“Your meeting at Ashmark is scheduled for twelve noon. Is that a problem?”
I shake my head. “Sounds great.”
“They just want to have a short exit interview and discuss your living arrangements for the time being until the show airs,” she says.
“Okay.” I nod and set my bowl in the microwave.
“On a personal level, Lexi, I thought you did a great job. I was rooting for you.”
I glance up in surprise, and she smiles at me.
Camille’s the one who’s really been all business this whole time. But it’s over now.
“I can’t pretend to know what you’re going through, but I saw some of your confessionals, and I saw some of his. Find a way to talk to him. For what it’s worth, you two seem pretty damn perfect for each other.”
I press my lips together. As unlikely as it first seemed, as it turns out, we really were pretty perfect for each other. But just as I thought this whole time, one of us is going to fly while the other is going to be left behind in the dust.
And I’m already choking on the cloud he’s kicking up.
“Thanks, Camille,” I say, and I can’t seem to muster much more than that.
She presses her lips into a thin smile and bolts, and I’m left alone with my breakfast. I take it to the patio and stare at the pool, where I watched him swim lap after lap.
And then, because I slept later than I realized, it’s time to get ready and head to Ashmark. Tony the driver waits out front for me, and he hauls my bags into the trunk. He ushers me toward downtown Los Angeles.
We arrive at the imposing building with the ASHMARK logo written in large block letters across the top, and it’s still surreal to be here even after everything I’ve been through since I first got the invitation to be on this show.
I take the elevator up, and the receptionist calls to one of Mark Ashton’s assistants, who ushers me back to the same conference room where I stood the first time I met MFB.
This time, though, I find several Ashmark executives along with Mark Ashton and Ethan Fuller. There are no MFB members present.
“Good afternoon, Miss Weber,” Mark says formally. He nods toward an open seat.
“Good afternoon,” I say with a small smile, and I slide into the chair.
“Thank you for meeting with us today,” Mark says, “and congratulations on an epic performance in the competition. You stood out among the others not just for your talents on bass, but more importantly for your voice.”
“Thank you,” I say, and my words hold far more strength than I expect them to. I know I’m a good singer, but to hear one of my idols tell me that means the world to me.
“We had Camille call this your exit interview, but that’s not really what it is.” Mark glances at Ethan, who nods. “We called you in today because throughout this competition, all of us sitting here along with all four original members of MFB saw more in you than a replacement bassist. We saw you flourish and grow under the intense heat of competition. We saw you own not just the bass, but also the vocals any time you interjected on back-ups. And your voice is too strong to be a back-up. Your talent is too powerful to be cast to the side purely on bass. We want you front and center, owning every stage you walk across, and we want to be the vehicle that helps you see the biggest stages of your life from the driver’s seat.”
My heart starts racing as I wait for where I think he’s going with this.
“So today we’d like to offer you a rather attractive and lucrative contract to sign with Ashmark Records.”
I’m pretty sure my heart stops for a second at his words.
All the blood drains from my cheeks.
I feel like I’m going to pass out.
“You’ll be our first foray into country music,” he continues, “and you can bring along your band members from Electric Red Summer if they’re interested or we can work together to find your permanent band, but let it be very clear that this will not be ERS. It’ll be Lexi Weber, or simply just Lexi, pending what our marketing team drafts up for you, plus her back-up band.”
He says some other things, but I can’t really hear him over the rush of excitement in my ears.
Ashmark Records is offering me a recording contract.
Oh.
My.
God.
What even is happening right now?
I think maybe I do actually black out for a second, because when I come back to, Mark is pushing some paperwork toward me.
“This is the official contract,” he says. “Take it with you, read it over, have a lawyer look at it if you’d like, and let us know if this is something that will work for you. We’re open to negotiations as well if there’s any stipulations you’d like to add. We’re excited about the possibilities of bringing you on board here.”
“Wow,” is all my dumb mouth can manage to spit out. I draw in a shaky breath and attempt to compose myself.
I just went from being the loser of a reality show competition to getting my own freaking recording contract.
Holy. Cow.
“Thank you.” My voice trembles as I reach for the papers. “I’m honored. It would truly be a privilege to work with y’all.”
Mark smiles. “Fantastic. Take your time, but let’s schedule a meeting in a few days to see where you’re at and if you’re ready to sign. I’ll have you talk with one of my assistants to set up a meeting, and she can also help you work out living arrangements. I know Camille told you that you need to stay here in LA until the show airs, and we still stand by that, but you can head back to Nashville for a few days to take care of things, talk to the other ERS members, and get what you need to move here indefinitely should you choose that route. She’ll book you a flight, too, and she also has your phone to return to you.”
“That’s all so generous of you to offer,” I say, and my manners cause me to hold up a hand. “But I can’t accept all that.”
“Nonsense,” Ethan says. “You can and you will.”
I laugh. I feel like when Ethan says something, well, he probably always gets his way, so I let it go and I graciously accept what they’re offering.
“Thank you,” I say. “For everything. For the opportunity to play with MFB, for this.” I nod toward the contract. “For a potential future I never dreamed of.”
Mark smiles. “Review the contract so we can get started on those dreams.”
CHAPTER 55: GAGE
The house is empty when I get back. Lexi must already have headed off to her meeting at Ashmark, and I’m really just here to pick up my bags and say goodbye to the producers.
I stand on the patio one last time and look out over the water.
Never in my wildest dreams when my eyes landed on this view for the very first time could I have imagined everything that would happen by the time I looked upon it for the last time.
Kat steps out onto the patio, interrupting my reverie. She waves something in her hand at me, and my stomach does a little flip when I see what it is.
My phone.
I wonder if Lexi ever responded to the final text I sent.
I take it from her with a muttered thanks, and when I go to turn it on...
Well, it’s pretty anticlimactic. The battery’s dead from sitting unused for the last few weeks.