Rock Star Returns: Carlie's Story (Access All Areas 2)

"How about I hold the money until after the gig? That would be the best way." Jackson grinned.

"NO!" Alex and I both reacted at the same time. It wasn't that we didn't trust Jackson, it was... well, yeah, it was that we didn't trust Jackson. Not with our money, anyway. Jackson had a very casual relationship with money.

We glared at each other for a while, daring the other to look away, to back down. Alex was fucked. I could do this all day.

"Half up front, half after the gig and another 500 bonus, although I have no idea what the bonus is for."

I spat on my hand and held it out for him to shake. I was happy with that deal. I could watch Holden play. It wouldn't kill me, and if I didn't even have to listen, it'd be all the better. I’d be physically present but miles away.

"I can't believe you just did that. That's the most disgusting thing I've ever seen." Alex winced.

"Yeah, whatever, just give me my upfront part of the money. I need to buy me some state-of-the-art earplugs.”

Chapter 15

VIOLET ARRIVED BACK a few days before the opening gig.

"Good to see you back," Alex said. "And no Razer."

Razer had been offered a whole tour along the coast and hadn't come back with her. It was nothing like Alex implied though, with his words bursting with suggestion and his eyebrows doing weird things.

You could see that it got to her by the way she rubbed her neck.

She'd tanned while she'd been gone and her hair had become sun-bleached. Even with Alex bugging her, she looked so much more relaxed than when she'd left. No dark bags under her eyes, no mouth stretched tight with tension.

"He'll be back. It was too big an opportunity for him to pass up and it’s not like I need to be with him every moment of the day. Now, what needs doing to prepare for Saturday night?"

Knowing Violet, it'd be nothing. She'd been working even on her vacation, setting everything up for the weeks ahead and doing a lot of phoning around for Alex. He'd been having major hissy fits about Saturday night. Everything had to be perfect. The workmen had completely finished the band room. It didn't appear all that much different but, having heard Alex mucking about up there, the sound was a million times better. He'd also moved things around to improve the acoustics and made the bar longer so we get didn't people banked up. Now, he had people up there painting. The smell was pretty damn gross.

If the paint wasn't dry by Saturday, there'd be hell to pay.

It wasn't going to be just any old crowd up there either. Violet sent out invitations to every label in town, even if they only had one band signed to them. Every music shop owner and everyone who'd ever worked for the music press or the local paper or a radio station, even TV. This gig was a showcase. A bribe even, to get attention for Trouble and for Alex himself.

The tickets that had been leftover for the general public were given away through radio contests and other promotion plus Holden’s management company had asked for a bunch – which had really annoyed Alex. Even if you wanted to buy tickets, your money was no good unless you had the right connections.

After Alex had shown Violet the changes and they came back downstairs, I got to ask her about going away.

"It was fun," she said. "Exhausting but awesome."

Before she could say more, Drew came in.

"Drew, where have you been?" Violet grinned. I hadn't had time to explain the Drew situation to her.

"I don't work here anymore. I've come to collect my last pay."

Violet's mouth hung open. I really should've told her before she found out like that. She glanced from me to Drew. I couldn't explain with Drew standing there.

I handed Drew his pay, expecting him to hang around for a while. Surely he'd want to talk to Violet and Jackson, but he put the envelope in his back pocket and walked towards the door.

"Drew," I called after him.

When he turned around, I wasn't sure what to say. I wanted to apologize. I really wanted to make sure he was getting on okay. It weighed on my mind. But the words weren't there for me to say. I couldn't apologize. And I couldn't ask about his life now. Everything felt weird and he seemed too far away from me, as though I was looking at him through binoculars. Without that day-to-day banter, the distance had already started.

"Do you want tickets to Saturday night's gig?" I asked. It was so far from what I wanted to say.

"Not if they're from you, Carlie." He pretty much spat the words at me.

He walked out the door and Violet turned to me with all the questions burning in her eyes.