Page 25 of Love Deep

I shrug. “Tenacity is my superpower.”

“What’s tenacity?” Riley asks, her mouth half full with pancakes.

“Don’t talk and eat,” Juniper says. “Tenacity means persistence. Like when you ask me to visit the diner after a studio session. You don’t quit until I say yes. That’s tenacity.”

“So, tenacity is my superpower too.” Riley raises her hand for another high five, and I slap mine against hers.

“So?” I ask.

“So, calling Grace is on my list of things to do.”

“And what’s the time frame for getting through your to-do list?” I ask.

She winces. “Average life expectancy is what? Eighty-two or something, right?”

I shake my head, wondering what I can do to convince her to pick up the phone.

“I really appreciate you giving me her number.”

“You need to use it,” I say as my phone buzzes.

I realize I haven’t checked my emails yet today. Back in New York, it wouldn’t matter what day of the week it was, the first thing I do in the morning is check my emails. Here in Colorado, all the days are merging together, and I’m out of routine. After I wondered when Juniper painted the picture opposite my bed, the first thing I thought of today was what the view would look like and whether it would be the same as yesterday. In New York, I don’t contemplate the view. I’m down to business right away.

“Sorry, I just need a second.”

I scroll through my phone and see something from themanager of the biggest group that’s signed to Right Records at the moment—The Homecoming Kings. He’s a decent guy. A straight shooter.

I open the email, which is headed asContract. I scan the email. He wants to discuss the marketing around the last album… blah, blah—and then I hit the crux of the message.

The band has been talking about whether Right Records is the right place for them.

I groan and sit back. There’s no way this isn’t connected to Gerry Banks. He’s got to have been sniffing around them. The Kings are building some serious momentum in their career. They write all their own music. They’re not idiots. Or more accurately, only the drummer is an idiot. They have real long-term potential. Of course Gerry wants them.

Fuck.

“They won’t be long with the waffles,” Riley says encouragingly.

“You okay?” Juniper asks.

“Yeah, fine. Sorry, I haven’t checked my emails today, and they’re building up.”

“Relax. You’re in Star Falls. You don’t need to get allThe Scream.” She puts her hands up to her face, and Riley does the same thing. They both open their mouths, imitating Edvard Munch’s famous painting.

Even though I don’t feel very happy, I can’t help but laugh at the two of them.

“It’s not that. I just got some bad news at work. That’s all.”

“What kind of bad news?” Riley asks. “Did you lose your job? That happened to Anna’s dad. That’s why they had to move. They’ve gone to Denver now.”

“No, I didn’t lose my job. Although it feels like someone’s trying to bury me professionally.”

“Is it that cutthroat?” Juniper asks as Donna delivers my waffles.

“Not usually. Well, yes, it is, but I can handle it. I know when to expect the blows. And usually, I’m in New York, so I’ve got my gloves on. But someone from my past has come back to haunt me, and it feels like… I don’t know. It’s strange. It feels weirdly personal. And now I’m starting to sound paranoid.”

She gives me a reassuring smile. “You seem to me like a man who has good instincts. Maybe itispersonal.”

But why would it be? It wasn’t like I got a promotion at EMG and he didn’t or something. We were both the same level. Maybe I had more of a knack for sniffing out talent than he did. I certainly got more artists signed than he did during our time as co-workers. But he stole artists right from under my nose. If anything, I should have a personal vendetta against him.