So, I’d assumed that she’d seen what I saw in the video and decided to just trash it. It would certainly be safer. Blaire was in the public eye, but there was a difference between a social media influencer and…well, me. That wasn’t even bragging. It was just my life.
It appeared that it’d just taken her a few days to work up the nerve.
A quick glance at the comments told me two things: everyone thought Blaire and I were dating and that this was a not-so-subtle hint at a new album.
No wonder everyone and their mother was calling me. I hadn’t prepped anyone that we were doing this. I hadn’t told a soul that it was going live. And now, everyone must be scrambling because of the attention. Because of the apparently not-so-subtle hint that I hadn’t meant to give.
Bobby Rogers flashed on my screen again.
With a sigh, I answered it. “Hey, Bobby.”
“Campbell, Campbell, Campbell. What have you gotten yourself into?”
“I did a video. It’s no big deal.”
“Well, I have been on the phone all morning since it went live. Where have you been?”
“I’m in the studio.”
“You’re in LA?”
“No,” I said warily. “I have a friend in town who works at LBK Studios. I’m just laying down some ideas for new songs.”
Bobby’s skepticism turned to enthusiasm. “You found your muse!”
“Sort of.”
“Look, this is great, Campbell. I wasn’t sure about you staying in bumfuck nowhere, but it’s clearly working. This girl is good for you. She is helping you write, getting you on social media, and—”
“Leave Blaire out of this,” I said, my voice like ice.
Bobby sighed. “She put herself into it, kid.”
“What do you want, Bobby?”
“If you’re writing new music, then absolutely nothing. I talked to Barbara.” That was my publicist who I hadn’t answered because I knew she’d be pissed that I’d done this without her. “And she was mad at first that she’d had no warning, but now, she wants to send a team down to Lubbock to help make more of these videos. It could really ramp up the new album.”
“No. No team, Bobby. I want to be alone to figure this shit out, or there will be no new album,” I told him as I paced away from Weston.
“All right, all right. I thought you might say that. So, I told her to wait on it. But,” he said as if he had plans B, C, and D waiting for my refusals, “I want to send the rest of the band there.”
“Wait, what?”
“The band! You write better music when you have everyone there. You said it yourself. If you’re writing new songs and even inadvertently promoting it, then we’ll set you up in Lubbock until it’s time to record.”
“You’re going to send the entire band to me?”
“Yep. I can even hook you up with recording space. We’d still have to lay down masters here in LA, but you could get some time in to practice.”
“I already have a place.” I glanced over at Weston, who had his headphones on to listen to what we’d recorded. “And a guy that I like. We can use LBK Studios.”
Bobby sighed, as if he was suffering. “Fine. Your call, Campbell. Just get us an album. You’ll have Viv, Santi, Yorke, and Michael there to make it all come true.”
“All right.” I couldn’t deny that having them here would certainly help the process. I just hadn’t thought they’d want to travel to Lubbock to do it. “You sure they want to?”
“They’re on board. Just say the word.”
“Fine. But, Bobby, I’m serious about leaving Blaire out of all of this.”
“I heard you the first time, Campbell.”
“Promise me.”
“You know I never make promises that I can’t keep.”
I exhaled in frustration. Oh, Bobby. “Just do your best to control it all.”
“Fine, fine. Can’t wait to hear the new songs.”
Weston pulled his headphones down after I hung up. “Everything all right?”
I stared at the exposed brick wall. I should be happy about all of this. The rest of Cosmere was coming to Lubbock to help me figure out my shit. That was a good thing. Especially because we’d have Weston Wright recording and not some soulless LA schmuck.
Yet I couldn’t stop worrying about Blaire. I thought she’d known what she was getting into by posting this, and now, I was starting to wonder if I even knew what she’d gotten herself into.
“Yeah,” I finally said. “The rest of Cosmere is coming into town. We’re going to figure out the songs for the album.”
“That’s great.”
“You’re going to record them.”
Weston blinked at me. “What?”
“Masters will be done in LA, but I want to keep working with you. I like the direction for ‘Invisible Girl.’ I told my manager we’d be working here.”
“Holy fuck,” West said. “Are you sure? There are probably better people for this job, Campbell.”
“Yes, I’m sure, but if you want to bail…”