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“You sounded great singing ‘Without You.’”
Lauren didn’t respond.
“You also told Sandoval about the song I wrote you,” Augie said. “You’venevertalked about it before. You never even toldCarolynabout it.” He slid back on the table a little so he could let his feet swing.
“I know.” Working her jaw, Lauren looked anywhere but at him.
“Why now?”
“I don’t know.” She pursed her lips. “Guess I was just tired of the game. Everyone always wants to know. Now they do.”
“They’re not going to stop asking about it.” His fingers tapped out a beat on the table.
“I can pretend for at least a little while,” she answered.
Her response didn’t make him feel better, but he pressed on. “So, how are you doing with the rest of it? You didn’t answer any of my texts last night.”
She covered her face with her hands for a moment, then abruptly jumped up and stalked over to the tall window. Lauren pressed her palms on the glass and looked out.
Augie waited, noticing that her reflection in the glass looked worn out.
“I’m angry,” she said. “Confused. Embarrassed. You should have seen the looks on their faces, Aug—they all thought I’d set them up. Even Danny.”
She turned to face him and for a moment, she looked sad and lost, but then her temper flared again. “I let Roberta have it right there in the studio and threw her out. You should have seen her when I fired her. Tony’s been calling but Idon’twant to talk to him.”
Augie nodded. Tony Vaughn owned Red Ridge Entertainment, the firm that ostensibly managed and represented the band. Augie didn’t think they should leave Red Ridge, but he wasn’t sorry to be rid of Roberta. But like Lauren’s songwriting issues, keeping Red Ridge Entertainment on the payroll was a conversation that could wait.
“I’ll take care of Tony,” he said. “Did you talk to Danny or anyone after? I saw Maggie in the audience.”
“I did. I didn’t realize they’d been brought backstage. They got front-row seats to me ripping Roberta new one.” A satisfied smile flashed across her face before it morphed to embarrassed. “Even Danny’s kids.”
“I’m sure it’s not the first time they’ve heard someone curse. How are they all?”
“Good. Maggie’s daughter seems like a nice kid. Definitely a straight-A-overachiever type. Anyway, Cole wrote the paper I told you about. I invited them to come by the studio to see us record.” Lauren came and sat on the table next to Augie.
“How was it seeing Danny?” Augie asked, finally getting to the question he’d wanted to ask all along.
Everything about Lauren brightened. “It was great! He hardly looks any different. It took all of, like, two minutes for it to feel just like old times. I could have talked to him all night.”
“Good. Glad it wasn’t awkward, considering the circumstances.” It was a lie. Augie very much wished it had been awkward and uncomfortable.
“You going to see him again?” He hoped she’d say no.
“We didn’t talk about that, but I’d love to.”
Augie didn’t want to go any further down the rabbit hole they were circling, so he changed the subject. “Stevie’s grandparents are arriving from London today, so he’s getting them settled. DJ and Ox went to Atlantic City. They’ll be back later tonight. But I had a feeling you might be here today…”
“So, you wanted to check in on me.”
“No-yes.” Augie blended the two words. “Since it’s just you and me today, anything you want to work on?”
“Nothing specific. I’ve had a couple ideas rattling around, but I can’t get them into any kind of form I like. Not even rough ones.” Lauren’s knuckles whitened as she tightened her fist. Tension rolled off her in waves.
“Seriously, dude. Everything okay?”
“Fine.”
Her answer was too fast, too sharp.
