A Sound Like Hope (Fallen Tuesday #3) (21 page)

“
To
check up on my boy. Hang out with him. Teach him to throw a football or
something. I don
’
t know.
Father shit.
”

“
Father
shit?
”
Emily asked.
“
Father shit is being here all
the time. Healing his broken heart. Keeping him out of trouble.
”

“
Trouble,
”
Neil said with a smile.
“
Thought I heard something about
him becoming a big pain in the ass. Burning buildings down?
”

“
Not
a building. A barn. And he
’
s
not a pain in the ass. How could you say that?
”

Neil sipped his coffee.
“
Truth, Emily. Truth. He cried so
much when he was a baby I knew he
’
d
end up like this. Maybe I should take him with me for a little while. Teach him
how to be a man.
”

“
Never,
”
Emily said.
“
No court would ever listen to
you.
”

Neil folded his hands.
“
Bite your tongue. I
’
m the boy
’
s father. You are just an aunt. You have no
experience with kids. And the experience you do have
…
I wonder just how much trouble the boy has gotten
into. Maybe you
’
re not fit
to take care of him. Maybe he would be better off in my care. I
’
m his father, I know how to care
for him.
”

“
You
’
re an asshole, Neil. You
’
ll never get Nick. He
’
s my life. I love him.
”

“
Does
he call you
Mom
?
”

She swallowed the lump in her
throat. That question hurt more than anything Neil had said so far. Nick never
called Emily
Mom
. Hell, he had just started calling her
Aunt
Emily.
But that didn
’
t matter.
Emily didn
’
t want to be his
mother. She wanted to take care of him. Raise him. Teach him. Do everything Amelia
would have done for her son.

“
Is
that why you
’
re really
here?
”
Emily asked.
“
To fight for Nick?
”

“
No.
I just wanted to see the boy and then I
’
m
heading back out.
”

“
For
what?
”

“
Work.
Texas. I just need help to get there, you know?
”

“
You
want money.
”

“
Everyone
wants money. I need it though. Gas tank is on empty and I
’
m broke.
”

“
Just
stay away from him,
”
Emily
said. She stood up.
“
You
don
’
t deserve to consider
yourself a father. Not now, not ever.
”

Neil leaned back.
“
Whatever you say, Emily.
”
He smiled.
“
Hey, what about your life? You
got a man in it? Someone willing to tackle the mess you
’
re in?
”

“
I
’
m not answering that.
”

Emily walked away and Neil whistled
for her.
“
Maybe I
’
ll stop by the house later. Say
hello to everyone.
”

Emily made fists and left the
coffee shop. She wasn
’
t
sure how she would afford it if she had to call the lawyer again, now to fight
Neil for custody. And what would that do to Nick?

As Emily left the parking lot, she
spotted Neil at his car, his arms folded. He looked at least ten years older
than he was. He had no heart and would do anything to prove a point. Emily
needed a man with a heart, and she had one, but he was an hour away.

*

The set list was done and it
sounded amazing. They had run through all the songs, stopping a few times on
the new material to find ways to make it better for the crowd. Although there
was no crowd in the practice room with Fallen Tuesday, they played as though
they were already in front of those forty thousand screaming fans.

Trent took off his bass and grabbed
an acoustic guitar. Luke set up five stools and everyone sat down, except Jake
who was setting up the mics for everyone.

“
This
is going to be awesome,
”
Luke said.
“
The five of us,
five spotlights, five acoustic guitars, and one amazing song. It's going to be
an incredible moment.
”

Trent already had chills thinking
about it. This was
the song
for the fans. The offering of Fallen Tuesday
as they stripped down their sound and opened their hearts. Whether the song
would become a hit or not didn
’
t
matter. It would become a staple of the live performance. A way to slow the show
down and show off the many talents of the band members.

“
We
ready here?
”
Luke asked.

Everyone nodded.

Mack gave a four count tapping his
guitar pick on the hollow body of his acoustic guitar. Jake and Gray came in
first and then Trent strummed on the next round. Luke and Mack joined in to
complete the sound. Mack didn
’
t
do much actual strumming. Instead, he used the palm of his hand against the
guitar, creating a thud rhythm. His drumming instincts kicked in, even on an
acoustic song.

Everyone swayed back and forth and
bobbed their heads. When Luke started to sing, Trent closed his eyes. He
thought of Emily. He couldn
’
t
wait to see Nick at that skateboard competition and he couldn
’
t wait for Emily and Nick to be
at the concert. Things were coming together. Finally.

After the verse, Luke moved the
song into the chorus where the entire band sang. Nobody could possibly match
the perfection of Luke
’
s
voice, but the other four voices gave depth to the lyrics.

It sounded awesome.

They continued through the song and
when it came time for the guitar solos, Trent watched and smiled. Gray and Jake
were masters at this, trading on and off, and looking cool as hell as they did
it. For the final part of the guitar solo, they played the exact same solo
together. That took skill and practice. When Jake looked up from his guitar, he
met eyes with Trent. He nodded and Trent turned his head back to the mic. He
wasn
’
t sure what to think
of Jake still, but right now the only thing that mattered was that the band was
together, excited, and playing.

When the song finished, everyone
collectively let out a long exhale.

“
That
is perfect,
”
Mack said.
“
Damn, that just cuts right to
the heart.
”

“
Yeah,
it does,
”
Trent said.
“
We
’
re
going to shut down that arena with this.
”

“
I
love it,
”
Luke said.

He stood up and spun his guitar in
his hand. He put it on a stand and that was the end of the practice. They all
met in the middle of the stage then and put their fists together.

“
Fallen
Tuesday,
”
Gray said.

“
Fallen
Tuesday,
”
the rest of them
repeated.

Trent
’
s
ears rang as he jumped from the stage. He went to his bag and opened it,
wanting to call Emily. The only thing better than the sound of music was the
sound of her voice. He checked and saw that Emily had called him twice. Yet she
didn
’
t leave a voicemail.

“
What
the hell?
”
he whispered.

He called and on the last ring,
Emily
’
s voice came through.

“
Emily,
what
’
s wrong?
”

“
Hey.
Nothing.
”

Trent could hear the fear in Emily
’
s voice.
“
Don
’
t
lie to me, baby. Something is wrong. Is Nick okay? Did he get into trouble?
”

“
No,
Nick is fine,
”
Emily said.
“
For now.
”

Mack walked up to Trent and handed
him a bottle of water. He nodded to the phone.

Everything good?
he mouthed.

Trent shrugged his shoulders.

“
What
do you mean, for now?
”
Trent asked.

“
I
don
’
t want to bother you,
”
Emily said.
“
You have your own life, Trent. I
have mine. You
’
re getting
ready for a show. An album. A tour. It
’
s
…
it
’
s just too much right now. For all of us.
”

“
Wait
a second, Emily. What are you talking about?
”

“
Everything
between us. What is it? What is this? We tell each other we love each other
…”

“
What
’
s wrong?
”
Trent asked.
“
Something
happened. I can hear it in your voice. Just tell me what
’
s wrong.
”

“
I
’
m full of problems, Trent. You
don
’
t deserve that.
”

“
I
don
’
t deserve it? Emily, I
don
’
t deserve you, but you
called me. I
’
m the one with
problems. We can figure them out, together.
”

There was silence and finally the
sound of Emily sucking in air.

Man, she
’
s crying
…

Trent grabbed his bag and was
already walking to the door. The rest of the band spotted him and were quick to
follow.

“
I
’
m coming to see you,
”
Trent said.
“
Are you home?
”

“
Don
’
t do that,
”
Emily said.
“
It
’
ll
make things worse.
”

“
Worse?
What do you mean worse? Christ, Emily, tell me
…”

“
Neil
came back.
”

Neil
…
Neil?

“
Who
the hell is Neil?
”

“
Nick
’
s father.
”

Trent stopped walking and dropped
his bag. It hit with a thud that echoed.
“
His
father? When did he get there? Why? What can I do?
”

“
Nothing,
Trent. That
’
s the point.
Neil made it very clear that I
’
m
not good enough to take care of Nick on my own. He made idle threats about
fighting for custody, but all he wants is money. I
’
ll give him everything I own to go away. He can
’
t see Nick though. He just can
’
t. It
’
ll crush him.
”

“
I
’
m coming to you,
”
Trent said.
“
Don
’
t argue with me, Emily.
”

“
You
don
’
t need to be dragged
into this.
”

“
I
was dragged into it the second I saw Nick with that cocky grin on his face. I
was dragged into it the second our eyes met. I meant everything I told you,
Emily. This isn
’
t just a
fling. This is serious for me. Stay home with Nick, I
’
ll be there soon.
”

“
Trent
…
I love you.
”

Trent closed his eyes and exhaled.
“
I love you, Emily. Just trust
me.
”

Trent ended the call and turned to
find all eyes upon him.

“
You
love
…
?
”
Mack asked, raising an eyebrow.

“
How
much trouble would I get in if I beat the hell out of a deadbeat father?
”
Trent asked.

“
In
your case, tons,
”
Luke
said.
“
What
’
s wrong?
”

“
Personal
stuff,
”
Trent said.
“
I
’
ve
never felt so
…
man, I
’
m hooked on this woman and her
nephew. Bad. I have to help her.
”

“
Then
go, brother,
”
Jake said.

“
What
do you need us to do?
”
Luke
asked.

“
Get
me on the phone with a lawyer. I
’
m
taking care of something.
”

Trent left the studio, bag in hand.
He threw it into his car and the second he started to drive, he made a decision.
It wasn't enough to tell Emily he loved her. It was no longer enough to keep
talking about how he wanted to be with her. And it was annoying to have a bag
packed at all times, in case he wanted to see Emily.