“Uh, guys? And Trix.”
Trix looked at Jeff first. “I like him,” she said. Then she turned to Carter and gestured expansively. “You may speak, polite one.”
“Thanks. Um, what exactly is required for a home recording studio?”
Max flipped his bottle cap with his thumb, then caught it. “Good soundproofing, adequate electrical service.”
“Room for three guitars and a drum kit,” Joe added. “Plus the recording and mixing equipment.”
“And located somewhere we won’t raise any eyebrows,” Trix finished. “Like a unicorn. That’s why Jeff, you know….” She gestured at the cottage.
“Also because he’s super in love with you and can’t be apart from you for two days without moping.” Max held up his hands when everyone turned to look at him. “What? I only speak the truth.”
Jeff was sitting in the shade and couldn’t even blame the sun for the blush spreading over his face. He rubbed his forehead. “Anyway—”
Fortunately Carter didn’t encourage Max by engaging with his comment, but he did smile and nudge Jeff’s foot with his own under the table. The sap. “Right,” he said. “That’s sort of what I thought.” He looked at Jeff. “And I think—I mean, if you’re okay with it, I think I know the perfect spot.”
Struck speechless, Jeff stared at him for a moment. How could he just have a perfect spot in mind? What could he—
And then it hit him.
“Oh my God.”
Carter’s dad’s den.
“It’ll mean reading in my family,” Carter said. “You’ll probably have to sign autographs for my niece.”
“She’s cool,” Jeff said. “So far she hasn’t sold my phone number to the internet.”
“Sheisa cockblock, though.”
“Is he allowed to say the C-word?”
“Not in front of his mom,” Jeff and Carter chorused. They grinned at each other when everyone else stared at them in horror.
Then Jeff rapped twice on the cast-iron tabletop. “All right. All in favor of reading in Carter’s family so we can get this in the can, raise your hand.”
The motion passed unanimously.
THERE WASa lot to do.
The electrical work wouldn’t start until tomorrow, so they decided to leave the mattresses where they were for the time being. In the meantime, Jeff and Carter needed to meet with Ella.
“I mean, she’s going to say yes,” Carter said.
Jeff adjusted his grip on the prettiest planter he’d been able to find at the garden center. “Let’s hope.”
Ella did say yes, of course. Also, she cried.
Jeff met Carter’s eyes over the top of her head and tried to conveyhelp, how do I do mom emotionsas she clung to him tightly enough that he started to worry about his circulation. But after a moment she pulled back, beaming, and wiped away a tear. “Your father would be beside himself with joy.”
She meant Fred, and she was talking to Jeff, and nowhewas going to cry. Fuck it. “Thanks, Mom.”
Everything was very manly for a few moments until they composed themselves. Then Jeff said, “Okay, well, let’s get to work.”
Before they could set up the recording equipment, everything had to come out of the man cave—old furniture, Carter’s dad’s record player, the hi-fi, the shelves. Carter, Jeff, and Dave moved it out and set it up in the downstairs living area instead.
At home later that night, when they fell exhausted into bed, Carter curled his arm around Jeff’s shoulders. “So you never mentioned what this all means. Why you’re going to all this trouble. I mean… okay, your current label sucks, but this is a lot of stress to put yourself through.”
