This Could Have Been Our Song!: A coulda woulda shoulda ballad Read Online Free Page A

precious. Call me Callia, Marcus. I haven’t been called Charisma in ages.” She sat on her husband desk. “I heard Matt called you to the rescue,” she said with a small smile; then with no smile, “What’s up with that?”
    “ It’s his album; he wants the best and apparently it’s me,” I answered with the best charming smile I could come up with. But they couldn’t let me have this one.
    “ Correction; it’s Beesly & Matt’s album not Matthew Marshes’. His choice alone doesn’t matter. And I spoke to Beesly this morning. What a surprise; she didn’t ask for you,” she smiled. They were winning and she knew it. Matt was supposed to have told Beesly that Lucia was out and I was in, but he didn’t. No surprise there.
    “ He’s the driving force of the band. We all know that.” At least he is the creator, the leader, the one who makes the all decisions.
    Lloyd was the next one to speak. “Bottom line: according to their contract, they only have forty percent creativity inputs and it’s twenty for each. But they have no final veto rights.”
    “ Okay, so what are you proposing? I’m too good of an asset to just dismiss me back to London,” I told them. I was just mad and wanted to be done with it. Pride got me to this place and it should sure get me out.
    Callia was the first to speak again. “We can’t completely turn you down. You’re Grant the Grand and Matt wants you here.” She exchanges a knowing look with her husband. “He can be a real asshole when he doesn’t get his way, this one.” She gave me a file and turned to Lloyd. “I worked on it last night. I couldn’t sleep; Doris was a little feverish.” Back to me. “That’s our proposal. You’re more than welcome to stay. Lucia could learn a lot from you. But I know your price and we can’t afford you. We don’t use outsider songwriter producers; we have a whole creative department for that.”
    I took the file. I didn ’t need to look at it; I knew what it would say. The best way to reduce my fee was to give me a partner and hire me as a consultant only. Meaning Lucia was still in charge and I might be excused from the final recording and editing sessions. Where was she anyways and why couldn’t she fight her own battles? I knew I was being fair; she might not have even known that there was a battle to fight.
    “ I’ll send it to my people and they will speak to yours,” I said. I couldn’t believe we got to this. And who else to blame but Matt; however, now more than ever, I wanted to show them what I could do. The Second Comings will be Noël-Sarrow Records best album yet. “Why is Lucia not in this meeting?” I asked, standing up as I was leaving.
    Callia answered, escorting me to the door, “Because we don’t believe in ambush. We wanted to settle this ‘situation’ before her return. So if we could get all of this signed up by then, it would be super.” As we walked in the hallway, she seemed to relax a little. “Lloyd is very protective of Lucia.” She turned and faced me. “Not in any inappropriate ways. She was only fifteen when he met her. Our youngest, Doris, was just a baby and she took an instant shine to her. And believe me, that kid hated anybody who was not her parents or siblings, even her own nanny.”
    I heard something similar last week. “I understand… At least I think I do.” Did she know what happened between Lucia and I the weekend before?
    “ Anyway, I’m really excited to have you here. I mean that. You’re one of the best in the business,” she added when reached the elevator.
    “ Thanks. All things considered, I’m glad to be here,” I told her and I sincerely thought so.
    “So… Charisma… Were you a fan?” She asked, laughing me as I was getting in the elevator.
    “ Want an autograph?”
    “ I will hold you to that,” I said, smiling back, the doors closing on us.
     
    A couple of hours later, I’m still brooding about my conversion with Lloyd and Callia. John is