“Who’s that singer on that untitled track you left in recording studio one yesterday?” she asks.
I smother a laugh. How to explain Dani? “She’s someone I found completely by accident,” I say.
“She’s really good,” Ava says.
Ava’s more about numbers, while I take care of the music, and she’s not one to hand out compliments without meaning them. The simple words are high praise coming from her. I can’t help but swell with pride.
“I wanted to talk with you about her this morning. You know the test tracks for Harlow Jacobsen?” I ask her.
Our top performer needs a new single before she heads out on tour. We gave her the test tracks for a few options last week, and she rejected all of them. To be fair, it was probably because she knows she doesn’t have the range to do them justice live.
Ava frowns at me. “Harlow’s getting a little big for her britches, don’t you think? She was talking about canceling some tour dates because she thinks she’s burned out, but she hasn’t recorded anything new in almost a year. It’s high time we gave her a little competition so she gets her act together, don’t you think?”
“You’re probably right,” I say, sighing that Ava’s noticed Harlow’s attitude.
“And that’s exactly what I want to do with your new girl. She has the talent to make the tracks shine in a way that Harlow doesn’t. I think we should sign her, give her the tracks plus the songs she already wrote, and produce an EP album. Then, I want to send her on tour as Harlow’s opening act.”
“Dani?” I ask, surprised. Ava must be really impressed with what she heard to want to go all in with Dani so fast, even more so that her ideas so clearly reflect everything I’d worked to put together last night.
“Is that her name? Why not? Based on what I heard already, she’s got something. Let’s see where it goes,” Ava says.
“I’ll call a couple producers in. Meet me in my office in five minutes.”
I can’t wait to tell Dani the good news, and I’m glad the suggestion came from Ava, even though I was planning the exact same thing. But now Dani won’t think I’m trying to buy her affection by helping her achieve her dream.
A couple hours later, I exit my office with Ava and two of our best producers. I immediately see Dani, sitting at Ella’s desk, her face breaking into a smile when she sees me. I can’t stop to talk to her though, no matter how much I want to. We ironed out a deal that I think will catapult Dani into the career she’s always wanted, but it isn’t quite done yet. We have to meet with Harlow. Her contract gives her the right to have some input over her opening acts, but the final decision will be mine. Still, it’s better to have her on board. Artists can be volatile creatures. I have to play things cool just a little longer. I don’t want to get Dani’s hopes up, only for Harlow to shoot them back down.
We go into a conference room and wait for Harlow to arrive. It doesn’t take her long. The girl might be a spoiled pop princess, but she knows better than to keep me waiting. With one word, I could end her entire career. She takes a seat across from Ava and me. The producers I’ve called into the meeting are guys she’s worked with before, and she gives us all a bright smile.
“Harlow, thanks for coming in on short notice. We want to talk to you about your tour,” Ava says. I decided to let her take the lead on this. I don’t want there to be any suggestion that I forced this idea on Ava out of love for Dani.
Love. I love Dani.
We’ve known each other for only a day, how can I love her so fast? My sudden revelation distracts me from the conversation at hand, and I only come back to the present when I hear Harlow speak with an edge to her tone I don’t like.
“Who is this girl? Dani somebody? Has she ever even performed before? I don’t want some nobody bringing down my fans before my show.”
I bristle at her words; Dani is far from a nobody, and she has more talent in her pinky finger than Harlow could ever dream of having. I open my mouth to put her in her place, but Ava jumps in before I can get the words out.
“Look, Harlow, I’m going to be blunt with you. There really isn’t a choice for you here. It’s happening. You haven’t put out anything new in months, and you’ve shot down everything we’ve given you. You’re going stale, and your fanbase is shrinking. People are forgetting about you. For this tour to be a success, it is going to need something new and exciting to draw in the crowds. Dani is that something. Play ball and play nice, or find another label.”
I’m shocked at Ava’s words, and I’m not the only one. Ava has a reputation for being the sweet, maternal type. It usually falls to me to put bratty artists in their place. I guess Ava has been more annoyed by Harlow’s attitude than I’d realized. I look back to Harlow, wondering if we are about to have a celebrity tantrum on our hands, or if she’s smart enough to change her attitude.
She’s quiet for several moments, then she says, “Alright, fine. I guess I don’t really have any choice anyway. When will I meet her?”
“Not for a while yet. I want to get her tracks laid down, and you still need to find something new to debut on tour. I’m giving you two weeks to pick something and make it happen,” I tell her. I don’t want her to meet Dani until I’ve had a chance to tell her the news and she’s had time to adjust.
We end the meeting with Harlow’s promises to get her act together. Ava softens the blows she landed by pulling Harlow aside for a quick hug and a few whispered words. I don’t know what she said, but Harlow’s shoulders relaxed, and she smiled at Ava before leaving.
“What was that about?” I ask Ava once we’re alone in the conference room. “I thought I’m bad cop, and you’re mom?”
“That,” Ava says with a smile, “is called tough love. Every mom knows when it’s needed.” She winks at me, then leaves the room.
I chuckle as I follow her out, turn the opposite way down the hall, and make a bee line for Dani. “Come with me,” I say, marching past her to my office. The idea I’d had this morning to keep my hands to myself at work has gone out the window, along with my restraint.
As soon as we’re in my office, I reach past her and slam the door shut, then back her up against it. Her hands press against my chest, and I feel her breath against my lips before I kiss her. It takes me several moments to realize that she isn’t kissing me back. In fact, she’s using her hands on my chest to try to push me back. I step away from her, and my concern turns to surprise when she slaps my cheek hard. My face stings as I look at her with confusion. Her eyes burn with anger, and her skin is flushed.
“What the hell?” I ask.