Page 9 of Shattered Rhythm

Liv grabs her stuff and comes down to us, still out of breath. “You could say that. At least we” —she points at River— “had a really long conversation the other day.” Now I’m confused.River talks to strangers?

“Yeah, it was memorable for sure,” he says, chuckling. “What do you think? Want to repeat that over a late lunch? There are some good restaurants around here.”

My eyes nearly fall out of my head.What is happening?I look at Jaxon, and he’s scowling even more than normal.

“Oh, I’m sweaty and tired. I’m sorry,” she tells him, getting shy again. His face falls, but she continues quickly, “But I’d love to get something to eat with you both another time.”

River recovers quickly, and Ryder smiles. “We’d love that too.”

“I’m sorry, I never got your name?” Liv asks, looking back at River.

“River. My name is River,” he says.

“Great. I’m Liv.”

“We know,” they both say at the same time, and she laughs.

“Okay, so thank you all for being my audience today.” She glances at Jaxon and me. “I feel honored. Hope to see you around!” We all watch after her as she leaves the studio.

* * *

Jaxon

“What the fuck was that?” I ask River, but Ryder is already hugging him around the waist and lifting him into the air.

“I am so fucking proud of you, brother!” he tells him. “Look at you, all grown-up and asking girls out.”

“Fuck you, let me down,” River retorts, sounding unamused.

“No, seriously,” Chase chimes in. “What was that? How do you know her, and how come you grew some balls overnight?”

That makes me chuckle, but River glowers.

“We met her at Café Bloom on Monday,” he explains. “She came in to eat something and sat with me at my table to listen to Ryder.”

“And what did you talk about?” I ask.

“Nothing,” Ryder says with a laugh. “He didn’t speak one word to her, and she called him out for it before she left. That’s why it’s so funny.”

“And what about the twenty bucks?” Chase asks Ryder.

“As she left, she told me that I was so good and dropped twenty dollars in my guitar case.”

Huh, the girl is funny…and generous.I’ve never seen a student that had money to spare…if she is a student.

“So you guys don’t know more about her? What she does for a living or if she’s a student?”

“Nope,” River says.

I look to Chase. “What’s your deal?”

“My deal? I saw her dancing here early Wednesday morning, but I didn’t speak to her. I just introduced myself before she danced right now. What’s your deal?”

She took my breath away and called me daddy.

“I just got her signed up. Didn’t talk much.”

“And why are you here now? You never come into the studio,” Chase asks.

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