Every Heart Sings (Serenity Island Series) (6 page)

It was a struggle they all dealt with on some level—him as a pop artist, Tony and his mom with the day-to-day basic needs since Luke died; the desire to survive and somehow move ahead was universal. An
everyman
kind of journey. And that’s what he wanted the theme for this album to be about—the struggle, the journey, the fight for life that lived inside everyone.

Words came to him.

“Dark as night. Fast as wind. The clawing never ends. In your gut the fight to live. Stirs and burns. Runs wild and free. But a small voice asks what about me? Is that who you want to be?”

He played on, knowing he’d keep some of the lyrics and trash the rest, but he allowed it come, letting the words pour out without judgment, without censor.

After a little while, he stopped the recorder, leaned the guitar against the corner of the deck, and pulled his notebook into his lap. He began storyboarding the theme of the album in big picture strokes. While the album would focus on the struggle to survive, he wanted to capture the glorious resilience he saw in the human spirit. The unending capacity people had to heal and to love. It always amazed him.

He heard footsteps pounding up the staircase that ran up the outside of the building to the roof. The table, and his chair, were both pushed back close enough to the brick bump-out that he remained hidden, if he kept quiet. And he didn’t know who would be coming to poach his rooftop space at this early hour.

He looked at the recorder. It was only seven a.m. The sleepy village hadn’t even really begun to wake up. He’d only heard faint stirrings below. A screen door slamming. A cat meowing. No one seemed in a hurry here. And he kind of liked that about Serenity. The people lived life like it was meant to be lived. One drawn-out day at a time. Like it was worth taking your time and living it right. Intentional.

Jordan’s head popped around the corner of his building as she walked to the rooftop railing a few feet from him. Her golden blond hair was pulled in a high ponytail and she wore a simple tank top and black shorts that hugged her curves. The woman had legs that went on forever. Long and golden tan. He wondered briefly if she had tan lines or if she sunbathed in the nude. God, he’d die to see that. His dick twitched.

She sucked in a deep breath and lifted her arms above her head to the sky as if she was seeking energy from the cosmos. She smiled and lowered her arms, lifting her face to the weak morning sun as she faced the ocean panorama.

Josh had never seen anything more joyous, beautiful, or uninhibited. “Greeting the sun?” he asked, unable to stop himself from speaking.

She startled. “Oh, God. I’m sorry.” She backed to the fire escape. “I didn’t realize you’d be up.”

“Yeah, it’s a surprise to me, too.” He lifted a hand to halt her. “Don’t go.”

She leaned against the deck railing, resting her hips and palms against the wood to support herself. “You might want to be careful and not sunbathe up here nude or anything.” He liked the way her gaze wandered down his body in a slow caress of her eyes as she spoke. “Audrey monitors the neighborhood from her crow’s nest.”

“Yeah, I met her last night. Thanks for the warning, though. I have a feeling she won’t be up early this morning. Her ex-husband was visiting last night.”

“Oh, damn. I’ll have to stop in and check on her. Otherwise, she’ll go on some crazy kind of binge.”

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t know if you noticed the shop below her place. Notions & WhatKnots.”

“Yes. Looks like one of those girlie shops that would keep my mother and sisters happy for hours, browsing all the trinkets and baubles.”

Jordan laughed. “Yes, it’s filled with
girlie stuff
. How many sisters do you have?” She paused in her story, looking curious.

“I’m one of six. The baby. I have three older sisters and two older brothers.”

“Wow, I would’ve never guessed.”

He chuckled. “No, thank God, you can’t tell a person’s family size or birth order by looking at them.”

“No, you’re right. How’d you get into show biz with such a big family?”

He stood and walked over to Jordan, propping his elbows on the railing beside her and looking out at the ocean as if the answers to all his questions were out there in the deep blue sea somewhere. “Born to a family of musicians. They had me performing on stage at the age of three.”

“Amazing. And you survived. Relatively normal?”

The corner of his mouth lifted. “Some might debate the normal bit. But, yeah. I survived and, honestly, I loved every minute of it. Until my dad died when I was fourteen. Then everything fell apart. My mom struggled to keep feeding us. I rebelled. My granddad had to step in. A few years later I got in my Jeep and drove to L.A. to find my destiny. And the rest, as they say, is history.”

She took him in from head to toe. He watched her size him up. A gentle flush climbed up her chest and shoulders to her neck and then cheeks. He didn’t think it had anything to do with the three flights of stairs she’d climbed to get to the rooftop view. No, it probably had more to do with the view she had of him. His bare chest. The tattoos he sported down his right shoulder and arm and that trailed across his abdomen.

“Did you find it?”

“What?” he asked, having lost the trail of the conversation somewhere in the hazel green depths of her eyes. A kaleidoscope of emotion and pain moved behind them. But also a confidence—a sense of knowing who she was and what she wanted from life. He liked that about Jordan Drake.

“Your destiny. Did you find it?”

He lifted a shoulder. “I guess I did. But right now I feel a little lost. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I was born to be a musician, to create music. But I’ve kind of forgotten why I’m doing it. My manager would tell you it’s for the platinum status and the big dollar signs. Yet that’s never been my motivation.”

“Then quit. Walk away from it all.”

He shook his head, knowing he’d never walk away from music. “Can’t. It lives and breathes in my blood. I was designed to create music. I wouldn’t be happy doing anything else. And even if no one paid me one penny to listen to my songs, I’d still play. Still write. Still sing.”

“You sound like Sidewinder.”

Josh cocked his head. “The old man playing in the café yesterday?”

“Yeah. That’s Sidewinder. Did I mention he comes with the place?”

“Yeah, I think you did.” He laughed. “I don’t mind. He’s actually what sold me on the building.”

“Really? Well, don’t tell the old coot that, I’ll never hear the end of it.”

“What’s his story?”

“He’s an old Motown great—Johnny Walker.”

“No shit. The Johnny Walker?”

“Yep.”

“I thought he quit back in the eighties after an accident.”

“He did. Lost his wife and his eyesight all in one tragic, misfortunate event. He stopped playing music professionally. But since he moved to Serenity, he hasn’t missed playing The Down Dog Café one single day. Even if it’s for thirty minutes. The man lives for music.”

“I understand that driving beat.”

“You two will get on just fine together then. As long as you don’t try to move him out or change things too fast for him.”

“What is this place?”

“What do you mean?”

“Serenity—It feels different. It’s got a unique vibe. Almost enchanted. A land away from time. A slower pace. A place where famous people come to hide.”

“We’re not all hiding.”

“No?” Josh smiled at her. Reading the fear deep in the depths of her green eyes. Her mouth trembled, uncertainty flashed across her face.

“You’re sure you won’t cause trouble, right?”

Josh couldn’t stop himself, couldn’t hold back the urge to touch her any longer. He reached out and caressed her cheek with his thumb. He ran his index finger down her jaw line. “Promise. No trouble. Have a little faith, Jordan.”

“I’m a little short on faith.” She’d gone rigid, and now backed away from him toward the metal fire escape.

He let his hand drop to his side. “Yeah, I can see why.”

“I need to open the kitchen downstairs. I’ll catch you later.” She lifted her hand in a small wave and turned, grabbing the metal railing of the fire escape to run downstairs. “Have a good morning,” she called over her shoulder, not looking back.

Huh. Interesting.

Not only was Jordan Drake hiding, she was also running.

From what? Or whom?

Josh planned to find out. And, man, if that thought didn’t just send a spark of excitement through his gut that got his whole body humming. He grabbed his guitar, hit resume on the audio recorder and launched into another tune about running away from your destiny and how it only catches up with you one day, like it or not. Yeah . . . living life slow in Serenity was going to be good.

Chapter 5

Notions & WhatKnots

A persistent tap at the front window brought Jordan out of her deep reverie where she’d been daydreaming about the hot rock jock who currently sat on the rooftop playing while he looked like he’d just rolled out of bed, straight from a passionate tumble. Lord, have mercy. The man was H-A-W-T. All tousled hair, brawny muscle, and sexy tattoos, he looked like a bad boy unplugged. She set down the tray of saltshakers she’d been collecting to refill and fanned herself as she made her way to the front door.

“Hey, Hannah. What can I do for you?”

The teenager propped her hands on her hips and rolled her eyes. “Mom’s at it again. Could you talk to her?”

“I thought she might be. Rough night?”

Hannah blew air that ruffled her dyed white-blond bangs. They were cut at an angle so that at any given time you could only see one of her wide blue, so-light-they-were-almost-white, eyes. Her shoulder length hair was cut to frame her jaw and complemented the heart-shape of her face and her full pink lips.

Jordan could imagine that boys went crazy over Hannah, if it weren’t for the chip the size of Montana she wore on her shoulder at any given minute. But Jordan understood that chip. It had everything to do with her parents’ divorce over the last year and Hannah trying to figure out where she fit or didn’t fit into the picture. Been there. Done that. Bought the T-shirt.

“Yeah. Dad came over. He brought Ronnie, his latest girlfriend. Gawd. I think she’s only a few years older than me. How can he do that? Ewww. It’s wrong on so many levels.”

“What’s your mom doing now?”

“She’s moved all the merchandise from the front of the store and she’s down on her hands and knees with a toothbrush cleaning the grout between the tiles.”

“That bad, huh?”

“Could you please go talk some sense into her?”

“Okay, I’ll try. Do me a favor. Finish filling these saltshakers and start on refilling the ketchup bottles if I’m not back by the time you’re done.”

“Deal.” Hannah grabbed the tray of saltshakers and headed to the counter where Jordan had placed the salt container.

“I’ll be back shortly. There’s a new tenant in the apartment. Don’t be surprised if he finds his way downstairs.”

“Hmmm. That right?” She studied Jordan. “He’s not going to want me to fix him anything, is he? Because I don’t mind topping up your condiments, because you’re helping me out, but I’m not a short-order cook.”

“Funny. Your mom says you’re quite the foodie for a sixteen-year-old brat.”

Hannah scowled. “All right. So I like food. Still, I’m not making him breakfast.”

“Like I said, brat, I don’t expect you to wait on him. I’ll be right back, okay?”

Hannah heaved another belabored sigh. “Sure. Just fix her,
please
.”

“I’ll see what I can do, kiddo. Hang tight.”

Jordan made her way across the alley to Audrey’s Notions & WhatKnots. The bell jangled above the door when she entered.

“Hey, Audrey,” Jordan hailed the woman on all fours, whose hair hung in wild curls around her head, as she went to town cleaning the tiles. She looked like a mad woman, frothing from the toothbrush she wielded in her hand.

Audrey looked up. Her brow creased. “What are you doing here? You’re usually opening the café about now.”

“Oh, I am. Thought I hop over and see how you’re doing.”

Audrey’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. “Where’s Hannah? Did she tell on me?” She polished the floor with a dry towel, pushed herself up, and walked to the back of the store. “You’d think she was my mother. Damn daughter of mine. Sixteen going on thirty-five, I swear.”

“Come on, Audrey. She loves you and you worry her when you get like this.” Jordan followed her to the back of the store where Audrey had an electric kettle plugged in.

Audrey pushed the button to bring the water to a boil and pulled out two mugs and tea bags.

“I know, but I just can’t help it.”

“Maybe you need to go talk to Doc Halliday.”

“That quack?” She shook her head, lips pursed. “No way.”

“He’s not a quack. He knows his stuff. He’s a licensed psychiatrist. He’s really good. Used to be a doctor to the rich and famous.”

“Yeah, if he’s so good, why is he in Serenity?”

“Come on, that’s not fair. Why are any of us here?”

“He’s too young to be a good psychiatrist.” Audrey plopped the tea bags into the mugs, playing with the string.

“You know that’s not true. Anyway, the man’s at least forty.”

“Like I said, too young.”

“Come on, Audrey. Give him a chance. It would do you some good to talk about what’s going on. Maybe work through some of these OCD tendencies you get when you’re upset.” Jordan grabbed Audrey’s hands and squeezed. “Sometimes we can’t figure things out on our own. Trust me, I know. Sometimes we need professionals.”

Audrey sighed. “But it just seems wrong for me to talk about my issues with Tom—his predilection for much younger women—with a hunky doctor who’s at least ten years my junior. It would make me feel wrong.”

“Rubbish. Go. Talk. He’s a professional. And so what if you find him attractive? Would serve Tom right if you found yourself a young wealthy doctor. Maybe shake him up a little.”

“Stop.” Audrey hip-checked Jordan then moved to pour hot water into their teacups. “Speaking of McHottie’s, what’s the story with the stud on your roof?”

Jordan emptied a sugar packet into one tea cup. “Promise me you’re done scrubbing the floors and let me help you put the merchandise back, or I won’t tell you a thing.”

She knew the threat would move Audrey quicker than anything else. Audrey loved nothing better than gossip, like most of the villagers of Serenity.

“All right.” The older woman sighed, sounding so much like her daughter that Jordan could see the apple hadn’t rolled far from the tree. “I swear.” She lifted her hand in the air, three fingers raised.

“You were never a boy scout. Cut it out.”

They both giggled.

“No, but my first boyfriend was an Eagle Scout. Does that count?” Audrey sipped her tea. “Spill it. Who is he and what is he doing here and are you going to sleep with him?”

“Ho! Hey. Ugh-uh. Way too fast for me.” Jordan shook her head at Audrey’s rough-and-ready ease about talking sex.

“Come on, J.D., I saw him with my own eyes. You’d be a fool not to entertain thoughts of jumping that man. Fast.” Audrey stared her down until Jordan’s cheeks heated with another blush.

“I will not jump anyone.” Jordan placed her clay-fired mug down on the counter. She busied herself with straightening the buttons and ribbons attached to cardboard backing Audrey had thrown in a small basket. She looked up. Audrey considered her with a knowing grin. “What?”

“I don’t believe you for a second. You’ve thought about it. But go on.” Audrey hid a smile behind her cup as she sipped her tea.

“His name is Josh Nicodemus. He’s the front man for a band called Nicodemus. He bought the café. And he’s here to write an album. So he needs alone time. Lots of quiet time to write music and lyrics. No time for me.”

Audrey shook her finger at Jordan. “And that’s where you’re wrong. Every musician needs a muse. You could be his muse.”

“I don’t want to be anyone’s muse. And I certainly don’t want anyone to depend on me for anything creative, connected to or apart from the entertainment industry. I’m so not interested.”

“You are absolutely no fun.” Audrey fiddled with the toothbrush on the counter. “And you’re such a liar.”

Jordan began to carry furniture that had been stacked in the corner back to the front of the store. Audrey followed. “Nope. I might find the man attractive, but I am not interested. I know what that kind of lifestyle produces and I know the trap it can be. I want nothing to do with it whatsoever.”

They worked in silence a few minutes, moving items back into place in the storefront window. Tony walked by the front window and waved to them. He carried his new guitar case. “Well, I don’t think you’re going to have a lot of say in the matter with that music-crazy nephew of yours. He’s Luke’s son through and through.”

“Tony is not going to be a professional musician. Not if I have anything to say about it.” The ferocity of her response had Audrey pulling back in surprise.

“You do realize that he’ll make his own decision, right? Forcing your will on him in this matter will only push him in the direction you don’t want him to go—he’ll run off to L.A. or Nashville—or you’ll alienate him. It’s a no-win situation. Realize that before it brings you heartache, honey.” Audrey put an arm around Jordan and pulled her close. They stood hip to hip.

“That may be true, but I can do everything in my power this summer to discourage Tony, to help him see the pitfalls of pursuing that career.”

“He’s not you, J.D.”

And wasn’t that the shitter of the matter? He wasn’t. He was his own person, with his own strengths and weaknesses. And just because she’d chosen the party life and couldn’t handle show biz, didn’t mean that Tony would make the same mistakes. However, she had to do what she could to protect him.

“Well, if you’re going to show him the errors of his ways, then you’d better make some progress before the hunky rock star over there charms him right into the business.” Audrey nodded across the alley.

“Shit.” Josh and Tony stood on the sidewalk. Josh had clapped Tony on the shoulder and pumped his hand in a guy handshake. “Gotta go, Audrey. Let me know if you need anything.”

“Will do, girl. Looks like you might need more help than me right now.”

“Yeah, maybe right this moment, but what about fifteen minutes ago?”

“True enough.”

“Consider visiting Doc Halliday.”

Audrey chewed on the corner of her mouth. “Maybe I will. But I’m not making any promises.”

“I’ll take the maybe for now.” She hugged Audrey. “Bye.”

“See ya. Be careful over there. Don’t get burned, he’s too hot to handle. Szzzzz.” Audrey laughed.

Jordan rolled her eyes. “Whatever.”

“Now you sound just like Hannah. Send her back over here, would you? I’ve got some shelves that need stocking.”

“Right.
Ciao
.”

Josh clapped Tony on the back, glad to see the kid. Even happier to see him clutching the guitar case he’d given him the other night. “How are you, man?”

“Good,” Tony said.

“You been playing?”

“Yep. As much as I can.”

“You headed inside The Down Dog Café?”

“Yeah, I’ve got a summer job here. Heard you just bought the place. You’re not going to fire me are you? Bring mainlanders in to work?”

“Nah. We’ll keep things as is. Your job is safe.” Josh opened the screen door. “You want a coffee or hot chocolate or something?”

“Sure.” Tony smiled at him, interest lighting his dark brown eyes that looked so much like Luke’s. The corners titled down, giving him a sleepy, sloe-eyed expression. But Josh knew better. Even when Luke seemed disinterested, his mind was buzzing with activity. Tony would be no different. “A mocha coffee would be good.”

“Great. Let’s grab a seat and chat.”

They’d just found an empty booth in the corner when Jordan came running through the door. “Hey, Tony. Whatcha doing?”

“Just catching up with my man, Josh, here.” He waved a hand toward Josh. “I’d like a Café Mocha. Josh did you want coffee?”

“Yeah. That’s good. Cream, no sugar. Please.”

“Sure.” She turned to go, but then reconsidered it and turned back around to face them. “I’ll give you fifteen minutes, Tony. Then I need you to punch in. I’ve got a list of things for you to do.”

“You’ve got a list of things for me to do? Really?” Tony peered around the café. “There’s no one here.”

“That’s not true.” Just then Hannah walked out of the back kitchen carrying the ketchup bottles.

Tony stilled, then tracked the cute blonde’s movements before he spoke. “Who’s that? Replacing me already?”

“Heck, no. That’s Hannah, from next door. Her parents are divorced. She splits her time between the two. She’s been with her dad since you arrived a few weeks ago. She was covering for me a few minutes while I ran over to speak to her mom. Let me grab those drinks. Then you need to get to work.”

“Seriously, there’s nothing to do. This island is deader than a zombie in a deep freeze.”

“Watch yourself, kiddo. A café’s got to prepare during the slow times for the rush.”

“Really?” Tony looked puzzled. “I don’t think I’ve seen a rush since I got to Serenity. A rush would be three people in line at the post office. I think I’m good to talk to Josh for a few minutes.”

Jordan stared at him, then she eyed Josh like he was something repugnant a cat left on a doorstep. He didn’t like the way it made him feel self-conscious. “What? You were all smiley happy an hour ago when you greeted the sun on my rooftop, now you’re scowling at me. What did I do wrong?”

Josh was genuinely puzzled. He’d done nothing to warrant this reaction from her.

She smiled, but there was an edginess to her. “Nothing. Nothing at all. Yet.” She shrugged. “Can I talk to you a minute? Then I’ll get those drinks for you.”

“No problem.” Josh stood. “I’ll be back in just a minute, Tony. Then we’ll talk about what you’ve been working on.”

“Cool.” Tony took the guitar out of the case and started strumming a few chords. “No Sidewinder yet?” He directed the question to Jordan.

She glanced up at the clock. “He should be arriving any minute now.”

“Good. It’s too quiet here without him.”

Hannah made her way toward Tony, one table at a time as she placed the filled ketchup bottles in each condiment holder. She tried not to appear interested, but Josh saw her sneaking peeks at Tony under cover of her long dark lashes. He was a handsome kid, no doubt about it. But it was also the guitar and the music he played. The little dude had no clue what a chick magnet a guitar was or how much power he could wield as a gifted musician. He laughed. He thumped Tony on the shoulder as he stood. “You’ve got a fan.” He lowered his voice. “She’s cute. Why don’t you talk to her?”