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I nod, knowing that the girls were going to be the harder sell.
Cal and I decide to wait until the band meeting next week to bring it up. We have a virtual meeting with Isla togo over the songs Belle and I have been working on. It’ll be easier since Mav already knows about it, and we won’t have to drag him out of his house or ambush him to talk.
I just hope my plan works, and I can keep both the love of my life and the love of my brother’s life safe.
thirty-eight
BELLE
The late springweather is surprisingly warm, so I decide to sit in one of the white Adirondack chairs Cal has overlooking the cliff. I’m trying to finish writing a song before our meeting with the label later today. I was going for something more upbeat, but I can’t seem to get in the right mood for it.
My dad left to go home yesterday. He needed to show up to a few in-person meetings for work, but he promised he would be back in a few days. I miss having him around. He kept Cal from hovering.
A chill races down my spine. The creepy, itchy feeling you get when someone’s watching you pricks at the back of my neck. I turn my head towards the house, fully expecting to see Cal watching me out of the window, but he’s not there.
I look around, but I don’t see anyone. Cal’s yard is fenced in, the only opening being the cliff. Unless someone is looking over the fence, I should be alone. Since I’m prettysure the fence is way too tall for that, I try to get back to writing.
I can’t shake that uneasy feeling, so I pack my stuff up and head back into the house.
“What are you doing?” I ask my brother as I watch him dart around the kitchen.
“Nothing. Snacks. Meeting.” He doesn’t stop to explain any of that. I’m assuming he means he’s making snacks for the meeting, but who knows with Cal.
“Did you let Jon know what time the meeting starts?” I ask. We hired a new agent this week after firing Linsey, our old agent. Jon is in his mid-thirties and a lover of all things music and horror. Cal clicked with him instantly. It’s unusual to sign a record deal and then hire an agent, but this band hasn’t exactly been known to do things the normal way.
“He thinks I need an assistant,” Cal says, continuing to dart around the kitchen like a ping-pong ball.
“I agree, but that doesn’t answer my question.”
“3:30 our time,” Cal says, taking a veggie tray from the freezer. I’d really like to know what it was doing in there, but considering I still don’t have an answer to my first question, I leave it for now.
“Yes. That’s when the meeting is. Did you tell Jon?”
“Of course I told him,” Cal says, looking at me like I’m the flustered one and not him.
“Why are you acting so weird?”
“It’s an important meeting!” he shouts. “It would be easier from Boston, don’t you think?”
Considering the label is based out of LA, I can’t see why being in Boston would be easier. Cal is currently rummagingaround the pantry, though, so I leave him to it and head up to my room.
Kai went to get Mav about an hour ago. My guess is that he’s cleaning since they’re not here yet.
“What the hell is wrong with your brother?” Willa asks, stepping into my room and sitting on my bed.
“I have no idea. He seems nervous.”
“Why? It’s basically just a status report meeting. You’re the one who has to pitch songs. He doesn’t have to do much of anything.”
“I know that. You know that. He apparently thinks his life depends on this,” I say with a laugh.
Willa just rolls her eyes, fully aware of how worked up Cal can get. “Where’s your man?”
“Getting Mav.”
She nods and bites her lip. “I’m worried about him.”
“Me too. Kai said he’s worse than he’s ever been.”
