CHAPTER 22 ALEXIS
When I wake, it’s a little after eight and Danny is still sleeping. I stretch as quietly as I can, and just as I’m about to slip out of bed, an arm comes around me and pulls me back until my back is flush with his front.
“Where the hell do you think you’re going?” he demands, and I giggle.
“I’m ready to go back home.”
“I thought this was home,” he mutters.
“It was. But now home is where you are, and we need to get back to Vegas. We have to pack up and get over to our new house.”
“I like the sound of that. Our new house,” he repeats, and I have to admit, I like the sound of it myself.
“Then let’s get to it,” I say. “Time’s a-wasting.”
He chuckles as he thrusts his hips against my ass. “Well you know how much I hate to waste time.”
“Danny! Again?”
“Babe, it will always be again. It will never be enough.”
God, I love him.
After a quick morning romp and a shower, I help him pack up his stuff and we’re ready to head home to Vegas.
I never consciously made the decision that I was relocating to Vegas, but apparently, I am.
He needs to be here for his job. I can make pretty much anywhere my home base.
I still want that home in San Diego, and I’ve given Gregory everything he needs to make it happen.
I’m not sure what made me think I needed to protect myself by creating a few of my own accounts that I slipped money into each month that would go untouched by my father, but I’m damn glad I did.
Maybe it was my mom speaking to my intuition and looking out for me.
Whatever the case, I have enough for the house.
But I don’t have enough for the house and my next tour.
I might have enough to fund my next album, especially if I can get the equipment to self-produce. I’ve been around long enough to know how the process works, and I’m proficient on several instruments. I could do a lot of it myself and add the rest in post-production.
I have a lot of ideas for getting Bodega Talent out of the hole my father dug, and I can’t wait to get in the car for our five-hour trip back home to discuss them all with Danny.
Especially since we own the majority of the company now.
It’s ours, and it’ll be a labor of love. Or, at least, it’ll be a labor of ideas for now and putting the right people in the right places to see it soar again.
That’s my hope, anyway. It’s our shared vision.
Brooks hasn’t been around much the last forty-eight hours, something I’m not exactly sad about. If we don’t want him to know the merger isn’t still on, then it’s better I don’t run into him. I may just slug him for taking advantage of my father the way he has.
And me.
He deserves a good slugging, that’s for damn sure.
But I have a strong feeling he’ll get his in the end.
Still, when we bid my father goodbye before slipping into the Yukon to head back to Vegas, I can’t help but ask my dad, “Where’s Brooks?”
We could fly instead of taking the Yukon, but this way we won’t be hounded at the airport, and we’ll get a little extra measure of privacy.
Plus, you know…road head. It’s harder to do on a plane. Air head? Except I’ll be driving, so that’s out either way.
“He’s spending time at his dad’s house. Probably plotting how to take over the world,” he says.
“Well, we’ll be back by Tuesday night since filming resumes after the holiday. Take care of yourself until then, okay?” I say, folding myself into my dad for a hug.
“You take care of yourself, too. And that husband of yours,” he says.
It makes my heart happy to hear the words—even happier that it’s my dad speaking them, as if he’s come to terms with the fact that it’s real.
He turns to Danny. “And take care of my girl.”
Danny nods. “I consider it my top priority.”
My dad presses his lips together. “I know you do, and I can’t tell you how much that means to me.”
Hugs and kisses are issued, and then Danny and I take off.
We’re less than ten minutes into the trip when he says, “So I have some ideas about Bodega.”
“Oh my God, me too!” I say a little too enthusiastically.
He chuckles. “Can I just say that I love that we have a project to manage together?”
“So do I, actually. I wasn’t expecting to go to my dad’s asking about unfreezing my accounts and leaving a few days later as majority owner in his company, but here we are.”
“What are your ideas?” he asks.
“You go first,” I suggest.
He nods. “Well, I think you’re our biggest asset here. We can attract new clients easily with your endorsement, and having you take on a bigger role with the agency will bring a fresh perspective. And you have a lot of friends in the industry. I don’t think it would be hard to get them over to Bodega, especially if we offer attractive deals with lower commission rates.”
“Totally agree. And I was also thinking we could expand our scouting department, and I could lure in local acts by taking the stage with them for a song or whatever,” I suggest.
“Holy shit, that’s a great idea. Imagine the crowd you’d bring in. Hell, imagine the excitement of the Bodegiacs waiting to see where you’ll pop up next.”
“And I need to leave D-Three, which we all know. Obviously not today since we’re trying to do all this on the down low from Brooks. But I think we have a hole at Bodega when it comes to management, and I’m trying to figure out what to do. Maybe a management division,” I suggest.
“I love that idea. But would that mean big spend?”
“Not if we can somehow lure in new clients for the agency also looking for a manager. It would pay for itself pretty quickly so long as the artist isn’t a flop.”
“And with your endorsement, they won’t flop,” he says.
I press my lips together and shake my head. “I could even bring them along as opening acts on the next tour.”
“It would help offset a lot of costs if your openers didn’t have to pay another management company,” he says.
“Exactly.”
“I think we’re onto something. But again, I have no idea how any of this works, so we’ll run it by my lawyer.”
“I’d like to run everything by Gregory, too. He has a law degree, actually. He never took the bar, but he’s one of the smartest people I know,” I say.
“He has a law degree?” Danny repeats.
I nod. “Long story short, he got his degree while he was in the Army, but he was deployed before he could take the bar. And then his wife and daughter were killed, and he never took it.”
“Does he want to?” he asks.
I shrug. “No idea. He’s a man of few words, as you know.”
He nods a little absently. “I feel like I’m learning something new about him every day.”
“You are. How are things with him and your mom?”
He shrugs. “I’ve been a little busy with you and your dad, but things seem to be going well.”
“Did you ever talk to him about the conversation you overheard?”
“I sent it to him,” he admits. “We touched base briefly on it, but we haven’t spoken since.”
“Well, let’s give him a call.”
We do, and he answers right away. “Ms. Bodega, hello.”
“Stop that Ms. Bodega nonsense. It’s Alexis.”
He chuckles. “Sorry. Hi, Alexis.”
“And Danny,” Danny says.
“Hello.” He doesn’t say hi, how are you, or mess around with any of the formalities of usual conversation.
“We’re on our way back to Vegas and just wanted to give you a call with the latest,” I begin, and then I proceed to word vomit all the details of everything that’s happened over the last few days.
He’s quiet when I finish, and I’m not sure if it’s because he’s waiting for me to add more or if he’s processing everything I just said.
“Well?” I press.
“I’m happy to look over any contracts.”
I laugh. “That’s all you have to say?”
“I knew most of what you just told me. Danny filled me in. And I will be back on Tuesday evening to accompany you to the set.”
“What’s going on with Tracy?” I ask.
He’s quiet for a beat, and then he says, “We’re enjoying each other’s company.”
I grin at Danny, and he rolls his eyes a little, but I can tell he loves the idea of someone taking care of his sweet mother for a change.
“I love that for you,” I say softly.
“I’m proud of you, Alexis,” he says equally softly, and my heart squeezes.
“Thanks, Gregory.”
“Hey Greg, take care of my mom, okay?” Danny says.
“Yes, sir.”
He cuts the call, and we continue our trek toward Vegas, chatting about all the ideas we have for Bodega Talent Agency.