After shaking off my encounter with Colter, I was too wired to go home to my empty apartment. Things with Lorelai have been a little warmer after finishing up the album, but they’re still different. Awkward. With Maren in town, I figure it’s best to let her have her space and spend time with her friend without my crashing their party.
So I head out on foot toward downtown. It’s been a while since I wandered the streets of Nashville alone, taking in the sights and sounds. The smell. The intensity, desperation, and unrelenting hope of it all. No set direction. Just absorbing it into my pores and trying to remember where it all began for me. Why I’m still here, doing what I do, despite the bullshit.
I know I’m being immature when it comes to Drake and the songs. Petty, even. I should just sue him and put him out of his misery or sign the nondisclosure and put myself out of mine. I’m an adult and a businessman. But somehow, weighing both of those “more mature” options feels like caving into a part of myself I’m not interested in feeding. Signing the nondisclosure feels like bending over to Drake. Still. Again. Allowing him to use those songs to further himself. But suing him might feel worse. Initially, I didn’t get into this industry for the credit. I avoided the fanfare, happy to play backup and write behind the scenes. Money and popularity were secondary to the art. I know more now, obviously. Of course you need money to survive. That’s a nonstarter. And popularity might be secondary to art, but the more recognition, the more art you get to make. And I’m also aware of my privilege. I’ve inherited enough money to start my own label. It’s easy to be like, “I’m in this for the art,” when I don’t need to worry about paying my electric bill. Which is sort of the point, I guess. That same privilege also means I don’t need to seek out more money just to stick it to someone who used to be my friend. Choosing to do so would be simply for the principle of the thing, and that doesn’t sit well with me.
It’s convoluted, but my gut says I’m making the right choice by not making a choice at all. Maybe it’s immature, or maybe it’s a temporary stopgap that’s gonna bite me in the ass cheek later. Probably will, but I have to live with myself in the meantime.
I eventually stop in one of the bars, order a beer, and sit on a patio at a small table by myself, watching the people passing by on the sidewalks and listening to the echoes of at least three different songs being played in three different open-air bars on this very corner. I’m nearing the bottom of my glass when a familiar face settles in the chair across from me.
“Ms. Hamilton,” I say with a nod to the tall blonde.
“Please, call me Trina. Ms. Hamilton is what I make Coolidge and Jacoby call me when they piss me off. Craig, this is my wife, Melody.” She gestures to a pretty redhead with bold glasses. “Mel, this is Craig Boseman, one of the most talented producers about town.”
“Ha,” I say. “Pleasure to meet you, Melody. That’s an embarrassing exaggeration, Trina, but I’m not above flattery. Can I get you ladies a drink?”
Trina’s already shaking her head, waving a server over. “Ordered at the bar and told them where to find us when I saw you out here. You alone tonight?”
I nod, taking a long sip from my glass and motioning for another. “Yeah. Had an unfortunate encounter with an old partner this evening and found I needed to decompress.”
“Maybe he’d rather be alone, then, Trina—” Melody says with an apologetic smile.
“Nonsense,” Trina says, waving off her wife before nailing me with a look. “Drake Colter’s a fraud. You know it, I know it, everyone in this town ought to know it if they’ve been paying attention.”
I shake my head. “You are an uncanny woman, Trina Hamilton.”
“You don’t get to where I am in life without picking up on a thing or two.”
“Clearly,” I mutter into my fresh beer before lifting it to my lips.
“So listen up close, because I don’t dispense this wisdom on everyone…”
Her wife snickers and rolls her eyes in my direction. “She hasn’t made it to Antarctica yet.”
Trina ignores her, but her glossed lips twitch in amusement. “That song you wrote about Lorelai, ‘Jonesin’’?” I splutter and she ignores me, plowing ahead. “What, that was a secret? Jesus fuck, Boseman, don’t be embarrassing.” I wave her on, coughing. She huffs, clacking her long, mani cured nails on the table. “That song that you so very clearly wrote and that Drake Colter so very clearly stole and used to publicly court my client is number two on the charts as of today. Did you know that?”
I shake my head. The Billboard numbers dropped this afternoon and I’ve been a little preoccupied.
“You made your point real good, didn’t you?” Trina says. “Unbelievably, I don’t think you were even trying, but that’s part of your charm, ain’t it? You know what song is number one?”
I shake my head.
“The fucking duet.”
I sink back into my chair. “No.”
Trina grins. “Why the fuck do you think I’m out here with all these people? I’m celebrating. We have done the impossible and it’s because of you.”
“Have you told anyone yet?”
“Hell, I’ve told everyone. If you picked up your phone, you would probably know by now.”
I check my phone and it’s got a dead screen. “Battery died,” I tell her. “That’s, well—I’m not shocked. I knew when mainstream radio picked it up out of the gate it would do well. And Lorelai and Jefferson are…” I grin and Trina beams back.
“I know it. I told you. I can spot these things.”
My head is spinning with the news. Holy hell, it’s happening. “That’s incredible. Thank you, Trina.” I get to my feet, quickly downing the last of my beer and placing the empty glass on the table. “I should get. I need to charge my phone and I should call Arlo and tell him the news. And Lorelai…” I trail off, thinking.
“Of course.” Trina’s eyes are dancing with amusement as she holds out her hand. “Thank you, Craig. And congrats on number two! It’s been a pleasure working with you and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.”
I shake it, reaching around and placing a kiss on her startled cheek before turning to her wife and giving her a hug. “Good night, you two.” I throw all the cash I have in my wallet on the table. “For my drinks and another round on me. Go wild.”
* * *