Second Chance at the Riverview Inn (Riverview Inn)

“What’s up, Jo?” he asked, once she was close enough. Jo was terrifying. Half drill sergeant, half high school principal, she took no shit and kept them all in line. And they, like the children they were, loved and resented her for it.

“The Haven House people?”

He blinked and felt that spike of adrenaline.

“They’re here?”

“Just parked outside. An older man and a young woman. I have their names…” She paged through her phone.

Jonah and Helen. He knew their names.

“Okay, great. Thanks.” Micah turned back to the band who were watching him with furrowed brows. “It’s a charity thing,” he said by way of explanation, and really that was all he was going to say.

“Let’s take ‘Now or Never’ from the top. Danny?”

“I’m good,” their new bassist said with an awkward smile.

“Just play the fucking song, yeah?” Sean said.

“You bet!” Danny gave an awkward thumbs-up that Micah found completely endearing. Sean rolled his eyes and Alex, to his left, swore under his breath. Danny did not fit anyone’s idea of a rock and roll hero, but the guy was a virtuoso. Like, a legit musical genius. And since Miguel, their original bassist, still wasn’t cleared to go on tour, Danny would be a fine replacement for a few months until Miguel got back on his feet.

Behind him, at the door, he heard the murmur of voices, Jo welcoming people into the rehearsal space. Micah felt the tingle of dread and excitement. That delicious buzz of what might be amazing or might be disaster. Chaos. The unknown in all its complexity.

Fuck. He loved it.

He kept his back to the door and caught the eyes of his band. Sean lifted his stick, gave it a twirl and counted them in to their newest song. Danny, watching Sean, came in with that bass line that felt like sex and flight all at the same time. Then it was Alex, with those high runs across the top of the scale.

Micah came in, steady and loud. He wasn’t a great guitar player, but he was steady and loud.

He kept his back to the door, focused on the band. But he was aware. So fucking aware. Of Jonah.

Helen.

The past he’d spent the last fifteen years running from, and now he was inviting it in.

Somehow, in his darkest moments, Helen Larson had reached into his life and pulled him back from an abyss. Twice. And she didn’t even know.

This is only going to go bad, he thought with that same reckless joy fighting gave him.

And he started to sing.

Micah felt that curtain get drawn around the band. There was something that came from surviving the dizzying climb to stardom and then clinging to it with everything they had. It was trial by fire and they’d nearly lost their grip a dozen times. They’d spent the last six years singing into the screaming faces of fans, leaving their blood, sweat and tears on stages around the world.

And they sounded fucking great.

And Helen was here. Seeing it.

No lie, it was enough to get a guy hard.

“Jesus, Danny!” Alex shouted as the music fell apart like a half-built house coming down around their ears.

“No,” Sean said. “That was me.”

The spell broken, Jonah turned and found himself staring at the two people next to Jo at the door.

Jonah looked the same, a little older, but still tall and trim and serious-eyed. He’d been a runner, Jonah remembered that about him. And asthmatic, the kind of contradiction Micah could get behind. And next to him…

Helen.

She was blond and small. Freckled. She looked nervous. Unsure. She tucked hair behind her ear in exactly the same way he remembered about her, and it was like being kicked in the balls.

Look at me. Remember me.

She turned away.

And that was like being kicked in the balls.

“From the top,” Micah shouted and they went into it again. Drums, bassline, guitar. Voice.

What did he think was going to happen? Really? She’d take one look at him and remember everything?

Helen

“This is first song on the new album,” said the very nice but extremely businesslike woman with the phone and the clipboard, shouting over the guitars and the drums being played on the stage a hundred feet away.

“It’s awesome,” Jonah said.

Helen nodded but…well, it wasn’t awesome. It was loud. And it felt sharp. She could feel Jonah looking at her, waiting for her to say something about Haven House. And Micah’s donation. But the music was making a mess of her head. She felt like the five top layers of her skin were gone and her nerves were exposed. She couldn’t actually look at the band.

“I’m Jonah,” Jonah said, stepping into the conversational gap. “One of the executive directors of Haven House.”

“Nice to meet you. I’m Jo Hayes, manager of the band.”

“That must be quite a job,” Jonah said with a laugh. He glanced Helen’s way, waiting for her to kick into gear. “This is my daughter, Helen. She’s in charge of well, basically everything.”