Never Enough (37 page)
He paged through an appointment book. “I haven’t worked in Seattle for a very long time. Do you have a home studio?”
Adrian hoped he looked calm when he managed to find his words. “I do, yes. I also have access to a larger studio should we need it.”
“I’ll send my assistant out to yours in March to be sure it’s up to snuff. We’ll start work in April. I want you to get your sister on this one. You and she have a rhythm, it’s good for you to keep that when you make a leap.”
Thorne’s gaze locked onto Adrian’s. “And you
will
make a leap, old son. You ready for it? This stuff is going to take you to a whole new level. I gotta admit to you that I’ve not been this excited about a project for at least a few years.”
will
make a leap, old son. You ready for it? This stuff is going to take you to a whole new level. I gotta admit to you that I’ve not been this excited about a project for at least a few years.”
Relief warred with excitement of his own. “I’m more than ready. And Erin is in already. Working in Seattle will make it even easier for her. And for me too since my family is there.”
Reg nodded. “Good. Just so you know up front, I’m not a label lackey. I don’t play with keepers, so if the label wants that, you make them understand that’s not going to happen. I don’t want anyone in that studio who will muck up my work. You’re a big enough property that this probably won’t be an issue, but it needed to be said anyway. You have drug problems?”
Adrian snorted. “I don’t have the time for a drug problem.”
Reg stood. “Glad to hear that. I’m not a song doctor. I can’t fix your fuckups. But this is good material and you’re not a newbie so you know how to do that yourself anyway. You’re going to hit your audience with a face full of your inner life. Send me the songs as you begin to polish and I’ll send back from time to time with notes. When we get into the studio we will work as long as we have to to make the record.”
Adrian nodded. “I’m amenable to all that.”
Reg held out is hand and they shook on it.
“Don’t let this go to your head or anything,” Reg began as they walked out to where Jeremy waited with Gillian and Miles, “but I’ve wanted to work with you for years. I asked around, never heard an unkind thing.”
They paused as they entered the room and everyone’s gaze swung to the two men.
“You must be Miles.” Reg held a hand out and Miles, gobsmacked, took it and gave his arm a few pumps up and down.
“I’m a big fan of your work, sir.”
“Nice job raising a kid with some manners.” Reg looked to Adrian, who redirected his attention to Gillian.
“I can’t take credit for it. Miles’s mum did it all. Gillian Forrester, please meet Reg Thorne.”
Gillian shook his hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Reg’s crusty reserve melted away when he heard Gillian’s voice and Adrian managed to stifle his laugh.
“Darlin’, whereabouts do you hail from? You’re working the Queen’s English, but that’s not your roots.”
Blushing, she managed a quirk of a smile. “Newham.”
“Ah, a London girl.”
“Born and bred. You’re not though. You’re a Geordie.”
Reg’s delighted laugh cut through any remaining tension. “I am. Six generations of us from Newcastle. What’s a fine-looking woman like you doing here in the States instead of back home?”
“Came here when I was fifteen.”
“Have you been back to visit? Do you still have people there?”
“None I’d want to spend time thinking on.” She looked to Miles and then Adrian. “Everyone I want to see lives here.”
“Ah, that’s the way of it then. My wife is Welsh and she keeps me coming back to England again and again. I should bring her with me when I’m in Seattle later next year. You’d get on with her, I think.”
“You’re a right clever man to be working with Adrian.”
Adrian stood with Miles and Jeremy as she flattered and joked with Reg. In Thorne’s company her accent had deepened and it was damned sexy. Nearly as sexy as the way she talked Adrian up with such pride.
“Aye. He’s a good one, your man. I certainly won’t be questioning his choices now that I’ve met you and the lad.”
She laughed, patting Reg’s arm. “Aren’t you the charmer.”
“The wife says so and I never argue with her because she’s always right. Though you can’t tell her I said as much. It’ll only go to her head.”
“How long have you been married?”
“We’ll all take lunch together.” Reg made this pronouncement and a young man leapt up to make it happen.
Later, as they watched Miles frolic in the pool, Adrian put an arm around her and pulled her to his side. “I think Reg has a crush on you.”
She laughed. “Our Reg loves his missus very much. He also loves your music. The two of you will work well together.”
“From your mouth to God’s ears.”
“You have these wonderful songs. He wants to work with you. You want to work with him. It’s fate that you two should come together and make something amazing.”
“Your faith in me means a lot.”
“You have great talent, Adrian. I’m not the only one who feels that way. You feel it too. Of all the things to worry about, you don’t often seem to fret about your music. And there’s a reason for that. You’re confident of your music and that’s how it should be.”
The ability she had to see past all the smoke and layers of shit he had to erect to continue to be able to make his music always set him back, even as he appreciated that ability more than he could say.
“Never saw much need to pretend. I love making music. I’m lucky to be able to make it and that I continue to be able to make it. My success means a lot to me.” He paused to watch Miles for a bit. “Up until September it was pretty much the most important thing in my life. I have other priorities now. But music is still one of them.”
She didn’t speak, but he knew she listened.
“I’m glad he suggested Seattle. He normally works out of three cities, Portland being the closest, and I wasn’t sure how it would be to work in New Orleans while you and Miles were at home. Before September this just wouldn’t have entered my reality. But I can’t imagine not seeing you or Miles for months.”
“Good. I can’t imagine not seeing you for months either. In fact, I’m utterly sure I’d hate it.” She shrugged. “But I’m a realist and I know you’ll have to tour to support the record. So you will be away for months. We’ll get through it. Miles and I will be waiting when you get home.”
He couldn’t put into words just how happy it made him that she referenced a future with him in it.
“I can schedule it for when Miles is out of school and you can come with me. Erin has mentioned a possible willingness to go out on tour as well. Bringing along Todd, Ben and Alexander. It could work.”
She smiled, open and thrilled. He kissed her because there was nothing he wanted more than that.
“I take it you’re in for such a project? They have tour buses that are pretty nice. We can set you up a wireless workstation. Obviously you’d be unable to do piano lessons while away from home. But there are pianos in most venues so you could play regularly. Miles can have his own room. A bodyguard would travel with us. That’s part of all my tour contracts and it’s nonnegotiable.”
“Stop being so gruff with me. I already agreed.” She stood and jumped into the water. “Come on in. Play for a while with me and your boy.”
18
Adrian watched Miles as he struggled to stay up on his snowboard and then managed to do it after wiping out several times.
Gillian wisely kept quiet until he reached where they’d been waiting for him, and then she threw her arms around their son and gave him a kiss on the cheeks. “You did awesome!”
Miles’s grin was infectious as he looked to Adrian. “Yeah?”
“Totally. I can’t believe yesterday was the first time you’ve ever been snowboarding and you’re already kicking ass.”
Gillian elbowed him in the ribs.
“Er, butt.”
Gillian had never been snowboarding either. She had picked it up a lot faster than Adrian had assumed she would.
Elise, Brody and Rennie had all decided to ski while Erin stayed back at the house with Alexander, Ella and Martine. Ben stayed back with her, and Todd was out on the slopes for a while before they all went back for lunch.
It wasn’t just Christmas but also Brody and Elise’s first wedding anniversary. Adrian loved that they were all together and that Miles and Gillian could be there as well. It was his favorite present so far. Well, actually, his second favorite, as Gillian gave him a scarf and hat she’d knitted herself. He wore them both right then and planned to as often as the weather permitted.
She’d made something for him with her own hands. Which was better than anything else he could have wished for. Of course she’d also given him a huge box of yellow lined writing pads. The ones he always used for song-writing. Several boxes of the pens he preferred, blank CDs and new strings too. Everything he needed all the time, but he usually had to get himself.
Of course she appeared befuddled with how much he liked it. But she seemed to be easing a little on other things. She’d accepted, quite happily, the new parka he’d given her, and currently wore the earrings he’d put on her pillow that morning when she’d been in the shower.
Spoiling her was his new favorite activity outside hanging with Miles.
“Let’s go on another run and then we’ll head back to the house.” Todd boarded up to where they all stood. “Erin just sent a picture. Everyone is having a great time. Ella sends her love. Cope brought in more wood, she says.”
“I’ll head back now, if you don’t mind. My eyes hurt from the glare and I’m too old for this.” Gillian grinned and reached out to squeeze Miles’s hand.
“We can all go back.” Adrian didn’t want to watch her go.
“That would be silly. Erin is fine. Ella and Cope are there with her. Miles is getting the hang of this now. Go on and have another run with Todd. I’ll see you boys later.” She kissed Adrian quickly.
Todd tossed her a set of keys. “Take my car back. I’ll ride with Adrian and Miles.”
She nodded her thanks and Adrian watched her go, holding her board, looking more beautiful than any woman had a right to be.
“Don’t worry, she had a good time,” Miles said as they got back into the gondola to head up for a last run.
“You think? Also, am I that obvious?”
Todd’s guffaw told him he was indeed obvious.
“It’s obvious you want her to be happy.” Miles shrugged. “Shouldn’t you? Isn’t that what you’re supposed to do?”
He put an arm around his son. “Indeed it is.”
“So you love her, right?”
He paused. “Yes, I love your mother. I wasn’t joking when we talked about living closer or with each other.”
Todd looked him over. “Good. You two are good. You three are meant to be a family.”
Adrian sighed. “I think so too. But Miles and his mom have a life on Bainbridge and it’s not as easy as consolidating our households. We’ll take it up again after the holidays. If I know Gillian, she’s thinking on it now too.”
“She’s not much for making snap decisions. That’s what they did. She doesn’t want to be like them.”
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