A Lush Rhapsody: A Rhapsody Novel Read Online Free PDF Page A

hot guy, they’ve got it covered.
    “No way,” Joss says as he pokes me in the shoulder over the seats. “I won’t tell you who you can hang out with except for one thing—Rhapsody is off-limits.”
    What? “Why?” I ask. Not that I was planning on buddying up to them, but again, I don’t like to be told what to do.
    Mike jumps in, face red, teeth grinding. “Because we have a long-standing feud with them, and Blaze Davis is a cock-sucking mother-fucker—”
    “Whoa, whoa,” Joss interjects. “Chill out.” He looks at me. “Mike and Blaze have a checkered past, so we steer clear. Their fists tend to get involved if they get too close to one another.”
    Colin chuckles.
    “So, what, I’m not allowed to talk to them?” My eyes narrow in challenge.
    “Of course not, just don’t go and try to be BFFs. And you know, refrain from inviting them to our dressing rooms or whatever,” Joss cautions.
    Did I mention I hate being told what to do? But I remind myself that Joss isn’t one of my brothers, and he’s not trying to control me, just keep the peace. “Fine,” I agree. “No Rhapsody.”
    It is a shame though, they’re exactly what Savvy would want for me.

    * * *
    O ur manager , Dave, has come to help out at our rehearsals. We’re getting along okay off stage, and I’m growing to feel more comfortable with my role in the group, but we’re still struggling musically, and this tour probably came a few months too early. We could have used more time to gel.
    “Okay, show me what you’ve come up with for Desire ,” Dave says as he sits on a stool on the side of the stage at the amphitheater. It’s hot out, and we’re in the bottom of a concrete bowl, so I’m glad the stage is shaded this time of day, otherwise, even my tank top and jeans might be too warm.
    Walsh counts us in and we play the first half of the song, when we get to the point where we’re breaking down, Joss calls a halt to it.
    “This is where I’m struggling, man,” he says to Dave. “I know you want that overlay of the background vocals, but the fact is, Tully’s got a much stronger voice than I do, and I’m feeling like we’re losing the core sound with her in here.”
    I wrestle with my conflicting feelings—pride that Joss complimented my voice and frustration that he’s still not happy with having my contributions added to the song.
    Dave nods and walks over to me where I stand at my keyboard. “I’m thinking it might be the combination of the keyboard and the vocals,” he says. “Try this—” He hums a little riff from the song to me. “Then do the vocals only on the final line.”
    “Okay,” Joss says, “from the top then.” Walsh counts us in once again, and we do three takes using Dave’s suggestions. After the third try we play the final notes and Mike hollers, “Yes! That’s rock and roll, baby!”
    We all grin at each other, and Dave nods in satisfaction.
    “I knew you had it in you,” he says. “And can I say it’s about damn time you four—” he looks pointedly at the guys, “had a new challenge? You can’t get too comfortable, it’ll kill your career.”
    I see the look on Joss’s face as he gives Dave a wry smile. We’re all figuring out why Dave insisted on this—me joining Lush. He saw the future, and he knew that if they stayed on the path they were on, they couldn’t maintain the momentum they’ve had the last few years. They needed to be shaken up, and he used me to do the shaking. But I’m okay with it. I’m starting to think that maybe Lush is okay with it too. I might even feel like I belong eventually. That’s something I’ve never felt, and I think I’d like it.

    * * *
    B y four o’clock we’re finally done for the day. We’ve heard presentations on the ticket sales—all the venues are sold out—we’ve been given a tour of the state-of-the-art sound system and backstage area of the amphitheatre, we’ve met the chief executives of all the companies sponsoring