Page 99 of Rock God

“I miss you too. But I’ll be home late tomorrow and we can make up for it.”

“I can’t wait to thank you in person.”

“I’m very much looking forward to that.”

* * *

I felt terrible that I hadn’t bought anything for Kingston for Christmas, but there hadn’t been anything I could think of that felt like the appropriate gift. I couldn’t afford to buy him something memorable, like a Rolex, or anything as exotic as plane tickets for us to travel somewhere. I wasn’t poor, but I certainly wasn’t a millionaire like him, and Kingston already had all the fancy cars, jewelry, and clothes he needed.

“Maybe the best gift isn’t something tangible,” Greatty said as we drove. “Time together might mean something to him, outside of songwriting and lovemaking. Or write a song about him. Maybe a poem or something emotionally intimate.”

“I feel like that’s what we did with ‘Symphony of the Broken.’ I brought that to him as a kind of gift to the band, because I’d had a feeling they would like it. I was saving it for the perfect situation and the moment they asked me to be in the band, I’d known that was exactly what I’d been saving it for.”

“Then maybe the best gift you can give him is honesty,” she said softly. “Tell him about your past, the porn, and everything Larry did. Both with you and to you.”

I grimaced. “And what if he decides he can’t be with someone who used to do porn?”

“We talked about this. If that’s the kind of thing that bothers him, then he’s not the man we think he is and he certainly doesn’t deserve you.”

“There’s nothing special about me,” I said quietly.

“Everything about you is special,” she responded in a firm voice. “And while I like Kingston very much, you are and always will be my first priority. If he hurts you, he’s dead to me.”

I smiled, turning into the parking lot of the shelter where we’d been volunteering for several years.

“I love you, Greatty.”

“Of course you do.” She got out of my car, and we gathered up the things we’d brought with us. I was donating some clothes I didn’t wear anymore, and she’d stocked up on basics to donate to the shelter.

“You going to flirt with Big Mike today?” I teased, referring to a homeless man she’d gotten friendly with over the last year. He was probably only in his sixties, but they seemed to have become good friends and I liked giving her a hard time about it.

She lifted her chin. “None of your business.”

I laughed. “Okay, then.”

“Good morning!” The director of the shelter, Chandra Myers, called out as we walked in.

“Merry Christmas!” Greatty immediately went over to chat with some of the volunteers she was friendly with. She volunteered here often. I honestly didn’t have the time with my work schedule, but I knew everyone too, and I waved as we began setting up for the rush of people who would probably start lining up around one or one-thirty.

“We got a very nice donation yesterday,” Chandra said, her eyes twinkling as she looked at me.

“Oh?” I asked, confused. “From whom?”

“Your band!” She grinned. “Fifty big ones.”

“The guys donated fifty thousand dollars?” I asked in surprise.

“Yup. I’ve already put in an order for a few more beds, new linens for everyone, and non-perishable food items. That kind of money makes such a difference. So, thank you for telling them about us.”

“I…” I wasn’t sure if I’d ever told them the name, but when it was all said and done, what difference did it make? Kingston had probably called Greatty to ask her so he could surprise me. He seemed to be doing a lot of that lately, and it was nice.

He was nice.

Well, he was more than nice.

He was an exceptional human being.

Gorgeous, talented, kind, and rich.

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