to him. Even if he says no, we sometimes play in Jersey or New York. It’s only an hour away. He wouldn’t find out about those. Tell him you’re with Janine.”
“Come on, Abby,” Liam begs. “You have to say yes. We need you.”
She stares at the microphone stand. Then she looks around the garage, biting her fingernails like she does when she’s thinking hard. Then she looks at me and smiles.
Chapter Eleven
Bria
I love singing for Reckless Alibi. The past few weeks have flown by between all of our rehearsals and the new gigs we got after singing in the bar. And the best part is we’re starting to make money.
I put most of my White Poison pay toward my credit cards, so I’m back to living on a shoestring budget. The cost of gas to and from Stamford five or six days a week is killing me.
Hopefully I’ll soon be able to start paying Brett back all the money he’s loaned me. He did it out of love, but let’s face it, he’s a firefighter, it’s not like he’s rolling in dough. I know he had to scrimp and save to be able to help me.
I still wonder if Mom would be disappointed in me. I mean, I quit college after the first year—college that was completely paid for because I was a child of a 9/11 casualty. It just seemed pointless to sit in a classroom day after day when I already knew what I wanted to do with my life. So I hired voice coaches and dance instructors and image consultants to make sure I was giving off the right vibe to be a singer. Not to mention all the money I spent—Brett’s money—on hiring a band to cut the album.
It’s not like we’re making bucket loads of cash. Most of what the band makes we put into equipment and advertising. We all agreed to put aside half of what’s left for travel expenses so we don’t end up staying in crappy motels if and when we start touring. Effectively, what I end up taking home isn’t much more than any waitress job I held while waiting for my big break. Is this my big break?
I thought singing for White Poison was.
It wasn’t.
Other than being on some YouTube videos taken by concertgoers, my likeness was never shown on signs or promos. My name was never mentioned during interviews given by the band. I never got recognized. That was probably because I didn’t look like myself when I was onstage. They put so much makeup on me, I looked like a different person.
It’s different with Reckless Alibi. I get to look like me. I get to be me. And even though we’re still a smalltime band, it’s everything I’ve ever dreamed of.
I pull up to the barn, wondering why Liam wanted us here an hour before our scheduled practice. He was very hush-hush about it.
The usual cars are parked in the makeshift gravel lot next to the barn. Liam’s is the flashiest, no doubt because his uncle owns the largest car dealership in three counties. Garrett and Brad drive decent enough vehicles, ones you might expect men in their mid-twenties to drive. It’s Crew’s car that makes me scratch my head. It’s an old Nissan. It might be twenty years old. Considering he works for Liam’s uncle, surely he has the opportunity to drive something better.
I see a big white SUV. Its wheels and running boards are gray with slush and street salt. I peek inside on my way by, but don’t see anything that clues me in as to who might own it.
I slide open the heavy barn door and go inside. A man stands and claps his hands once. “Good. Now that you’re all here, we can get started.”
I walk over.
“Bria, I’m Jeremy Halstead.”
We shake hands.
“Nice to meet you.” I look at the guys. “What’s this about?”
Garrett, Brad and Crew look about as clueless as me.
I sit on an empty chair across from the couch. Jeremy walks in a circle around the furniture in the middle of the barn. “I’m a friend of Dirk’s.”
I’m confused.
“Liam’s uncle,” he clarifies.
Oh. I nod.
“I’ve got a background in entertainment and I’d like to become your manager.”
Eyebrows shoot up. Pulses quicken. Excitement emanates.
Crew says, “You have a pretty nice ride. I’m not sure we can afford you.”
Jeremy waves him off. “How do you think I’m able to afford such luxuries? By finding garage bands like yours and putting them on the map,