Chapter Ten

 

Houston

 

I hate having to leave my safe haven with Culhwch to return to the studio with the boys, but I guess it gives me an opportunity to tell them about the two of us.

Cul left for work after we made plans to meet up tonight so I can tell him how it went. I’m nervous as all hell. I have no idea how they’ll react. It’s kind of big news, after all.

“Hey, man good weekend?” Lucien greets as I walk through the door.

Does he really have to be so chipper first thing in the morning?

Is he extra chipper or am I just dreading things to come?

“Hey buddy, yeah it was good. You?”

“Well, Lawrence was bending my ear about getting this song finished and perfected by today, but other than that, it was good. What did you get up to?”

“Oh, you know, big family dinner yesterday. Sophia and Alex are expecting, again.”

“That’s awesome news, dude.”

“Yeah. Call me a dick, but I’m hoping they have a boy this time. All the oestrogen in that house is way too much for us boys. We need something to even it out.”

Lucien chuckles as he grabs two bottles of water from the mini fridge and tosses me one.

“So, tell me, this song…”

“Oh man, I’m not sure it’s even any good.”

“Are you kidding? You could write hit singles in your sleep.”

“Not this time.”

He shakes his head in dismay as we enter the lounge-type room where the others are gathered.

“In typical Lawrence fashion, he wanted us here nice and early, only to be late himself.”

“That’s the prerogative of being a manager,” Jensen mutters.

“He’s just being a prick because he can be,” Mack chimes in.

“Who’s being a prick now?” Lawrence’s voice booms as he enters the room.

“Umm, nobody boss,” Jack says with a cheesy grin.

“Then let’s get this show on the road. Lucien, is the song finished?”

“I mean, it’s finished, but I don’t know if it’s actually any good.”

“Then what are you waiting for? Let’s hear it.”

Who got out the wrong side of bed this morning? Come to think of it, he does that every morning. This is going to make for a long day.

***

As it turned out, Lucien’s song was a hit—with the band, anyway. Even Lawrence seemed to smile when he heard it—or what passes for a smile in his case. It looks oddly more like he’s constipated.

He’s had us rehearsing it all morning, ready to record this afternoon. I wish I could pop out and see Culhwch during a lunchbreak, but Lawrence has me on a lunch run to grab the boys something to eat and I’m under orders to get straight back.

That man can be so domineering. I don’t know who died and made him god. Don’t get me wrong, he’s helped make us the success we are today, but he could test the patience of a saint.

I personally think it would do him some good to get laid once in a while, then he’d stop being such a stiff—no pun intended. But how any woman in her right mind would put up with him, I really don’t know.

I pull my phone out and send Cul a text. He might not read it right away, but that’s okay. I just want him to know I’m thinking about him.

 

>Hey baby. Hope your day’s going well. Miss you. See you tonight. I’m cooking. All you need to bring is your appetite.

 

My phone chimes and I smile as I see his name on the screen.

 

>Oh I’ll bring my appetite. But not for food. Love you.

 

It makes my heart flutter every time he says that.

 

>Love you too. See you at 6:30, my place. Bring a change of clothes.

 

I head to the bakery to grab something to satiate my sweet tooth.

As I get back to the studio, I hear Lawrence moaning about something or other. I think about waiting outside until his shouting is under control, but then he’d bawl me out for being late. Talk about damned if I do and damned if I don’t.