Chapter 23
"There she is!" Bobbie Jo greeted me as I walked through the door of SDC Studios, ready to sign my contracts. She walked around the corner of her desk and pulled me in for a hug. "Did you get your cell phone?"
I shook my head. "No. I haven't had time yet. I left here late, and then slept in this morning"
She gave me an odd look. "You tell that boyfriend of yours to leave you alone, and then you go get you a cell phone."
I laughed. "Actually, that's the first thing on my agenda after I leave here today."
She smiled as she patted me on the shoulder. "Good girl!" She crossed back to her desk. "See that you do." Then, she hit a button on an intercom.
"Yes?"
"Mr. Mallory, Alyssa Case is here."
"Good! She's here!" Frank's voice echoed from the other side. "I'll be right out."
Bobbie Jo looked up at me and smiled. "Good luck," she mouthed, just as Frank came through the doors.
"Good! You're here!" Frank repeated, holding his arm out to me. "Come on back."
When I drew near, he placed his hand on the small of my back and led me into a room with several other men in suits sitting at a huge, round table.
"You can put your guitar over there," a strange man said as he rose from his seat. He was a bit older than me, blond, and built beneath the suit. But I tried not to notice.
I set down my guitar and leaned it against the far wall, and then looked around the room.
Sensing my discomfort, Frank crossed the room to me. "Alyssa, this is Craig Savage. He's your new manager."
"Nice to meet you." I extended my hand.
Craig smiled as he shook it. The way he eyed me made me only slightly uncomfortable. "It's nice to meet you, too," he replied.
"Would you excuse us a minute?" Frank interrupted.
Everyone nodded, and Frank pulled me aside to a corner of the room. "Alyssa, my main interest lies with Tasha. You need a manager who will look out for your interests, too, just like I do for Tasha."
I took a deep breath and said in a low voice, "And you think he'll have my best interests in mind?"
Frank bit his lower lip and placed his hands on his hips. Then, he turned to look at Craig and then back at me. "Yes. I do."
I shook my head. "I'm not so sure "
"Alyssa, he's young, but he's a seasoned veteran," Frank continued, almost as if he were trying to sell me on him. "He'll get you the best gigs in the best venues. Alyssa, he's good."
I nodded. "Okay. Let's do it."
Frank started to turn away, but I stopped him. "Thanks, Mr. Mallory."
Frank smiled. "It's still Frank. It'll always be Frank."
I nodded, forcing a smile.
Frank crossed the room to Craig and patted his shoulder. "Craig, I'm sure that you'll take good care of her."
He forced a smile. "Of course. Won't you sit down?" Then, he looked around the table. "Alyssa, if you're in agreement, this is the contract that makes me your manager. It states that I will have your best interest at heart and that I will try to get you the best gigs possible." He shoved a piece of paper in front of me. "It's pretty straight forward. If you are in agreement, then I will represent you today at these negotiations."
"What is the duration of the contract?" I started looking over the contract, but most of it looked like gibberish to me.
Craig took a deep breath. "It's for three years with the option to renew."
"Craig wanted to make it for just one year, but I thought that three would be better, if you are in agreement," Frank interjected.
"Frank, have you looked over all of these contracts?" I asked him point blank, not caring what Craig thought about it.
Frank nodded. "Yes, I have, and I can assure you that Craig has negotiated well on your behalf. If he is your manager, then you will get one of the best signing bonuses in history."
I lifted my eyebrows, and then looked over at Craig. "Is that true?"
He nodded, very pleased with his efforts as he suppressed a smile, but was still all business. Then, he looked into my eyes, and took a deep breath. "I've heard your tapes, and you deserve it. But in order for me to negotiate on your behalf, you need to sign this paper first."
I picked up the sheet of paper and looked it over. It looked pretty straight forward, stating that Craig Savage would be my manager for the duration of three years. It also stated that he had the right to sell my contract, and I had the right to renew or not at the end of the three years. "Mr. Savage."
"Craig, please."
"Mr. Savage, it states here that you have the right to sell my contract."
He nodded as Frank suppressed a smile.
I looked him square in the eyes. "In what event would you sell my contract?"
He took a deep breath as he bit his lower lip, and then looked into my eyes. "In the event that you become unmanageable, or if your record sales go down considerably for some reason. But I assure you: that's not going to happen."
"My record sales going down, or you not selling my contract?"
Frank laughed, but muffled it with a cough. Everyone in the room looked at him and then back at me. He was obviously proud of me for not signing away the next three years of my life without knowing exactly what I was getting into first.
Craig reached across the table and grabbed my hand, forcing me to look at him. A look of sincerity was prominent in his eyes. "I assure you, Ms. Case, that I will have your best interests at heart."
I nodded as I pulled my hand away. Then, I picked up the pen and signed the contract, almost feeling as if I were signing a contract with the devil, for some reason that I couldn't explain. Then, I slid the contract over to him.
