gained more than just a soul mate; he’d gained a family he never knew he wanted and now would kill to protect.
And although her situation wasn’t exactly a one-of-a-kind tale, that had made Alivia even more disturbed by it all. I guessed no one could blame her. The thought of your father being a man-whore for so many years could traumatize any girl, much less one who had a boyfriend who aspired to be a rock star.
The difference was back then Dad, Trey, Hunter, and Scott had all set out to find fame as single men. Once their lucky break came, they were already living up to the rock star stereotype. Dad had given it all up when he’d met my mom on the climb toward stardom.
Mom had auditioned as a backup singer for Devil’s Lair, gotten the job, and become friends with Dad until it turned into much more. They’d hidden it from their bandmates for months. In comparison to Trey, their story was tame.
I explained to Alivia that, regardless of her dad’s past life, what mattered was the man he was now. Every one of them—Dad, Trey, Hunter, Uncle Evan, and Scott—were now all faithful husbands, devoted fathers, and cool-as-shit rock stars we both loved to be around. Well, maybe except for Scott. When you lined up Devil’s Lair, their tat-less, ginger-headed guitarist stuck out like a sore thumb.
As much as the men in my life had influenced the man I’d become, having Alivia had influenced me more than any of them. Things were different for me. When I become famous… and I said when and not if, having a girlfriend from the onset would set the path I’d decide to take. The fame and money held little appeal. First and foremost was my passion for playing bass. It may have started as a small child, but with each year it grew as I did. It was as big a part of me as the heart in my chest or the brain in my head. Everything else that would come with fame was just frosting.
Still, I couldn’t help imagining what my life would be like, and every visual involved Alivia.
A soft sigh brought my attention back to her before she mumbled my name and turned over. I would love to start our day the way we’d ended it the night before but instead decided to let her sleep, knowing she was wiped out.
Moving around my room as quietly as I could, I pulled on sweatpants and a T-shirt. A few minutes later, I slowly closed the door behind me and slipped out, leaving her sleeping in my bed.
God, I loved the sound of that. This weekend gave me another clear picture of what life could be like with her. We wouldn’t have to worry about money. She could study, and I could play music. We’d fuck through the night, wrapped in each other, and wake the same way we fell asleep. With college months away, that future was almost upon us.
Halfway down the steps the smell of bacon assaulted me. When I found Edna in the kitchen, she turned with a smile.
“Good morning, Mr. Shane. Why up so early?”
“Morning. I smelled your delicious breakfast.”
“You must be starving,” she replied with an all-knowing wink. “Although, I see you ate up the baked ziti I made you yesterday.”
I couldn’t help but grin, remembering Alivia and I attacking the dish cold while sitting on the floor with the fridge door wide open. Thankful Alivia wasn’t there to face mortification because Edna was so on to us, I nodded. “Yes, we did. It was delicious, Edna. Thank you.” Helping myself to a glass of orange juice, I patted her back. “I’ll be outside until those lazy-ass kids get up.”
She laughed. “Just let me know when you’re ready for breakfast.”
“Will do.” I sauntered out onto the deck with my drink in hand. It was a bit chilly for the end of May, and the cool air felt good against my skin. Plopping myself down on one of the many loungers closest to the house gave me a perfect view of the empty beach. The way the three-level deck that separated the house from the beach glistened with morning dew, and the way the brilliant blue surf seemed to caress the hard-packed sand, made for a gorgeous sight.
This house had always been my happy place. A few years ago, a huge storm had hit the East Coast and sent many residents running inland. My