Chapter 357

Pearl spent the day with Dylan. She had truly missed her friend.

"What the fuck is that?" Dylan asked as Pearl tried on a faux fur dress at Chanel that looked like she was wearing a pet.

She looked down and laughed. "You're right. It's hideous." She said.

"Not if you're Davy Crockett." He said, smiling.

"Stop it." She said.

"I'm stopping." He said, waving his arms in surrender.

"Can we eat now?" He asked.

"Yes. I will take off this log cabin fur rug and take you for food." Pearl said. Dylan snorted again and apologized after composing himself.

Lunch was wonderful. She had wine and laughed with him, reminiscing on all their band moments and her shitty love life escapades.

"Remember the very first night we met?" Dylan asked.

"At practice?" She asked.

"No. At the brewery." Dylan said. Pearl felt the memory was a bit foggy. "I drove you home. You were really drunk." He said.

"Oh. Yeah. I don't remember all of it but I'm still a little embarrassed about it." She said, and she was. It was not her best moment.

"You asked me what my philosophy on love was." He said, turning and looking at her.

"Oh yeah? And what did you say?" She asked.

"I said that I believe all human emotions are as real as the person feeling them. I also believe love is extremely overrated and not seen or felt the way it is supposed be, was created to be."

"And what's that?" Pearl asked.

"Everything." He answered again. Just as he had the night they met.

She looked at him and felt an overwhelming desire to kiss him. But she didn't. Then she remembered that she hadn't been so reserved that night.

"Oh god. I came on to you. I kissed you." She said, covering her mouth.

"Yes. You did. You're lucky I was such a gentleman at the time." He said with a smile, finishing his beer.

"Oh so you're not a gentleman now?" She laughed.

"No." He said, looking into her eyes. "You ruined me." The tension between them was making her a little uncomfortable.

After a short silence, Dylan looked at his watch.

"Shit. I'm late. Let's go." He said. "Ian might murder us."

They paid the tab and went to Dylan's studio.

"Well hello there, Mr. "I'm never tardy." Ian said.

"Oh, Pearl. Hey. I didn't know you were coming. Come see what we are brewing." He said. They walked her into a large mixing room where a young band was in a room with their instruments, glass separating them.

"Let's begin again. The brain of the operation has arrived." Ian said to them. Dylan rolled his eyes.

The band began and Pearl watched Dylan as he furrowed his brow and listened intently until they were finished. He said nothing, but sat down and played with the sound, mixing and adjusting as he went. He was a genius, not just because his Mensa membership said so. He had a talent for many things and music was one of them.

"You know what would make this vocal sound way more bad ass?" Dylan asked, looking up and Ian and Pearl.

"We give up." Ian said.

"Female backing vocals." Dylan said. He smiled his crooked little half smile at Pearl.

"Oh no. Nope. I'm retired." She said.

"It would be way easier than trying to hire someone. They are here. You are here." Ian said.

"Ian, you bastard I thought you were on my team." She said. He shook his head.

"Nope. Not at all." He said.

"Fine. Ok. I'll do it. I need the lyrics." She said.

"Already printed." He said. He got up and pulled a couple of pages off the copy machine in the office.

Pearl sighed and shook her head. "You owe me." She said. Dylan bowed and watched her walk into the room with the band, who looked like they had seen a god. "The queen?" One of them asked as they looked at Dylan. Dylan nodded and waved.

"See Mark, I told you we hired the right producers!" The drummer said. Ian laughed.

When they had it figured out, Pearl laid down her vocals. Her raspy, emotion riddled voice filled their headsets and brought Dylan nearly to tears. He loved hearing her sing. And the years had only made her voice more powerful, more full of the life and loss she had experienced. It was truly beautiful to behold.

After several hours and takes later, the album was recorded.

"Great job fellas. We just need to mix it and tweak it a bit. See you next week?" Dylan asked.

"Indeed. Thank you so much man." They said as they left.

"Great job tonight, Pearl." Ian said.

"Thanks. It's been awhile." Pearl said with a smile.

"We should get going." Dylan said. "It's late."

Pearl nodded and grabbed her purse.

On the way back to the palace, Dylan was quiet.

"You ok?" Pearl asked.

"Yeah." He said. But she knew something was off. They got out and Pearl walked inside, offering Dylan a drink.

"No thank you. I think I'm going to head to bed. Long day. I had fun. Thanks for inviting me along." He said. Pearl nodded and watched him walk to the guest wing. What was wrong with him? She wondered to herself. She finished her drink and went to her room, ran a bath and soon after, fell asleep with the day, Dylan and Sebastian on her mind.