Page 67 of Love Deep

Worth shoots him a don’t-be-an-asshole look, but I don’t mind. I need the levity that Jack’s providing. I’ve been in my head too much, ever since last night and my meeting with Benny.

“The Homecoming Kings are signing with Re Records.”

“Can they do that?” Bennett asks. “Legally?”

“Yup. They’re out of contract. Stupidly, I assumed they were going to sign back up with Right Records. I knew other labels would try and get them to switch but…”

“But you found those guys,” Leo says. “You made them. They can’t just sign with someone else.”

“Well, they can,” I say. “And what’s worse is that… do you remember me telling you about Gerry Banks?”

“The one you thought was stealing your artists when you were still at EMG?” Worth asks.

“That’s the one.”

“Wait, who? What? I feel like I missed something,” Jack says.

Worth relays the story to the rest of the table as if I’d told him yesterday. How I always thought Gerry was targeting me personally but I could never be sure.

“This all happened before we were at business school. Before I knew any of you guys,” I say. “Maybe I’m just being paranoid?—”

Jack cuts me off. “Trust your gut. And as if he would just find the lead singer at his gym. There’s no way that’s a coincidence. I think you’re right. He’s targeting you.”

“But why?”

“Because you’re the best at what you do,” Worth says.

“I’m small fry in comparison to the major labels.”

“But you just signed Vivian Cross,” Bennett says. “You’re not small fry. Actually, was Vivian signed to Re Records before? Is this payback for that?”

I shake my head. “No. She was at Universal.”

“Is it worth you asking him for a meeting? Like a lunch or something? See if you can figure out what’s going on?”

“I’ve thought about it. But he won’t give anything away. He never did, even when we were in our early twenties. He’s got this strange… he’s always been a popular guy. Everyone liked him. But I just couldn’t connect with him somehow.”

“Probably because he was stealing your artists,” Worth says.

“Maybe,” I say. “I don’t know what it is, I just think it’s more than just about the artists. It feels personal.”

“Have you looked into his background?” Jack asks.

Immediately, I think of Juniper and her quotingThe Art of War. “A little,” I confess. “I found out that he’s also from Pennsylvania. He’s slightly younger than me.”

“Did you know him? Cross paths with him when you were younger?”

I shake my head. “No. Not as far as I’m aware.”

“Did you fuck his wife or something?” Jack asks.

Now it’s my turn to give him a don’t-be-an-asshole look.

“What?” Jack exclaims. “I’m being realistic. Is anyone saying Fisher is still a virgin?”

“I haven’t fucked his wife,” I say. “He’s been married since I’ve known him. I’ve met his wife. We definitely haven’t fucked.”

“I can get my people on it,” Jack says. “There must be a reason why he’s targeting you.”