Page 35 of Hard Rock Deceit

"I don't know why you need a dedicated photographer for this," I said. "Anyone with a camera phone can do what I'mdoing."

"No one else can do what you do," hecountered.

"I doubt many other bands care this much about the photos they post online,"Isaid.

"Other bands aren'tDarkestDays."

It made sense August would have high standards for all aspects of his career, not just in hismusic.

"Have you ever done anything half-assed inyourlife?"

"No." His lips twitched upward. "That's why I can get away with so much. You think music execs give anyone as much leeway as theygiveme?"

"I thought it was because you bribed andthreatenedthem."

"It's partly that," he acknowledged with a sly smile. "It's also because I've proven I know what I'm doing. I never failed at anything I put mymindto."

"I bet that puts a lot of pressureonyou."

August looked taken aback for amoment.

"Howso?"

"Pressure to continue succeeding," I clarified. "You probably feel like you can't ever make a single mistake or take one misstep. Everything has to be perfect allthetime."

He gave me aquizzicallook.

"I suppose that's one way of lookingatit."

"Perfectionism isn't a good thing," Iwarned.

"Seems to be working out for mesofar."

"What's going to happen the first timeyoufail?"

"I won't," he saideasily.

That troubled me. It was one thing to demand perfection. It was another to expect perfection all the time, especially fromyourself.

"Don't look so worried," August said. "I'm the one who's supposed to worry about everyone,remember?"

He craned his head back toward the front of the bus. It was suspiciously quiet. Usually the guys were always making some kind ofnoise.

"We put the game on hold for a minute." He cocked his head at me. "Wanttoplay?"

"I don't know how to playguitar."

"That's the point. You win if you make the worst noisepossible."

"Then I'll probably beat the pants off allofyou."

August clicked save on my photo editing program and closed thelaptop.

"You should take abreak."

"Says the workaholicperfectionist."

"Maybe I just want an excuse to spend timewithyou."