“One of the things we did when we created Imminent was pair each band member with a mentor to help get them stage ready,but also to make sure they had someone they could talk to about how crazy things get when a band’s music takes off.”
“Wish my bandmates and I had someone like that when we were coming up,” I admitted.
“I know a lot of guys who feel the same way,” Shadow said. “Which is why we are doing this. After I got your take on the guitarist at the club the other night, the one who kept staring at his hands, I realized that you heard what I did. The promise he has, the potential to be phenomenal once he gets out of his own way. He’s the first one we want you to work with.”
“I’m listening,” I said, and listen I did, as Easton and Shadow outlined their plans. They’d signed Death’s Doorstep, the goth metal band from the club. I’d be working with their guitarist too. The only thing that had been lacking in their set was guitar solos. The one they’d ended the show with had been the only one in their song set. The guy had hella talent but, for whatever reason, wasn’t showcasing it. My job was to get to the heart of why and help bring it out of him.
Hell yeah.
Nothing was better than watching another musician's face light up when they hit on something truly inspired. I couldn’t wait to get started. We ended the meeting well over two hours later, after a visit from a Masterson courier with a contract and fucking bonus check for signing on that had knocked me on my ass. I’d read it over and signed it right there in front of the video screen before giving it back to the courier, making everything official. These guys had one pace, warp speed. Good thing I was used to that side of the industry.
It was June and the fall festival season would be underway soon, including some of the biggest events of the year. They wanted to get Death's Doorstep into as many of them as they could. Fans lost their ever-loving minds over badass guitar solosand even recorded that shit. My mission had a timetable and I’d get it done.
I must have thanked them four or five times before the screen went dark and stared at my copy of the contract and that bonus check for at least a half hour before I realized what time it was and got my ass in gear. I assembled Payden’s surprise next, then supper, glad I’d made dessert first.
Pretty sure that would be a theme in any home we lived in.
I loved the way he lit up the moment he laid eyes on me, squealedDaddy, and flung himself into my arms. I hoped that never changed. We didn’t speak in those moments, we just clung to one another until he was ready to move. I was starting to be able to tell when his day had been draining by the way he leaned against me until I supported most of his weight, like tonight, when he stayed in my arms longer than he usually did.
I kissed the top of his head before he stepped back completely.
“Supper’s ready, sweetheart,” I said, taking his hand and leading him to the kitchen, where I’d already lit a couple of candles.
I made his plate while he got settled, with chocolate milk for both of us, because for whatever reason, I’d always felt like it was the best drink to have when eating spaghetti.
“I thought we forgot the meatballs?” Payden said, eyes lighting up when I placed his plate in front of him.
“We did,” I replied. “But it turned out we had everything we needed to make our own.”
“And garlic bread!” He said when I placed a smaller plate and salad bowl beside his spaghetti.
“Yup. Can’t have spaghetti without garlic bread.”
“Exactly,” I said. “Did you have a long day?”
“Kind of,” he explained. “I covered an art showing this afternoon that turned into a whole spectacle when the artist's ex showed up and claimed he helped to fabricate some of thesculptures and deserved to be credited for them, and they got into a huge argument. Then one of them snatched a bouquet of flowers out of a vase and started beating the other with it. Petals flew all over the place. Some of the photos I got – wow, we can’t use them, of course – but during the chaos a couple of sculptures got damaged, andthosepictures we are running along with an article that wound up being several hundred words longer than it was expected to be.”
“Then it’s a good thing you’ve got a relaxing evening to look forward to,” I said, knowing that if I even hinted that there was a surprise, he’d rush through his meal instead of taking his time.
The last thing I wanted was for my boy to choke or wind up with a stomachache, especially when dessert was part of his surprise.
“How did your meeting go, Daddy?” he asked. “I’ve been waiting all day to hear about it, so no fair making me wait any longer.”
“I wasn’t aware that I was being unfair to my boy by asking about his day before telling him about mine,” I teased, just to see his nose scrunch as he scowled, because now I was deliberately dragging it out.
“Da-ddy!”
Part whine, part demand, he’d put his fork down and wiggled in his seat as he stared at me. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more adorable sight in my life than when he came half out of his chair, hands gripping the table, and whining.
“Please!!”
“Okay, okay, sweet boy, I’ll tell you how it went before you leap across the table and land in my lap,” I said. “I signed a contract with them this afternoon to mentor guitarists and help with song writing for some of the newer bands. No touring or travelling or anything like that, except on rare occasions where you’ll be able to go with me, wherever it is. No exceptions. I will not be leavingyou behind, Payden. That was non-negotiable and they agreed with me. I’ll be helping scout bands and potential musicians for what’s basically a build-a-band project they’ve recently started. They’re putting together a list of rising talent, folks to watch for and folks who need to be signed now, that sort of thing. It’s a big city, a lot of bands, a lot of bars, so plenty of ground to cover.”
“You got the job!” he squealed as he came around the table so fast I barely got my chair pushed back in time to make room for him. In hindsight, I should have known he’d wind up in my lap one way or another.
“I got the job, little uni,” I assured him. “And it came with something very important. A signing bonus, enough that we can start looking for the perfect house for us, if you, um, are still excited to move closer to your parents. I don’t want you to feel pressured to leave your home. Hell, I’ve barely moved into it, and our relationship is just a few weeks old and all, but I know you’re my forever, Payden.”
“Daddy, I knew you were my forever on the train,” Payden declared. “You weren’t just being my Daddy for the trip. I could already see then that you were becoming my Daddy forever. Every moment of every day we’ve spent together since then, you’ve been my Daddy, and I am never going to let my Daddy go.”
