Page 56 of Broken Chorus

“He’ll get there,” Kelly insisted.

“He’d better,” Declan muttered.

“Or what?” Hawk asked, keeping the bass out of his tone, but just barely. “I saw you about to lose your temper with him. I get that you’re frustrated, but you start pushing when we just got him to open up and sing, and you’ll sabotage this before it ever fully gets rolling.”

“You sound like you believe it will,” Declan said, sounding skeptical.

“Because I do. I know him and I know this isn’t about what you think it is. He’s a good man, he just doesn’t always know how to show it, or maybe it’s just that things have backfired onhim the times he’s tried,” Hawk said. “If he didn’t want you here, he wouldn’t have asked you to play that last song. He created that for the children all because Liam, who is such a quiet kid it’s hard to get a bead on what he’s interested in, growled like a death metal singer in the middle of a conversation and lit up like fireworks when Aaron suggested he do that on a song.”

“He should. I’d love to have him record a few words for our heavier tracks,” Kelly offered. “I think it would make an awesome edition to the final mix.”

“Talk about a flex, too,” Rebecka said.

She’d been quiet until then, but in her hand, Hawk could see why and what she’d been bent over for most of the playing. Her fingers were stained with charcoal too, in several different colors, while the page that was still open on her sketchbook, showed the band in mid performance, with Hawk’s three kids front and center, all the joy and energy of the moment encapsulated on the page.

“He’ll have experiences his classmates can only dream of,” Cade said. “And who knows, he might just form his own band someday.”

“At least I’ve already got a music room setup,” Hawk said. “Unlike when we started playing.”

“Man our parents put up with a lot,” Kelly pointed out.

“Yeah, but they had a choice,” Hawk reminded him. “Our neighbors on the other hand…”

“Ohh man, Mrs. Snyder hated us.”

“Not as bad as Mr. Kilroy.”

“I don’t know man, I don’t think it wasushe hated,” Kelly pointed out. “That was all Ethan for trying to date his daughter.”

“Dude, I’d forgotten about that,” Hawk admitted as they all trudged into the kitchen for leftover wings, cold drinks and more conversation, Hawk’s phone providing silent confirmation that Aaron had everything in hand downstairs.

Chapter 13

Snacks and Promises

Head pillowed on Hawk’s shoulder, Aaron listened to the silence of the night and the hush that had fallen over the house once the kids were sleeping. It hadn’t mattered to him that he could only stay for two days, that was still 48 extra hours he got to spend with Hawk and the kids and he was grateful to Kelly for suggesting that a few days break after family day would be good for everyone. Something had shifted between him andHawk after Hawk had come downstairs from chatting with the others to find Aaron in the living room with the television on low and the kids sleeping in the gorgeously designed rooms he’d made for them. Sparkling purple, blue and pink for the girls, and shimmering lime green with a dragon on the ceiling for Liam. He’d had a blast putting it there, interspacing day glow paint with shimmering metallic chrome, so that when the lights were turned out it glowed like a silent sentinel watching over the little boy, who’d fallen asleep holding the matching dragon pillow pet Aaron had found for him.

Humming, he caressed Hawk’s side, soft, not wanting to wake him, just wanting to map Hawk’s skin with his fingertips, like muscle memory on his guitar. He’d have to hold on to these moments when he was back in the city, and hope they carried him through until the next time he could fly out and join them.

The squeak of a door Hawk kept forgetting to oil, drew Aaron’s undivided attention, and as quickly and quietly as he could, he slipped from the bedroom, pulling a t-shirt on as he went. While it would have been nice to sleep naked pressed against Hawk, they’d settled on sleep pants, in case one of the kids should need something in the middle of the night.

Turned out they’d been smart to do that, considering.

It was Ella that Aaron found in the kitchen, a glow in the dark fairy toy in her hands to light her way. There was a night light glowing from one of the kitchen outlets too, which helped Aaron locate the light switch, accidentally startling her.

“What’s the matter, princess, couldn’t sleep?” Aaron asked as she tugged at the fridge door to get it open.

“I woke up to go potty and my tummy was all empty and rumbly,” she explained. “I tried to go back to sleep but it wouldn’t stop growling at me.”

Chuckling, he peered over her and into the fridge, searching for proper midnight snacking ideas, especially knowing Hawk would sayabsolutely notto sweets at this hour.

“How about some grapes and strawberries?” he offered, figuring fruit might be the easiest thing and light enough to settle without sitting in her belly like a lump while she was trying to go back to sleep.

“Will you cut my berries up for me?” she asked.

“Of course.”

“Thank you,” she said and went to take her seat at the table.

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