“That’s okay.  I totally just got here,” Madison said, still looking around at the massive paintings.

“I heard.  So, new girl’s a bitch I’m assuming.” Chelsea had apparently heard Madison enter as well.  That didn’t surprise me much.  She had made an incredibly loud entrance.

“Well, I haven’t actually met her, but yes, total bitch,” Madison said, finally smiling.  “We came by because we were going to take you to lunch.”

“Well, cool.  A girl can always eat,” she responded cheerfully.  “Let me see if I can find Eddie to tell him I’ll be out.”  

As she headed into the other room, Madison turned to me.

“Were you crying?”

“No.”

“You were.  You have the ‘I was just crying’ eyes.”

I rolled my eyes at her observation and glanced in the direction of Chelsea’s office.  

“I just got lost in thought.  No big deal.  We have to eat fast because you were incredibly late.  You know that right?”

“Yeah yeah.”

Chelsea came around the corner, purse in hand, and motioned towards the door.  

“Who likes Chinese?” she asked as the door closed behind us.

“Ewww.  What’s with all of the left-over Chinese?” I asked when I reached Sean’s recording room.  Sean was a friend from high school.  He’s a movie director.  He does independent films, and in his spare time he produces his brother’s band.  From the number of take-out boxes lying about, they had made a night of recording.

“We were here all night.  The guys are having some trouble getting anything right,” he explained from his position behind the glass.

“Trying to meet a deadline?” I asked only moderately interested.  Sean’s brother’s band, Atomic Passion, was not my idea of good entertainment.  Sean, however, is always fun to hang out with.  

“RCA has plans to sign them, but right now, they suck.”  I laughed at his honesty.  

“Let me have a listen.  What do we have so far?”  

I spent the next four hours listening to crappy music and helping where I could.  By the end of the day, however, all that we had succeeding in doing was ordering more food and opening Sean’s private stock of Captain Morgan’s.

Jared, Sean’s brother, was singing lead, and he wasn’t bad, he just wasn’t great.  To sign a deal, you have to be great.  Well, maybe not.  Paris Hilton does have a record deal.