CHAPTER 19

 

 

SONGBIRD FAWN GETS

HOT IN THE HAMPTONS

 

Fawn, world renowned artist was found hiding out in the Hamptons getting cozy with eligible bachelor Seth Northman…

 

John's expression said more than the headlines ever could as he slammed the newspaper down on the desk in front of Fawn. It was ten am on a bright summer’s morning in Los Angeles. The glass panes behind John’s desk offered a perfect view of the pacific. Fawn didn’t even notice, her eyes were fixed to the picture of Seth with his half buttoned jeans and bare torso beneath the headline.

“See why I don’t let you take holidays? Because in a matter of moments you can ruin all the hard work we’ve done.”

Fawn felt a world of judgment on her as she briefly scanned the article. Seth Northman opened the door barely dressed…Has Fawn found love or a booty call…Seth Northman’s net worth almost equal to Fawn’s…love or lust…

Disappointment radiated from John where he was sitting on the other side of his desk. His black and silver peppered hair was perfectly cut and styled as his brow furrowed at Fawn. Fawn couldn’t blame him. After Seth had told her the reporters had gotten his picture, she had prepared herself for the onslaught. She did not prepare herself for how cheap they made her sound or how they spelled out Seth’s net worth in the newspaper. She pushed the shock of his net worth aside and looked into his sleep rumpled face. She could still remember waking up in his arms yesterday morning, the scent of sex and his aftershave hanging in the air.

She missed him, so much that her heart clenched just seeing a picture of him. She swallowed the thickness in her throat, it didn’t matter. Once Seth saw the papers this morning there was no way she would be hearing from him again.

Pushing the paper away from her she looked at John with a determined expression. “I’m sorry John; neither of us knew they were outside. But none of this is true. You know that.” She accused, making sure her voice didn’t break.

John sighed. “Fawn; I know that, you know that but the mother of your teenage fan doesn’t know that. She might just prohibit her daughter from buying your next album due to your 'loose morals'. I’ll phone the press and we’ll release a statement. You were fooled into thinking it was love but realized now that he was riding the coattails of your fame.”

Shock and horror filled Fawn at his words. “John, you can’t do that. It wasn’t like that.”

John shook his head. “Honey we’ve got to do what we’ve got to do. And right now we need to paint him as the villain or you’ll lose credibility.” His eyes pleaded with Fawn.

“No John, I’m sorry I can’t allow you to do that. Tomorrow they will have new news and this would be history. I’m not going to slander Seth just because you ask me to.” Fawn’s blue eyes were wide, filled with emotion as she pleaded right back.

“What do you suppose we do? We can’t just do nothing.”

“I think we should talk about the EP I sent you. I know it’s not what you had in mind for me, and I know you think I’m going to lose a lot of fans, but John that is the music I want to sing.”

“Fawn.” John whined knowing they had just moved from a shaky subject to an earth shattering one. “A couple of weeks in the Hamptons and you’re willing to throw away your reputation and change your sound. This isn’t a good idea. The songs are well written I’ll give you that, but it’s too different from your current sound.”

“Then we can change it.” Fawn said defiantly. If there is one thing she took from spending time with Seth, is she needed to fight for what she believed in. “We might lose a few fans, yes I know that. But we could gain so much more. Fans that are older with more buying power and that will follow my music for years to come.” She quoted Seth without blinking.

“I don’t know Fawn. There is too much to consider. You’ll be facing a whole different genre of competition; we’re looking at different gigs, and different producers, this will be a big change.” John twirled a pencil in his hand as he spoke. “Besides if you make the switch and it’s not successful by the time you return to your fans they’d have found someone else younger and fresher to listen to.”

“It won’t fail John. My heart is in it like it never has been before, besides it’s not like we need the money John. We could make music that could make history, be listened to for generations to come.”

John’s eyes flickered at the thought of longevity, giving Fawn hope.

Fuelled with more motivation she continued. “Come on John, if we play this with the right producers I could be the Janis Joplin of our generation. We’ll have adults attending concerts and no more teenage bitch fights and underage drinking to control.”

John smiled a little at her last comment. During the world tour they had spent a considerable amount of money to control alcohol abuse by minors at each show. If they could cut down on that expenditure alone it might sway him.

“Give me a few days to think about it. Let me listen to it again. I’m not saying we should do it, but I’ll consider because you’re dead set. In my opinion this is still career suicide.”

Fawn knew that was the closest to a yes she was going to get from him now. She jumped up and moved around the table to give John a bear hug. “Thank you thank you thank you!”

“Don’t thank me yet, Fawn. There’s a lot to consider, a lot of details to go over.” John said reserved as Fawn pulled away.

“I know, and that’s why you’re my manager, you’re fantastic with details.”

John laughed and shook his head. “Flattery won’t get you anywhere Miss Di Maggio.”

Fawn smiled as she picked up her bag. “I’ll wait to hear from you then.”

 

Fawn hummed to herself the whole way home. Dom drove through the familiar streets without saying a word. Fawn wanted to ask him if he was happy to be home, but she was so lost in her own thoughts she just stared out the window. She couldn’t help but wonder what Seth was doing. Was he at home or at the hotel? Did he miss her as much as she missed him?

She had noticed that morning when she finally switched on her phone that she had missed several calls from him, but she wasn’t ready to return his calls or to listen to his messages. She knew she needed to apologize for her behavior yesterday, but just thinking back to the newspaper in John’s office made her furious again. How could he betray her like that? She would’ve spent the next two weeks with him in his home, in his bed and he had gone and ruined it all by telling everyone he knew she was with him.

She thought about the meeting in John’s office. She knew better than to think she had persuaded him. John was either against or for something. After working with John for such a long time Fawn knew if John was against something; the chances of him turning were zero to none. He had firm opinions that were rarely swayed.

As they turned into her neighborhood Fawn faced the hard fact that ultimately it was her decision, but that would mean firing John. She didn’t know if she would be able to do that, not after everything he’d done for her.

Dom brought the car to stand still as the wrought iron gates of her estate closed behind them. As she stepped out of the car the sun sprinkled her with rays, warming her skin.

Rain and thunderstorm better suited her mood, but since she had nothing better to do she decided to sunbathe and drown in her pity.

Dressed in her white bathing suit Fawn grabbed her guitar and a notebook before heading outside.

She sat down on a sun lounger next to the pool. The warm breeze carried the salty air from the ocean with it. Fawn could feel her skin heating under the sun’s gaze as she positioned her guitar. As her fingers strummed the strings she gave in to the tears that started to fall.

She started singing about her emotions and Seth’s betrayal and difficult choices she had to make, and before she knew it she had a song.

Grabbing her notebook she shoved her hair behind her ear and quickly wrote down the lyrics before she forgot.

 

I lost my heart to a man by the sea,

And now I’ve left he’s gone and kept the key.

I miss my heart and the love that it held

And I miss that man by the sea.

 

I long for time when decisions were easy

When the hardest choice was what to wear

Now I’m stuck between the present and the past

How long is this pain gonna last?

 

Fawn genuinely smiled for the first time since landing in Los Angeles yesterday afternoon. The lyrics were true to her heart and the tune was catchy and honest. Screw John, her own music was better than the pop she’d been singing for years.

Even if she had lost Seth for good, she would fight for this music, her music.

“Fawn.” Callie called as he walked to the lounger where Fawn sat with her guitar and notepad. “I was looking for you.”

“Hi, sorry, I should’ve told you I was back. I just needed to be alone after my meeting with John.” Fawn said squinting up at Callie.

“Oh, how did it go?” Callie asked as she sat down on the lounger next to Fawn.

“Horrible, depressing, awful. Pick one.” Fawn smiled sadly.

“Oh honey, why?” Callie asked sincerely before her eyes lighted with realization. “The newspapers?”

Fawn nodded grimacing. “You can imagine how happy John was about that, and then add to that the fact that I want to change my genre….let’s just say I’m not his favorite person at the moment.”

“John will come around.” Callie soothed before a naughty smile spread across her face. “I know this isn’t appropriate but I just have to say this. Seth is H O T!”

Fawn couldn’t help but laugh. “I told you he was.”

“No you told me you found him attractive. You didn’t say he was like super hot! Even I was shocked when I saw the papers this morning.”

“Yeah, just a shame it’s over now, maybe it’s for the best.” Fawn said as she fiddled with the strings of her guitar.

“Hasn’t he called?” Callie asked carefully.

“Yes, but I didn’t take the call. Seriously Callie all this is his fault. He blabbed to his friends about us and now he’s splattered all over the papers.”

Callie kept quiet for a moment before speaking. “Fawn they pulled him apart in that article just as much as they did you. If anything he’s as mad as you are at press.”

“Still, what do we have to say to each other, we live on opposite sides of the country? Have a nice life?” Fawn said sarcastically.

“I doubt it, besides you’re sitting out here and singing the most beautiful saddest songs I’ve ever heard. Is it true, did you leave your heart with him?”

Fawn nodded sadly swallowing back the tears that were threatening to fall again. “Yes, I think I did.” She sniffed the tears back and took a deep breath. “I’ll be fine. Why don’t you take the afternoon off? I’m just going to sit here and feel sorry for myself anyway.”

“I don’t want to leave you like this.” Callie said proving to Fawn she had become more a friend than an assistant.

“Go, really. I’ll be fine. I just need some alone time to work through all of this and think of a plan to convince John about the new songs.”

“If you’re sure?” Callie said hesitantly as she stood up.

“I’m sure. Enjoy your afternoon.” Fawn said as Callie watched her, wanting to make sure she was fine.

After a long while Callie nodded. “Okay I’ll go, but call me if you need me.” She gave Fawn a brief hug. Fawn watched Callie walk into the house and pulled the notepad with the lyrics closer.

She strummed the guitar and sang the song again with more feeling this time. When she was finished she felt a flicker of hope in her chest.

It was the best song she’s ever written.