The Sound of Your Heart

by Laura Ward

  Julie shifted in my arms, uncharacteristically nervous. “Uh...yes.”

  He chuckled. “Maybe you were right, and not everything that’s broken can be fixed, but it looks as if this time it should be.”

  I furrowed my brow trying to puzzle out what the hell Jed was going on about.

  “Care to introduce me?” Jed asked, his voice more entertained than I’d ever heard it on tour.

  Julie cleared her throat. “Jed, you know Ben. He’s my ex...he’s my boyfriend,” she said, correcting herself. “Ben,” she said, nudging my arm as she snuggled in close. “Jed’s my bio dad.”

  There was silence for a few seconds. Even Phil seemed so stunned he finally quit mumbling and struggling under Nate’s hold.

  “Holy shitballs,” Nate mumbled.

  My thoughts exactly.

  ***

  Eventually, Phil was hauled off and we all gave statements to the police. While the mess with Phil was dealt with outside, Jed made sure that the fundraiser raged on inside The Shell.

  An hour later, the concert was over, and the fans reluctantly left to go home. Julie had cleaned up, giving me back my sweaty shirt, and was wearing an Excess Love shirt to cover her torn clothes. Jed and the guys from Excess Wreckage stuck around to sign autographs while the sales from the tickets and shirts were tallied and organized by a team of people that Jed had brought with him.

  Julie sat on my lap while we hung out at a table with Taren, Lex, and Darren to enjoy a few drinks after one hell of a night.

  “Hey, Julie.” Nate pulled out a chair. “I...uh...I wanted to apologize. You know...for being a giant ass.”

  Julie’s fingers stroked the back of my head. “Are you apologizing because my dad’s Jed Jacobs and you get a chubby in his mere presence?”

  Yeah. The brash Jules I loved was back in the game.

  Nate barked out a laugh. “Good to know you haven’t lost your sense of humor.” He released a breath. “I shouldn’t have treated you the way I did. I know that. I think deep down I was worried you’d take my brother from me. And he’s sort of all I have.”

  Julie stiffened. I rubbed her back to soothe whatever had her wound up.

  “Nate,” she said, “I would never come between you. I—”

  He interrupted her. “I know. Ben is a big boy and can make his own decisions. And I have to respect that. Even if he’s choosing to leave the band.”

  Julie gasped and turned toward me. “Ben? You’re leaving the band? Why? You love Honor Bound.”

  I squeezed my arm tighter around her, my hand molding to the curve of her hip. “I do love Honor Bound. But that’s not all I love. I told the guys last week that I’ve decided to finish my degree,” I told her. “They all enjoy going out on tour, but it’s not for me. I’m going to write songs for the band and study music. Here. With you. Where I want to be.”

  She took a deep breath and released it in a way that sounded like relief. It made me smile.

  “Are you sure?” she asked. “I would never hold you back.”

  I nibbled her earlobe and she shuddered, making my heart swell. “Trust me, Jules. The tour was holding me back. The rock star path isn’t mine. Music, and love, and you. That’s my path. I guess I had to go away to figure out where I was meant to be, but now that I know, you’re not getting rid of me.”

  The kiss she gave me in response was soft and way too short since it was interrupted by the clearing of a throat. “Julie?”

  Man. Julie’s old man was becoming quite the cockblocker. Good thing I liked the guy.

  “Hey, Jed,” Julie said.

  I was surprised to hear a note of embarrassment in her words. I guessed even though she didn’t quite feel comfortable calling him Dad, they were both still trying to navigate the father-daughter relationship.

  “Sorry to interrupt, but I’ve got the final amounts for the money raised tonight,” Jed said. “You raised $100,000.”

  “$100,000?” Julie squealed. “But how is that possible? That’s like twice what we expected. The math doesn’t—the amount of tickets and shirts—”

  Jed cleared his throat. “The boys and I matched the sales.”

  Julie jumped up from my lap and the crinkle of paper was followed by a grunt from Jed which I assumed meant he’d gotten ambushed by one of Julie’s hugs.

  “I can’t believe this! We’ll be able to get a condo with enough left over to put toward supported living services. Stacy and William will get their home!”

  She laughed loudly, more carefree and genuinely happy than I’d ever heard her. Listening to her excitement for what she’d managed to accomplish for her friends made me incredibly proud.

  “Thank you so much, Jed. For everything,” she said, the last part of her words trailing off quietly.

  Jed chuckled. “Anything for you, kiddo. Listen, I gotta jet. You call me soon, okay? We’ll eat lots of sandwiches and keep gettin’ to know each other,” he promised. “Besides, you gotta keep me up-to-date on my boy here. Make sure he’s writing those songs like he promised.” A hand patted me on the back. “And don’t forget about this summer. Charlene and the kids are looking forward to it.”

  “Me too,” Julie said quickly. “I don’t know how I can ever thank you for all you’ve done. I never thought I’d have a family. I never imagined I might have a...dad.”

  The word hung in the air like the last note of an epic guitar solo. I would have loved to see the old rocker’s face.

  He cleared his throat several times. “How about another hug?”

  Julie didn’t answer, but she didn’t need to. She was already in his arms.

  ***

  “Take me home?” Julie asked when the last of the work inside The Shell had been completed.

  “Always.” I took her hand in mine, cane in the other, and we walked out onto Route 1.

  “Want to spend the night at my place?” Julie leaned into me, and I let her hand go, wrapping my arm around her shoulder and pulling her closer. “I’m not sure I can bear going into that fraternity house again,” she added quietly.

  “Me either.” I kissed the top of her head. “We’ll stay at your place tonight. But I have a question for you. Can you cook?”

  She laughed, the full unrestrained sound that I couldn’t imagine living without. “Cook. Hell no. I’m so bad in the kitchen I could manage to burn peanut butter and jelly.”

  “Hmm.” I kissed her temple. “Then I guess I’m going to have to learn to cook so we don’t starve.”

  She laughed. “I think you drank a little too much, bass boy. You’re not making sense.”

  I stopped walking and spun her around until I had her fully in my arms. “I want you to move in with me, Jules. I want our own place, just you and me. If Stacy and William deserve it, so do we.”

  “Move in together? Are you sure you’re ready for that?” she asked, her words hesitant, but hopeful.

  “You’re everything that I’ve been searching for, Jules,” I said, echoing the lyrics of her song. “I love you and I always will. I need to know that this,” I said, pressing my palm over her heart, “is mine. Forever.” She sighed, and I lowered my head until I could capture her lips and kiss her the way I’d been wanting to all night.

  In the dark that I was so used to, I could almost see the light that she brought into my life. And that was a light that I knew I couldn’t live without. No matter where life led us, I had to know that we’d live it together.

  Underneath my fingers, I knew the answer to my question by the way her heart beat furiously against her chest.

  She pulled back just slightly and confirmed “yes” against my lips before continuing the kiss.

  I smiled because there was nothing better than knowing the sound of her heart.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  DARREN

  “Thanks for meeting me here.” I rolled up to the small, round table in the student union an hour before I was supposed to meet Julie for lunch.

  “Of course. You said this was
about my daughter, Stacy,” Mr. McGee said.

  Stacy’s father was tall and fit with dark gray hair. His wire-rimmed glasses were spotless, as were his perfectly pressed chinos and blue button-down shirt.

  I nodded. “She’s a friend of mine. So is William.”

  Mr. McGee narrowed his eyes and pursed his lips. “I’m not discussing that boy with another person. I’ve told her she can’t date him. She can’t date anyone. And I’m not changing my mind.”

  “Don’t you care about her happiness?” I sat back, fingers of my working hand strumming on the top of the table as I waited for him to answer.

  “Stacy is happy. She has a good life,” he said, breaking the silence. “She has me and her sisters. One day, she’ll have nieces and nephews to love. She doesn’t need to risk heartbreak. I mean, God forbid she was to get pregnant one day. What then? She can’t raise a child. That isn’t her future.” He sat back, hands folded on the table, jaw tight. “I’m only protecting her. You wouldn’t understand.”

  My lips twisted as I chose my next words carefully. “With all due respect, Mr. McGee, I think you’re the one who doesn’t understand. Why do you get to choose Stacy’s future?”

  “Because I’m her father!” he snapped.

  “Yes. Her father. Not her owner. You should be helping her make the right decisions for her future, not making them for her.”

  Red heat traveled up his neck and bloomed on his wrinkled cheeks. “You seem to have it all figured out, don’t you?” His eyes raked over me in judgment. “Tell me, what are your future plans, young man?”

  I grinned. I’d take his challenge and raise him an in your face, mister. “In the fall I’m starting my freshman year, right here at the University of Maryland. I’m moving to campus and everything. The palsy can’t stop me now.” I lifted my bad hand in a mock salute.

  “College?” His eyes widened. “That’s fantastic. What made you decide to go to school?”

  He seemed genuinely interested, so I decided to humor him.

  “I didn’t.”

  His eyebrows furrowed, and he leaned in closer to me. “Excuse me?”

  “Never thought I would. Sir, I spent my life being told what I couldn’t do. And college was one of those things I couldn’t do. Then I met Julie Prescott, the first friend I ever had who focused on all the things I could do. She never saw me as lacking. Not to overstate her, she’s also raunchy, politically incorrect, obnoxious and bullheaded as hell. But she’s brave and strong-willed. She decided I was too smart to slack off in life, so she made me answer to my potential. Julie’s the reason I’m moving out of my childhood home and attending classes here.” I blew out a puff of air. “Pretty sure she and her dad are also behind my full ride to school.”

  His jaw dropped. “A full ride? You must be some friend.”

  I shook my head, my messy red hair shaking around my face. “No, but Julie is.” Now I was ready to move in for the kill. “She even organized a fundraiser that brought in enough money to buy a condo in Stacy’s name.”

  “What?” Mr. McGee sat up ramrod straight, pushing his glasses higher on his nose. “She’s on a waitlist for housing, but we’ve been told that it won’t happen anytime soon.” He seemed almost panicked that what he’d been told was wrong.

  “Julie decided it should,” I said with a one-shouldered shrug on my good side. “Stacy and a roommate have a condo ready for them.”

  “Why?” His eyes drew together, hands out with palms facing up. “Why would she help Stacy?”

  Three… Two…

  “Frankly sir, to help her get away from you.”

  One.

  He stood up, his chair scraping the floor behind him.

  “Sit down a minute and listen.” I raised my voice, summoning my inner Julie-bitch. “Stacy and William are in love. They’ll find a way to be together. Love always does. So you are left with a choice. Accept it or lose your shot at a good relationship with your daughter. Who, by the way, is one of the coolest chicks I know.”

  Mr. McGee tapped the top of the table with his knuckles as he stared at me and considered my words. “She is. That’s why I want to protect her.” He gave me a sad smile.

  My smile mirrored his. I could see his heart was in the right place. He wasn’t a total douche. “Protect her by teaching her ways to be careful. Not by shielding her from the life she wants.”

  He pinched the bridge of his nose, his eyes squeezed closed for a long minute. “Why do you care so much about Stacy’s future?”

  The sweet, sweet, smell of victory hit me. “Because she’s my friend and I want her to be happy. Someone helped me make my dreams come to life, so I need to pay it forward. Stacy deserves for her dreams to come true, too. And her dream is to be free to love William.”

  There was a pause and I could almost see Mr. McGee’s arguments crumbling at our feet.

  “You truly believe I should trust William?” His eyes searched mine, scrutinizing me, trying to find any lies I was telling.

  I laughed, eyebrows raised. “Sir, he is gentlest, kindest guy. You can try but you won’t be able to dislike him.”

  Mr. McGee took a deep breath and released it with a resigned sigh as his expression softened into a look of acceptance. “Okay, Darren. I’m not going to make any promises, but I’m...willing to meet William.”

  “Then I know your answer will be yes.” I said, giving him a confident smile.

  “Your friend Julie raised enough money to get my Stacy her own place?”

  I nodded.

  His smile was grateful. “Tell her I said thank you.”

  “I will, sir,” I said as we shook hands.

  “Thanks for looking out for Stacy.” He gave my hand a final squeeze.

  “My pleasure, sir.”

  He turned to leave and when he rounded the corner, I backed away from the table and rolled down the hall toward the café to meet Julie for lunch.

  Repaying her for what she had given all of us was impossible, but what I could do was be a man she could count on. One that lived up to her expectations. I could support her and love her for exactly who she was.

  And the great thing was, now she’d have three men doing exactly that—a friend, a father, and a soul mate.

  Life wasn’t easy for any of us, Julie included. But I had a feeling her future was bright.

  All because she finally let someone hear the true sound of her heart.

  THREE YEARS LATER

  Julie

  The gentle riff of a classical song was muffled and soft as it played in the distance. Taren shifted in the seat in front of me.

  “Stop fidgeting,” I admonished, meeting her eyes in the mirror. My words were garbled as I forced them around the bobby pins between my lips, but she must have understood because she immediately stilled.

  The baby nestled in Lex’s arms whimpered and a look of panic flashed through Taren’s eyes. Her gaze darted toward the beautiful little bundle that Lex was holding, but otherwise, she didn’t move. “I’m worried he’s going to start crying right in the middle of the ceremony.” She bit her bottom lip nervously. “Rock him and pat his bottom,” she suggested to Lex when the whimpers started again.

  “Yeah. Spawn likes to be spanked just like his mama.” I winked at Lex knowing Taren hated my nickname for the little guy.

  Taren didn’t move, but she rolled her eyes dramatically. “His name is Miles. It’s not too hard to remember. And patting his bottom isn’t the same thing as spanking. It’s comforting to him.” She wrung her hands and muttered, “I hate it when he’s upset.”

  “A little crying won’t hurt anyone. Stop worrying. He’s going to be fine,” Claire said, stepping in to take her turn holding the baby. Lex looked relieved and she handed Miles over gently like he was a ticking time bomb.

  Claire was Taren’s aunt and had raised Taren since the death of her parents. Aunt or not, however, Claire demanded that Miles would call her Nana and she took her duties as grandma very seriously. And although b
aby spawn wasn’t planned, Taren was a natural at motherhood.

  Me and Lex? Not so much. We were barely making do as aunts. The one time I tried to diaper the little squirt, I put the damn thing on backward. But I fared better than Lex. She tried to put his onesie on upside down and Taren kept teasing that Lex had been trying to strangle the little dude.

  When it came to books and grades, my girl Lex was a superstar. Damn girl was almost a doctor. But babies—Miles included? She’d rather face an ER full of howling patients during a full moon than suffer through one of his crying fits. I swear that last time he started crying while she was holding him, her eyes got misty too.

  “I’m going to take him for a little stroll,” Claire said, giving Taren a pointed look. “Try to enjoy yourself, honey. Thanks to this little one, you won’t get many days like today to have fun with your man. It’s a wedding. Enjoy it.”

  I continued to twist and pin Taren’s hair as Miles was strapped into his stroller and taken away. I could feel the worry rolling off Taren even though she did her best not to show it.

  “He really is fucking adorable,” I said to her after Claire left. “Even if when he cries it sounds like the gates of hell have opened and demons have been unleashed upon the world.”

  Taren playfully nudged me with her elbow and I laughed, picking up the curling iron and wrapping a tendril of golden blonde hair around it.

  Taren’s worry finally melted into a smile. “I love him so fucking much, even when he is screaming like a demon.” Her eyes glistened with happy pride. “Sometimes I worry though.”

  “No shit.” I released the curl wrapped around the iron and it sprang into a perfect spiral. “Worry is a mild way to put it. You watch him like he’s a convict trying to break out of prison.”

  She rolled her eyes. “No. I’m not worried about Miles. I mean I do worry about him, but I meant that I worry about Alec. Now that I’m a mom and my body isn’t quite the same...” she trailed off. “I worry things won’t be the like they were when we first started dating.”

  I chuckled. “Things will never be the same. They’ll be better. Alec loves you. He’s crazy about you.” I met her eyes in the mirror and fluffed the ends of her curls. “And he’s totally going to pop a woody when he sees you come down that aisle today because you are hot as fuck.”