Since finding love myself, I was all for spreading it around, and certainly there was no one more deserving than loyal Dane. But I wasn’t as excited about their connection as Breeze was, because even though I had nothing against Mason, he was a troubled dude, and I had a sinking suspicion it would be my friend on the losing end of this uneven pairing. Still, the chemistry between the two was electric enough that there was no way either one of them was getting off the train at the next stop.
Dane wasn’t the onlyDayerin attendance. Hunter, married and with a baby on the way, had made the trip too. As had Shawn and his current baby mama. I only say that because the last one had proved to be a fraud, passing off her groupie baby to more than one potential pop star papa. And once the first round of DNA testing cleared him of paternity, Shawn celebrated with a fresh new round of women, only to find himself right back where he started.
RJ was the only former band mate not at my place, and that wasn’t for lack of trying. We’d originally planned our get-together for the week before, but we’d been forced to rearrange at the last minute due to unforeseen circumstances. And since RJ was back in the grind after launching a successful solo career, his schedule didn’t allow reshuffling.
Although RJ had been the first to break out on his own, the rest of us weren’t sitting around idly. The year I’d taken off from concerts and touring had been a crucial one. Little by little, I’d been working my way toward the goal of singing the songs that meant something to me. And now, without my father pushing his agenda and without the hitmakers shoving their fluff songs down my throat, I was finally in the position to choose.
Our cross-country trip had solidified my vision of a rock career. Stopping at open mic nights as often as we could, I’d hide under a disguise, strum my guitar, and often sing for twelve hammered assholes. And yeah, sometimes I was booed off the stage, but sometimes… sometimes magic happened. That was the feeling I was going for; the reason I loved music. And the reason I would never stop singing.
I turned toward my father, who was deep in a discussion with Betsy. What a difference a year made. Tucker was no longer the demanding dictator with a boner for world domination. Seeing the error of his ways, he’d gone to work not only fixing himself but also making amends for his earlier mistakes. Out of nowhere, the uptight man who’d raised me was learning to laugh again. The change in him was profound, and I wasn’t sure how much of it had to do with our heart-to-heart on Breeze’s patio or the counseling he was now receiving to deal with the unresolved feelings of his mother’s death.
More likely, his sudden transformation had everything to do with Evan. In a bizarre turn of events, Tucker became Evan’s ‘Eddie’ after all. He’d stepped up for Marni’s second son just as he had for me, and with one look at Evan, it was clear the profound effect he’d had on my little brother. Evan was no longer an angry teen on a downward spiral. With Tucker’s support and guidance, he was thriving in school and learning to play the bass guitar. Music was something that flowed through our blood. After all, Marni had once been a competent shower singer before addiction brought her to her knees.
But Tucker had seen to it that Marni’s life would not be mine, nor would it be Evan’s. He’d taken two boys who were not his own, and not only did he provide for us a safe haven, but he gave us a future. I thought about everything I had; everything he’d given me in life. Without him, I wouldn’t be here today. I wouldn’t have Breeze. I wouldn’t have…
Choking up, I called to him. “Hey, Dad.”
Tucker turned in his seat. “Yeah?”
“Thank you.”
His confusion was understandable. “For what?” he asked.
I swallowed back the lump forming in my throat. It had taken me time to fully grasp what Tucker had done for me, but now that I knew, I’d never forget. “For saving me.”
My words hit him hard, and his bottom lip quivered as tears flooded his eyes.
“Yeah,” Evan pitched in. “Ditto for me.”
Too touched to respond, Tucker rose from the couch. Evan and I did the same, and right there in the middle of the living room, the three of us sealed our bond. I only wished Jonah could have been there to share in the moment, but earlier commitments had kept him at home.
Feeling the emotions right alongside us, all our guests were dabbing at their eyes. Well, everyone but Shawn.
“Why are you crying, Bodhi?” he asked, nodding toward me in a knowing manner. “Is it because of your haircut?”
The room erupted, tears morphing into laughter, and I jumped onto Shawn and delivered a playful beatdown.
“So, Tucker, is Evan going to be your new superstar client?” Hunter asked.
Evan laughed. “Not unless I suddenly grow some talent.”
“Don’t listen to him. He’s a natural. But no. All I want is for Evan to focus on school and be a normal teenager.”
“Wow, such a novel concept,” I said, with no contempt attached to the jab.
“Right?” Tucker smiled. “Besides, I already signed my next star, and he’s going to be huge.”
EveryDayerin the room swiveled their head in Tucker’s direction. “Really? Who?”
“Well, it’s a band called Sketch Monsters, but it’s the lead singer who’s going to bring the house down.”
“That talented?” I asked, intrigued by this new information.
He nodded. “But it’s not just that. He’s also got a pedigree that’s just out of the frickin’ world.”
Barely able to contain himself, Dane abandoned Mason altogether to get the inside scoop. “Who?”
“You ever heard of Jake McKallister?”
