Chapter Fourteen
Cal
"So, look, we have a five-spot open for the Sue this Friday and there is a lot of talk about Lexington Cherry, who happens to be working with Cal Dorian." Danny Vigil, the owner and promotor for Lennox records says to me as I set up the equipment in Noah's basement.
"Hold on Danny." I say, knowing he is chomping at the bit as are other promotors and labels once the word broke on social media that I am collaborating with a soulful hip hop artist. It will also be in the guitar issue of Sound Logic Magazine after it hits newsstands in three days.
Could I have set this up more perfectly?
No, no I could not have.
I look to Noah who is aligning the two pianos that were just delivered as well as the set of orchestral drums I rented for this little private gig. "Set the drums up. Shame is running late." I say to Lex and Noah who glare at me.
"Sorry Danny." I say, the right tone of boredom in my voice. This part of my life is second nature and excitement are a dead giveaway to a thirsty star. I am confident in what we created and I waited on the call from Lennox. "The Sue?"
I play like I am thinking, but the Sue is the best spot for an intimate show that will fill up fast and keep it at the seams. "I will need to ask Lex if she feels ready."
Lex looks at me like I am crazy and starts stomping her foot to get my attention and I wave her off. "Trust him Lex, he has them all eating out of the palm of his hand. This is where he owns the industry." Noah says and Chad laughs in agreement.
"So, let's talk payment. What's the price to get you in A Bar Named Sue?" He asks and I roll my eyes.
"You can’t afford my fee and Lex isn’t playing for less than five grand. Bottom line." I say and start unwinding amp cords.
"Done. Are we in agreement?" He asks and I make him wait.
"I will talk it over with Lex and get back with you in the morning." I say and he tries, he really does try to light a fire under my ass.
"Well, that leaves us less than five days to promote. You need a packed venue Cal." He says and I roll my eyes as I set up the amp.
"Like I said, tomorrow. If they book, they book. We want the Sue, but I know all the best venues for this type of show so I can get it promoted no problem." I throw my weight at him and he knows I am right. Lennox is no bullshit though and he has pride.
"Well, even if they do book, we have the same cred and I could pack any venue in a twenty-four-hour notice if I had to Cal. You know it and I know it. The Sue wants you and Lennox wants the opportunity to be the first bid if we like what we see. Work with me, cut the cocky shit."
That is what I needed. I might be arrogant, but I wasn’t stupid. I wanted Lennox too and it all is one big pissing contest until someone cracks. Lennox, not me.
"We will do the Sue, but I better see labels, promotors and reporters." I say, knowing I fed everything I wanted to gain to him by holding back.
"Sounds good. I will send the booking to Coven." That makes me pause.
"I won’t work with Coven, not on this. This isn’t TAT business and I don’t want Coven anywhere near this show." The venom in my tone has everyone quiet.
"You’re an active member of TAT, they could fight this and win easily Cal, you know that." Danny says and he is right.
"Fuck yeah... Look send the booking to Brian and he can deal with Coven." I say, mad as fuck I have to throw any bones their way.
"I will get on it." Danny says and makes small talk a few more minutes before sending the booking contract to Brian.
"What was that?" Chad asks me as we all set up and sound check.
"Fucking Coven gets a lead on this because I am part of TAT and we are under Coven until June." I toss cords toward the two amps remaining and head to mine and adjust my sound. "Sounds like shit in here." I say and set my guitar down before fucking with the sound to help the acoustics.
"Dude, calm the fuck out." Noah says and moves the amp away from me. "Lex isn’t signed and she is the lead you are collaborating. Coven can suck a dick on any signings, they just get your name. So, will Heshen, but in June we walk. Four months Cal, easy shit."
I nod and look to Raleigh who is sitting on the stairs fanning himself. "Can you get me a beer Ral?"
"Of course, snookums." He says and bounces up the stairs.
Lexington comes over and pats my back. "On the bright side...well... can I be a total bitch right now?" She asks and I nod, not really paying attention as I make my way back to my amp which Noah took.
"There are some righteous quality burns coming Tayla Livingstons way. These songs are about you and Jenny, not her. Let her sit there and suffer her mistakes knowing she can do nothing about it." Lex says and I smile, but it saddens me.
"I aint trying to hurt anyone here. If shit was different and we split over mutual shit, she is the first person I would tell you to work for. My dislike isn’t for her ability, but it is personal. Rubbing her nose in it is childish and can hold a bad rep."
"Well, I will be childish and you can be professional. Bottom line is neither one of us will be stumped or scared of her presence." Lex says and I do agree with that.
"Here’s your beer, and can I say something?" Raleigh asks as I take the beer.
"Sure." I say and start adjusting the sound again, Chad following my ques so we get it to match.
"Keep it about business and nothing more. Be professional and a strong sexy Ox like you are. Then, tell her thank you or whatever when all is said and done. Be grateful for the show of support and interest, but respectfully decline."
"That was almost adult sounding coming from you kid." Noah says and we all laugh.
"Don’t let my smarts and business mind fool you daddio. I understand the importance of saving face when confronted with adversity. Cheating ex, imprisoned father, homophobic parents... never ever let them see you sweat. Sometimes being the bigger and better person is the cruelest of burns."
We are all floored by the serious tone and good advice from Ral. He jokes non-stop and loves for all of us to pander and spoil him. "Stop looking at me like you don’t know who I am or I put one direction on." He says and goes back to reading his Cosmo magazine.
My phone alerts me to a text from Jen and I smile by the simplest shit from her lately.
Red: Headed to the PIT. Be brilliant as always and I will suck you dry tonight superstar.
All thoughts of music, bookings and ex's fade when I am slammed with an image of her heart shaped mouth on my cock.
Me: Fuck yeah, Red. Can I stretch that sweet pussy over my dick after I cum down your throat?
All is fair, she started it and now my mind was in the gutter. Red, like me, loves being nasty as fuck in bed. So nasty, we could make Noah blush.
Red: Stop or I have to change my panties... Or maybe I will go without just so you know I am easy access all day should you need a break.
Me: If I take a break then I will come fuck you. I guarantee it. But please for my sanity wear panties. Mmmm wear the coral thong that ties on the hips. I will undo them with my teeth before I eat you out and make you fuck my face.
I just threw the gauntlet down and she knows it.
Red: Now I need to finger myself before work.
I laugh out loud and re-adjust my throbbing dick when I turn from the guys.
Me: Send pictures firefly. Gotta work, love you.
I hit send before I thought better of it and drop my phone before I fall back in the chair in full blown panic.
Jen
Cal: Send me pictures firefly. Gotta work, Love you.
I stare at the message and try to breathe. I know I am over-reacting. I could see Cal telling me he loves me through a text easily because he hides and masks his emotions better than anyone I know. That being said though, he isn’t telling me. I think it was a slip or said in the way he tells Bright or Carrie and Cassa.
I don’t want to leave it in case it meant something and I don’t want to respond to that either in case it wasn’t meant. After too long to hide my internal struggle I send a quick, non-intrusive response.
Me: Okay, work hard.
I get to work and check my phone wondering if he sent me anything and I go over the fifty thousand reasons I am both over-reacting and not over-reacting. It is pathetic how my day started off with cute and sexy texts to this turmoil. What the fuck, honestly?
I try to get my mind in the game because I have a few appointments coming in today and want to give them my full attention.
"Look who popped in to work today." CD snarls as I walk in the door and I know he is hurt and angry by my refusal to date him.
"Knock it off you crybaby." Asa says and hugs me as I check my schedule. "Hey gorgeous, don’t listen to him. You have everything you have ever wanted within your grasp. English will get over it."
I nod and turn my back, hopping up on the counter. "How are you? Break any more hearts in the last week?" I ask and shake some peanuts into my palm.
"Oh honey, every chance I get." He says and I nudge him with my shoulder. Asa is so hot. He is like untouchable hot and knows it. He is tall and lean, cut muscle and perfect tats covering his skin. He has dark shaggy hair that looks impossible and perfect at the same time. He fills the PIT with tatterflies and laughed when I called them that for the first time.
"You need a good woman to calm you down before your dick falls off." I hop off the counter and grab his hands in excitement of my idea. "Oh, you should do a dude’s night and take CD to get some pussy."
He laughs and rolls his eyes. "He is still too sprung on you, kid."
"Well he needs to get over it. I text him that was it. A few dates that lead to nothing." I look at CD and feel awful for leading him on and losing a good friendship. He dresses like a British punk and talks the talk too. Today he wears a red plaid shirt with the sleeves cutoff and long gray cargo shorts frayed and holy with Van's. A huge wallet chain hangs from his pockets and his tat’s are on display for everyone. He specializes in American Traditional and his work is incredible and he deserves the spot here.
"How long is he signed on for?" I ask Asa who manages the shop for Sully and Noah. He opened the spotlight for CD while he was in America for a year and did some guest stints in a few shops before signing on here as a favor to Noah who wanted less hours for now.
"We got him for six months unless he extends." Asa says and answers the ringing phone.
I decide to try and salvage some face with CD and make my way to his empty booth. I lean against the doorway frame and watch him draw a Spanish woman with red roses in her hair. "Are you ever going to talk to me again?" I ask and see his back tense before looking at me.
"You still wasting your bleeding life waiting on that sodding Rock God to make a move?"
I take a tentative step into his booth and lean against his table. "Move was made a few weeks ago and we are moving along slowly." I admit and it saddens me that I hurt him.
He turns and looks at me, his blue eyes a perfect match to the bright blue hair that sits straight up on his head and finally nods. "Well, it’s about bloody damn time." He says, his sharp accent making it hard to know if he is pissed or okay with it. He is from a dirt-poor part of the UK and he is proud of his upbringing. The Union Jack Flag he painted on his wall as a statement to the artists space. "I hope that bloke knows what he got in you poppet."
I go to him and he stands to hug me. "Me too, CD."
We seem to be back to a friendly rhythm by the time Sully walks in and my client a few feet behind him. "Mya?" I ask and hug her. Cal's sister is a gorgeous array of tattoos, thick brown hair and the same Dorian eyes as my son and his father. "What brings you by?"
"I am here to get a tragus. I have some bad headaches and my Doctor actually told me that the tragus can stop or minimalize them."
I nod. "Totally, I have a ton of clients get them for the same reason." I step back and show the jewelry display. "Pick any of these, they’re the right size for a tragus."
She looks at the jewelry and picks a cubic zirconia and follows me to my room and I shut the door. "So, you and Sam looked to be all flirty. What was that about?" I ask as I set up the trey and have her pull her long brown hair back.
"Who is Sam?" She asks as she knots her hair on top of her head.
"Sully?" I ask and forget that when here he is known as Sully, it is to us that he is Sam, our friend.
"Oh, hell that guy is drop dead gorgeous Jen." She laughs and shivers at the idea of Sam and his effect on all women. "Tats and piercings don’t freak me out. Obviously, I have six holes in my ear now, my cleft and nose as well as seven tattoos. My brother, hello look at his friends right." She shakes her head and I get it, she needs to defend as a lot of women do. Sam isn’t just tattooed. He is covered from the chin down and somehow it works for him. "He just has something that is untouchable and oh my God, I want to touch it."
I laugh and dot her ear before I push the needle through, gauge and all. "Done." I say and twist the ball to the back of the barbell and hand her the small package and the cleaning instructions.
"That was fast." She says and stands. "Like we need some girl talk on you and my brother..."
I roll my eyes and hide the tumbles in my tummy as I replay the message he sent in my mind. "Nothing to tell, just taking it slow and steady."
"Wins the race... I get it but when steady becomes love let me know." She smiles huge and I step from the room hoping she won’t poke and prod for details anymore.
She pays and chats with me a few more minutes about Axe and his sleepover plans this Friday night.
"I didn’t know you were keeping him Friday." I say and look at my books and see I am blocked out and wasn’t earlier. What the fuck?
"Cal called me earlier and asked if I could watch him, but I have plans so mom and dad are." She looks at me pointedly before rolling her eyes. "Fucking go with it Jen, don’t ask about why."
She lets her hair fall from her messy knot and I watch as Sam eyes her like ice cream on a hot day and though I want to know why there’s all this secrecy now, I let it go for the info on these two-eye fucking each other.
Sam sees me watching and winks before yelling Mya's name. "This thing coming up, you going to be there?"
Oh, now I am intrigued. Big time.
"Sure, will but I might be a few minutes late so save me a seat." She eyes between his legs. Blatantly before winking back at him. "Byee." She says and walks out the door.
Talks like a valley girly, walks like a valley girl, curses like a sailor.
"What is going on here Sam?" I ask and notice only three people working on a Friday night.
"What is none of your business, just a little something to welcome you to the shop." He says and hands me a plaque with my name on it, designed by him and all his artistic glory. "Sam..."
I look up at him and Asa, Otto and CD come hug me. "We are proud of you Jen." He says and takes one of the five-dollar bills Mya gave me for a tip and places it in the framed plaque and secures it. "You are officially one of us." He says and they all clap.
"You guys are nuts, I have been piercing a while."
Dali comes from the back hallway with Noah holding a cake that said 'Welcome to the Paradox' in hot pink and black plaid and I knew Bright made it when I saw the box's insignia Brew's Bakery.
"You just got your first client out the door, happy, successfully pierced and definitely returning. Your certificate is on the wall and the website now. That makes it official." Noah says and kisses my cheek.
"I wouldn’t be here without you Noah." I say and hug him closer.
"Back-atcha babes." He says and kisses my cheek again while everyone hugs me and welcomes me.
I take a picture of the cake and send it to Cal with a description.
Me: Your sister just got her tragus pierced by me and the whole shop got me a cake to celebrate my official start with a paying client, not a volunteer or walk in. Awesome right?
I take a picture of my plaque and send it to him to.
Me: They saved her tip to put here to.
I am basking in the glory of being Jenny Pope Branding, Dermal and Piercing specialist galore and leaving the cocktail waitress at the strip club behind. I don’t know if Axe would be proud of this one day, but I am. I look at my friends, my people and the family I built and am grateful.
"So, we are done for the day, we can celebrate and kick back or go home for the night?" Sam says and we all laugh at the last part.
"I am game." I say and everyone but Noah agrees.
"I can’t doll, I have some band business tonight as you know. But I will take you out for booze and grub this weekend. Deal?"
I of course agree, knowing he and the guys will be working late tonight on band promos or something. I look at my phone and see the messages from Cal.
Cal: Red, I am so proud of you. Winna pierce me?
Cal: That five bucks is worth five hundred Firefly. So proud.
I melt at his text and the words proud are the greatest he could give me.
Me: I will pierce your dick, you bet.
I send, so happy that there is no weirdness from his earlier text. I believe his words and effort every day and that’s enough.
Cal: There better be one hell of an incentive to get me to agree to that Red.
I laugh out loud and they all look at me. "Sorry, hold on and I will give you my attention." I say and shoot him another text.
Me: I can think of twenty right now. I will tell you all about them tonight. We are celebrating on Sully's dime tonight, so I will be home late too. Thanks, you for letting Noah come congratulate me.
Cal: Have fun, you deserve it. Call me if you need a ride Firefly.
Just to fuck with him I send another text even though everyone is waiting on me.
Me: I will just call an Uber.