“Glad you could stop by, Rory. I told Jace you should be here recording and getting some behind-the-scenes clips, but he thought you needed to rest.”
Hold on. Frank wanted me to come but Jace vetoed that? “I’m always happy to help.”
He pats my shoulder. “Thanks, kid. Appreciate it.” Motioning to the man on the other side of him, he says, “I’m not sure if you remember Niles.” He tilts his head and widens his eyes, as if to say,Hey, the boss is here.
I wave. “Nice to see you again.”
Niles swipes his hand up, which I think is supposed to be a greeting but comes across like he’s swatting a gnat, and continues talking to the guy at the console.
Frank points to the other side of the glass partition that divides the giant room. “I’d love for you to go in there and get clips of Jace and Marlowe singing. They just finished eating lunch, so we should be good to go.”
I glance through the glass. On the other side, Jace and his ex are laughing and having a grand ol’ time. He takes a sip of a drink and hands it to her. She winks at him and takes a drink. And now they’re sharing beverages.
To think I sat in the hotel room all week, waiting for him to come home like some sad 1950s wife with lunch ready, hoping he’d have half an hour to spend with me.
“This will be fun,” I say, a little manically, but Frank thinks I’m being serious and gives me a thumbs-up. “I don’t have that nice camera, but I can use my phone.”
“That’s fine. Just post some clips today when you get back to the hotel.”
“Yes, sir.” I salute him because I’m losing my shit. I waltz into the studio and grin at the happy couple.
Jace pales when he sees me. What? He’s not excited I’m here? “Rory, I…”
“Don’t let me interrupt. I want to capture all of your great chemistry. Let’s do this.” The man literally has no words. “Carry on. Pretend I don’t exist.” Which they’re already doing.
He clears his throat. “Who’s watching Layla?”
“Susan.” Does he have something to say about that? No?
A voice comes over the speaker, and I realize that’s Niles. I turn to watch him talk into a little mic on that giant console. “Okay, guys, do it again. Marlowe, let’s really work it this time. Flirt with Jace and the camera so we can get some good footage. Then we’ll isolate your vocals next and get some harmonies. If we need to isolate any instruments, we’ll do that tomorrow. The videographer will be here Friday morning, so we’ll do the official music video for ‘Red Light’ then.”
So now they’re recording his song together. Did Jace really not have five minutes to give me a heads-up about this? He couldn’t borrow someone’s phone to call me?
I don’t even realize the rest of the band is here until they start playing.
Get it together, Rory.I remind myself of Cooper’s words, that Jace can handle anything for five minutes. Hopefully, that’show long this will last. Cooper’s an asshole, but that’s solid advice.
Five minutes. That’s all this is.
I swallow down all the snarky things I want to say to Jace and hit record.
“Guys,” Niles interrupts, and everything stops. “I want close-up videos. Honey, can you move closer?”
Is he talking to me? I turn around, and he waves me forward. I nod because who wouldn’t want a front-row seat to their damn husband flirting with another woman?
We start again, but when Jace starts singing, Niles interrupts again. “Jace, what are you doing, man? Why do you look like death warmed over? Do what you were doing before lunch. Smile, flirt, and be the charismatic guy I know you to be.”
Yeah, Jace. Act like you were before I got here. I’d love to see that.
Jace stares at me, and I shrug. Like I have a say here. This is his gig. I’m just the damn nanny and social media PA.
He scrubs his face, and when he pulls down his hands, he grins, but there’s something so empty about his eyes, it makes my heart hurt.
“Great. Like that!” Niles says.
Jace plays his guitar and sings while Marlowe flirts with him. Draping her arm over his shoulder. Resting her head on his shoulder. Running her hands through his hair.
He laughs and shakes his head playfully. Smiles at her. Winks.