Stronger Within (The Silver Lake Series Book 1)

by McCallum, Coral

  “Encore!” she called playfully.

  “No chance, li’l lady. Need to save my voice for tomorrow. I’ve a feeling it’s going to be a long day,” he said. “Now, about this new ink of yours?”

  Trying not to giggle, Lori held out her wrist and allowed Jake to gently ease off the paper tape and dressing. She held her breath as he saw the small butterfly for the first time. He inspected it closely, moving her wrist from side to side and flexing it slightly, nodding all the while in silent approval.

  “That’s beautiful,” he said finally. “Possibly the best piece I’ve seen from Danny. But most importantly, do you like it?”

  “I love it,” said Lori, relieved that Jake liked it too. “I wasn’t sure how you’d react to it.”

  “It’s tasteful. It’s discrete and it’s beautifully designed. One of yours, isn’t it? The one we showed him when I got my music inked?”

  Lori nodded.

  “I thought so. Follow the aftercare regime to the letter and it will heal in no time. I’ve got some of Danny’s magic cream in my wash bag.”

  “He gave me some,” said Lori. “He wasn’t sure if you had any left.”

  “Use it well then,” he said, kissing her wrist below the design. “I think he’s right. You’ll be back. There’s that special tattoo lover glint in your eyes.”

  Laughing, Lori declared, “We’ll see.”

  ♪

  It felt strange heading back to the studio next morning without the rest of Silver Lake being there. As he sat in the back of the cab beside Lori, Jake’s mind was running over the music and lyrics for the track he was to work on. It still didn’t feel real that he was about to record vocals with a band who had been his idols for so long. Over dinner the night before, he had expressed his nervous excitement, much to Lori’s amusement. It was another dream come true moment that was actually about to happen.

  “I still feel like I’m going to waken up in a minute and we’ll be back at the beach,” he said to Lori, as the cab pulled up outside the studio.

  “No, this is as real as it gets,” stated Lori, as she passed the fare to the driver.

  “Let’s grab a coffee before we head in,” suggested Jake, as they stepped out onto the pavement.

  Armed with their coffee cups, they made their way up to the lounge a short while later. A small group of people were sitting on the settees watching the TV. Both of them recognised Dan Crow, Weigh Station’s singer, instantly and Lori assumed the others were the people she was due to meet with. Dr Marrs came into the lounge at their back.

  “Mr Power, you made it and on time,” said the producer, clapping Jake on the back. “And you brought the stunning Mz Hyde with you.”

  “Morning, Jim,” said Lori, with a grin.

  “Jake!” called Dan, getting up to greet them. “Great to see you. Thanks for agreeing to do this.”

  “It’s a pleasure,” assured Jake, reaching out to shake his idol’s hand.

  “And you brought your guitars too?”

  “As requested.”

  “Right,” declared Dr Marrs. “Let’s get this show on the road. Dan, can you explain the changes to Jake while I go and finish setting up?”

  “Changes?” echoed Jake anxiously.

  “Another guest artist pulled out really last minute. Royally pissed me off,” began Dan. “You get to do his tracks too.”

  “Tracks?”

  “Yes. Two of them, with guitar tracks too. Time’s going to be tight, but Dr Marrs here tells me you’re a slick worker. It might take us all night, but we’ll get all three done,” said the Weigh Station singer with confidence. “Lori, I’ll be back to join your meeting in an hour.”

  “Fine,” acknowledged Lori, setting her work bag down on the large table. “I’ll get the boring finance bit done while we are waiting for you. I’ve another meeting here at two so I’m in no rush.”

  “Gentlemen,” called Dan to the three men sitting on the couch. “Play fair with Mz Hyde till I get back up here.”

  “Lori,” said Jake, still looking a little overwhelmed. “I’ll catch up with you later.”

  She nodded, then said, “Go and play and have some fun. Relax.”

  “Easier said than done, li’l lady.”

  Lori’s meeting with Weigh Station’s management, and eventually Dan, when he returned nearly two hours later, was a challenge. As requested, she had prepared a portfolio of draft designs for them, based on the detailed criteria that had been emailed to her. None of them could reach agreement on what designs they wanted to use. If one liked a design, another wanted to add in features from one of the other designs. When Dan joined them, his personal preference was for the one design that didn’t tie in with the management’s views. Normally Lori would compromise and re-work the design, if they reached a consensus, but the timescales here and her current workload did not allow for that. It went against her nature and general work ethic not to alter the designs on offer if asked to do so, but she knew she had to stand her ground.

  “Mz Hyde,” began Laughlan, the band’s manager with a broad Scottish accent. “If you could add in the features from this one to the background here, I feel we could resolve this here and now.”

  “And is the deadline still Monday?” asked Lori bluntly. “That’s a complete re-work and is going to take considerable time. I can’t promise to do that in one day.”

  “This is Saturday, my dear. By my count, it gives you three days,” he countered forcefully.

  “I have a full diary of meetings today,” replied Lori, trying to maintain an even tone of voice. “I have commitments booked in for tomorrow morning. I plan to travel home tomorrow afternoon. I can re-schedule my Monday diary, but it still only leaves me one day to complete this commission for you.”

  Slouching back in his chair and appearing not to be paying any attention to proceedings, Dan spoke up, “I say we email the designs on offer to the guys in the band. If they agree on one of the existing designs, then there’s no need for re-work. I still prefer the Gothic cross theme. It links with one of the three new tracks. I’m pretty confident the boys will want to go with it.”

  “Fine. Email them, then get them on the phone,” declared the manager angrily. “I’m going outside to get some air. I’ll be back in twenty minutes.”

  The three “suits” left the lounge together, leaving Lori and Dan sitting at the table. Much to her surprise, he threw back his head and laughed.

  “I’m glad you’re finding this funny, Dan,” she said quietly, giving him a hard stare.

  “I’m not laughing at you, gorgeous. I’m laughing at them,” he explained. “Every meeting has been like this for months. Let me make a few calls but I’m pretty sure we’ll be going with the cross.”

  “I hope you’re right,” sighed Lori, gathering up the papers in front of her.

  “Give me a few minutes, Lori,” said Dan, pulling his phone out of his jacket pocket.

  “Take as long as you need. I’ll be right here.”

  An hour later, much to Lori’s relief, the management, Dan and, via phone and email, the other band members agreed to go with the Gothic cross design and no re-work. After the trials of the morning, Lori was delighted to shake hands with them all to bring proceedings to a close. She remained at the table as they all trooped out of the lounge, moving on to their next fraught debate. Sitting, feeling drained, with her head in her hands, Lori hoped and prayed that Jake’s studio session was going better.

  Downstairs in Studio A things were running along smoothly. The plan had been changed due to the addition of the two extra tracks, but the vast majority of the tracking had already been done by Weigh Station, back in a studio in the south of England. It only took three takes to get a vocal track recorded for the original song that Jake had been due to guest on. While Dan was in the lounge at the management meeting with Lori, Dr Marrs let Jake familiarise himself with the other two tracks. He was to record a guitar track for both and a vocal on one. Neither of them were tracks
that he felt a connection with, even after hearing them a few times. When Dan returned to the studio, the two of them worked together for a few hours, gradually ironing out the issues that Jake was having with the tracks. It was late afternoon before they stopped for a break.

  “Ok, boys,” said Dr Marrs, checking the time. “Be back in here for four thirty. We’ll get set up while you guys grab some food.”

  Jake excused himself, laid his guitar back in its case and went upstairs to the lounge in search of Lori. His earlier nerves had long since vanished and he had been so focussed on the additional tracks to be learned that he had almost forgotten that she was in the building. When he entered the lounge, it was empty. A wave of disappointment washed through him as he realised he wasn’t going to see her. Quickly he pulled his phone from his pocket. There was an unread message waiting for him.

  “Change of plan. Second meeting now at a hotel. Will see you back at home later. Love you. L x”

  “What hotel? J x,” he replied, concerned that she hadn’t said where she was headed.

  He was on his way back to the studio, with a takeaway sandwich from a nearby deli, when she finally replied. “In a cab on the way home. Are you winning? L x”

  “Still a few hours to go. Don’t worry. I’ll be late back, Love you. J x”

  When he re-entered the studio, the Weigh Station management guys were nowhere to be seen. Dan was sitting on a stool playing with an acoustic guitar, while Dr Marrs and the two technicians were eating Thai food out of small white waxed cardboard cartons.

  “Did you find the lovely, Mz Hyde?” asked Dan, without looking up.

  “No. She had already left,” answered Jake, picking up his guitar.

  “I’m not surprised,” commented Dan, putting the guitar back on the rack. “The suits were rough on her this morning. She’s a tough cookie though. Held her ground. Stood up to Laughlan. I was impressed.”

  “She’s stronger than she looks,” agreed Jake, with a grin. “Don’t be fooled by the limp and the cane.”

  “I noticed the cane. I don’t remember that from the last time she did some work for us.”

  “She’s recovering from an accident,” explained Jake, deliberately keeping his answer vague. “When did you work with her before?”

  “We go back a long way!” laughed Dan, before adding. “I think she was still in college when we first worked together. Last time I worked with her, she helped me source two guitars for my collection. Must be about eighteen months back.”

  “She never said,” replied Jake. “But then she never discusses her clients with me.”

  “A true professional,” acknowledged Dan with a wink. “Time to get back to work. With a bit of luck we might be out of here by midnight.”

  Midnight came and went and still Dr Marrs wasn’t satisfied with things. They had the vocal nailed by nine thirty, but the two guitar tracks were proving to be a challenge. He sent the technician down to the store in the basement in search of some different guitars to try. Together they worked on the first track and got a couple of variations recorded to the producer’s satisfaction just after midnight. Having found the set up and the guitar that fitted with the sound he was looking for, he suggested they work on and finish the last guitar track. At some point, someone went out for pizza for them and also a case of beer. Usually Jake wouldn’t drink when he was playing, but, partly for the sake of being polite, he downed a couple of beers before he went back into the studio to record the last track. He could see Dr Marrs and Dan in the control room with a bottle of whisky and began to wonder if they were settling in for an all-night session.

  “From the top, Mr Power,” called the producer.

  Perhaps it was luck, or perhaps the beer had relaxed him a little, but Jake nailed it at the first time of asking. He was all ready to pack up when Dan asked if he would play on and improvise a short solo that they would integrate into the track. Not wanting to let his idol down, Jake played on for another hour, then declared he was done.

  “You’ve been fantastic today, Mr Power,” congratulated Dr Marrs. “A true professional. Thank you.”

  “Thanks”, said Jake, blushing slightly at the praise as he fastened his guitar cases. “It’s been a pleasure.”

  “If these tracks mix ok, how do you fancy doing them with me on the tour?” asked Dan, whisky bottle in hand. “Not every night, but maybe at a couple of the shows?”

  “Would love to,” said Jake, trying hard not to sound too keen.

  “Good. We can work it out when we hit the road next month,” said Dan.

  “Right. I’m out of here,” declared Jake, picking up his bag and his guitars.

  It was after three o’clock in the morning before the cab dropped Jake off at the apartment. He had been nodding off as he sat in the back seat and it took the last of his energy to pay the fare and stumble into the building. The concierge came out to help him with the guitar cases and then wished him good night as the elevator doors closed. Jake tried to be quiet as he entered the apartment, but failed miserably as the strap broke on one of the guitar cases causing it to clatter down onto the wooden floor. He fetched himself a drink of water, then wandered down to the bedroom. Lori was sound asleep in the centre of the large bed, her hair trailing across the pillow like a golden web of silk. He watched her sleep, as he slowly drank the glass of water, then undressed and slipped into bed beside her.

  ♪

  Several hours later, Jake wakened alone in the bedroom. Checking the time on his phone, he discovered it was nearly noon. As he lay on his back, staring up at the ceiling, thinking back to the previous day, he thought he heard voices upstairs. Realising Lori had company, he decided to shower and dress before going up to join them.

  Upstairs in the living room, Lori was chatting to an old friend over coffee and donuts. It had been over a year since she had caught up with Lin, her Oriental friend from college. Lin ran her own jewellery design business and Lori had invited her over to show her the designs she had been toying with. They were both still laughing like schoolgirls when Jake wandered in.

  “Morning,” called Lori cheerfully. “Jake, this is Lin. We were at college together. Lin, this is Jake.”

  “Ah the rock star boyfriend!” squealed Lin. “Delighted to meet you.”

  “Likewise,” replied Jake, sounding almost shy.

  “Did you get finished last night?” asked Lori. “Or do you need to go back to the studio today?”

  “I’m done. We finished the early hours of this morning. Dr Marrs seemed happy enough with what we got,” answered Jake. “I’m going to grab a coffee. Can I get you ladies a refill?”

  “Please,” they both said in unison.

  As Jake walked through to the kitchen, Lin turned to Lori and whispered, “You never said he was so hot.”

  “Lin!” exclaimed Lori, before dissolving into a fit of embarrassed giggles.

  “Well, he is!”

  “I guess,” agreed Lori, still laughing.

  Returning with the coffee pot, Jake refilled their cups, then turned to head back into the kitchen in search of some breakfast.

  “Jake,” called Lori. “There’s donuts through here. Please eat some of them and save us from ourselves.”

  Turning back, he said softly, “I didn’t want to intrude on your meeting.”

  “We’re done with the business bit,” stated Lin, shutting her laptop down. “Your girlfriend has talent.”

  “I know,” agreed Jake, winking at Lori and causing her to blush.

  “For designing jewellery,” finished Lin bluntly. “I’ll take these designs and get my team to work on them. Happy to try the LH range for the fee we agreed.”

  “Jewellery?” asked Jake, looking at Lori somewhat bemused.

  “Just a few bits and pieces I’ve been playing with. Lin’s going to test the waters for me and see if there’s a market for it,” explained Lori. “Another string to my bow.”

  “Ok,” nodded Jake. “Another art form I guess.” />
  “Exactly,” agreed the girls together.

  “Time I was making a move,” said Lin a few minutes later. “I’ll email or call during the week with an update for you. Lovely to meet you, Jake.”

  “Likewise,” he replied, flashing her one of his Power smiles.

  “I’ll see myself out,” stated Lin bluntly. “Tel Maddy I said hello when you see her next.”

  “I’ll be seeing her tomorrow, hopefully,” said Lori. “Come down to the beach for a visit.”

  “Maybe in the spring,” agreed her friend. “For now, goodbye to you both.”

  As they had agreed, Jake was in the driving seat on the journey back to Delaware. Once he was out of the tunnel, he relaxed a little more and cranked the volume up on the stereo. Beside him, Lori sat watching the familiar scenery go by. They chatted about the highs and lows of their weekend then Jake told her that Dan had mentioned about guesting on stage with Weigh Station.

  “That’s fantastic!” she exclaimed, genuinely pleased for him. “Things are really taking off, aren’t they?”

  “It’s just happened so fast,” commented Jake, with a hint of disbelief in his voice. “The album’s selling well. The tour’s coming up in about six weeks. We’re going overseas to play. It’s all a dream come true, but it’s like the scariest roller coaster ride ever.”

  “Do you want it to stop?”

  “Never!” exclaimed Jake before adding, “Well, not for a while. I’ve dreamed about this for twenty years. I’ve worked hard with the guys for more than five years. I want to see how far we can take this.”

  Lori smiled at the passion and enthusiasm ringing through his voice. She had a sudden vision of a teenage Jake practicing guitar in his bedroom, dreaming of playing with Weigh Station and now here he was staring the reality of it in the face.