“The issues you’ve all overcome, or are trying to overcome, are hard. It’s tough. It’s, well, for the want of better wording, fucking shit. Pardon my French.” The room fills with soft laughter. “But I know that with the help of Nora and Rosalie House, you can do anything you put your mind to. The strength you find in each other will hold you together, but the strength you find in yourself is the most powerful of all. But, of course, places like this need all the help they can get, right?”
There is a collective “Yes” from the audience.
“That’s why they have fundraisers like tonight. I hope you all put your wallets on the line and continue to do so because whatever the fundraiser brings in at the end of the night, I will personally match dollar for dollar. So if you guys donate a thousand, I’ll donate a thousand. Do you see where I’m going with this?”
The crowd gasps, and I look at Alex, whose mouth drops open. Her eyes blink rapidly as they mist up. Nora wraps her arms around her, and Alex smiles weakly. I know full well the fundraiser has already raised nearly ten thousand tonight, and I’m a man of my word. I will match it dollar-for-dollar. This place is impressive, and it has given me Alex. So I’m willing to help because it helped her. Plus, I’ve always wanted to support a good charity, so why not start here?
“I’ll do it, too,” a man wearing a suit calls out from the crowd. “I’m from the local Brand Outlet Super Store, and we will donate dollar for dollar, too. Plus, throw in vouchers for the mall so you can fit out the House with a fresh range of clothing.”
Nora bursts into tears, and I look at the guy and nod.
Nora moves up to the microphone while shaking her head and wiping her face. She leans in, hugging me tightly, and I embrace her back as I glance past her, looking down at Alex, who’s wiping away a tear that’s rolling down her cheek.
“Thank you, Matt, thank you so much. You have no idea what you’ve just done.” She leans in, kissing my cheek, and I smile before I walk off the stage while Nora goes about thanking all the sponsors and guests one last time.
Alex shakes her head as I step up to her, and she lunges at me, taking me into an all-powerful embrace.
Warmth.
“Matt, I don’t even—”
“You’re welcome.” I sway her from side to side. Alex’s head turns, and suddenly her lips are on my cheek, kissing me. Her lips are warm and soft, and for the briefest of seconds, I think about turning my head to feel them once again, but I swallow the thought. Instead, I focus on the friendship we have.
She is a friend.
A good friend.
Quite possibly my best friend, besides my brother.
No, Alex and I can’t go there.
I have to remember my list—my ten rules—and Alex breaks most of them.
She’snotthe girl for me.
Right?
“Malex, come by the fire pit. We’re gonna do the music circle,” a woman calls out, and I chuckle into Alex’s ear and pull back, looking into her eyes.
“Malex, huh?”
She wipes away another tear. “Has a cool ring to it, don’t ya think?”
“Yeah, like an unbeatable superhero team,” I reply.
“Fuckin’ yeah! So, Mr. Music Man, you gonna show these guys how to rock ‘n’ roll?” she asks, grabbing my hand and leading me over to the fire pit.
I raise my brow and scratch the top of my head. “Well, honestly, I can’t sing that well, and I play bass, so it’s not like Ican do much in a group setting. I’m more the background kinda guy,” I admit, and Alex rolls her eyes.
“You don’t seem like you belong in the background to me, Matt.” She pulls my hand, leading me over to take a seat on some crates. The heat from the fire radiates with intensity, but the night is crisp, so it’s a welcome burn. As I get comfortable, a man comes up to me with an acoustic bass guitar. He looks at me as he hands it over like he’s unsure of how I will take the offering, but I give him a nod before taking it from him. It’s an Ibanez, and it takes me back to my childhood when I used to learn on one of these, rather than the electric I play now.
A woman sits down next to me with a white plastic container, turns it upside down, and pulls out a pair of drumsticks from her back pocket. I realize we’re about to have an impromptu jamming session as another woman comes out with an acoustic Fender. I sink into the crate, feeling I’m more at home here than I ever thought possible. Alex sits down opposite me, the flames of the fire pit between us, but I can see her clearly between the flickering flames.
“Hey, I’m Gianna… so we always finish these nights off with a round of music. Generally, Augie plays bass, but he’s willing to let arealmusician play tonight,” the drummer girl states, and I look at Augie and furrow my brows.
“Oh, shit! I don’t wanna take your position, Augie. Please, you play, I’ll watch.” I lift the bass toward him in offering.
“Oh, God, no, I hardly know what I’m doing. I strum and make shit up as I go. If you actually know what you’re doing, I’d rather the music be really great tonight than just average with me playing. Please, let us all be spoiled by a rocker rocking out for us,” he states.
