Page 46 of Stage Dive: Short Stories & Novellas
“Darling, eat the piece of carrot,” he said, turning his attention back to his son.“C’mon now, rabbits eat carrot.”
“Wabbit?”asked Gib from his high chair, interested suddenly.
I nodded.“And rabbits can hop like insanely well.They can jump so high!You want to be cool like a rabbit, don’t you?”
After a moment’s thought, the child opened his mouth.I wasted no time shovelling the carrot in.Success.
“That being said”—I continued with the adult portion of the conversation—“your wife is pretty damn evil too.”
“Damn,” mumbled Gib around a mouthful of now orange mush.
Ben and I both winced, then shrugged.He’d copied worse before.He’d copy worse again.Given he lived surrounded by rock stars half the time, it was amazing the small child didn’t already swagger and swear in five languages.
“I had nothing to do with her dragging you to David and Ev’s last night,” said Ben.“Though I hear it turned out all right.”
“Apparently in my thirties I am in fact capable of occasional small acts of maturity.Who could have guessed?”
“Good for you.”
“Meh.Whatever.”
He just smiled.
“How is getting down Adam’s tracks going?”
“Yeah, good.Kid’s got potential, I’m telling you.”
“I believe you.I’ve heard him, and I’m sure you’ll do a great job with the album.”
“Thanks.We’re not the only ones who think he’s going places, either,” he said.“He’s having a meeting out by the pool with Adrian right now.”
I blinked.“Wait.You left Adam alone with Adrian?”
Ben blinked back at me.“Why wouldn’t I?”
“Because Adam is an innocent young fool and Adrian will have him signing his life and rights away in two-point-zero seconds flat?”I dropped the spoon, wiping my hands on a cloth.“Holy crap, Ben.How could you?”
“Crap,” said Gib.
“Look after your son while I take care of the other child,” I ordered, rising to my feet and making for the nearest hallway.
“He’s twenty-five.He can look after himself.”
“Oh, as if.”
At which point, I broke out into a run.God only knows what Adrian would have already talked the kid into.Lifelong musical servitude and a commission that would make a grown man cry.Sure enough, Adrian had dressed for the kill in a gray suit with one of his dumbass ugly, heavy gold chains around his neck.They really didn’t work for him.
Adam was scratching his head, staring at the thick wad of paperwork laid on the table.“I just really want to play my music, you know?”
“Of course you do,” said Adrian, passing the boy a pen.
“Stop!”I yelled, pulling out one of the fancy chairs beside Adam.“Don’t you sign a damn thing, you idiot.”
“Martha.”Adrian’s friendly smile turned feral.“How nice to see you.Is there a problem?”
“Adam, eyes on me.”The time spent dealing with a toddler had not gone to waste at all.“The guys have their own lawyers go over anything Adrian presents them with and never accept his first offer when contract time rolls around.Do you understand me?”
The manager’s laugh sounded both forced and fake.“But that’s a different situation.Adam here is just starting out and quite honestly, he’s fortunate I’m even—”
