“I never meant to embarrass you. I only chuckled because you were so flustered.”
I scoffed, “I was not flustered.”
“You were flustered. But it’s cute, like a little dog who gets woken from a deep sleep.”
I grimaced. “A dog? You’re calling me a dog now? You’re not so good with the whole compliment thing.”
“I didn’t mean it like that,” he said, scratching his head. “It’s just with you, I don’t think before I open my mouth.”
“So you normally plan out your compliments?” I laughed.
“No, I didn’t mean it that way.” He sighed in frustration as we rounded the corner almost to his office. “Just with you—”
“Finally,” Robert interrupted as we walked into Devin’s recording studio and office.
“Have you been waiting long?” Devin asked quickly.
I followed him inside rather reluctantly. I mean the last time I had seen Robert I was actually dressed appropriately. Devin had invited Mitchell, Megan and me to the studio’s annual Christmas party. I wasn’t even sure Robert would recognize me, and I was really hoping he wouldn’t notice what I was wearing.
“Christy, right?” Robert asked, ignoring Devin’s question completely.
“Yes, sir. It’s a pleasure to see you again.” I extended my hand and shook his. “Devin is staying with me for the week while my family is away. He invited me to join him today so I wouldn’t be alone. I won’t interrupt anything. It will be like I’m not even here,” I told him, hoping I hadn’t caused Devin to get in trouble.
“Well, it’s very nice of him to offer to bring you, and I never thought you would interrupt the session. But I am curious about one thing, did Devin drag you out of bed to come here?” He smiled and my cheeks reddened.
“Not exactly...he offered to wait while I changed, but, you see, I was stubborn and I didn’t actually know other people were going to be here.”
Robert laughed and turned to Devin. “Well, we’re ready whenever you are,” he said then turned toward the room that was visible through a soundproof window.
I noticed for the first time the large group of people crowded into the room. Robert bent down and pushed a button on the sound mixing board and a small green light lit up. “Everyone warmed up, ready to go?”
Several affirmative replies sounded through the speakers.
“Hey, Rob, who’s the girl?” someone asked and again my cheeks reddened.
“Guys, this is Christy Walsh. She’s here for the afternoon so if you don’t want to embarrass yourselves, I suggest you give it all you got.”
“Is she Devin’s girl?” someone else asked.
I shook my head. “No way! I am not Devin’s girl.”
The same person whistled, and his costars laughed. “Don’t pay attention to Zach, Christy,” I recognized the lead actress say. “He thinks because he’s a big star he can get any girl.”
“All right,” Robert interrupted. “Let’s get this started.”
Devin pulled a chair out for me. I sat in the cushioned swivel chair as Devin clicked his mouse a couple times then motioned to Robert that they could begin. I watched with rapt fascination as they began to sing the melody to When I Get You Alone , a song I think is genius because it adds themes from Beethoven’s fifth symphony. It was like nothing I had heard before. Their voices were the instruments carrying the main line of melody. They had to sing it a few more times and refine a few of the sections, but overall it was absolutely amazing. I was completely blown away when Robert finally called for a break.
“How did you like it, Christy?” Robert asked.
I looked up at him. “It was wow. Just…I can’t even put it into words.”
“So was it the fourth or the fifth time we sang it that completely bored you to death?” Zach Gillespie asked me as he exited the recording booth. He was one of the male leads in the show.
“Actually I thought they were really amazing, but if you want my opinion I’d take the intro from the third recording and the final verse and final chorus from your first recording and then the rest from the last one. And then you’d have a really great sound, it’s sure to sound better than the song you originally recorded. Granted, I don’t know what the song you sang before really sounded like, so my opinion in that regard is baseless.”
Zach stood in front of me speechless, and I just smiled politely at him.
“She sure showed you, Zach.” The same girl who had spoken earlier brushed past us. “Hi, I’m Larissa.” She smiled at me and extended her hand.