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"Check, one two, check," Ty was doing the sound check.
Andre had offered to have one of the club employees do it, but things were kind of crazy in the club with all the last minute things that had to be done for opening night. Ty and the rest of the band were just sitting around anyway. The rest of the guys were pretty psyched about the show tonight and the tour.
Ty was miserable. He had finally talked to Sara and she had been not happy to hear from him. If she wasn't going to talk to him on the phone, she probably wouldn't read his e-mails either. Now he had to come up with the perfect subject line, as well as the perfect e-mail and hope that she would open it.
"I think we have the levels all set. Want to do a song?" the sound guy asked from the booth.
The club's sound system was state of the art. Ty had been impressed when Andre had shown it to him earlier in the week. Everything about the club was very high end and very expensive. Inya had sunk a couple of million of her own dollars into it, according to Andre, and there were a couple other investors. Ten percent of the profit was divided up, among the employees. Andre said Inya believed that it was worth it, that employees who had a stake in the company made the best employees.
Andre had looked it up. Inya average income was close to thirty million a year and had been growing steadily for the past five years. She rarely modeled anymore, just the annual fashion show for the company she had started with. One or two print ads a year, if she liked offer. One article had said she wasn't interested if the rate was under half a million. She was too busy running her clothing company in Australia and assorted other businesses.
"Guys, what song do you want to do?"
Ty looked around and realized everyone was waiting on him.
"You pick something, Mack," Ty said.
Mack thought a second, then picked a song and counted off. They played the song through, then another. The house lights were on and Ty watched a small mob of people enter the club. Inya was at the center of the mob. The sound guy asked for one more song and the band started. Andre came running over to Inya and the mini mob scattered, apparently having been given their orders. Ty finished the last song and waited.
"I think we're good," the sound guy said.
Ty pulled off his guitar and placed it on the stand. They were free until they had to be back at the club at nine o'clock that night. Ty was going to crash on the couch back at the condo until then. Ty looked over and saw Andre with Inya, who was sitting at the bar. Andre waved him over. Inya had her coffee. Andre had told Ty that in all the months and all the hours working together he had never seen Inya eat anything. Just coffee, coffee and more coffee.
"Hi," Ty said, when he got over to them.
Ty was consciously aware that the last time he had seen Inya she had been naked and rubbing up against him during the video shoot. Ty was uncomfortable just thinking about it, but Inya didn't seem to notice. She jumped off the barstool and gave Ty a big hug.
"What did I tell you?" Inya said.
"What?" Ty said warily.
"The video, I told you, it was going to be huge, and I was right, wasn't I?" Inya was smiling broadly. "You're going on tour with Covalent. How cool is that?"
"Pretty cool," Ty said.
"Come on," Inya said, sliding back onto her stool and reaching for her coffee. "You don't sound very excited."
"Sorry, I mean, thank you, for doing the video," Ty said automatically.
"Jeez, really? That's it?" The smile was gone and Inya was pouting.
Ty had seen that pout of hers, in the underwear catalogs, on billboards and TV commercials. Was Inya really upset with him, or was this just how she acted? Ty was confused. But he did owe her, a lot, even if he wasn't sure he wanted any of this anymore. Then there was Andre. If Ty pissed Inya off, would she be inclined to take it out on Andre? Ty made a really quick decision. He had to play nice. Really nice.
They weren't shooting anymore videos, so what was the harm in it?
"Sorry," Ty said, a little more sincerely, and was relieved to see the pout disappear off Inya's face. "It's been a lot to take in. It's really overwhelming, but the album has really taken off, thanks to the video, and well, thank you. I mean it."
"You're welcome," Inya said, reaching out and adjusting Ty's collar. Ty doubted it needed adjusting. "Speaking of the video, version two should be online in about," Inya reached into her purse and slid out her phone. "An hour and a half. I know you said to do it yesterday, but I thought it over and decided today was better."
Ty didn't care about the video or a twenty-four hour time change in the release date.
"Well, you're probably right," Ty said. "You seem to have good instincts about that stuff."
At that Inya's look turned a little coyer.
"Ty, we going?" Dale yelled, from across the room.
Ty looked back behind him. "One minute," he yelled back.
He turned back to Inya and thought he saw a trace of annoyance on her face, but it was gone so quickly that he thought he must have imagined it.
"I should go," Ty said. "I left my truck in New Hampshire, Dale's driving me around."
"Oh, right," Inya said. "Your girlfriend, she's coming tonight, isn't she? Andre has her name on the list?"
"No, she's not coming," Ty said.
"Stuck home with the kids is she?"
"Not exactly," Ty had no intention of getting into that with Inya. "I'll see you tonight, okay? We're going to do a couple of great sets, you'll see."
"I'm counting on it," Inya said and adjusted Ty's collar again.
When Ty pulled away she ran her hand down the length of his arm, grabbed his hand and squeezed it before letting go. Ty pulled away as gently as he could. One night. Just do the one show tonight, and then he wouldn't owe her anything anymore. Would he?
Dale was looking at them while he waited for Ty, but instead of turning around when Ty reached him Dale practically walked backwards so he could stare at Inya as they made their way out of the club. They got into Dale's car. Dale started it, but didn't take the vehicle out of park.
"Tell me the truth, man. The video, the tour, she was all over you back there. Did you sell your soul to the devil or what?"
Ty looked at his friend and thought that it was entirely possible. He just didn't remember doing it.
"I may have, Dale, I just may have.”