“You’re a Grammy winner. Whoo!” Chase flutters his hands in the air, then smacks Dylan’s back. He grunts. “Show some excitement. You look like your dog died.”

He sure isn’t feeling the excitement over the award like he imagined. He should have told Joy about the album before he produced it.

He watches Chase fan the bills in his wallet, counting greenbacks. “You and Dakota still hitting up Mr. Purple later?” A trendy rooftop bar on the Lower East Side.

“You aren’t joining us for dinner?” Chase asks. He flew to the city to finalize a buyout. Westfield Records purchased Back Row Music, an independent label, at Dylan’s recommendation. He can take their artists further than the small label ever could.

But business isn’t the only thing that’s got Chase bunking in Dylan’s loft on a regular basis. During one of his trips he met Dakota Mercier, a graphic design artist. She’s worked on several Westfield Records projects and was in the studio presenting cover art concepts to him and Smoky Daze, an indie artist he recently signed, when Chase swung by on his way through town.

They hit it off immediately. Dylan has a grand riding on them not lasting.

Long-term relationships are not how he and Chase roll. Uncle Cal’s advice worked its way under their skin and has since stuck like an ugly tattoo, especially after Dylan mucked up his relationship with Sonia. He loved her, but not enough to keep his dick in his pants when that gorgeous model with the backstage pass propped her ass on a utility case and spread her runway long legs. Sonia had thought to surprise him with an unexpected visit. Her timing had been impeccable. Dylan will never forget the look on her face when she’d discovered them. It was the same look Jack had put on Billie’s face more than once.

Dylan pushes the Grammy box away and picks up the scotch he’s been nursing. “Got some offers to review. I’ll join you guys later.”

“No Rhea? I thought you had something going with her?” On-and-off-again Rhea McPherson, their sound engineer. Her moods are as touchy as the channels on the studio’s mixer.