Impossible Depths (Silver Lake series Book 2)

by McCallum, Coral

  As the house came into view, the rain stopped as suddenly as it had begun. A watery sun tried to force its way through the hazy clouds at the tail of the storm and, as Jake sat down on the edge of the deck to remove his sodden, sand encrusted sneakers, he spotted a rainbow arching over the house. His mother had always told him that rainbows signified that all would work out just fine.

  Carrying his wet shoes and socks, Jake wandered through to the kitchen to fetch a drink of water. A glass sat waiting for him with a Post-it note stuck to it. “Run out to the food store. Lx”. Still smiling, he stood at the window, drinking the cool water, watching the rainbow fade away. Leaving the empty glass in the sink, he headed through the house to take a shower.

  As he stepped out of the shower, he heard the back door open and Lori calling hello to him. Pausing only to wrap a towel round his waist, he hurried through to see if she needed help with the groceries.

  “You need a hand, li’l lady?” he asked as he walked into the kitchen.

  Before Lori could reply, the door opened again and Todd and Kate entered carrying the rest of the brown paper grocery bags.

  “Hi, Jake,” called out Todd brightly, while Kate flushed scarlet at the sight of the semi-naked rock star.

  Trying to suppress a giggle, Lori explained, “I met these two at the store so I invited them for dinner.”

  “So I see,” acknowledged her fiancé, feeling his own colour rising. Holding on tight to the towel at his waist, he added, “I’d better go and get dressed.”

  As he retreated hastily down the hallway, he could hear the two girls giggling.

  When he returned to the kitchen a few minutes later, Lori and Kate were deep in conversation while Todd was sitting at the table, idly flicking through a guitar magazine.

  “How long until dinner?” Jake asked.

  “About an hour,” commented Lori as she switched on the oven.

  “Perfect,” he declared. “Todd, school’s in.”

  “I’ve not got my guitar,” began the young musician, closing the magazine.

  “Not a problem,” said Jake, heading towards the basement. “Plenty of toys down here.”

  While Jake switched on all the lights and selected two guitars to use for the lesson, Todd took a seat, rummaging in his pockets for a pick.

  “Have you kept up your practice?” asked Jake as he handed his protégé a black Gibson SG.

  “Yes, sir,” replied Todd with a grin. “Just ask Kate’s folks.”

  “Not out staying your welcome there?” Jake enquired as he settled himself on the stool with his latest acquisition.

  “A bit,” admitted Todd, before adding, “But I leave for school next week.”

  “Of course,” exclaimed Jake, suddenly realising the dates. “Have you got everything set up for that?”

  “Yes, sir. Lori’s been great. I got the keys to an apartment last weekend. Kate and I are driving over to see it tomorrow. I’ll move my gear in next week and classes start September 14th.”

  “And you’re still ok for this Friday?” checked Jake, conscious for the first time that he was losing his guitar tech.

  “Wouldn’t miss it.”

  “Glad to hear it,” sighed Jake as he tweaked the tuning on his guitar. “Well, if this is the last lesson for a while, let’s make it count.”

  Upstairs, Lori had put Kate to work setting the dining room table for dinner. The younger woman had finally stopped blushing after seeing Jake half-naked and both women had giggled about it at Jake’s expense. As she laid out the cutlery, Kate had commented that she and Todd were driving to Baltimore next day to check out Todd’s new apartment.

  “When do you leave for school?” Lori asked, passing her a large bowl of salad to take through to the table.

  “Next weekend. My parents are driving me,” she replied, a hint of sadness in her voice.

  “I never asked,” began Lori curiously. “What are you going to study?”

  “Humanities at Princeton,” Kate answered quietly.

  “Good school. You don’t sound too thrilled about it.”

  “I am,” gushed Kate. “But I don’t want to give up on the band. We’ve played a few shows. The studio slot at JJL was awesome. I hate seeing all of that coming to an end.”

  “I can understand that,” sympathised Lori, giving her a hug. “But with that voice of yours, you will soon find an outlet for it at Princeton.”

  “Maybe,” sighed Kate with a smile. “But it won’t be the same.”

  Much later, after a second thunderstorm had passed through, Jake and Lori lay side by side on the couch, half-watching TV. Their young dinner guests had left early, wanting to spend some time alone before heading back to Kate’s house. As she snuggled into Jake’s chest, Lori said, “You never told me how the band meeting went.”

  Twisting her long, blonde hair through his fingers, Jake sighed. “It was fine. Jason laid out the schedule. Laid down the law as usual. He’s hired a guy to help Maddy with the tour.”

  “Who?” asked Lori, sensing that Jake wasn’t thrilled by this fact.

  “An old guy called Jethro Steele.”

  “Jethro?” echoed Lori loudly. “I haven’t seen that old devil in a long time! You’ll be fine with him. Maddy adores Jethro.”

  “I got that impression,” agreed Jake softly. “It just felt wrong.”

  “Is he coming on Friday?”

  “Yes, as far as I know.”

  “Give him a fair chance, rock star,” she advised warmly. “He’s no Gary. No one can replace Gary but I think you’ll like Jethro’s style when you get to know him.”

  “I know you’re right,” Jake acknowledged. “He seems like a nice guy. He stood up for us against Jason earlier. Told him straight that the schedule was overloaded. Jason backed right off. I’ve not seen that happen before.”

  “Speaking of schedules,” began Lori, changing the subject. “I’ve been thinking.”

  “Should I be worried?” teased Jake, tickling her gently.

  “Maybe,” she giggled, swiping at his hand. “When do you guys get back from Europe?”

  “Last show’s December 18th. Why?”

  “I was wanting to arrange something for before Christmas.”

  “What?” asked Jake, his curiosity aroused.

  “Our wedding,” she answered. “I thought we could get married in New York on December 22nd.”

  “But that’s….” he began as she put a finger to his lips to shush him

  “What better way to put it behind me once and for all? It’s a date I’ll never forget but I’d rather remember it for all the right reasons, not the wrong ones.”

  “December 22nd? You’re sure?”

  “Positive,” stated Lori before kissing him tenderly.

  “Sounds perfect to me, li’l lady,” he agreed, kissing her back.

  “I don’t want a huge affair though. Let’s keep it small. Simple,” she said between kisses. “I thought we could have the ceremony at my apartment.”

  “Are you sure? We could book out a hotel or a restaurant?”

  “I’ve given this a lot of thought, Jake,” she whispered. “A small private wedding will be perfect.”

  “Mmm, intimate,” he teased as he kissed her again. “I like the sound of that.”

  “Jake!” she squealed. “You’re incorrigible!”

  “Can I tell folk we’ve set a date?” he asked hopefully.

  “Not yet. Let’s get it all booked first,” Lori suggested. “I’ll make a few calls tomorrow. If I can get the basic bookings made, we can tell everyone after the show on Friday.”

  “I guess I can keep quiet till then,” conceded Jake with a contented sigh.

  ♫

  Atlantic City was busy, built up, noisy and hot. Despite numerous visits in the past, Lori had never been a fan of the town, preferring quieter, more family orientated resorts. As Jake navigated through town, she cringed inwardly. The band had been booked into the Showboat Hotel and had arranged to meet up
at an artisan sandwich bar in the complex for lunch. Having checked in and left their bags in their room, Jake took Lori’s hand and they went in search of the rest of the Silver Lake party.

  Walking into the sandwich bar, a little after two, Jake spotted Grey at a corner table with Becky and his mother, Annie.

  “Ah, the late Mr Power,” joked the bass player as they approached the table.

  “Afternoon, all,” greeted Jake, flashing a smile at Becky. “And I’m not late. We never agreed a time.”

  “No fine this time, then,” laughed Grey. “The others just left. Rich and Linsey have gone for a walk. Paul and Maddy went upstairs to let the twins take a nap.”

  “When’s our first interview?” asked Jake as he pulled over a chair.

  “Maddy said to meet in the bar at three,” Grey replied. “Think we’re back to back from then until seven.”

  “Oh joy!” Jake sighed, rolling his eyes and making Becky giggle. “Guess we’d better grab some lunch.”

  Once their meal was over, Annie announced that she was taking Becky for a walk along the boardwalk.

  “Do you mind if I join you?” asked Lori. “I could do with stretching my legs.”

  “Please come, Lori!” squealed Becky excitedly. “Grammy said she’d buy me ice cream.”

  “You’re more than welcome to join us, dear,” added Annie. “You can help me keep this young lady entertained.”

  “And keep my mom out of the casinos,” teased Grey with a wink towards his mother.

  “I’ll do my best,” laughed Lori as she got to her feet. “Where will we meet you guys?”

  “Back at our room is probably easiest,” suggested Jake, checking the time. “We can all go to dinner together.”

  “Ok. We’ll see you upstairs at seven.”

  “If there’s any change of plan, I’ll call you,” promised Jake. “Have fun out there, ladies.”

  Compared to the familiar boardwalk in Rehoboth, the boardwalk in Atlantic City felt like the strip in Las Vegas. Holding on tight to Becky’s hand, Annie led them confidently away from the hotel towards one of the shopping malls. The warm September sun beat down on them as they walked.

  “I’m not going too fast for you, am I, my dear?” asked Grey’s mother after a couple of hundred yards.

  “A little,” admitted Lori, feeling a little embarrassed. “I’m stiff after the car journey.”

  “Sorry,” apologised the older woman. “I’m so used to charging along at full speed.”

  “It’s fine,” assured Lori, relieved that their pace had eased. “Are you looking forward to the show?”

  “Do you know, I am,” laughed Annie. “I’ve never really seen the boys play before. Grey’s arranged seats for us so Becky can see it all properly.”

  “I think the band have blocked out a few balcony seats for guests,” said Lori. “I’m sure that’s where Jake suggested I watch from. I’ve never been in the audience before either. Side of the stage is as close as I usually get.”

  “Will you sit beside me?” asked Becky, dancing in front of Lori.

  “If I can,” promised Lori taking the little girl’s hand.

  Back at the hotel, Grey and Jake had met up with their fellow band members in one of the hotel’s bars. Ever efficient, Maddy had printed off interview schedules for them. Their first slot was in the bar with the local newspaper’s journalist. It was only a half hour slot, then they were scheduled to do a second half hour slot for a local TV station in the concert venue next door. At five o’clock they had a live radio phone-in interview before they ended their official duties with a British journalist who had arranged to meet them in one of the hotel’s cocktail bars.

  By the time Maddy guided Silver Lake into the cocktail bar for the final session, they were all flagging. It had been an intense afternoon for all of them, especially Rich and Jake. Questions had been varied, bordering on the bizarre and the thought of facing a further barrage wasn’t inspiring any of them.

  “Take a seat over there,” instructed Maddy, pointing to an empty table. “I’ll get us all a drink. You’ve earned it.”

  “Just water for me, Maddison,” called Jake as they took their seats round the table.

  “Look who I found propping up the bar,” called Maddy as she returned with the tray of drinks.

  Jethro was following behind her, carrying a cup of coffee.

  “Afternoon, boys,” he said with a smile. “Mind if I join you?”

  “Be our guest,” welcomed Jake, flashing him one of his “Power” smiles. “When did you get here?”

  “A couple of hours ago,” replied the silver haired man, stirring his coffee. “Hate the place. Too much razzmatazz!”

  “It’s a bit full on,” conceded Rich, accepting his bottle of beer from Maddy.

  Before they could continue their conversation, Maddy spotted the journalist that they were due to meet. It was Debbie, the same person who had interviewed Jake after the crash. When she spotted Silver Lake, she waved and gesticulated that she was going to the bar first. A few minutes later, she dashed over to join them, almost spilling her soda in her haste.

  “Sorry to keep you guys waiting,” she apologised. “I over ran with my previous interview, then got lost trying to find this place.”

  “Not a problem, honey,” replied Maddy warmly. “This is their last stop for the day.”

  “Oh, I wish it was mine!” sighed the journalist. “I’ve to dash back to New York after this to do another interview, then I’m on the first flight to LA in the morning.”

  “Well, we’ll leave you to it,” said Maddy. “Boys, be good. Jethro, can I speak to you for a few minutes?”

  With their management team discretely seated a couple of tables away, Silver Lake sat back to answer the journalist’s questions. As anticipated, Debbie asked a fairly standard array of questions and the band did their best to make their answers sound fresh and enthusiastic.

  “Thanks,” she said after about half an hour. “Now, if you don’t mind, I have a few extra easy ones for you. The magazine I write for back in England does a spotlight on artists and their favourite things. We’d like to feature Silver Lake in that slot when your tour hits the UK.”

  “Ok, young lady, do your worst,” yawned Grey, feigning boredom.

  “I’ll be gentle,” giggled Debbie, fishing in her bag for the list of questions. Spreading the sheet out in front of her, and with a glance round the table at each of them, she began with, “Favourite pastime or hobby?”

  “Fishing,” said Paul with little hesitation.

  “Messing about with old engines,” Grey added. “I love tinkering with old cars and trucks.”

  “Rich?” prompted Debbie.

  “Probably playing my guitar,” he confessed.

  “Jake?”

  “Going for a long run along the beach,” answered Jake before challenging, “And yours?”

  “Interviewing rock gods,” laughed Debbie, jotting down their answers. “Next, favourite book?”

  “Lord of the Rings,” replied Jake instantly.

  “Same here,” echoed Grey.

  “I’m not much of a reader,” admitted Paul sheepishly. “I like DC and Marvel comic books. Love Batman. Shit like that.”

  “Philistine!” joked Jake playfully. “What about you Rich?”

  “To Kill A Mockingbird,” replied the guitarist.

  “Oh, I love that book!” Debbie exclaimed enthusiastically. “Favourite colour?”

  “Colour?” quizzed Paul scornfully, raising his eyebrows at the young English woman. “Black, I guess.”

  “Blue,” added Jake, visualising Lori’s eyes.

  “Black,” revealed Grey bluntly.

  “Oh, I’ll say red, just to be different,” laughed Rich. “Is it favourite food next?”

  “Almost,” giggled Debbie. “It’s least favourite food.”

  “Pizza,” declared Jake emphatically.

  “Lamb,” said Grey, wrinkling up his nose. “Hate the sme
ll.”

  “Olives,” answered Rich.

  “Zucchini,” finished up Paul.

  “Ok, one last one,” began Debbie, trying not to giggle. “How old were you when you lost your virginity?”

  “What?” Grey roared with laughter. “You can’t ask us that!”

  “I just did,” challenged Debbie with a coy smile.

  “About nineteen,” confessed Rich, blushing at the memory.

  “Who says I’ve lost mine?” teased Jake with a wink.

  “Mr Power,” growled Grey. “Confess.”

  “Senior year in high school. Guess I was about eighteen.”

  “Yeah, Same,” added Paul quickly, trying not to embarrass himself.

  “I was seventeen,” boasted Grey. “And she was twenty-three.”

  “Thanks, guys. You’ve been great sports,” said Debbie, putting her things back into her bag. “I hope the show goes well tomorrow night. I’ll try to get you booked into my radio show when you come over to London. Maybe you could play a couple of numbers for me too?”

  “Set it up with Maddison or Jethro,” suggested Rich, shaking her hand. “I’m sure they’ll work something out.”

  With their press commitments met for the day, the band breathed a collective sigh of relief and ordered another round of drinks. As Jake brought the tray back from the bar, Maddy and Jethro came back to join them.

  “What’s the plan, boss?” Jake asked, passing out the glasses.

  “Dinner’s booked for eight thirty,” replied Maddy, checking the time. “Scarduzio’s.”

  “Count me out,” declared Grey, downing his beer. “I’ve a date with my princess. I’m eating with Becky and my mom.”

  “We might be a few minutes late,” confessed Maddy. “I want to get the twins settled before we come down to dinner.”

  “Who’s watching them?” asked Jake, sipping his glass of iced water.

  “My sister,” Paul replied. “She’s got the room that connects to ours.”

  “Twins?” queried Jethro looking quizzically at Maddy. “You?”