She paused for a second. "Well, they don't all have to be a love song about a girl, do they? You love coffee. You love going out to see live bands. You love living in the city. Maybe one or two of the songs could be inspirational and uplifting, which is what they’re probably really looking for. Just a slightly different topic."
"Holy shit,” I muttered. "You're right."
"Also," she said slowly, "I don't know if this is a stupid question. But when you do an album for the show, you would have a band playing the other instruments in the recording studio, right?"
"Yes."
"Who chooses the musicians?"
"I'm not sure." I pulled my notebook over to make a note to ask Dave. "They had amazing house musicians for the live show, and I think the winners of the first two cycles used that band for their albums. But I don't know if it's set in stone that it has to be them."
"Why couldn't you use your band?" she asked. “Or even split it up, and have the show’s house band play on the songs you've already done on the show, and have your band play on the rest? Is there any reason you can't mix it up?"
"Huh." My pen tapped against my book for a moment. "People don't usually do that, but they might not have a problem with it."
"They’re probably getting worried that you haven't decided yet," she said. "So if this is the thing holding you back, why not make them a deal? They’ll make money. The house band doesn't feel slighted. Your band gets the promotion. The world gets an album of love songs."
I laughed. "You are going to get along with Dave so well."
She snickered. "I tend to think like a machine. What are all logical options, what will work, what will break?"
"You're amazing," I said.
"Hey – I'm just making suggestions as a total outsider," she said.
"You're hardly an outsider," I chuckled, sitting up and stretching a bit. "As soon as we get everyone together, you are going to be in the inner circle."
I would have bet a hundred dollars that she was rolling her eyes at me. "The inner circle sounds a bit conspicuous. I'll just hang out around the outer ring," she laughed.
“It’s so amazing just being able to call you can talk to you whenever I want,” I said, finding myself turning from light to serious in a blink. “I still can’t quite believe that I found you. I searched everywhere for you. I didn’t think you’d be on social media anywhere, but I scoured every site I could find.”
I could almost hear her grin. “I’m only on one site.”
“Really?”
“Yeah,” she laughed softly. “It’s a book review site. But I’m under the name Queen Grey Tea.”
I paused until she laughed louder, then I chuckled with her. “If Earl Grey tea is so amazing, tea for the Queen would be even better,” I laughed.
“There you go.”
“I love the way your mind works,” I said.
Hearing a tap at the door, I yawned. “Sorry. Dave’s here. I have to go.”
“Have a good night.”
“You too, baby.” I hung up, then hollered, “Come in.”
Dave came in and set a huge coffee down on the coffee table as he sat on the couch. “Drink up. Tonight and tomorrow are going to be interesting.”
Knowing that was his way of warning me that the schedule was brutal, I flopped down beside him and started chugging.
Eventually his list would make sense. But for a full minute, I enjoyed the taste of deep, smoky caffeine, and the knowledge that my sweet girl was never going to be more than a phone call away ever again.
Chapter Thirteen ~ Trisha
* Trips and Gifts *