Page 45 of Broken Chorus

Aaron tensed, not wanting to move. He was half tempted to tell Kelly to just use his key to go get it, but it would probably be better for his future sobriety if he gave it up voluntarily rather than making Kelly go hunt for it. “Yeah…yeah okay, we’d better.”

“Good choice,” Kelly said, finally easing up on the hold he had on Aaron.

Even then, Aaron didn’t get up right away. He wasn’t in any hurry to flee Kelly’s presence. His confession about adding Shawn back onto his contacts list, as jarring as it was, had also helped a little, if only to make him feel less alone in his struggles. Aaron still couldn’t wrap his head around how him being with the band was supposed to do anything for Hawk besides maintain the distance between them, unless that was exactly what Hawk needed from him right now. Space and distance without having to hear about all the bullshit Aaron was fucking up and all the ways it was making Kelly crazy.

He could do that. And he could give up the bottle, though he was sure as hell gonna smoke up in mourning of it. It wasn’t going to be easy, but maybe if he just closed his eyes and focused on the music, he wouldn’t get so spun out about the thoughts that raced through his head. And maybe somewhere in thedarkness and the notes, he’d find a way to feel like he was worth something again.

Chapter 11

It’s all about the wings, baby.

It was all Hawk could do to contain Dani as they waited for the door to open, her little wiggling body poised for flight the moment her feet hit the floor. He knew she was as anxious to see Aaron as he was, he just hoped keeping their arrival a secret wouldn’t blow up in his face. When he’d landed, he’d texted Kelly to let him know they were on the ground, but at that pointhe’d still been unable to tell him if Aaron was going to put in an appearance or pass on the band’s first family day meal.

It had been a tradition, every other week for as far back as he could remember. Back when three of them had lived in the building they’d decided to dine out every fifth meal, to keep the rotation a bit more even. The only rule was that it couldn’t be in a city any of them lived in. Their last one as a band had been at Hawk’s place in the mountains, back before colorful plastic plates and cups had replaced stoneware in his cabinets.

He hit the bell again, since there was no way of telling if there was music playing or a bunch of chaos going on inside, and was rewarded by the sight of an apron wearing Kelly, who immediately looked relieved to see him.

“Was hoping you’d hurry up and get here,” Kelly said. “He’s been trying to leave almost since he stepped foot in the door.”

“Unky Aaron!” Dani squealed, lurching for the open doorway and leaving Hawk no choice but to put her down or risk dropping her. She shot past Kelly and into the house, squealing Aaron’s name as she vanished around a corner quickly followed by the other two.

“He say why?”

“Just that it was a mistake to get together outside of practice,” Kelly admitted. “So I sent his ass to the music room to see if he could fix the busted ass chorus I can’t get to turn out right in the hopes that would keep him around long enough for you to get here. I couldn’t be certain he’d just go downstairs if I let him leave.”

“Thank you for that,” Hawk said, relief and a flash of fear washing over him, because if Aaron was avoiding the band except when playing then he was spiraling worse than Kelly had alluded to.

Dani’s high-pitched squeal drew him inside and he caught up with the kids just in time to catch sight of the whirlingdervish of princess dress and fairy wings hurtling at Aaron, who immediately scooped her up and cuddled her.

“I missed you! I missed you!” She cried, clinging to Aaron’s neck.

One wing smacked him on the side of the face, but he didn’t seem to notice as he held her, wearing the brightest smile Hawk had seen on Aaron’s face in years.

“Awe princess, you saw me over the video feed just last night when I read you your bedtime story,” Aaron croaked, giving him a good idea of how hard Dani was squeezing him.

“I know,” she whined. “But it different! I like when you and Unky Hawk take turns reading and tuck me in and make cocoa! His marshy mallows are too big. I like your tiny ones.”

“Hey now, I might not have tiny marshmallows but I do remember the whipped cream and sprinkles,” Hawk protested, voice booming as Ella and Liam latched onto Aaron’s legs and hugged him to.

He bent with Dani still clinging to him and managed to wrap them in an embrace as well, getting knocked off his feet for his troubles, much to the delight of the kids. They dogpiled him, giggling and hugging until Aaron yelledtruce!

They scrambled off him then and seemed to realize that there were strangers in the room, because they immediately rushed back to Hawk and hid behind him. Hawk recognized Declan and Micah from their dossiers but had no clue who the guy who looked like Declan was, nor did he know the woman who was standing to Micah’s left.

He waited for Aaron to acknowledge him after he’d picked himself up, but the other man never looked his way. Hell there was a time when Aaron would have been in his space already, yanking him into a one armed hug or standing close enough that their shoulders brushed, now he wouldn’t even glance in Hawk’sdirection, let alone make eye contact with him. Instead, he knelt so he could talk to Dani.

“Speaking of sprinkles, guess what I found?” Aaron mock whispered.

“What, what?” Dani asked, pressing her head against his.

“A whole shaker of pink, purple and silver glitter sprinkles!”

“Really!”

Her shriek was damn near deafening but that smile of hers was more than worth the noise.

“Really, really. I have them right downstairs in my apartment, though if your uncle Hawk had given me a heads up that he was bringing you guys, I’d have brought them up with me.”

She turned, staring up at Hawk, pouting as her eyes narrowed and she stuck her hands on her hips.

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