Lucas and Scott had been discussing his unpublished songs and potential album plans when Lucas decided to address the elephant in the room.
"My contract with Big Machine Records is almost about to end," Lucas said, his tone matter-of-fact. "So... I think that's the real reason you wanted to meet with me?"
Scott chuckled dryly, nodding. "Can't slip anything past you, can I? Look, Lucas, we value you as an artist. Your success, your recent... high profile actions, they've only increased your value. We're prepared to offer you significantly better terms."
He launched into a detailed pitch, outlining increased royalties, more creative control, and a substantial signing bonus.
Lucas listened silently, his face unreadable. When Scott finished, Lucas simply said, "Actually, this isn't even my job. It's my manager's job to handle this."
Scott's smile didn't waver, but there was a glint of determination in his eyes. "I, as a CEO myself, am willing to come from Tennessee to New York to offer you these good terms, Mr. Knight." He slid a document across the table.
Lucas glanced at the paper but didn't pick it up. "I appreciate the gesture, Scott. Really. But I'm not going to make any decisions without consulting my team. You understand, right?"
Scott leaned back, studying Lucas. "Of course. I respect that. But I hope you'll consider our offer seriously. We believe in you, Lucas. We want to continue being part of your journey."
Lucas nodded, his expression softening slightly. "I'll definitely give it serious thought. Now, about that collaboration you mentioned earlier?"
As they shifted back to discussing music, both men knew that the contract negotiation was far from over.
Scott leaned forward, his eyes lighting up with excitement. "Alright, let's talk about that collaboration. We've got a few stars in mind - Beyoncé, Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga, Rihanna. Heck, you can even pick," he chuckled.
Lucas smiled, considering for a moment. "I'm quite interested in having a collaboration with Bruno, actually."
"Bruno Mars?" Scott's eyebrows raised slightly in surprise.
Lucas nodded, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Yeah, I've actually met the guy before. In a casino, of all places."
Scott chuckled, shaking his head. "I've heard that guy frequents those places. Quite the character, from what I understand."
"He is," Lucas agreed. "But he's also incredibly talented. I think our styles could mesh well together."
Scott nodded, looking thoughtful. "Bruno Mars... that could work. He's got that retro-pop sound that's really taking off. Your voices would complement each other nicely."
He pulled out his phone, making a quick note. "I'll have to reach out to his team, of course. But I think we could make this happen. Any particular style or theme you're thinking for the collab?"
Lucas leaned back, his mind already working on potential ideas. "I'm thinking of something... melancholic, but with an undercurrent of hope. A song about two people who've been through a lot, feeling empty and worn out, but finding strength in each other."
He paused, choosing his words carefully. "It's not quite a love song, more like... a recognition of shared struggles. I want it to have a slow, soulful rhythm, but with moments that build up to something more powerful."
Scott listened intently, nodding along. "That's an interesting concept. It's got depth to it. I can see Bruno's soulful voice working well with that kind of emotional complexity."
Lucas continued, "I've been working on some lyrics and a basic melody. It's still in the early stages, but I think with Bruno's input, we could create something really unique."
Scott's eyes lit up with interest. "Sounds promising."
Lucas nodded, his expression turning more businesslike. "Look, Scott, I'm willing to continue working with the label until my current contract expires. But for any future agreements, you'll need to discuss the details with my manager. I simply don't have the time to handle these negotiations myself."
Scott sighed, realizing his attempt to directly negotiate with Lucas wasn't going to work. He had initially hoped to take advantage of the one-on-one meeting, but Lucas was proving to be more savvy than he'd anticipated.
"I understand," Scott said, nodding slowly. "You're right, of course. I'll reach out to your manager to discuss the terms in detail."
Lucas appreciated Scott's professional response. "Thanks for understanding. I do value our working relationship, but these things need to go through the proper channels."
They wrapped up their discussion about the potential Bruno Mars collaboration and other upcoming projects. As they stood to leave, Scott extended his hand.
"It's been a pleasure, Lucas. We'll be in touch about the collaboration and... other matters."
Lucas shook his hand firmly. "Looking forward to it, Scott. Thanks for lunch."
With that, Lucas left the restaurant, feeling satisfied with how the meeting had gone. He had maintained his boundaries while still moving forward with new projects.
***
Two days later, Lucas arrived at the studio to meet with Peter Gene Hernandez, better known as Bruno Mars. As they greeted each other, there was an initial stiffness in the air. Bruno, sensing the tension, decided to break the ice.
"Yo, man," Bruno said, his voice carrying a slight accent and casual flair, "I gotta say, the way you handled that Harvey situation? Damn. The moment I saw that dude in cuffs, I knew I had to collab with you."
Lucas shook his head, laughing in surprise at Bruno's directness. "Thanks, but it wasn't all me. Bob's the one who really blew the lid off the whole thing."
Bruno nodded, his brow furrowing. "Yeah, about that... I'm kinda confused, man. Why'd he snitch on his own brother? Ain't family supposed to stick together?"
Lucas sighed, his expression turning serious. "Bob's situation was... complicated. Sending his brother to jail was probably the hardest thing he's ever done, but he saw it as the only way to really help Harvey."
"Help Harvey?" Bruno raised an eyebrow, clearly puzzled. "How's jail supposed to help?"
"Bob could see that Harvey was mentally unstable," Lucas explained. "He figured this was the only way to force Harvey to get the help he needs. It was a tough call, but sometimes tough love is necessary, you know?"
Bruno let out a low whistle. "Damn, that's heavy. Must've been rough for Bob."
Lucas nodded solemnly. "Yeah, it wasn't an easy decision. But sometimes doing the right thing isn't easy."
There was a moment of thoughtful silence before Bruno clapped his hands together. "Well, enough of that heavy stuff. Let's make some music, yeah?"
The mood lightened as they turned their attention to their collaboration.
Lucas chuckled, shaking his head. "And here I thought you just wanted to meet up for some Harvey gossip," he joked.
Bruno burst out laughing. "Nah, man. I mean, that shit's wild, but we're here for the music." He reached into his bag, pulling out a folder. "Look, I even brought some ideas. Music sheets and all."
Lucas took the offered files, nodding appreciatively. "Looks like great minds think alike," he said, reaching for his own folder. "I've got some stuff prepped too."
As they exchanged papers, Bruno whistled low. "Damn, Knight. You don't mess around, do you?"
Lucas shrugged, a small smile playing on his lips. "What can I say? I like to come prepared."
Bruno flipped through Lucas's notes, his eyebrows raising. "This is some deep stuff, man. I'm digging the vibe."
"Thanks," Lucas replied, already scanning Bruno's ideas. "Your rhythms here... they're really interesting. I think we can work with this."
Bruno studied the lyrics Lucas had written, nodding appreciatively. Then, to Lucas's surprise, Bruno began to hum and sing, capturing the melancholy yet hopeful tone.
"Funny how we never get it right
Too burnt to see the brighter side"
His soulful voice brought life to the words on the page.
"It's hard to love the way you should when half your heart is gone
But if part of me is all I have, then you can have it all"
Lucas watched, impressed, as Bruno tapped out a rhythm and continued vocalizing. The melody Bruno improvised seemed to perfectly complement the mood and theme of the lyrics.
"Wow," Lucas said when Bruno finished. "You really captured the feeling I was going for there."
Bruno grinned. "It's good stuff, man..."
As Lucas and Bruno continued to work together, Lucas found himself increasingly impressed by Bruno's talent. The ease with which Bruno had picked up the melody and emotion of his lyrics was remarkable.
"Man, you've really got a gift," Lucas said, shaking his head in admiration. "I knew you were good, but seeing it up close is something else."
Bruno smiled. "Thanks, bro. Been at this since I was a kid, you know? It's in my blood."
As they continued to work, the studio engineers helped them lay down some beats. They experimented with different sounds and rhythms.
"What if we try something like this?" Bruno suggested, tapping out a complex rhythm on the edge of the mixing board.
Lucas listened intently, then nodded. "Yeah, I like that. It adds a nice layer of depth to the chorus."
They went back and forth, refining ideas and building on each other's suggestions. Despite their different backgrounds and styles, they found a surprising synergy in their collaboration.
"You know," Bruno said during a break, "I gotta admit, I was a bit nervous about this collab. Wasn't sure how our styles would mesh..."
Lucas chuckled. "Same here."
After several hours of intense collaboration, Lucas and Bruno finally decided to call it a day. They both stood, stretching out the kinks from sitting for so long.
They started packing up their things.
"Same time next day?" Bruno asked, slinging his bag over his shoulder.
"Sounds good," Lucas replied. "I'll work on refining that bridge section we talked about."
"See you around, Knight," Bruno said with a grin. "Keep it real, man."
Lucas chuckled. "You too. Stay out of trouble."
They parted ways outside the studio.
Lucas watched Bruno saunter off down the street, his distinctive swagger unmistakable even from behind. He shook his head, smiling to himself.