time to go, but you’ll only criticize
There’s nothing left for us to do
Our clothes are on the floor
Don’t look at me when you lie
I’m heading out the door.
The intro had Tyler setting up a catchy, thumping bass riff, followed by Ford and Stu bringing in fun, upbeat guitar melodies. Lexi’s voice started out low and gravelly, with a lighthearted teasing lilt that was the perfect complement to the higher octave I usually sang in. When I joined her, the sound was incredible. We harmonized easily, her deeper voice to my higher one, perfectly in tune to the other, even though this was our first rehearsal.
My body moved with the music, as if it had a mind of its own, dancing in place. Lexi was moving, too, tapping her foot as we sang. I felt more than saw Tyler behind me, the heavy backbeat of the bass keeping us in a steady rhythm. Though this song probably didn’t qualify as hard rock, it was heavier than anything I’d ever done before, and the power of this kind of music swept me away. I already had a thousand subconscious ideas for new songs brewing, and I’d probably be up all night working on them.
“Fuck, yeah, that was awesome.” Bash hit the bass drum a few extra times and we all laughed.
“Let’s do it again,” I said. “I think we need to slow down on the bridge…” I detailed what I wanted to do, and we played it again. And again. Until I’d memorized all of the lyrics and we had something that might be worth recording.
By the time I sank into a chair in the lounge, I was tired but happy, completely in the zone, all thoughts of my father far away.
“I think that one is a wrap,” Lexi said, high-fiving me.
“Do you want to record tomorrow so you can get back to L.A.?” Bash asked me.
I grimaced. “God, no. Let’s leave my song for last. In fact, as far as the world is concerned, we can’t figure it out and it sounds terrible.”
Tyler chuckled. “We can do that, no problem.”
“Then let’s call it a day,” Bash said, getting up and stretching. “There were some very attractive ladies lingering in the lobby, and I’m about to see if I can buy one or both of them dinner.”
Lexi rolled her eyes. “You’re such a horn dog.”
“You’re so boring and married,” he countered, laughing.
“What about me?” Ford complained. “Who am I going to have dinner with?”
“Well, there’s two of them out there,” Bash said, shrugging. “You’re welcome to take one—we can tag team.”
“I’m fucking in.” Ford grabbed his leather jacket and the two of them disappeared down the hall.
“Bloody hell.” Stu looked at Tyler as he grabbed his denim jacket. “I think I’m getting old… since I’m not joining their mini-orgy, I’m heading back to the house. You have plans, mate?”
“I was gonna take Lexi and Ariel to dinner,” he replied.
That was news to me, but I glanced at Lexi, who winked.
“Zaan’s got a pre-season game out of town,” she said, “so I figured one of the guys would be a gentleman and feed us.”
“I’m down with taking the lasses to dinner,” Stu said.
“I want a fat, juicy steak,” Lexi said, gathering her things.
“Let’s go somewhere like that Texas Brazil place,” Stu suggested. “I want all the bloody meat tonight.”
“Texas de Brazil,” Lexi corrected him, laughing.
“Texas de Brazil?” I repeated curiously. “I don’t think I’ve ever been to one.”
“It’s one of those places where they just keep walking around with meat and putting it on your plate,” Lexi said. “It’s awesome.”
That was a thing? How had I not known there were places like that? I was technically a multi-millionaire, and I didn’t know there were places that just kept bringing meat to the table? Was I sheltered or what?
I’d never eaten so much in one sitting in my life, but between the incredible beef, chicken, and pork, the delicious side dishes, and those cheesy bread things, I couldn’t stop eating. I’d have to work out extra hard tomorrow to compensate, but I didn’t even feel guilty. The company was excellent, no one in the restaurant recognized us, and it had been a long time since I’d laughed so much. Stuart told the best stories in his thick Scottish accent, using words that were foreign to me and getting a little more ridiculous as the night wore on.
If I was honest, though, despite how much fun Stu was, I was mesmerized by Tyler. Every time