is Preacher and Lyla, and the band is back, but the world still isn’t right because those two are apart.

The rest of the guys, I can’t say.

But I know there’s uncertainty, and I know it because I feel that too.

He fucked her up when he disappeared.

And for a long time, it was not good.

That said, my way of thinking, this is Preacher.

He built a band that made the big time, he kept us together, and he put two murderers in prison.

He could win back Lyla and do it right.

Or I hoped like fuck he could.

When DuShawn says Lyla isn’t comin’ to the gig, Preacher just stares at him.

No words.

But Shawn mutters, “On it,” and takes his phone back outside.

It’s the next morning, Preach and me are at the studio, rappin’ about a fade in one of the songs I wrote that we’re putting on the album, when Shawn shows.

He gets some coffee, sits with Preach and me and says, “Vanessa talked with her and with Sonia.”

He then takes a big breath and I know nothin’ good can come after that.

It doesn’t.

“She’s seein’ someone, brother,” Shawn says. “Apparently it’s gettin’ serious. She knows it’ll be a thing with the press if she shows, and she’s worked hard to get past