Shattered Hearts Read online

  “That’s a killer,” exclaimed Dorrian.

  “No, it’s a challenge,” countered Jake. “I’ll leave the CD with you to help those of you who don’t know it.”

  “Mr Power,” began Nicole with a glint of mischief in her green eyes. “I think you should play it for these talented young people.”

  “Me?” replied Jake, trying not to smile. “Challenge accepted.”

  Much to the class’ surprise, he picked up an acoustic guitar, tweaked the tuning then expertly played a slowed down, haunting acoustic version of the hard and heavy Silver Lake classic. From her position at the side of the room, Nicole Tonriverdi too struggled to hide her surprise at the performance.

  “Wow!” she gasped as Jake finished the song. “That was incredible.”

  “Thank you,” he said, taking a long mouthful of water from the bottle he’d brought into class. “Kids, remember a song isn’t always what it first seems. A well-written song can be flexible. It can be heavy as….” he stopped himself then continued, “Or more mellow.”

  Screwing the lid back on the water bottle, Jake said, “You have one hour. Work together. Interpret the music. Work out the song. We’ll be back to listen to your versions before we break for lunch. Have fun with it.”

  Chivalrously, he allowed Nicole to leave the room ahead of him then they both headed down the hallway to the teaching base. A thought had struck Jake as Riley had sung their song and, while Nicole made some coffee, he excused himself saying he had a call to make. Praying that they were still in the States and on the east coast, Jake called Ellen Lloyd from After Life. If anyone could offer appropriate vocal coaching to Riley, it was Ellen. After exchanging initial pleasantries, he cut to the chase.

  “Are you guys in the area this week? I was hoping to get some help out at JJL.”

  “We’re not too far away on Thursday,” replied Ellen, trying to visualise the band’s schedule. “We play Wilmington on Thursday night then Raleigh on Friday.”

  “Where are you on Wednesday?”

  “Travelling,” she replied. “I was going straight to Wilmington with the boys but I could detour with Scott and have a night in Rehoboth. As long as I’m in Wilmington for soundcheck, we can be flexible.”

  “So, you could perhaps spare me a couple of hours on Thursday morning?”

  “That should be ok. I’ll need to clear it with Rocky first.”

  “Perfect,” said Jake, relieved that she was able to help. “If you’re down here early enough on Wednesday, I’ll buy you dinner. Otherwise, I’ll see you out at JJL about nine-thirty on Thursday morning.” He paused then added, “Bring Scott and his cameras. I have a mission for him too.”

  “Sounds intriguing. See you then.”

  Stuffing his phone back into his pocket, Jake returned to the teacher’s base.

  “Sorry about that,” he apologised as he entered the room. “Was sorting out some vocal coaching for Riley for Thursday. Called in a favour.”

  “Are your cell contacts a who’s who of the music industry?” teased Nicole, passing him a mug of coffee.

  “Kind of,” acknowledged Jake a little awkwardly. “My family are in there too. My dentist, doctor, a few non-music friends and my tattoo artist.”

  “A must-have for every rock God!”

  “The ink pre-dated the rock star bit,” revealed Jake with a grin. “But it fits the image, I guess. It’s all been done by a local guy. Danny.”

  “I’ll bear him in mind if I ever decide I need a tattoo,” she giggled.

  “You got any?”

  “One,” she admitted. “And you’re not seeing it!”

  “Ah!” laughed Jake. “Private ink.”

  The music teacher blushed.

  They drank their coffee in silence for a few minutes before Jake broke the silence by asking if her sink was ok.

  “Actually,” she began a little hesitantly. “The bathroom sink is backed up now.”

  “Want me to take a look at it after school?”

  “Do you mind?”

  “No. It’s on my way home. I won’t be able to stay long. My sister and my nephews are here this week. I promised the boys we’d go surfing later.”

  “If you’re sure you can spare the time…”

  “Sure,” he said, flashing her a smile.

  As they stepped out into the afternoon sun at the end of the school day, a wall of heat hit them. Both cars were parked in the shade of the building but, as Jake started the truck, he noted that the temperature was 103F. With a sigh, he accepted that this was day one of the latest summer heatwave and began to really look forward to getting in the ocean as soon as he got home.

  Having stopped off at the surf shop on the outskirts of town to pick up two new boogie boards, Jake arrived at the apartment about thirty minutes after Nicole. He bounded up the stairs two at a time then knocked on the door to her apartment.

  Wearing a crop vest tee and denim hot pants, Nicole opened the door and welcomed him in.

  “It’s as hot as hell in here,” she apologised. “AC’s packed in.”

  “Could be the fuse or a circuit breaker,” suggested Jake. “I’ll take a look before I leave.”

  Unblocking the bathroom sink didn’t take him long. Discovering it blocked with sludgy soapy hair, he felt his stomach heave at the smell.

  “That should be it fixed,” he said as he scrubbed his hands clean with hot soapy water.

  “Thank you so much,” replied Nicole, laying a hand on his shoulder. “I really appreciate the help.”

  “My pleasure,” said Jake. “Now, where’s this AC unit?”

  The heat in the small apartment was stifling even with the patio doors and all of the windows open. He could feel a trickle of sweat run down his back as he unscrewed the panel on the unit. It was the same make and model as the one in his own old apartment. Recalling the issues, he’d had with it in the past, he was fairly sure it was only a blown fuse.

  “Want a beer?” offered Nicole.

  “No thanks. A soda would be good though.”

  “Coming up.”

  As she passed him the glass, her fingertips brushed his. She smiled and dipped her gaze, murmuring, “Sorry.”

  While he inspected the dead air conditioning unit, Jake was aware that Nicole was watching his every move.

  “You need a new one of these,” he said, handing her the blown fuse. “You’ll pick up a replacement at Lowes. I’ll fit it for you when you get it.”

  “Where’s Lowes?”

  “Out on the Coastal Highway. At the intersection with Route 9 at Belltown. You can’t miss it.”

  “I’ll take a run out there after school tomorrow,” promised Nicole. “Would you be able to fix it tomorrow night?”

  “Sorry. I’ve family stuff planned for tomorrow. Wednesday though if we’re not too late back from JJL.”

  “It’s a date,” said Nicole softly, turning the fuse over in her hand.

  As Jake walked back to the truck, something about the way Nicole had spoken was making him feel uneasy. If he hadn’t known better, he’d have sworn she was coming on to him. Dismissing the thought as nonsense, he unlocked the truck and headed home, ready to cool off in the ocean with his nephews.

  When he arrived home, he found Grey’s truck in the driveway. Lifting the two new boogie boards out of the back of the truck along with his book bag and guitar case, Jake headed round the side of the house. The sounds of children’s laughter greeted him before the deck was in sight.

  “Afternoon!” he called as he stepped up onto the deck.

  “Hey, you’re late, rock star,” called back Lori from her seat on the swing beside Kola.

  “Sorry. Got held up,” he apologised, deciding against mentioning that he’d been helping Nicole. “Is this an impromptu Monday night BBQ?”

  “Sure is,” said Grey. “We brought shrimp salad and beers.”

  “What about surfboards?” asked Jake. “I promised Sam and Josh we’d catch some waves.”

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p; “In the back of the truck,” replied Grey grinning.

  “Let me dump my gear and get changed,” said Jake. “Why don’t you move this party down onto the beach?”

  “We’ll need to grab some chairs from the garage,” countered Lori. “Poor Kola can’t sit on the sand.”

  “Sand’s fine,” protested Kola, levering herself off the low swing. “I might need a hand back up though. Not as mobile as usual.”

  She patted her large round baby belly and smiled.

  “How long to go?” asked Lucy, who had little Linzi sitting on her knee.

  “Six or seven weeks yet,” replied Kola. “Only going to get bigger and bigger. I’m already bigger than I was at full term with both the girls.”

  “And even more beautiful,” added Grey as he moved to hug her.

  “Right, I’ll meet you down there,” said Jake. “Boys, can you take the boards down and help take towels and whatever else Lori says we need.”

  “Yes, sir,” said Sam, eager to help.

  Wearing his favourite neon orange swim shorts, Jake followed the others down to the beach a few minutes later. The three older kids were already in the water with the boogie boards. Both Lucy and Grey were trying to keep the four youngest children together in the shallows but already Jesse was wailing about being a big boy and not wanting to play with the girls. A giant-sized beach towel mosaic had been laid out and both Kola and Lori were settling themselves down to watch.

  “Come on, li’l lady,” said Jake, reaching for his wife’s hand. “You can sunbathe later. Let’s see if we can’t calm our son down.”

  Allowing him to help her up, Lori declared, “I’m not holding out much hope for calming him down.”

  “He’ll be fine in a few minutes,” promised Jake. “I’ll take him out a bit first then bring him back in.”

  “Be careful with him.”

  “I will,” said Jake softly. “He just wants to be more like Josh and Sam. Doesn’t want to be the baby.”

  “I guess,” agreed Lori as they reached the water’s edge.

  “Jesse!” called Jake. “Come here, son.”

  The little boy came splashing through the shallows towards them.

  “Daddy, I want to go out there!” he protested, pointing out into the ocean.

  “If I put you on my back, do you promise to hold on tight to my neck?” asked Jake.

  “Yes,” declared Jesse. “I hold on.”

  “Ok, up you come,” said Jake, hoisting the squirming wet child onto his back. “Lori, can you follow us out for a bit. Check he’s ok holding on.”

  “Sure,” she said, glancing back at the girls. “Once they see this, they’ll all want taken out.”

  With a laugh, Jake conceded, “You might be right.”

  It only took them a couple of minutes to swim out to the deep water, even further out than where the older kids were messing about with the boogie boards. As he swam, Jake was careful to take it easy so as not to dislodge his passenger and also to allow Lori to keep pace with them.

  “Daddy,” said Jesse, his voice quivering a little. “Me scared.”

  “Want to go back in?”

  “Yes!” stated the little boy without hesitation.

  “Ok, hold on tight while we make the turn.”

  With a wink towards Lori, Jake swam in a slow arc then headed slowly towards the shore.

  “You ok, Jess?” checked Lori as the ocean swell lifted them up and down a bit.

  “No!” sobbed the little boy. “Too much ocean.”

  “So, when we get back in, are you going to stay on the beach with Aunt Lucy?”

  “Yes.”

  As soon as they reached the shallow water, Lori lifted their son from Jake’s back. The frightened little boy clung onto his mother, wrapping his arms around her neck. Carefully, she waded back ashore. Once the water was below her knees, she set Jesse down on his feet and, holding his hand, walked back towards Lucy and the girls.

  “Grey!” yelled Jake. “Grab a board and let’s head out.”

  “Be right with you,” called back the band’s bass player.

  Keeping an eye on the ocean swell, Jake swam back out to where his nephews and Becky were gathered. Each of the kids was floating contentedly on a polystyrene board.

  “Hey,” called out Jake when he was within shouting distance. “There’s some waves on their way in. Ready to ride them?”

  “Sure,” called back Becky. “Where’s my Dad?”

  “On his way out here,” said Jake. pointing towards the shore. “Boys, you ok to ride in?”

  “Yeah,” replied Sam confidently.

  “Josh?” checked Jake.

  “I guess,” answered his younger nephew, holding on tight to his board. “I just let it take me in, right?”

  “Just go with the flow,” advised Jake.

  Grey reached them a few seconds later and asked his bandmate where his board was.

  “Gave it to the kids,” replied Jake. “I’ll body surf in. More fun that way. You go in with the kids. Keep an eye on them. I’ll catch the wave at the back. Looks bigger.”

  “Be careful,” cautioned Grey.

  “Always,” laughed Jake, watching the waves approach. “Ready, kids?”

  On Grey’s count, the three kids began to paddle, managing to catch the wave with perfect timing. Biding his time, Jake waited for the second wave. As predicted, it was bigger than the first. Swimming with the wave, he readied himself to ride it back into shore. Just as the wave reached the shallows, he felt the tug of the riptide from the previous wave. Before he could correct his position, the wave broke over him bowling him over in a cauldron of foaming, swirling water. Struggling to find his feet, Jake felt himself being swept across a patch of gravel and shells. Half coughing and half laughing, he lay in a tangled heap on the wet sand.

  “Daddy!” shrieked Melody. “Daddy!”

  “I’m fine, Miss M,” he called back as the next wave broke over him.

  When the water receded, he rolled over onto his front and struggled to his feet just as his daughter threw herself around his legs.

  “Daddy, you’re bleeding!” she squealed, pointing to his stomach.

  Glancing down, Jake noticed that he had a long cut across his stomach and that the blood was running down and soaking into the waistband of his shorts. “It’s only a scratch, princess,” he assured her. “I’ll go back up to the house and clean it up.”

  “You ok there, Mr Power?” yelled Grey from further up the beach.

  “I’ll live,” declared Jake. “I’ll go back to the house and get cleaned up. Must be about beer o’clock.”

  “Just thinking the same thing,” agreed Grey with a grin. “Want me to light the coals?”

  “Check with Lori.”

  With the kids all fed first and then ushered into the sunroom to watch TV, Grey and Jake cooked a second round of food for the adults. While the boys had been cooking, Lori and Lucy rustled up some homemade lemonade and some potato salad. Over dinner, conversation began with Grey quizzing Jake about the progress he was making with the music workshop and expectations for the three days out at JJL.

  Gradually, Lucy steered the two musicians on to talking about the memorial show.

  “It’s sold out,” revealed Grey. “I was talking to Paul this morning.”

  “Guessed it would,” said Jake quietly.

  “Any idea what you’ll play?” asked Lucy, fishing for insights to share on the band’s social media fan page.

  “No idea,” confessed Jake, running his hand through his tangled hair. “A lot of the older stuff. Songs Rich liked to play. We’ll play what the fans request. Jethro and Maddy have a list they are pulling together.”

  “Going to be tough stepping out there without him,” commented Grey, staring into his beer.

  “Yeah,” sighed Jake. “But we’ve done it before. Remember the Impossible Depths tour? Todd stood in then for the first time for a few shows.”

  “And he’s kind of been th
ere ever since,” laughed Grey. “Maybe we should just promote him to guitarist.”

  “Not such a crazy idea,” observed Lori.

  “Have you given any serious thought to plugging the gap?” asked Lucy curiously.

  “No,” said both members of Silver Lake at once. “Too soon.”

  “Way too soon,” stated Jake. “Let’s get this show under our belts first. We can record the album with just the three of us. We can worry about adding a new member after that.”

  “Works for me,” agreed Grey with a yawn. “What time do you need me out at JJL on Wednesday?”

  “Lunchtime should be early enough,” replied Jake. “By the time they do the tour and get set up it’ll be after eleven.”

  “You bringing that other music teacher out with you?”

  “Nicole? Yeah, she’ll be out at some point. I want to introduce her to Paul. She plays drums and is looking for tuition,” Jake explained. “Let’s her see the inside of the studio too. That’ll help with the lesson planning for next semester.”

  “You sound like you’re enjoying being back in the classroom,” mused Kola as she shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

  “I am. I’d forgotten what a buzz I get from it. And, these kids have been great to work with. You going to come out and give Jim a hand in the control room?”

  “That’s the plan,” replied Kola. “I’ll be there Thursday and Friday unless I go into labour before then.”

  “Don’t joke,” scolded Grey, his eyes widening. “I remember you going into labour with Linzi.”

  With a deep husky laugh, Kola said, “That was interesting. Right, I’m going to round up the girls. Time we headed home.”

  “Time I threw our two into the tub,” said Lori, getting to her feet. “Those stinky beach babies need a bath.”

  “Want a hand?” offered Lucy.

  “Please.”

  Alone out on the deck Jake sat playing his guitar, trying to pull a few of the ideas from Rich’s laptop together. He had the computer open on the table beside him for inspiration. After a while, he became aware of Josh sitting on the swing set in the dark watching and listening. His mind meandered over everything his sister and her sons had been through over the past year. It hadn’t been easy for any of them.