by J. L. Paul
Out of the Shadow
by JL Paul
Copyright © 2011 JL Paul
Chapter One
Ally Jones ran the back of her wrist over her forehead in weary fashion as she shoved the glass doors open and trudged through the pleasant waiting room to the rather tall receptionist’s desk. She smiled at Alicia, the receptionist, and waited as she finished her phone call. She leaned against the wall, willing herself to stay upright – she could collapse in bed later.
“Good afternoon, Ally,” Alicia greeted with a warm smile. “How’s softball camp?”
“Ugh,” Ally muttered as she pushed her body off the wall. “It was brutal today. Very brutal.”
“Your dad is sure excited about the tournament,” Alicia said. “That’s all he’s been talking about all week. He’s got everyone here talking about it, too.”
Ally rolled her eyes in mock irritation as she pointed at the thick door separating the waiting area from the rest of Redden Records L.A. “Speaking of my father, can I go back and find him?”
“Oh, sure,” Alicia said as she pushed a button under her desk, unlocking the door. “He’s in either Conference Room One or Two. They keep changing these things on me.”
“Thanks,” Ally said as she slipped through the door and into the brightly lit corridor that ran straight through the middle of the building.
The first floor was the boring floor – that’s what Ally called it. Nothing but conference rooms and employee break areas. The third floor was where all the offices were tucked – with wide windows gazing out at the L.A. traffic.
The second floor was truly Ally’s favorite for that was where all the magic happened. Old, favorite bands as well as up and coming bands filled the halls and the studios, comparing notes and sounds, complaining about tracks, or sweating over new contracts. It was constantly buzzing with a hum of electricity and Ally sometimes lost herself in it while waiting for her father.
But today she was stuck on the first floor – the boring floor. It suited her mood just fine she decided as she meandered down the corridor toward the smaller conference rooms. When she stopped at Conference Room One, she paused, wondering if she should knock or just push the door open and poke her head inside. What if it wasn’t her father but some new band getting ready to sign a contract? How embarrassing!
“This is so stupid,” she whispered as she contemplated the door. “I’m not going in there.”
She decided to hit the break room and wait for her father there rather than chance interrupting a meeting. She turned away and nearly smacked into the chest of Rhys Redden, founder of Redden Records and one of her father’s closest friends.
“Ally!” he greeted, pulling her into a brief hug. “What are you doing out here? You can go on in.”
She lifted a listless shoulder, heat creeping up her neck. “I wasn’t sure where Dad was and I didn’t want to barge in on anyone.”
Rhys opened Room One’s door and motioned for her to enter. She did and found four men seated around a rectangular table, papers sprawled all over the surface.
“Hey, princess,” Jay Jones greeted, glancing at his watch. “Is it that time already?”
She nodded as Rhys Redden brushed past her to hand NateCrawford, Jay’s best friend and band mate, a file. Natewinked at her, causing her lips to split into a grin. She adored Natethe most out of all her father’s friends and not just because he was Cole’s father.
“All set for the big tournament coming up?” Chris Matthews asked. He rose out the chair next to Nateand raised a brow as Nateand Jay gathered paperwork to cram into their briefcases.
“I think so,” Ally said, noticing for the first time the quiet, dark-haired young man who had been sitting next to her father. “My team is pretty good this year.”
“Rhys said he’d hit you up for some tickets,” Chris continued. Chris was Rhys’s band mate and partner in the record company. Ally had known both men her entire life even though she lived halfway across the country.
“I’ll see what I can do,” Ally said, her brow furrowing as she tried to place the young man. She was certain she’d met him before – maybe a long time ago – but his features were familiar. His dark blue eyes and slow smile were especially familiar.
“Ally, you remember my son, Robby, don’t you?” Rhys said as he draped an arm over her shoulders and pointed at the young man.
Ally winced and smacked her forehead as her cheeks tinted. “That’s who you are! Sorry.”
“Quite all right,” Robby Redden said with a dimpled smile. “It’s been awhile since we last met – a long while.”
“Rhys, give me a call tomorrow,” Jay said as he walked around the table and took Ally by the arm. “I’ll have Chicago send you those figures and we’ll go over them.”
“No problem,” Rhys said as Jay led Ally out of the room. “See you later, Ally.”
“I’m glad you’re done with your meeting,” Ally said as she tucked a hand in both Jay’s and Nate’s arms. “Now you boys can take me to lunch.”
***
“So, what’s got you all down in the dumps, princess?” Jay asked as soon as the waitress sorted their orders.
Ally lifted her head in time to catch her father exchange an amused smirk with Nate. She stifled an irritated sigh and jabbed her straw at the ice cubes floating in her glass of iced tea. “Nothing. I’m just tired.”
“Um hm,” Nate said, piling ketchup and mustard on his cheeseburger. “And this foul mood wouldn’t have anything to do with the fact that Out of Control has been on the road for what…six weeks?”
Finally releasing a pent-up sigh, Ally plopped back into her chair. She blew at the tiny strands of hair hanging in her face. “Okay, so maybe a little.” She glared at both men as they grinned knowingly at her. “It’s not just Cole, you know. I haven’t seen Jamie or RJ for a long time, either. The last time the four of us were together was the graduation party Mom and Aunt Gretchen threw for me and Jamie.”
“It’s tough, I’m sure,” Nate commiserated. “But the boys have to get out there if they want to make a name for themselves. They’re opening up for some good bands and playing some great clubs – it’s just the exposure they need.”
“I know,” she mumbled.
“They’ll be in the L.A. area soon,” Jay said, frowning at Nate. “When are they scheduled to play?”
Ally managed a giggle. “Daddy, if you’d only use that electronic scheduler Alec and I gave you for Christmas last year, you wouldn’t constantly have to ask Nate these things.”
Nate laughed as he fiddled with his handheld scheduler. “Then he wouldn’t be able to call your mother and bug her so much.”
“Sure, whatever,” Jay grunted as he folded his arms over his chest, a glint in his blue eyes. “Pick on the old guy.”
“Nate’s older than you, Daddy,” Ally pointed out, earning a glare from Nate. “But not by much.”
Nate winked at her then turned his attention toward the palm-sized screen. “The boys will be playing in L.A. next Friday and Saturday night.” A deep groove appeared in his forehead as he looked up at Jay. “And we have to meet with Rhys and that St. Louis band Friday night. Looks like we’ll miss that show.”
“That’s our first game,” Ally said as she twisted her fork morosely in her pasta. She heaved another sigh as she shoved the fork in her mouth. She chewed thoughtfully. “What time do they go on?”
“It says here they go on at 8:45 local time and they’re scheduled for a two hour set,” Nate said. “What time is your game?”
She slumped again, dropping her fork. “Early and curfew is ten. Great, I’ll miss that show.”
“They play again Saturday night,” Jay offered, nudging her plate toward her. “You can see them t
hen. Now eat – you need your strength.”
Nate continued to fiddle with his scheduler, moving the stylus over the screen. “Here’s your schedule,” he announced as he shot Jay a smug grin. “You play early Saturday. I’m sure the boys will make it to the game.”
“That’s right,” she said, perking a bit. “It would nice, though, if James could be here, too. I don’t just miss Cole. I miss them all.”
“Jamie will be here, you know that,” Jay soothed. “His football camp ends this week and he has a short break before he starts practice for the season.”
“The four of you will be reunited once again,” Nate said, frowning slightly. “God help us all.”
Ally summoned a giggle that didn’t quite reach her eyes. She picked up her fork and pushed it through her food, her ravenous hunger gone for the moment. “I know.”
“Princess,” Jay said softly, leaning over the table. “I know it’s hard right now but that’s just part of growing up. The four of you have been together so long that it feels funny now that you’re suddenly finding yourselves in different places. But now is the time for you guys to find yourselves – your individual selves – and figure out where you fit into this world. It doesn’t mean you won’t be friends or that you won’t be as close as you once were. It just means you each need to figure out what you want in life outside of your friendship.”
“Yes, you’re right,” she grumbled, her heart falling to her feet. He was right and she knew it – hated to admit it. She just missed her friends terribly. She’d made a few acquaintances on her softball team and that was fine. She did enjoy their company and it was nice to hang out with a bunch of females for once. But the part of her heart that her friends occupied ached fiercely as if a huge hole had been torn inside it. None of her new acquaintances had come close to filling that gap, either. Not in the least.
“Finish up,” Jay urged. “I’m sure your mother would like to see you before you have to report back to camp for dinner.”
***
Cole Crawford did his best to relax on the back bunk but the hum of the tires rolling over the highway managed to keep him from slumber. The bus was huge and luxurious with most of the amenities of your average American home. The sheets were crisp and smelled of a spring day; the refrigerator was stocked with a variety of foods and drinks; the television had a satellite hookup. But, it was still a bus and it was still a long ways from home.
He dug a cell phone out of his pocket and fiddled with the buttons, scrolling absently through his contacts, not really looking for any one in particular. What he really wanted was to call Ally and reconnect with that aspect of his life but he was fairly certain she was practicing for her upcoming softball tournament.
Through the thin, accordion-style door, he could hear RJ Shaw speaking softly to his younger brother, Ren, explaining Geometry proofs from the sound of it. Poor Ren had to continue with his studies for one more year and earn a GED before he could toss the books aside and focus only on music. Had he remained in school instead of leaving to record and tour with the band, he would have been a senior. Cole had conversed at great length with RJ and Parker Milten, the other two band members, on how they should handle things if Ren would have wanted to remain in school and they’d all agreed that they’d wait for him – do whatever they could locally until Ren graduated. But Ren had opted to go the tutor route, afraid he’d hold the band back.
“I hate this stuff,” Ren complained. “I was never good in math in the first place – why do you think I’m just now doing Geometry?”
Cole grinned as RJ, who had endless patience when it came to his siblings, explained things in a soft voice. Ren definitely preferred RJ’s homework help over that of his tutor – a bullish woman of about sixty with straw-like gray hair and a quick temper.
The door opened, shedding bright light on the dim room, and Cole winced.
“Oh, hey, Cole, sorry,” Parker Milten gushed. “I didn’t know you were back here.”
“No problem, man,” Cole said flipping to his side. He propped his head with his hand as Parker fumbled around on the top bunk across from Cole’s. “Did you lose something?”
“Yeah, I can’t find my cell,” Parker grumbled. “I’m supposed to call Deidre and I’m late. She’ll have a fit.” He lifted his pillow and laughed. “Here it is.”
“Is Deidre flying out to any of the shows?” Cole asked.
“Nah, not until we get closer to home,” Parker frowned as he hopped onto the bunk, his legs hanging off the side. “It sucks more than I thought it would but we all decided this was the best way.”
Cole nodded, not offering a commentary. They’d met, as a band, and discussed the possibility of girlfriends, friends, or family traveling with them but decided to do the short tour on their own. It was the first time they were playing for a larger audience instead of the smaller gigs they’d done and they just wanted to tour without the distractions. Cole’s father, Nate, and RJ and Ren’s father, Richie, had belonged to the popular band Tight Control and now that the boys had signed a contract, they were desperate to crawl out from their fathers’ shadows. They wanted to be known for their music and their sound, not because of their family members. It was proving tough.
Now, though, Cole was rethinking their decision to travel alone. Although all four of them got along fine, Cole missed Jamie and especially Ally. It was beginning to be more of a distraction touring without them than if they would have come along for the ride. Of course, they had their own things to do, too.
“When does Ally’s softball tournament start?” Parker asked.
“This weekend,” Cole said, his heart twisting. He hoped, since they’d be in the L.A. area, that they could catch a game or two. “I don’t know if we’ll make any of it, but I’m going to try like hell.”
“Yeah, but she’s cool about it if you can’t make it,” Parker said, a line appearing in his forehead. “She understands.”
Cole sat up and imitated Parker’s position, dropping his own long legs over the side of his bunk. “Dude, something wrong between you and Deidre?”
“Nah,” Parker said, lifting a shoulder. “She just gets all upset that she can’t come to every show. She was a little bent out of shape when I told her we wanted to do this first tour alone. I think she thought we’d be partying and hooking up with girls and stuff.”
Cole laughed ruefully, knowing that was the farthest thing from the truth. They traveled constantly, and that was enough to wear someone out, but the shows were often late and by the time they finished and schmoozed a little bit, they were all so exhausted that they hit their beds as soon as they could. Alone. They’d had to meet so many people who Rhys Redden deemed important for their careers that meeting girls was the last thing any of them had wanted. And as far as the partying went, none of them had been big partiers to begin with and the allure just wasn’t there - especially after fifteen hour days.
“She’s probably just missing you, man,” Cole said with a touch of embarrassment. “Things will be fine once we get home.”
“I know,” Parker said, grinning spreading across his face. He slipped off the bunk. “I’m going to go call her and let you sleep.”
“Sure,” Cole said as he considered his own cell phone. A wave of loneliness hit him hard as thoughts of Ally floated through his mind.
After that rough, first year together, things had progressed nicely between them. He, along with RJ, had graduated high school and jumped full-time into the music business. She had left briefly that summer to attend her beloved softball camp in preparation for the huge tournament that was held every four years, sort of like the Olympics.
Her senior year had been a bit difficult as they were only able to see each other on the weekends and some of those weekends had found Cole in L.A. with the rest of the band, working on the CD which they’d released in the early spring.
