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“Mamma’s boy.”
“Whatever. I wanted to see if you were set for Sandoval tonight.”
“Ready as I’ll ever be,” she said. “Gotta be at the studio in a couple hours. You know, if you need an excuse to bail on your chores, you could come do the interview with me.”
“Hell no. Paid my dues last time.”
Lauren couldn’t argue with that: The last time the band had done a press tour, Lauren, Ox, and DJ had all come down with a wretched head cold, leaving Stevie and Augie to do all the heavy lifting. She jumped out of the chair and paced as they talked. Solo interviews always made her anxious.
“You’ll watch, won’t you? I’ll need to get talked off the ledge after, once I decide how horrible I was.” She bit a thumbnail, hating that she sounded so insecure.
“Dude, you’ll be fine. You’re an old pro at these.”
After Augie reassured her, he said he’d text after to let her know where to meet him and DJ if she was interested in going out. More grocery bags crinkled in the background.
“Be right there,” Augie said to someone else.
“Mamma’s boy,” she repeated.
After they hung up, Lauren tossed her phone onto the table and flopped back into the chair. She leaned back into the leather’s embrace, mulling over her reluctance to do the interview. It wasn’t that she minded the interview itself—she had no problem talking about songwriting, the band, or anything related to music. But the press always seemed to want to know about her stint in rehab, something she never liked discussing. And she’d walked out on interviews before when people got too pushy.
The worst years of her addiction and rehab had been a dark, lonely, awful chapter in her life. She never quite understood why people wanted access to that part of her. Maybe some wanted to understand. To Lauren, though, the inquiries always had a voyeuristic quality, as if the asker wanted to pull some perverse sense of joy out of her pain. Those people could go screw.
Maybe tonight I’ll shock everyone and not hold back,she thought.Let out all the sordid details for them to wallow in.That sudden sense of recklessness sent an adrenaline-soaked thrill through her. She checked herself, the sensation setting off warning bells. After a few deep breaths, she looked at the clock. There was no more time for procrastination.
Lauren chose an outfit with enough flash to look like a rocker but reserved enough to not earn a what-was-she-thinking award. It did get tiring, being judged for what she was wearing and what she was doing, but it was the life she’d signed up for. She’d always had a penchant for denim and leather but loved a splash of something shiny or metallic. And then there were the boots—her signature item. She picked out one of her favorite pairs.
While Lauren endured the hair and makeup guru’s ministrations at the studio, Danny pulled into a parking lot down the street. Over the course of the week, he’d become more and more conflicted about tonight’s show. It seemed somehow unfair to be excited about seeing Lauren, but at the same time, he hadn’t seen her for nearly twenty years. Heather didn’t want to be there, and the fact that Lucas had downloaded two Kingmakers albums and had been chattering all week about them hadn’t helped.
On the sidewalk they met up with Cole, Maggie, and Richie, then made their way to the ticket window, where Maggie asked for Roberta. The clerk directed them to the side so other audience members could get in. Danny could hear her on the phone letting someone know they were waiting up front.
Roberta—a painfully thin woman dressed in a severe, serious suit, her hair pulled into a tight French twist—came bustling out of a side door to greet them. Her eyes darted back and forth, scanning the crowd, and she held her hands close to her body, rubbing them constantly. She practically crackled with nervous energy. Danny’s cop instincts went on high alert.
Roberta shook Cole’s hand. “So, you’re the young lady who wrote the paper? Lovely to meet you. I’m Roberta, Miss Stone’s PR representative. If you could all follow me, I’ll show you to your seats. Once the show’s done, an usher will bring you backstage.”
Cole’s smile doubled. “We’re going to meet Lauren?”
Danny blanched as his heart started to race.
“Of course! I know she’s very curious about the young lady who wrote that paper!”
The enthusiasm in Roberta’s voice sounded forced to Danny. He didn’t like her, and he liked her even less when she glanced at him and said, “I’m sure you’ll all find the show to be quite exciting.”
With wide eyes, Cole took in all the details of the studio. When she realized their seats were right in front, she pressed her fingers to her lips, smothering a delighted squeal. “These are stellar seats! I can’t believe we’re actually here.”
“Totally. This is awesome,” Lucas said, using his cousin’s favorite word.
Despite his own misgivings, seeing his niece this excited made Danny happy. Maggie caught his attention, glanced at her only child, and rolled her eyes good-naturedly. He let Maggie and Cole take the first seats, and Lucas squeezed by to sit next to his cousin. Danny sat, and Heather took the next seat, with Matty and Tommy ending up between her and Richie.
The stage crew zig-zagged across the set as a big clock counted down to the start of the show. At first Danny tried to follow the activity, discern a pattern, but soon he let his mind wander. He’d seen photos of Lauren over the years, but those didn’t tell him anything. Had success changed her? Had she achieved what she wanted? Did she ever think about him? His stomach twisted into a knot, and it was hard to tell if he was feeling trepidation or anticipation.
An eager buzz filled the room as the show’s host, Martin Sandoval, walked onto the set. His black hair was sprinkled with gray, and he sported a thin, very well-trimmed beard along his jaw. An assistant adjusted his microphone and touched up his hair. After, he took a moment to chat with the audience until the director gave him a thumbs-up. Then he took his seat, adjusted his jacket, and on cue, Martin sat up a little straighter and smiled toward the camera. The audience was shushed as the countdown started.
“Three… Two…” The “LIVE” sign illuminated. They were officially on live television.
“Hello, everyone! Welcome toBackstage. I’m your host, Martin Sandoval. Tonight, we have a terrific guest, and I’m so excited that she’s here. She’s a rock and roll legend with a career that spans close to twenty years, eight albums, multiple Grammy awards, and collaborations with some of the biggest names in the business. Please give a warm welcome to Lauren Stone of The Kingmakers!”
Applause and whoops greeted Lauren as she walked out on the stage. She stopped partway to her chair and waved both hands. Someone in the back whistled, and she blew a kiss to the audience with a laugh. They bellowed their enthusiasm back at her.
