Grip Trilogy Box Set

“It doesn’t sound like you,” she says after a few moments. “It sounds like you’re trying too hard. Trying to sound like someone else.”

“I think I’m trying to sound . . .relevant, but I don’t know who I’m supposed to be relating to or doing it for.”

“Then just do it for yourself like you always have.”

I squeeze the tight muscles at the back of my neck. “Dude, I’m almost forty, and the music I grew up on, the sounds I loved and that shaped me, it’s like I don’t see a place for it as much anymore. That passion. That fire and conviction. I don’t hear it much anymore.”

“Oh, it’s rare, for sure. You know I’m working on Qwest’s new one, and she’s looking, too.” Jade shoots me a speculative glance. “Matter of fact, she’ll probably be reaching out to you for a feature on this one jawn. It’s hot, but she wants more than hot.”

“She knows I’m always down. That’s

my girl and I love seeing her happy.” I pause, mentally running through the twists and turns of my history with Qwest. “So you like her fiancé? I haven’t met him.”

“It all happened fast, so I’ve only met him once myself, but, yeah. He good people.”

“That’s great. Well, she knows where I am if she needs me in the booth.” I cast a disgusted glance toward my writing pad. “Not that I’m much use to anyone on a track right now. I’m just . . .stuck.”

“Stuck inside. Bruh, you’re on vacation.” Jade nods toward the sheet of glass exposing vibrant turquoise waves licking at the salt-colored shore. “Your inspiration is out there. Your girl and them rugrats of yours, they out there. Get your ass up.”

In the distance, I see a breeze teasing tendrils of Bristol’s hair around her face, but I can’t feel its balmy caress. The tide splashes onto Nina’s bare legs, but I sit here dry and can’t taste the salt in the air. The alluring scene on the beach may as well be another world for how little it touches me. And Jade’s right. I need to be touched.

“All right.” I hook my arm around her neck and kiss her forehead, laughing when she jerks back, our years-long loving tug-of-war. “I hear ya. I’m outta here.”

I stand and so does Jade, making her way over to the soundboard.

“You don’t mind if I, uh, fiddle a little bit?” she asks, brows and the corners of her mouth lifting.

“Have at it, but take your own advice. Rescue ya girl from Ma and get some sun yourself.”

“You worry ‘bout you,” Jade says, her tone already distracted, eyes locked on the soundboard lighting up as she twists knobs and presses buttons. “I got my shit handled.”

I chuckle and cross over to the sliding door, slipping out and not bothering with shoes or anything other than the board shorts I’m already wearing. As soon as the door opens, the breeze licks around my body, simultaneously soothing and stirring all my senses. Bristol has waded out into the azure shallows, laughing as Nina tries to hoist Martin and they both collapse into the water. I stroll toward them, silent until I’m close, and then jog past Bristol, playfully slapping her ass. She squeaks, jumping a little, her face lighting up when she sees me.

“Where’d you come from?” She laughs.

I back my way into the cool waves and blow her a kiss as an answer before turning to scoop up both my kids, one under each arm.

“Daddy!” they squeal in a sweet-voiced duet.

I keep running until the ocean churns around my waist and dunk them both to the neck, making sure to keep their faces out of the water. Their gasps and squeaks and calls for more occupy the next five minutes of what suddenly feels like a perfect day.

“I was wondering when you’d come,” Bristol says from beside me.

I glance over, pausing for a moment as the impact of her silvery eyes hits me again like for the very first time. We’ve only been in Hawaii a couple of days, but the sun has already coaxed a few freckles to the surface, and they adorn her nose like sprinkles of cinnamon.

“Jade confirmed that my song sucks,” I tell her. “And then ordered me out here, which was a smart move, by the way.”

“Of course, it was. Any move that brings you to me is a smart one.”

“You ever get tired of being the center of my world?”

“Sometimes it’s exhausting,” she drawls, rolling her eyes. “But I’ve managed to adjust through the years.”

“Daddy,” Martin interrupts plaintively. “Put me up on your shoulders.”

Bristol takes Nina so I can hoist Martin up. The soft heels of his little feet kick against my chest and he squeezes my neck as we wade deeper into the water until it laps around his legs.

“I can swim, Mom,” Nina says from behind us. “Put me down.”