“They’re fine,” assured Maddy, struggling to find the right words. “She just needed a bit of space.”
“I get that,” said Jake with a sigh. “Excuse me. I need to get some air.”
A few minutes on the building’s roof terrace helped to clear Jake’s head a little. There was a packet of Tylenol and a bottle of water sitting on the table waiting for him when he returned to the conference room. Opening the bottle, he noticed that a flipchart stand had been moved to the end of the table and that a cloth had been draped over it to hide whatever was on display. Spying the open portfolio bag and sheet of bubble wrap lying on the floor in the corner of the room, Jake knew that it was Lori’s design for the album cover.
“Right, gentlemen,” began Jason Russell calmly. “Lots of decisions to be made over the next hour or two. Some I’m sure will be easier than others.”
The Englishman paused then said, “With regards to the future line up for Silver Lake, the management team and I have discussed this at great length. Consensus was that you need to agree a new fourth member. Rich can never be replaced but we all know it was his desire to see the band continue. To honour that request, you need to agree who that is going to be.”
An awkward silence hung in the air.
The remaining members of Silver Lake exchanged glances. No one wanted to be the first person to speak; no one wanted to be the one to voice their thoughts first.
“Gentlemen,” prompted Jason. “If you can’t give me a name, we may be forced to go down the audition route.”
“Todd,” said Jake simply, maintaining eye contact with Jason.
“Todd,” repeated Grey and Paul at the same time.
“So, we’re all agreed that we announce Todd Denby as the new Silver Lake guitarist?” checked Jethro, looking to each of them in turn for confirmation.
Each of them nodded.
“Perfect,” said Jason. “That went smoother than I’d anticipated. It does leave a gap in the crew for a guitar tech.”
“Leave that with me,” interrupted Jake bluntly. “If they’re going to be setting up my guitars, I’ll handpick my own new tech, Jason.”
“And where are you going to find someone?” demanded Maddy, her tone straight and to the point.
“Maddison, I’ll find someone,” replied Jake, fixing her with a steely stare.
“You have until December 31st,” she advised. “If you haven’t found someone by then, Jethro and I will hire a replacement for Todd.”
Leaning back on his seat, Grey commented casually, “And what do we do if Todd doesn’t want the gig?”
“Let me talk to him about it,” said Jake, instinctively protecting his protégé. “He’ll be anxious about it but I’m confident he’ll do it. He won’t leave us in the shit.”
“He’s a good kid,” added Paul, twirling a pen idly through his fingers just as he would a drumstick. “He’d walk over hot coals to please Jake.”
“I think those days are over,” commented Jake with a wistful smile. “But let me talk to him first.”
“Fine. We need an answer by Thanksgiving,” advised Maddy sharply. “If it’s a no, then we need an alternative musician in situ by Christmas.”
“Maddison, he’ll do it,” stated Jake firmly, trying to keep his frayed temper in check. “Just let me talk to him.”
“Let us know how you get on, son,” said Jethro smoothly. “He’s coming to the show on Friday night so you can speak to him over the weekend.”
Jake nodded.
“Perfect,” said Jason before referring back to the agenda on the table in front of him.
The next item to be discussed was the artwork for the album.
Without being asked, Jethro got to his feet and walked across to the flipchart stand.
“Mz Hyde only submitted one option on this occasion,” revealed Jason. “Not her remit but, having seen the finished design, I think she has created something that is perfect.”
“Praise indeed,” muttered Jake half under his breath.
“Jethro, will you do the honours please?”
Carefully, the band’s silver-haired manager removed the cloth.
Grief pierced Jake’s heart as he saw the artwork for the first time. Beside him, he sensed Paul too was wrestling with his emotions. Grey had bowed his head while tears were openly gliding down Maddy’s cheeks. Fighting back the tide of emotions, Jake studied the design. It was simple. Planked decking ran across the drawing on an angle. In the bottom left corner, a torn wooden heart was impaled in the wood, its fibres visible between the two ripped halves. A shadow was cast in from the top right. It was unquestionably Rich’s shadow. With a sad smile, Jake noted that the Silver Lake dragon knot was incorporated in one half of the shattered heart.
“Does everyone approve?” asked Jason after a few minutes.
“Gets my vote,” said Grey without looking up.
“And mine,” added Paul quietly.
“Jake?” checked the Englishman.
Not trusting himself to speak, Jake could only nod.
“Thank you, gentlemen.”
Aware a discussion around dates for the album launch was going on about him, Jake could only sit and stare at the album cover. In the simplest way, Lori had captured the sense of pain and loss that they were all still feeling but she’d also appreciated Rich’s presence on the album. Her artistic observations were absolutely on point. The late guitarist was still watching over them and casting a shadow on things.
In his heart, Jake knew that Rich would have wholeheartedly approved of Lori’s design.
In his mind, Jake could hear Rich saying, “Perfect. Absolutely fucking perfect.”
“Mr Power,” commented Maddison sharply. “You still with us?”
“Sorry,” apologised Jake, his mind returning to the discussion going on around the table.
“Are you in agreement that we launch Shattered Hearts on February 16th? Or, would you prefer Friday 13th?”
“Friday is the better day,”
