Out Of Place (Face the Music Book 2) (11 page)

Sure he did. Ed glanced at Gemma. She did most of the singing in this one while he backed her up. This song worked well live and acoustic. Would anything they were currently working on? Probably
One Mistake
.
Seppuku
had become too complex and it was still rough, once they got into the studio…

They’d have to strip it back to play it live. He was already thinking of the next tour. He dragged himself back to the present.

Gemma nodded and counted in the song. Once he was in the music, any doubts disappeared.
Beyond
was a hell of a lot happier than their recent stuff. They’d been in a good place, excited and hungry for success when they’d written it.

He was still hungry.

The hosts clapped at the end, doing their job to perfection. “Where can fans catch you next?”

This was the promo cue. “At the Basement in Freo on Friday night. We’re covering one of our favourites from ten years ago.”

“Any clues about which album?” The guy asked.

Gemma laughed. “Like most songs, it’s about a girl.”

“Very cryptic.” The female host glanced at him hoping for more, but it was a secret until they played.

“We are, of course, playing the summer music festivals around WA.” And also over east. His doubts about Mike’s commitment resurfaced. Would he want to travel if he had a job paying good money? Losing Mike would hurt and carrying Dan wouldn’t work.

He was on a tightrope, but he couldn’t see the end and there was no safety net. He had to keep going, the other choice was fall.

The efficient PR woman came back and hustled them out.

He looked at Gemma. “Did you want to get a coffee?”

“Yep.” They put the guitars into Ed’s car and crossed the road. Subiaco was full of cafés that opened early to supply the office workers with their needed caffeine fix. If he worked in an office, he’d be having to pump himself full of coffee to get through the day too. He ordered and wished he was sitting down with Olivia instead.

He’d written her several texts and sent none. If she couldn’t get past his job, what was the point? After hooking up with so many who had only wanted him because of what he did, that the girl he liked was running was a tender point that wouldn’t scab over.

He didn’t care that she had a kid. It wasn’t like they were getting hot and heavy—a couple of dates and that hadn’t been mentioned. He was starting to feel quite virtuous, and desperate, but he wanted more than drive-through takeaway.

Gemma grabbed a table and they sat. There was no view here—unless one counted the road—and there were a lot of suits.

“Nice work back there.” He fiddled with the number stand.

“You’re off your game.”

Weren’t they all? Maybe not Gemma, her life was looking up and his sister was certainly happy. Yet Gemma was tense. She wasn’t nearly as calm as she’d appeared in the studio and this wasn’t an entirely social coffee. Did she know why he wanted to talk to her?

“Yeah, mind is too busy.” He wasn’t ready to talk about Olivia and there was nothing to really say. They’d tried and there was nothing…but there had been something. He’d tasted it on her lips when they’d kissed, and seen it in her eyes. The waiter brought over their coffees. He remained quiet until the guy had moved away. “Want to tell me about Dan?”

“Lisa screwed him over. I can’t go into details.”

Couldn’t or wouldn’t? “That much is obvious. He’s drinking too much.”

“I know.” Gemma stirred in sugar, slowly as if considering what to say. “But he’s not getting drunk, just keeping numb.”

“Is that what he told you?” Gemma and Dan were pretty close.

She nodded.

“It’s affecting his performance.” Was it something he should raise, or leave with Gemma? If he said nothing, would the band fragment and fall apart? He’d never appreciated what it took to keep going before. He’d thought bands who broke up didn’t want it enough, but it wasn’t that. It was the lives of four different people all pulling it different directions. Something had to give or be realigned for it to all work. He had no life so it wasn’t a problem he faced.

He was sure that wasn’t really a good thing.

“He’s getting there. And he’s still writing.”

Yeah…too many more songs like
Seppuku
and they’d all be reaching for the sword.

“True. Hopefully he shakes it out.” He drank his coffee, well aware that if Mike quit and Dan didn’t straighten up they were in a world of shit.

“I’m not going to be able to keep an eye on him after this weekend. I have to help move Mum out.”

Ed almost choked on his coffee. “She’s moving?”

He’d been certain that Mr Field had squashed all free will out of his wife years ago. That Gemma had found the courage to move out had been a big deal. Perhaps it had given her mother hope.

“She rang yesterday. Monday is the day. If I’m not there, I’m afraid she’ll back out, then he’ll keep on smothering her.” There was more than a little bitterness in Gemma’s voice. Her father had told her not to come back when she’d left. He’d always hated that his daughter was in a band, that she’d travelled and had fun had eaten him up. There was nothing quite as pathetic as a man whose one pleasure in life was stealing the joy from others. Mr Field was a bully who liked to pick on his daughter and wife—never his boys.

“Where’s she going?” Hopefully far enough away that he couldn’t drag her back.

“Her sister’s in Bunbury.”

He knew Gemma had an aunt down south. And he knew she had to help her mum, but it felt like she was taking off too. One person did not make a band.

She sipped her coffee. “I’ll be gone a few days. That’s all. I have to do this.”

He was hearing that a lot lately.

What did he have to do?

Win.

But he couldn’t name the prize. The one he’d originally set his sights on had been achieved. Getting a contract and putting out the first album. The second album should’ve been easier as they knew what they were doing.

“Do you need a hand?” He didn’t want to ask directly if her father was going to be a problem or get rough. Gemma had always kept the details private, but he didn’t like the idea of Gemma facing the man alone. He was worried about her.

She pulled a face. “By the time he gets home from work we’ll be gone. It’ll be fine, but thanks for offering.”

Ed gave her a tight smile. “Kirsten would’ve given me hell if I hadn’t.”

Gemma laughed. “My aunt won’t let him lure her back. I’ll stay a few days to be sure…with Mike working it won’t matter, will it?”

“Nah, you got to do this.” He knew that, but their dream was bottoming out and no one cared. Had it been his dream and the others were moving on?

“I’ll come back with something. Family always makes me turn to music.” She smiled, but the strain showed in her eyes.

He couldn’t put his fears about the band on the table and add to her worries.

During the week they’d worked on the songs they were covering individually, but they hadn’t run through the whole album from start to finish. If Mike hadn’t been working they would already be prepared…this was far too last minute for Ed’s taste. While they had covered everything from AC/DC to Maroon5 and anything else they had liked the sound of, that had been years ago.

Ed was feeling decidedly underprepared for tomorrow night’s show. It might be low key and fun but he was nervous—more nervous than opening for the first time for the US band that had suddenly broken out with their third album. Selling the Sun been lucky to get the Australian shows. That had opened a door for them, but not enough for them to crack the US market. Not yet.

Mike snagged a beer from the fridge and dropped on to the sofa. “You’re running low.”

“Dan owes a carton.” He was also drinking more than any of them had in a long time. Ed felt like a dick keeping track to make sure Dan was fine to drive, but he knew Gemma was doing the same and she was no mother hen. Mike looked exhausted, draped on the sofa with his eyes closed. He gave Mike’s foot a kick. “Work week’s almost over.”

“Thank fuck. I’ve remembered why being a sparky is plan B, not plan A.”

That was a relief to hear. It seemed that Mike wasn’t ready to leave the band for a steady job. “You don’t like getting up before lunch?”

“Crawling around roof spaces in summer has knobs on it.”

“That’s because you are freakishly tall.”

Mike took a swig of beer and gave Ed the finger. “It’s hot, numb-nuts.” He held the beer to his forehead. He’d come straight from work in his boots, long pants and his shirt with the sleeves rolled up. “We need AC in here.”

“We need to move out of here.” Someone needed to buy a house were they could convert a room. Or get a place down south where they could hide away for a month and do nothing but play. That kind of thing wasn’t going to happen in the near future.

“Amen to that. Where are the other two?”

“Gemma went car shopping with Kirsten, but they are on their way. Dan?” Ed shrugged. Dan had been late every day this week. If he was late for the show, there would be hell to pay. Although Ed hadn’t worked out what that hell would be.

“I’ve had the CD in the car all week.”

“Same CD?” He doubted Mike would’ve gone out and bought a new one.

“Yeah.” Mike smiled. “Made me think about Sarah.”

Sarah had been Mike’s first real girlfriend. He’d been the first one to get a girlfriend and they’d been green with envy. And while Mike had never told, Ed was pretty sure Sarah was the first girl he’d slept with. “Where is she now?”

“No idea. I don’t stalk my exes.”

“Does she stalk you?”

“Unlikely.”

Ed raised his eyebrows. “You get no creepy messages?”

“You can ignore and delete. You don’t have to read them—that or lock up your profile so it’s private.”

At the moment, since he controlled Selling the Sun as well as his personal stuff, it was easier to be visible, highly visible.

People needed to know they existed; the flip side was that Olivia had been able to find him and learn all things they should’ve discussed on their first date…only date. When he’d looked her up there was a reference to the accident and that was all. She was a closed book and he’d failed to get past the cover.

By the time the four of them had run through the album three times it was sounding pretty decent. Mike was too knackered to go another round and Dan was too liquored up to play. It appeared that he hadn’t showered since yesterday and his usually perfectly styled hair was a mess. Ed doubted it was a new look—he fucking hoped it wasn’t.

Mike left with a wave. He might only be able to show up for a few hours because of work, but when he was here he put one hundred percent. Dan, on the other hand…

Dan opened the fridge and found it empty. They’d all had a couple tonight. He slammed the door. This was the moment to say something. Anything.

If he didn’t no one would, even though everyone could see the slippery slope Dan was on. Ed drew in a breath and grew a set—he hadn’t managed to text Olivia but this he could do.

“I’m not restocking it.” Ed crossed his arms. If this was what it took to get Dan sorted, they’d have dry sessions. The idea was very unappealing in the middle of summer but Dan’s drinking was more than thirst and that wasn’t healthy.

“I know. I’ll bring one in.” Dan raked his fingers through his hair, a dark lock fell over his face as he looked down.

Ed softened his voice. It was obvious Dan’s heart was on the floor and bleeding out. He’d never pegged Lisa as that kind of bitch. “Nah, mate. We need to knuckle down and get this done.” The studio over east was booked for March. The clock was ticking and they had Christmas around the corner and then the summer festivals. The need for momentum and something new was breathing down their necks.

“Fuck off. You’re not my mother.”

No, he wasn’t. And he didn’t want to be. Dan was his friend, but if he didn’t say anything there was nothing Ed could do for him. “You’re turning up, but you aren’t here. What’s going on?”

“Nothing.” Dan shot Gemma a look that was all razors.

She gave a one-shouldered shrug. “Ed might have a point. We might get more work done if you cut back.”

“Welcome to the prohibition.” Dan spread his arms. “What happened to sex, drugs and rock and roll?” His voice rose with each word and he stepped back and almost tripped over the edge of one of the rugs they had to dampen the noise.

“I don’t know. You tell me.
Seppuku
was pretty dark.”

Something flashed in Dan’s eyes. “It’s just words. It’s all just words. They don’t mean a fucking thing.”

Ed glanced at Gemma. From the Beatles tune she was plucking, she was thinking of his sister and the new car. At least one of them was happy.

“Ed’s getting tense about tomorrow,” Gemma said.

Dan laughed and the tension dissipated. “You need to relax, man. Get laid. They aren’t even our songs.”

“That doesn’t matter, we can’t play crap.” Perth was too small for that and word travelled fast.

“We won’t. Game face tomorrow.” Dan grinned and slapped Ed on the shoulder. “I’ll see you then.”

“On time.”

Dan gave a mock salute and walked out.

Ed waited until he was in his car and out of earshot. “How bad is it, truthfully?”

Gemma stopped playing and looked at him. “Bad. He needs time.”

That was the one thing they didn’t have. “We don’t have time. We need him on board and writing.” They had to get a killer second album done or they might as well pack it all in, get real jobs and make some money. Sometimes the idea was almost tempting, but he knew it was the devil on his shoulder muttering in his ear.

“He knows that. We all know that.”

Ed took a few paces and scrubbed his hand over his hair. There was no point in getting annoyed with Gemma. They were on the same side. He blew out a breath loaded with frustration. “Then what is his problem?”

Did Dan not want this anymore? His family had never really been keen but they had tolerated it. They had loved Lisa, in their eyes she could do no wrong.

“Lisa dragged him through barbed wire and left him standing on a mine.” Gemma put her guitar down. “That’s all you’re getting from me because I don’t want to lose his trust…at the moment I’m the only one he’s talking to.”