A ray of sunlight suddenly broke through the shadows, seeming to shine on the growth above the black dirt. I felt warmth on my back, almost like an approving hand on my shoulders. Certainty washed over me.
My father had seen it. He was here. It might have been me that pronounced it, but his blessing was upon us.
Storm
“JOURNEY,” ASH CALLED, sticking his head into the studio where I was rehearsing with the rest of the band. “Can I have a word with you?”
“Sure.” I unclipped my SG and set in it a nearby stand. “What’s up?”
I glanced back, noting the silence. Everyone was paying rapt attention, though pretending not to.
“Um, alone, just you. My office, please.” His expression stern, Ash lifted his chin to acknowledge the others.
Shield was behind his drum kit, wiping his sticks with a towel. Cork and Saber were sitting on a leather couch in the corner, a steno pad beside them, their heads close together. They’d been working on the bridge for my song for the past hour.
I followed Ash out into the hall. His strides clipped, he marched ahead of me. It didn’t seem to bode well that I got commiserative glances from those who passed us in the busy corridor.
Entering his office that was as large as the studio I’d just been in, he went to his desk, thick clear glass atop crisscrossed copper legs. “Have a seat.” He gestured to the new orange egg chairs in front of it.
I raised my brows. “When did you get these?”
“Fanny chose them.” He sighed. “She likes to swivel when she’s here when I’m working, and I love her. So—”
“You make allowances.” I nodded knowingly.
“Yes, entirely. I would do anything for her.”
He leaned back in his high-back leather chair. It was new, but ivory rather than orange. “I’ll get right to it. Lotus is like a daughter to me. What is she to you?”
Surprised by his question, I answered from my heart. “The air I breathe. My life. My hope.”
“Ah.” His stern expression lightened considerably. “Then she doesn’t know yet who you really are? Why not?”
“The same reason I told you I didn’t want to say anything to my brothers when you invited me to come try out for the band.”
“You were unsure of your reception and wanted to be able to leave with no one the wiser if it didn’t work out.”
“Yes.” I nodded.
“But Cork says you and Lotus used to be best friends.”
“We were. We still are, in many ways, but I wasn’t certain she was the same when I arrived, and she was with Saber. I took too much time to sort everything out. Now I’m in deep with her, and I’m worried how she’ll react to the truth, considering the delay.”
“You love her?” he asked.
“Yes, and she loves me. But I haven’t told her yet. I can’t, not until I tell her who I am.”
“You’d better do that soon. You don’t have a lot of time before OB Hardy goes out on the road.”
“I know, and I plan for it to be soon. I’ve been trying to show her how well we work together. Cork and I bought—”
“I know, the bank called me about the loan.”
“She loves it here. I love her. I make allowances.”
Ash slowly grinned. “Just so.”
“Truthfully, it’s not much of an allowance. Not anymore.”
“You’re reconciled with your brothers,” he said.
“We’re getting there.”
Ash’s expression turned serious again. “Like I mentioned in LA, family, those who are related to you or those you choose to be your family, are everything. Nothing can buy or replace love. Not a hit record, and no amount of money.”
I nodded, appreciating his wisdom. “I was alone a long time. But I never realized how lonely I really was until I came home, until I reconnected with Lotus. Now I know how terribly empty my life was.”
“That’s what I realized when I found Fanny.” Ash’s brows lowered over his blue eyes. “So, you need to tell Lotus what you told me.”
“I plan to. The day of the concert. I have in mind how I’m going to do it, and I have a speech planned. First, I’m going to take her to the house and surprise her, and then I’ll sing to her from onstage the song I wrote for her.”
“Those are good ideas.”
“I have another one, but you’ll have to sign off on it.”
“Will it make Lotus happy?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“Then you know I’m going to agree.”
“It involves a personnel decision, and a good deal of money. I think you pay Lotus pretty handsomely for bartending at special events, and this would be an extended set of them. She’d also need travel expenses covered.” I stroked my beard. “And probably another recommendation from you when she returns because Chill won’t hold her job.”
His gaze sparkled. “You want her to go on tour with the band as the bartender?”
“Yes, and she can assist the event coordinator, arranging plants and stuff like that for the meet and greets.”
“Everyone raved about what she did for the Nightingales’ launch party. Done.” Ash banged his fist on the glass, making the papers stacked on it jump. “I know her talents. She’ll be a credit to the tour. Plus, it’ll ease her mind to be near Cork. I don’t know why I didn’t think of this myself.”
“You’re busy. You have lots of artists in your employ.”
“Maybe because I don’t know her as well as you do.”
“I don’t think there’s anyone knows her like I do.” I said, realizing as I spoke the words how true they were. “Or anyone who knows me as well as she does.”
• • •
Something was different with Lotus.
Since the day she started working at Chill, I saw it in her expression, which was lighter. I heard it in her laughter, which was more frequent and unrestrained. The thought that maybe she’d made some sort of determination about me made me feel hopeful. Something I only ever felt when I was with her.
“You take that one,” I told Cork from my board, pointing with my chin toward the developing wave.
“It looks like a good one,” he said. “You sure you don’t want it?”
“Yeah, positive. I have the best spot in the world, right here.” I grabbed the rails of Lotus’s board and pulled her toward me.
“All right.” Cork’s voice was light, and so was his mood since we got out in the surf. It had been a while.
Things were intense with the band. Saber rode herd on us relentlessly. We gelled well together and were tight. A unit, not individuals anymore. And we all felt the pressure of the upcoming concert. It was important for the band, but also for me and Lotus.
As Cork paddled away, I placed my hand on Lotus’s thigh. Her gaze dropped to it.
“I missed you while I was working today,” I said.
“I missed you too.” Lotus covered my hand with hers, pressing my fingers deeper into her thigh. When she lifted her gaze, her eyes were darker.
I was sure mine were too. Anytime I touched her, I only wanted to touch her more, take things further, until I had my cock buried deep inside her.
“Glad the new job pays so well.” I swept my thumb in an arc over her, wishing the wet suit was her soft skin instead. “But I hate that you have to wear that skimpy uniform.”
“It’s not my favorite thing to wear.” She tilted her head, and her long wet braid slid to her back. “How was your day?”
“Too many fucking hours away from you.”
Her lips curved. I felt the brilliance of her pleasure blast warmth deep inside my heart. “I’m sure you enjoyed some of it. How’d rehearsal go?”
“Good. We have most of the kinks ironed out for the concert. Saber was his usual pain in the royal ass.”
“So, you’re ready for Surf Fest?” she asked.
“Definitely.” We were ready. I was ready, even my song.
Her smile widened. “That’s awesome.”
“Ash thinks so. He’s set up some nationally televised interviews at the venue.” He was going to make a major announcement that the Dirt Dogs and OB Hardy were going out on tour together. I gave her a firm look. “I want you to be there. Think you could swing a day off from work?”
“If you want me there, I’ll make it happen.”
“Good. I have something special planned for you.”
“You don’t have to do anything special.” Her lovely features softened. “Just seeing you do what you love, you and my brother, will make it special enough.”
“I love a lot more than just making music, babe.” My voice rumbled with the seismic truth of that statement.
“Yeah, like what?” she asked, her tone teasing.
Even though I hadn’t said the words like her yet, I think she knew.
“I’m not telling you yet. I don’t want to ruin the surprise.”
“Not sure I’m a fan of surprises.” Her eyes pinched at the edges, revealing her trepidation.
“You’ll be a fan of this one.” I nodded knowingly. “Trust me, and it’s not the only one I have planned for you.”
“I just want you,” she said, her voice husky. “Days like we’ve had together. Times in the water like this with you. Nights like our last few.”
“I agree, except for that one night when we were interrupted by Graham Hardy,” I said, making a face.
“Even with that. How is Ivy?” Lotus asked, watching me closely as if she knew what a big deal it was for me personally, my mother leaving the man I’d thought was my father. “Has Saber mentioned how she’s doing?”
“She’s good,” I said. “She dropped by the studio the other day. She likes seeing Cork, and she mentioned wanting to see you.”
Mom wanted to see me with Lotus. Cork wasn’t the only Irving she wanted in the family.
“I guess I didn’t visit a lot when I was with Saber because I never liked being around Graham,” she said. “But now that things are different, I’ll make a point to see her.”
“Good. She’ll like that.” I turned my head, watching her brother pop up and carve the shit out of a righteous wave. “Man, Cork is talented as hell. Here on the water and inside the studio.”
“You see him for who he is, and who he could potentially be. He’s blossomed around you. I have too. You see me in a way no one else does too,” she whispered. “I wish I’d met you before Saber.”
I looked back at Lotus with a wry smile. “I wish that too.”
While I’d been watching her brother, I’d felt her watching me. Her brow was creased, and I wanted to smooth it.
“You’re with me now,” I said. “That’s what counts. And who knows, maybe things had to unfold in the order they did. Your dad would have said things happen for a reason.”
“How would you know what my dad would say?” she asked, her eyes narrowing.
I went completely still, the ocean continuing to roar around us. Cork splashed as he paddled closer, done with his wave. But my focus was on Lotus. It was always her.
“You told me you didn’t want to know my secret,” I said carefully.
“Conditions have changed because of you, and I see things more clearly after talking to my current best friend, who cares about me as much as the one I once had. Neither Storm then, nor Sophia now, seem to want to let me get away with being anything but the best version of myself.” Her gaze steady, Lotus stared deeply into my eyes without blinking. “So, try me.”
“This isn’t the way I wanted to do this.” I removed my hand from her thigh and raked my hair out of my eyes. “I had a speech planned, a really good one, to tell you that I love you.”
“That’s all that I need,” she said firmly, her eyes blazing. “Just those words. Just your love. Just you.”
Perplexed, I said, “How can it be when you don’t even know who I am?”
She shrugged. “You’re kind, considerate, gentle, and caring. I know exactly who you are.”
“It’s easy to be those things when it involves you.”
“Not for everyone. It wasn’t easy for Saber, but I love that you think it’s easy to care for me.”
When her smile reappeared, I felt like I had nearly a million dollars in my bank account. Well, I did have that much with my signing bonus, plus all the cash I’d saved over the years before I’d put earnest money down today.
But I’d give away every dollar I’d earned for just one of her smiles. Lotus’s happiness was all the currency I ever needed.
“And you aren’t just caring with me. You’ve taken an interest in all our lives, Cork, Shield, Ivy, even Saber.”
“I guess occasionally I have some good moments,” I muttered.
“I think occasionally is the only time you don’t have any. So, tell me.” This time she grabbed the rails of my board and tugged me close.
Her pretty eyes locked on mine. I had nowhere to hide, nowhere to run.
But I didn’t want to. I was right where I most wanted to be.
“I’m Storm, Lotus. Journey’s just a name I’ve used since I left the rest of me behind.”
“Why didn’t you want to be Storm anymore?” she asked softly.
“I didn’t want to be a Hardy anymore because I hated my dad. But I didn’t want to be Storm anymore because he belongs to you.”
Nodding as if she expected that answer, she floated closer, placed her hand on my cheek, and touched her mouth to mine.
“Thank you,” she said and started to pull back, but I plucked her off her board and put her on mine where she belonged.
“You knew,” I said. “How long have you known?”
“Since the night I got fired. Tess told me about the photo, and I put it all together after that.”
Her board drifted away, but it was attached by a cord and a Velcro strap to her slender ankle, so it didn’t get far. I think I was attached to her like a cord, but in deeper ways than I’d ever imagined. No leash necessary—I didn’t want to drift away.
“Just so there are no more secrets, you should know that I fell in love with you a long time before that.”
“I love you, Lilly. I always have. I always will.” I framed her pretty face. Water was a well between us as my board with both of us on it sank deeper into the sea. “Say the words, the actual ones. Please.”
She covered my hands with hers. “I love you, Storm Journey Hardy.”
I’d asked for something but she gave me more, knowing the exact right words to say because she knew and accepted all of me.
“About fucking time you two figured things out,” Cork said, gliding toward us, and we both laughed.
It was joy and laughter now, unbelievably, amazingly, miraculously so. But as soon as I got Lotus alone, it was going to be all of that, only better with us without any clothes on.
Lotus
I LOOKED IN the mirror, and a bold, beautiful, brave woman stared back at me—Storm Journey Hardy’s woman.
I was my best self with him. I could be her, do anything because of him. Not that he let me do much. Since our declarations to each other a few days ago, he’d barely let me out of his bed.
The sheets of my bed were rumpled, probably still warm from our earlier activity. He barely had to touch me to set me off. I anticipated the sizzle and then the fireworks . . . he was that good.
My cheeks warmed at the memory of what we’d done earlier. When I reached up to touch my hands to my face, all my girlfriends huddled in my room to help me get ready for the concert gasped.
“Don’t,” Penny said. “You’ll mess up your makeup.”
“I’m not sure about the makeup or the dress.” I glanced down. The lined white cotton minidress featured a one-shoulder silhouette with crochet accents and a tonal white-on-white pattern on the rest.
“Get sure. It looks fantastic, and it was a steal at a hundred dollars,” Tess said. She and I were just getting to know each other away from work.
It hadn’t set well with Ash, the way Mr. Macari
had treated me. Plus, the Dirt Dogs didn’t like their favorite hangout being managed by an asshole. So they’d bought the Deck Bar, fired Mr. Macari, and put Tess in charge. She’d rehired me for the same pay I made at Chill, and I could wear my overalls and flip-flops again. No skimpy outfit necessary.
“It’s easy to pull on. Easy to pull off too. Storm will love that part.” Sophia grinned. “It looks so pretty on you. What’s not to like?”
“I’m just not sure it’s me,” I mumbled.
“You’re a work in progress, honey.” Sophia placed her hands on my bared shoulders. “We all are, transforming as we grow like those plants you love so much. Conditions having gone favorable with Storm, you’re more beautiful than I’ve ever seen you look, and that’s saying something. Because you, my bestie, are a complete knockout.”
“The white looks amazing with your tanned skin,” Tess said. “And Storm will be able to find you easily in the audience. You’ll stand out at the concert.”
“And the frosty pink lip gloss and matte-rose eyeshadow are meant to go with that dress.” Penny moved closer, and the red petticoats on her black-and-red polka-dot dress swished around her slender calves.
“Thanks, you guys. And thank you, Penny. My hair and makeup are perfect.” I reached for her hands and squeezed them, then looked at Tess. “I’m really nervous. I appreciate all of you coming over to help me get ready.”
“We’re going to the concert too,” Tess said.
Penny nodded. “Along with most of southern California. I’ve seen the demographic projections.”
A door slammed, and we all jumped. I must not be the only one on pins and needles. This concert was a big deal.
“Hey, all.”
Storm appeared in the doorway to my bedroom, making me catch my breath. Damn, he was fine to look at. My skin sizzled as he gave me an intense once-over.
He whistled low. “Fuck, you’re hot.”
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