Smitten

“I love it,” Dax says. “See if you can add Aloha to this lineup. We had a blast touring with her that last time. If we’re going to be hanging out for long stretches with a bunch of artists, we’ll want Zander and Aloha there.”

Reed nods and looks at his watch. “I’ve got to get the team going on this, boys. There’s a lot to do.”

Dax, Colin, and I rise and thank Reed.

“Hey, Fish,” Reed says, making me stop and turn around just short of the doorway to his office. He says, “I’ve been assuming this whole time Ally wants you, and not Zeke, as her producer. That’s an accurate statement?”

“It is. She begged me to produce.”

Reed winks. “She’s a smart girl. Do you want to be the one to tell her the good news, or do you want her label to do it?”

“I want to do it. She’s arriving in LA tomorrow. I’ll tell her in person.”

“Also tell her we’ve got everything lined up for the release of the single next week. I’m calling it now. She’s going to hit Top 20 by week three. Top 10 by week four.”

“God, I hope you’re right.”

He winks. “I’m always right.”

I roll my eyes, as memories of Reed telling me to drop out of my own band flash through my brain. “Sure, Reed. You’re never wrong.” I turn to leave again. But, again, Reed stops me.

“Hey, you should plan to stay for dinner tomorrow after you pick Ally up from the airport.”

I look at Reed for a long beat, trying to decipher his confusing words. I should stay for dinner? What does that mean?

Reed clarifies, “When you drop Ally off at my house from the airport, you should plan to stay for dinner. I know Georgie would love that. So would I.”

I open and close my mouth, still confused. Why does Reed think I’m going to drop Ally off at his house from the airport tomorrow? Alessandra and I have never discussed where she’s planning to stay in LA. But that’s only because I’ve been assuming she’ll stay with me. At my bungalow in Venice Beach. Of course.

Reed says, “You didn’t know Alessandra is going to live in my guest house for the foreseeable future?”

I pause. “No. Ally didn’t mention that to me.”

Reed leans back against the edge of his large desk. “I offered my casita to her because Zeke lives about a mile from me. I figured it’d be good for her to live, rent free, near Zeke, while they were working on her album, and she agreed. Plus, obviously, Ally and Georgina were thrilled at the chance to get to see each other every day.”

Shit. Now that I think about it, it makes perfect sense Ally didn’t assume she’d be living at my place! I never explicitly invited her, so she probably figured she’d better make other arrangements. Damn. Why am I such a dumbshit?

“I’ll talk to Ally about her living arrangements,” I say. “See what she wants to do. But I can tell you one thing, for sure, I won’t be dropping her off at your house tomorrow night. Dinner sounds great. But not tomorrow night. Tomorrow, I’m bringing Ally to my place at the beach.”

Reed bites back a huge smile. “Of course. Let me know.”

“One more thing,” I say. “I think this is obvious, but I’m going to play bass on Ally’s album. Probably some other instruments, too.”

“Of course, you will,” Reed says. “I wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s important to me that my little sister-to-be has only the best musicians supporting her debut album.”

Okay, that’s it. I can’t keep my mouth shut anymore. “Is that so?” I say, unable to keep the snark out of my voice. “That’s not what you said about me in Maui.”

Reed looks confused.

“At Josh and Kat’s destination wedding, you said I should quit my band because my musicianship was ‘tepid’ and my charisma was ‘lacking.’”

Reed laughs. “I said that?”

“You did.”

“Well, in my defense, those statements were true back then.” He laughs. “Aw, come on, Fish. Who gives a shit what I said back then? I was half-drunk on mai tais most of that week. Maybe I was testing you to see what you were made of. Maybe I was putting a fire under your ass to step up your game.” He shrugs. “Either way, I’m not sorry because, maybe, just maybe, those comments played a part, however small, in turning you into the brilliant musician you are today—one of the very best in the business. I think it’s pretty obvious at this point 22 Goats wouldn’t be what it is today without all three of you contributing.”

Dax, Colin, and I share a look of complete astonishment.

“If I was a prick to you in Maui, then I apologize,” Reed says. And damned if he doesn’t sound sincere. “If I was trying to put a fire under your ass, there were probably better words I could have chosen. God knows what I was thinking. Maybe I was simply getting off on being a prick.”