ALL ACCESS

Chapter 18

The Smokin' Guns show was well over a month ago and The Nest received a lot of positive comments about the interview and pictures that went into Music Review magazine. I had to smile. The interview went a lot easier than it should have, entirely due to the band. Jeremy, Dave, Mike and John were jovial people and very easy to talk with. They put me at ease. Dave, the big tease, was constantly trying to put one over on me, but it didn't work. Having been around the likes of Derrick Sonning, Dave had a lot to learn if he thought he could trick me.

The night had been fun. We ate and went back to the hotel to hang out in John's room; we chatted late into the night. Robyn rekindled a little something with Greg and decided to stay, while I got a taxi and hightailed it home to Nahant. It felt good to be part of a group like that again. I couldn't wait to write the Smokin' Guns article and interview. I put everything I had into it, and it showed.

Robyn told me she got a call from Rock On magazine, wanting to know if we were interested in doing an article for them. The perfect coup. If I could get an article in there then Rolling Stone might finally look at me. Validation never felt so good. Course, it would be better if Richard would try to understand my writing needs and my love of music. We'd have to talk about it further before we married because I didn't plan to give it up anytime soon. My thoughts were interrupted by the phone ringing.

I answered to hear a semi familiar voice yelling, "Hello?!" in my ear. It was Greg, Smokin' Guns road manager. Odd to hear from him.

"Hey there, Paige. Have you spoken to Robyn yet? I know her answer but I need to know if you're interested in joining the team?''

"Umm, no. I haven't spoken to her. What are you talking about?"

"I s'pose I should've waited for her to talk with you but I'm excited about this and think you will be too. Listen up. Do you remember the band, Flux? Well, listen up, Paul, their old manager had some heart issues so he's out and I'm in. Are you listening up, I'm now the manager of Flux."

I sat down and murmured something unintelligible into the phone. Flux, did he really say that? A sheen of cold sweat break out over my skin. I wasn't sure I was going to like 'listening up' to what Greg had to say.

"Flux negotiated a contract with Atlantic and is doing a comeback tour. Its hush hush, but right now they're putting the finishing touches on a new album. It's going to drop, with much fanfare, in the next two weeks."

"That's awesome Greg, but what does this have to do with me?"

"Yeah, yeah, listen up. Because of their notoriety and their quick plummet into obscurity, management wants a tour diary, interview, articles, and pictures – the works. They love, The Nest. They love your writings and the pictures of the bands; they especially loved the article and interview you did on Smokin' Guns from the Garden last month. Management, as well as the band want, The Nest with Paige Roberts, to do this project. Is she interested?"

"Err, no. I'm sorry, she isn't."

"What? Hell, if its money, don't you worry the pay is quite hefty, and all your expenses will be paid for."

"It's not that, it's-"

"C'mon Paige this is Flux: Chris, Nick, Derrick, James, and Smokin' Guns. You got along so well with them last month. I watched you. They let their guard down with you. They trust you. Listen up, you wait and see, Flux will do the same."

I remembered my request to my parents. Was this it? Is this how they were sending him to me? Am I crazy for even entertaining the notion. "Are Flux drug and alcohol free? If I remember correctly they were notorious for being a mega party band."