Under the Spotlight

by Angie Stanton

  “He calls every few months to catch up.”

  Garrett’s eyes bugged out. He shook his head. “Geez, you’re well connected for a nobody.”

  “Excuse me?” Riley and Ginny said at the same time.

  “You know what I mean. You’re not exactly on anyone’s radar.”

  Riley wanted to sink into the floor or maybe toss Garrett off the balcony. It was one thing for her to want to stay unknown, but the way he said it hurt. She really did know Jason. Why was that so hard to believe? He even gave her tickets to his concert in Chicago a couple years ago. She had brought Erika and they got to visit him backstage. Her mom had been so mad that Riley hadn’t taken her.

  “Garrett, I see you’re still as charming as ever. Didn’t you mean to say that Riley’s not on anybody’s radar yet?” Ginny drilled him with a stare.

  “You know what I mean.” He shifted his feet.

  Riley had never seen anyone stand up to Garrett before. It was a nice development.

  “Garrett, how about you run out and do something while Riley and I work.”

  “No. I’m fine staying here. That way I can add my input.”

  Ginny stared him down.

  “You’re serious? You want me to leave?”

  “That’s right.”

  “Unbelievable.” He huffed, then gathered his papers and laptop, muttering, “Kicked out of my own place.”

  “Don’t worry, we’ll give you a little listen when we’re done.” Ginny winked at Riley.

  As soon as Garrett closed the door behind him, Ginny said, “Much better. Let’s enjoy a little bit of this beautiful day.” She headed for the balcony. Riley followed. “Now that we’ve got the place to ourselves, tell me about yourself.”

  “Well. There’s not that much to tell. I’m pretty boring.”

  “Don’t be so modest. Everyone’s got a story.” Ginny sat on one of the cushioned deck chairs, and indicated the other for Riley. “Jason speaks very highly of you. You’ve landed a job at Sound Sync Studio working with Barry Goldwin, and now you’re recording a record with Garrett Jamieson as your producer. How does that work?”

  “Luck, I guess. I met Jason when I was on Chart Toppers a long time ago.”

  “That must have been exciting.”

  “It was at first. Jason was one of the best parts. I couldn’t believe it when he first called me after the show was over. Maybe he thought I was going to slit my wrists or something.”

  “Was your experience that bad?”

  Riley nodded. “It was humiliating. I stopped singing after that. I guess I don’t take criticism very well.”

  “That’s terrible. Who was your mentor on the show?”

  “Desiree Diamond.”

  “Ah. That explains a lot. Desiree is a very insecure woman who builds herself up by putting others down. She was a terrible judge on the show. They replaced her after only one season.”

  Riley had never considered there might be more to the criticism than was warranted.

  “I know it’s a gorgeous day, but I think we better get to work. If Garrett gets back and we’re still out here sunning ourselves, then we’ll be in big trouble.”

  Riley followed Ginny into the apartment, her nerves jumpy that she wouldn’t live up to this woman’s expectations.

  Ginny sat behind the piano and ran Riley through some vocal warm-ups. “Very good. Garrett gave me several songs for us to work on today. Now let’s run through the first one and see where we’re at.”

  Riley squeezed and flexed her hands, trying to throw off her jitters. She sang through the song that she now knew by heart.

  “Very nice,” Ginny said, seeming impressed. “I can see why Garrett raved so much about you.”

  Riley wrinkled her nose.

  Ginny laughed. “You don’t believe me?”

  “Garrett’s not much into handing out praise.”

  “No, I suppose he’s not. Guys can be pretty dense when it comes to things like that. Be sure you guard your heart. He’s quite the ladies’ man, and I would hate for you to get hurt.”

  “Trust me. It’s not like that. We can barely stand each other.”

  “Ha! That’s what they all say.”

  How many girls were there? Well, she didn’t plan to be one of them, except that Riley knew a part of her was falling for him. She shook off her thoughts and got back to business. “So can you teach me to sing better?”

  “You already have an amazing voice. I’m here to help you give each song all the nuances it needs. Where to play with the melody, or pull back. And how to put your heart and soul into each song, so that your audience believes every word you sing. Lots of people sing well, but only artists with star quality make it.”

  “And you think I have that?”

  “I do.” She smiled and Riley smiled nervously back. What if Ginny was right and she did have what it takes? Did she want that anymore?

  They worked for over two hours. For one song, Ginny raised the key so that Riley struggled to hit the high notes.

  “The lower key was too easy for you. If you work for it, it sounds more impassioned, and listeners will appreciate the emotion you’re giving them.”

  In other spots, Ginny shortened notes, or elongated them, adding dimension and depth.

  “Use your gift to take people on a ride. Each song is a story, and your job is to pull them in. There’s a natural rasp to your voice. It’s incredible and carries such honesty in your tone. Not many people have that. Who taught you voice before this?”

  “No one. I mean, I had choir in middle school, but then I quit in high school.”

  Ginny shook her head. “I wish I was you. I worked my tail off my whole life, and while I can do some impressive things with my voice, I have to work extra hard. My voice will never have the distinctive sound and character of yours. Now I understand Desiree’s behavior. She was afraid of you, and for good reason.”

  Riley laughed. Desiree Diamond afraid of her? Impossible to imagine. She didn’t know if what Ginny told her was a bunch of hooey, but it warmed her insides and gave her a new confidence.

  Over the past five years Riley had been afraid to sing in front of people because she wasn’t good enough, but now she realized that wasn’t the case. She might actually be able to do this.

  Garrett returned a few hours later. “So how’d it go?” he asked right away, pretending to be casual. Riley held back her grin over his frustration at being left out.

  “I think Riley is amazingly talented and should dump you to find better representation.”

  “Ha! Not going to happen, she’s under contract.”

  “In that case, I think if you both do things right, and can find a way to get air play in this saturated market, she has a real chance.”

  “That’s what I was hoping.”

  “Riley, should we give him a little sample?”

  “Sure.”

  Ginny played the intro. Riley took a deep breath, focused on the things Ginny had taught her, and pretended no one else was in the room. She’d forgotten how much she loved to sing, to lose herself in a song and become someone else entirely.

  “Damn,” Garrett said with an astonished look on his face. “Why weren’t we recording that?”

  Ginny smiled proudly.

  Riley’s heart swelled. “That was fun!”

  “She’s ready to record the first two. Let me know when you want to work on some of the others.”

  The door opened and Brad walked in with a huge duffle bag on wheels and his guitar case.

  “Looks like a party going on.” He greeted everyone with a smile.

  “Hi,” Riley said, glad they’d finished. An audience of two had been plenty.

  “Hey man, hope you don’t mind I had Riley and Ginny over to work for a bit.”

  “The more the merrier. How you doing, Ginny?”

  “Good to see you, Brad. I wish I could stay and catch up, but I’m already late to a meeting.” She gathered her things and left.


  “Gee, was it something I said?” Brad joked.

  “I think we went a little long today. You just missed Riley practicing a couple songs we’re going to record,” Garrett explained.

  “Congratulations,” Brad said. “I heard you were recording with Garrett. If someone with the name Jamieson has anything to do with your album, it’s bound to be a hit.”

  “We’ll see. I should get going, too.” Riley felt awkward being left alone with the two superstars.

  “Now I am definitely getting a complex. I did shower today.”

  Riley laughed. “I need to do some things at work. Nice to see you.”

  “You too,” he said.

  “I’ll call you tomorrow,” Garrett said.

  “Okay.” She made her way to the door, but before she was out, she overheard Brad. “Hey Jamieson, you want to hit the town tonight? There’s a new club open, and I bet it’ll be filled with hot girls.”

  “Sounds perfect. Exactly what I need right now.”

  The door closed and Riley stood alone in the curved hallway. Garrett was going out to pick up girls. Paired with Brad, that ought to be quite the scene. She wasn’t even old enough to step foot in a bar. At least not legally.

  She hit the elevator button and imagined what kind of girl he’d end up with.

  38

  Garrett’s phone buzzed like an annoying gnat in his ear. Streaks of early-morning light streamed into the room through the edges of the window shades. He fumbled for the phone on the unfamiliar nightstand. Opening one eye, he silenced the irritant, but not before noticing the caller was his dad. He groaned.

  Rolling over, he saw the form of his sleeping bedmate, a leggy brunette with an annoying giggle. Why had he gone home with her? He wasn’t even all that attracted to her.

  He eased out of bed, careful not to tug on the sheets, collected his clothes, and snuck out into the living room to dress. He heard movement in the bathroom, but dashed out the door before having to make any awkward morning-after small talk.

  Outside of the apartment building the morning was crisp and bright. He wished for his sunglasses as he headed toward a stoplight a few blocks east. Garrett wasn’t actually sure where he was, but a cab would deliver him home.

  He returned his dad’s call as he walked. “Hi. What’s up?”

  “Did I wake you?”

  Garrett ran a hand over his face. “Yeah. It’s only eight o’clock here.”

  “So it is. I always forget that you boys sleep in now that you’re not on tour.”

  “It’s a perk I enjoy since I don’t have to worry about early-morning radio interviews.”

  “I’m glad you’re finding the silver lining.”

  “Remember that girl I was telling you about, Riley Parks?” He smiled as he pictured her. “Yesterday I had her work with Ginny.”

  “Smart move to bring Ginny in.”

  “Afterward, Riley sang through the songs I’ve picked, and she sounds amazing.”

  “I’m glad to hear it. I know you’ll do well producing.”

  “Thanks. I’m giving it my all.” Garrett spotted a Starbucks at the corner and swung in. He nodded to the barista, covered his phone with his hand, and said, “A two-shot espresso on ice.”

  He returned to his dad. “We start laying down vocals in a couple of days. I’ll send you the tracks as soon as they’re ready.”

  “I’d love to hear them. By the way, your mother and I are finally taking that trip to Tuscany that I’ve always promised her.”

  Garrett paid the cashier and dropped a buck in the tip jar. “Good job, Dad. Nice sucking up now that the kids are gone.”

  “I’m actually looking forward to it. When we were in Milan during the last tour, we spent more time at the hotel and concert venue than we did seeing the city.”

  “Honestly, I don’t even remember. All those concerts blended together.”

  “It’s been nice to stay put for a while.”

  “When are you going?”

  “In a little over a week. We’ll be in Paris for our twenty-fifth anniversary. Your mother is over the moon.”

  “Nice.” He picked up his iced coffee and took a sip.

  “But that’s not actually why I was calling. I’m glad that producing is working out. But don’t let a few good things let your guard down.”

  “What do you mean?” Garrett turned right at the corner and hailed a cab.

  “You need to get serious and stay serious—no more silly stunts or poor choices. Understand?”

  He looked back in the direction of the apartment he’d just escaped from and realized he knew nothing about that girl.

  “I do,” Garrett said, and climbed into the cab.

  39

  Riley waited inside the small vocal recording booth with its spongy, padded walls. She rubbed her sweaty hands on her jeans.

  The instrumental tracks for her first song had been recorded. She’d been present for most of it, and knew every nuance of the song, yet she still didn’t feel ready. Her stomach tightened.

  One saving grace was the closet-sized booth. Sound-absorbing foam tiles provided some needed security, but also reminded her she was literally in a padded room with a single window. All she needed now was a straitjacket and a lock on the door to be officially committed for this insane situation.

  “Let’s get this party started.” Garrett’s excited voice sounded over the talk-back. His body practically bounced from all the coffee she’d watched him down. Seeing him in the producer’s seat unnerved her. He had so much power over her.

  A freelance engineer, Darren, occupied the middle seat, and Logan served as assistant engineer. Riley had demanded Garrett give Logan a chance at the control board. Behind them stood Tim, her runner, as well as Tara, Nick, and a couple of sound guys who’d showed up uninvited to hear her sing.

  “Check, check, check,” she said, testing the mic, but heard nothing through her headphones. “Is the mic on?”

  “Logan, would you please connect sound to Riley’s headphones so she can hear herself,” Garrett said.

  “Oops, sorry about that.” Logan quickly fixed the issue.

  Riley bit back her smile at his rookie mistake.

  Now that she could hear herself, she tried again. “Check, check, check. One, two, three.” The sound of her own voice unnerved her more.

  “Sounds good.” Garrett’s voice sounded strong and steady. “Logan, cue up the track and let’s give this a shot.”

  She wiped her hands on her pants again, praying she wouldn’t miss her entrance or crack on the high notes in front of everyone.

  Riley avoided looking at the room packed with people and focused instead on the nubs of the acoustical foam walls.

  The intro started.

  Her heart raced.

  She missed her cue.

  “Shoot. I’m sorry.” Everyone in the control room shared a laugh. Her face flamed with embarrassment.

  “No problem. Here we go again,” Garrett said.

  Don’t screw up, don’t screw up, she pleaded with herself.

  The intro began. This time she hit her entrance, but stumbled over the words.

  “Crap,” she muttered under her breath, and shook out her hands, trying to let go of her nerves. Tim and Tara laughed. At least Garrett didn’t.

  “Don’t worry about it. We’ve got all night,” he said. Then she heard someone in the background say, “Yeah, and you’re gonna need it.”

  How long before Garrett grew annoyed with her, too? Riley chewed at her lower lip. She bet he never froze up when he was in the studio recording.

  “Here we go,” he said.

  Music sounded in her ears. She took a breath, ready to come in, but a quick glance at the control room critics caused her to go blank.

  She stared at the ceiling and willed her tears not to come.

  “Riley, what’s the problem?” Garrett’s voice sounded in her headphones.

  “Could we talk in private, please?” she asked softly.


  He headed in her direction, while Logan and Darren leaned back in their chairs and chatted with the rest of the group.

  Garrett entered the small booth. Suddenly the air seemed warmer with him so close.

  “What’s going on?” He tried to mask his impatience. It was his job to keep her calm.

  Another glance at the control room revealed everyone waiting to hear what she had to say.

  “Don’t look at them. Talk to me,” Garrett said.

  She reached down and pulled the mic cord from the wall, preventing their conversation from broadcasting to the groupies.

  “Okay, should I be worried?” he asked with a disheartened grimace.

  Riley crossed her arms and hugged herself. “Do all those people need to be in there . . . watching . . . judging?” She hated how paranoid she sounded.

  “They’re excited and want to be a part of this. They are all friends and coworkers.”

  “I can’t relax with everyone staring and laughing at everything I do.” She rubbed her furrowed brow.

  Garrett sighed. “You know that’s part of the recording process, having more than one set of ears, so we can make the best record possible.”

  “I know that. But I feel like I’m back on Chart Toppers and everyone in that booth is a judge, getting ready to rip me apart.”

  “You were fine singing in front of Ginny and me.”

  “That was different. You’re in this with me. They aren’t.” She motioned to the control room.

  Garrett paused, considering something. “Let’s take a quick break.”

  “I’m sorry. I know that I should do something like imagine everyone in their underwear or something, but I, I don’t know. This just isn’t working.”

  “Hang on. Take five and I’ll be right back.” He left her alone and returned to the control room.

  Riley perched on the stool in the corner and shuffled through her music, trying to appear busy. She didn’t need it, but having the sheet music nearby saved her from another level of panic.

  She saw Garrett talking to everyone. They all looked at Riley, and their faces fell in disappointment like little kids being shooed from the room while the grown-ups watched an R-rated movie.