Hearts Divided

by Masters, Ellie

  “Trina!” A boy tugs at her arm. “Let him tell her.”

  Trina clasps her hands beneath her chin and barely contains her enthusiasm as she bounces on her toes. Bash hurries things along, but laughs with the kids. He’s excited too. Angel Fire has never done something like this.

  “Okay, thank you Trina. We’re impressed by the Bayside Beats. Not only are they talented musicians, but they’ve shown us they’re willing to put in the work. Now, our manager has already spoken to all the parents and I’m told we have permission…”

  He looks to Forest standing beside the bleacher to get final confirmation. There were still a few holdouts earlier this morning. When Forest gives him a nod, he continues.

  “All right then. It’s official. The Bayside Beats are joining Angel Fire on stage when we play LA.”

  The entire auditorium erupts with screams and shouts. Like usual, Forest made the impossible happen, getting all the parents and guardians to give permission for their kids to perform on stage. It will be a one-off concert, local to the area, but the Bayside Beats are going to make a splash in the rock scene.

  32

  Bash

  The days before launching a tour are filled with last minute prep. Usually, Bash and Ash take point on pre-tour prep. This time, Bash is oblivious to the pandemonium, letting Forest figure out all the details.

  He’s spending time with Holly, enjoying their status as a newly engaged couple. Ash is concerned about Skye’s health and the upcoming delivery of their child. A last-minute trip to the doctor puts her on bedrest. It changes nothing about the tour. The plan has always been for Skye to stay behind and to have a helicopter on standby in case Ash needs to fly back for the birth. They still have a couple months until the due date, but Ash is a mess. He doesn’t want to leave Skye behind.

  Bent steps up, helping Forest and taking over where Ash and Bash would normally finalize arrangements. Even Spike seems overly focused on the upcoming tour, lending a hand here and there. Noodles rides the waves, calm as always before the storm of Angel Fire hitting the road.

  As for the girls, Piper hovers over Skye, making sure she has everything she needs. Tia will remain behind as well. Forest has Tia and Ryker deep in preparations for whatever operation he’s planning. Things are heating up, not that Bash pays it much mind.

  “Is it always like this?” Holly peers into a tidal pool, looking for a crab that’s playing hide-and-seek.

  “Like what?”

  They’ve escaped for the day, choosing to spend an afternoon on the beach rather than in tour prep headquarters up in the estate. Duke and Ranger run free off their leashes, chasing each other up and down the beach, trudging through tide pools, and snapping at the waves as they roll ashore. Overhead, sea birds call out as they search for their next meal. They soar in a crystal blue, cloudless sky. Wind blows off the water, beating back the heat of late afternoon. Sunset is only a few hours away, and he plans to spend the rest of the day on the beach with Holly.

  “People running around like chickens with their heads cut off.” Holly squats down and peers under a ledge of rock. Her crazy curls twist in the wind, the fiery strands glinting beneath the blazing sun.

  “It looks worse than it is.” He flicks a rock into the receding water, trying to get it to skip. He’s 0-4 and watches this one plop beneath the water. “Damn, my arm is off today.”

  “Try flatter ones.” She peers up at him with a blank look, then turns her attention back to the tide pool. “It’s crazy up there.”

  Their roadies pulled in a few days ago with a fleet of trucks. Inventory is underway and their gear is getting packed for the tour. The population of Insanity tripled and the halls are filled with people rushing everywhere.

  “Naw, ever since Forest became our manager, it just looks like chaos, but trust me, it’s well organized. There’s just a ton to do to get the gear packed and loaded.”

  “I think maybe it’ll be better if I head home later tonight,” she says. “I don’t want to get in the way.”

  “No way are you leaving. I want every last minute with you.”

  They talked about this. He’s not letting her go until the trucks pull out and the helicopter lifts off. Years ago, the band would’ve crammed into a bus and spent agonizing hours on the road. Now, they pile into a helicopter and travel in style. Fame spoils them, but they’ve paid their dues along the way.

  The light glints off Holly’s ring and he catches her staring at it. He feels exactly the same as she does. It’s surreal to be engaged. He can barely believe it himself, but the proof shines on her finger.

  Every waking moment is spent with Holly. A week after the proposal, he finally got her to agree to move to Insanity. He wants her there permanently, but she’s not willing to leave Santa Barbara and travels back and forth several times a week to prepare The Bayside Beats for their LA performance with Angel Fire. She refuses to miss even one practice. Her dedication to the kids is one of the things he loves most about her. Even though he wants her all to himself, he understands how important those kids are to her.

  “You sure you won’t come?” He wants her to tour with the band.

  “You know I can’t.” Her refusal is hard to take, but it’s because of the kids.

  He hopes he can wear her down, and asks several times a day. So far, she hasn’t changed her mind.

  It’s weird how only a few weeks ago he was thrilled the band would travel without girls. Now, he can barely imagine not having Holly by his side. Maybe he was too hard on Ash and Bent? He gets it now—feels the need to have Holly with him at all times.

  “It’s an epic experience.” He’s not ready to give up. “You sure you want to miss it?”

  “I’ll be with the kids in LA. It’s not like I’ll miss out. Besides, isn’t this tour sort of a blast to the past? Just the guys? No wives or girlfriends? If I’m there, I’ll be the only girl, and that’ll be awkward.”

  “You’re no longer a girlfriend. You belong to me now.”

  “Was I ever a girlfriend?” She lifts her hand and stares at her ring. “I think we missed that step.”

  “Well, when you know, you know.”

  “I guess so.” Her lips twist with uncertainty.

  “Don’t you dare have regrets. I put a ring on that finger and it’s never coming off.”

  “Possessive much?”

  “Will it bother you if I say yes?” Before she can answer, he continues. “I’m serious, Holly. You’re mine.”

  A smile tugs at the corner of her mouth. “I think you’ve been talking to Bent too much.”

  “I can’t help how I feel.” He pulls her to him and wraps his arms around her while he plants a kiss against the hollow of her neck. “Don’t let it scare you.”

  She lifts her hand and wriggles her fingers. “If it does, it’s too late. You got me; hook, line, and sinker. I’m yours.”

  “Good, because Bent has been teaching me a few things.”

  She spins out of his grip. “Oh, no you don’t.”

  The few hours Bash spends with the guys going over their set list, Holly is not alone. She and Piper have become best friends and are practically inseparable. He knows exactly what the two of them talk about when he’s not around. Piper tells Bent everything, and Bent tells Bash.

  Holly’s interested in the unique relationship Piper and Bent share. Bash is slowly testing the waters to see how far he can push. But he’s mindful about Holly’s previous relationship. She finally told him about what happened, the visit to the emergency room, and the trial which followed. Her ex-boyfriend, turned attacker, is behind bars for years to come. However, that trauma isn’t something he wants to trigger with aggressive sex.

  “This is the first time Bent is playing since his injury, right?” Holly has not spent her time idly. With Skye and Piper, she’s learning all the intimate details of Angel Fire.

  He doesn’t mind. Angel Fire is a tight knit group, imposing for someone on the outside to find their place. He is mos
t surprised by the friendship Holly struck up with Noodles. He’s driven back to Santa Barbara several times with her to surf, and he’s taken her out on the waves. Bash didn’t know she surfed. There’s still much to learn about each other. Fortunately, they have a lifetime to figure things out.

  “It’s the first tour since Bent’s recovery, but he’s been playing for a couple months. It’s a blessing, to be honest.”

  “Oh, I know, Piper told me all about it.”

  He bet she did.

  “Have you decided whether you’re playing the new songs?”

  Angel Fire is playing at least one new song. The one he used for their proposal will be officially announced. It’s already all over the internet, multiple versions recorded by cellphones from the community center. A buzz is growing in the community about Angel Fire’s newest album. He and Ash didn’t plan on Sunset Rose going on their new album, but they are reconsidering. It may become a bigger hit than Insanity, the song Ash wrote for Skye.

  “We’re playing several new songs off our upcoming album, but this is billed as an Angel Fire greats tour. We’re still fighting over what to play and have to cut a few songs.”

  “That’s a shame.”

  “We can’t be on stage all night.”

  “I know, but your fans would love it.”

  “I know, but Ash’s voice might not be able to handle three hours on stage.”

  “True.” Holly peers down the beach to where Duke and Ranger chase each other. “They get along better than I thought they would.”

  “Really?”

  “Well, Ranger is an older dog and he’s never really had a playmate. I think Duke brings out his inner puppy.”

  “I’m not sure Duke can still be considered a puppy. Is he ever going to stop growing?”

  “He’s just over a year, right?”

  “I think so.”

  “Well, he has a bit more growing to do. Have you called Timothy?”

  “Yeah. He’s coming up day after tomorrow.”

  “I wish I could watch him for you, but Ranger is enough for me to handle.”

  “Timothy is thrilled to hang out at Insanity for a couple months. I think I made his entire year.”

  “I love how you thought to ask him. I’m sure he feels better about having to give up Duke. Knowing he found a loving home, and being able to visit is huge.”

  It’s not the same as what she does with the Bayside Beats, but it is one life he’s able to impact. It feels good to help others and he wants to do more of it.

  “I wish you would stay until Monday.” He kicks a rock with the toe of his shoe. “You sure you won’t reconsider?”

  “I have some errands I need to run before practice.”

  “But you could leave early in the morning.”

  “I could, but then I’d be tired. It’s one night, Sebastian.”

  “One unnecessary night. It’s going to be weeks before I see you again.”

  “You’re going to be fine.” She throws her arms around his neck and lifts up on tiptoe to give him a kiss. “Stop worrying about it.”

  But he worries. He still can’t believe she said yes. He should be happy, and he is, except a sense of foreboding hangs over him. He’s not ready to be separated from Holly.

  33

  Bash

  It’s a fact of life that tours are crazy and Bash loves the adrenaline sweeping through the entire crew. That energy pumps up the men of Angel Fire in the hours before their opening show. The roadies are halfway done setting up the stage. They work at a frenzied pace, seeming as if they’re going to miss the deadline. They won’t. They never do. Smiley, manager of all things backstage, keeps them hopping, barking orders in his deep baritone, keeping them on track.

  When the guys arrive, Smiley has the stage ready for a preliminary sound check. Forest walks the stage with Smiley and makes sure everything is ready while Bash and the rest of the team check out their instruments. The final set list is complete. They voted on the trip down to San Diego. Bash’s two new songs will be revealed and he’s more than a little nervous about that.

  He needs more time to work the songs. Ash says the songs are brilliant and insists on playing Hate Myself and Sunset Rose back to back. At first, Bash was against the idea, but the incongruity of the two songs line up. He wrote both about redheaded girls; one a nameless fuck and the other the love of his life.

  It’s a before and after snapshot. Ash thinks they’ll both be hits. For Bash, he hopes Hate Myself fades into oblivion, but the song is fierce and powerful, full of the anger Bash poured into its creation. He hated the place he was in when he wrote it. That’s the problem with writing songs; if they come from the heart, they resonate with the world. They also tend to last forever, but he wrote it while a nameless redhead sucked his dick. He only hopes Sunset Rose makes a bigger splash.

  “You ready?” Ash walks over to where Bash checks out his drum kit.

  “Ready.”

  Ash gathers the guys into a circle and says a quick prayer, then they’re off to finish the sound check and everything that comes with it. The heavy beat thumps through his bones, a steady wall of sound pouring energy. It’s a sensation felt more than heard, pulsating with a life of its own. The beginnings of a headache settle behind his eyes, but it’ll fade. Once they’re done, they head back to the dressing room. He needs something to ease the pain behind his eyes. Bash gives a groan at the groupies already lining up. The further they travel to their dressing room, the more the girls drape themselves over the men who control exclusive access to the inner sanctum.

  It takes a bit of nerve for the girls to work their way backstage this early into the night. The front gates haven’t even opened. How do these girls do it? He knows the answer to that question. Trading sexual favors with the roadies, security, and on up through the ranks is a sure-fire path to Angel Fire central. Unfortunately for most of these girls, only Spike and Noodles are still in the market for a meaningless romp.

  A young redhead catches his eye, and he blinks with a sense of déjâ vu. The girl looks familiar, but he can’t place why that might be. She’s pretty with her silken locks, and from a look at her eyebrows, she’s the real deal. A few months ago, he would’ve pulled her out of the line and taken her with him for a quick preconcert fuck.

  Maybe that’s why she looks hauntingly familiar. Many of the girls follow Angel Fire around the country. She’s young, probably not even twenty, not that that ever stopped him before. As long as they are legal and willing, they’re fair game.

  She catches him staring and steps away from the wall. Her bright eyes widen and her mouth parts as she tries to reel him in. Yeah, he’s seen the type too many times. He’s not biting. Not one bit of interest stirs below his waist and his heart is already full. He’s got someone much more precious waiting for him at home. With the young redhead forgotten, he heads backstage with the band.

  The pulse of thousands fills the venue and he keeps an unrelenting beat roaring out to their eager fans. The deep bass of Angel Fire’s music combined with Ash’s haunting voice keep the fans entranced. The new songs are a hit.

  He blasts the stadium with the furious beat from his drums, pouring out his soul as Hate Myself and Sunset Rose play back to back. It’s a metaphorical journey, a cathartic path from the man he was to the man he’s become with Holly in his life. The crowd goes wild and the concert is a success. It’s exactly what Angel Fire needs after their long hiatus while Bent’s injured arm healed.

  Interviews follow along with photo ops with lucky fans who won exclusive back stage passes. Men in jeans and black tee-shirts stamped with Crew and Security keep overly eager fans back, while letting sexy blondes, brunettes, and redheads through the tight lines of security.

  He sits with Ash to his left and Bent to his right as they sign autographs of glossy band photos, tee-shirts, bare chests and arms. Energy surges all around him and he soaks it in.

  Girls flock to the band, rubbing close as they snap their glorious m
oment with the guys. A glint of red catches his eye. It’s the young redhead. She drapes herself over one of their security detail, rubbing her barely clad body all over the guy. In the past, Bash would’ve crooked his finger, singling the girl out from the crowd. Tonight, he ignores the flashy display, disinterested in what she offers. The roadie can have her for the night.

  Ash and Bent sit at the table with him, signing their names, and he sees the same lack of interest on their faces. Noodles and Spike, however, scan the crowd. It’s too early to pick out girls for the after-concert part of the evening. It may feel like old times, but things have changed. He gets it now.

  As interviews and publicity photo ops wind down, Spike and Noodles collect their crop of eager flesh for the after-party festivities. Ash, Bent, and Bash stay back with the fans, spending longer than planned hanging out and chatting. Their fans eat it up, but he’s tired and is ready to call it a night.

  Their second performance in San Diego is much like the first; sold out crowd, screaming fans, brilliant music, more interviews, and more time spent hanging with those who secured exclusive back stage passes. The redhead is there too, working her way through the ranks and closer to the band.

  With the splash his engagement makes on social media, he’s a little turned off by the scores of wannabes vying for his attention. The second night melds into a third and fourth performance. Before he realizes it, a week and then another passes by. Vegas is next, which means Holly will soon be back in his arms and he’ll add a ring to his finger.

  34

  Holly

  Not a stranger to the music scene, this is however, the first-time Holly will watch a concert from backstage. Her recent engagement brought a surge of paparazzi eager to snap her picture and plaster it throughout all the media outlets, but after a week or two, their interest in Bash’s new girl wanes. There were other stories to tell, like Angel Fire’s return to the music scene and the sold-out stadiums they filled.