Things Lost In The Fire (27 page)

“He’s hated by a lot of people,” she mused. “But he’s an old friend and we’ve gotten back in touch and—”

“Sadie, did you tell him that you’ll be performing tonight?” Tommy asked, concern clouding his eyes.

Sadie caught his meaning and shook her head. “Oh, no. I mean, I did, but he won’t say anything, I promise. I just gave him the heads up so he could get a few shots of us onstage. He won’t tell anyone.”

“All right. If you say so.”

Guilt coursed through her as she walked over and reached for his hands. They met eyes and she tried to smile. “He’s a nice guy. Maybe you can meet him after the show.”

“I don’t think that’s how it works, Sadie. You’re not supposed to befriend these guys. You file restraining orders to keep them away from you.” Isaac chuckled, patting her on the back.

Sadie felt her face flush as she looked away. “Like I said, he’s an old friend. The fact that he’s a reporter has nothing to do with this. I’ll go grab my stuff.”

She left the room, wishing she’d just kept her mouth shut.

WHEN THEY arrived at rehearsal, she felt her anxiety come roaring back. Being there made it all suddenly very real.

She considered calling Tess for emotional support, but hated to bother her. Her friend had already done so much, but she had her own life to live. She couldn’t be Sadie’s crutch forever. Sooner or later Sadie knew she had to rise to the occasion and take what she wanted on her own.

And what she wanted right now was to throw up.

Pushing back the feeling, she followed Tommy and Isaac through the empty halls of The Forum. They led the way up a flight of stairs that opened to the entire arena, filled with thousands of empty seats surrounding a stage that looked so very far away from where she stood. It took her a moment to comprehend that she’d be standing on that very stage in just a matter of hours, singing alongside the band her parents helped build. The feeling was impossibly surreal.

When Tommy and Isaac headed off to greet Glenn Turner, the band’s drummer, she turned her gaze back to the stage. Her father was standing there, busy testing notes on his trademark black and white electric guitar. A lump formed in her throat as she walked down the long aisle, her eyes never leaving him.

She was just a few yards away when he finally noticed her. The quick flash of surprise that crossed his face shifted into a strained half smile.

He was still as handsome as ever, refined in age and dressed in designer jeans and a black button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Silver rings cluttered long and nimble fingers, the tips well-worn after years of stubbornly playing guitar without a pick.

He knelt down and extended his hand to her when she reached the stage. “Come on up.”

Sadie accepted his hand and stepped onto the platform. They came face-to-face and those sea-green eyes that matched her own quietly assessed her, as though looking for flaws in a piece of artwork. His russet curls of hair were cut short and feathered with hints of gray. Combined with the soft age lines beginning to take shape on his honed and meticulously tanned face, she saw only a glimpse of the rock star he’d once been. Life had been easier on him than on her mother, but the years still made their mark.

“How are you?” she asked, wondering if he expected her to hug him. Physical affection had always been awkward ground between them. He patted her on the shoulder instead.

“Good. Isaac had me watch a couple of your videos. Not bad.” His mouth tightened in an odd little smile, as if he were trying to hold something back. She hoped it was pride, but knew better than to believe it. “Clearly you inherited something from me, after all.”

Sadie felt her face grow hot and avoided his gaze. “Thanks, I guess.”

When he only continued to stare at her, she chanced another look at him. He was eyeing her clothes, looking thoughtful.

“You’re a bit taller than her, but I think it’ll still fit.”

“What will?” Sadie asked.

His eyes rose to hers. “I have the dress your mother wore when we first performed ‘Dying In The City’ back in ’85. I want you to wear it tonight.”

“Really?” She couldn’t believe what he was saying. He wanted her to look
more
like Valerie than she already did? “Are you sure that it won’t be…weird for you?”

“No,” he replied, stiffening his spine. “My goal is to make tonight something our fans will never forget. They’ll be talking about this for a long time, Sadie. A very, very long time.”

She nodded, her knees weakening a bit at the thought. “I don’t know if I can be as exciting as she used to be onstage, but I promise to try.”

“You’re not her.” He adjusted the guitar strap on his shoulder and reached for a nearby mic, handing it to her. When she accepted it, he gave a quick little nod. “You’re my daughter. Be yourself.”

Emotions swam over her at his odd words of encouragement. It’d been so long since he’d said anything even remotely personal to her. “Okay, I will.”

He strummed a few notes on the guitar, keeping his eyes on her. When he nodded again, she understood he wanted to launch into a practice run of the song.

The instant he began to play the sultry, bluesy opening to ‘Dying In The City,’ she felt her entire world zero in on this one crucial, life-changing moment. Nothing else existed except for him and the song, and once he started to sing her lips spread in a knowing smile.

“Father tells his son, he says, go back now, just run away. This place isn’t safe no more. This city, she’s become a whore.”

From the corner of her eye she spotted Tommy, Isaac, and Glenn sit down in the front row, settling in for the practice performance. She knew she should feel nervous, but instead she was exhilarated. This was her chance to prove herself.

The cue for her mother’s lines arrived, and Sadie hit the notes without missing a beat. She sang into the mic, losing herself in lyrics she knew better than even her own.

“City begs, boy please stay. Honey, don’t let your doubts get in the way. I love you, I need you. And like hell you need me too.”

Her eyes shot to her father and caught him grinning at her. The feeling was like a shot of electricity coursing through her body, sharp and invigorating. Why had she always dreaded this moment when it was so incredibly empowering?

He gave a quick nod the second the chorus began, prompting her to join him as he sang. Together, their voices rang out in a haunting harmony that seemed so natural, as though it were never meant to be any other way.

“This boy can’t leave. His blood runs in these streets. Those chains they bind too tight. He’ll never win this fight. He’ll just die in this damn city. Dying in the city, dying in the city…”

After they’d finished the rest of the song, Sadie noticed her father staring at her with a kind of stupefied wonder. It made her curious if he was reliving those good old days of being onstage with Valerie after all.

Isaac and Tommy burst into loud cheers, clapping wildly. Beside them, Glenn grinned like a fool and rose to his feet.

“You sure it isn’t 1985 all over again? I swear I’ve been shot back in time.”

Sadie laughed, meeting Glenn at the edge of the stage when he approached. She knelt down and reached for his hands with a smile.

“Last time I checked, we’re in the twenty-first century,” she reminded him, admiring his trademark length of blond hair tied back in a low ponytail, matching blond beard, and those calm blue eyes that never seemed to take anything too seriously. Glenn had and always would be a California surfer boy, even though he was nearing sixty. He’d spent the better part of his youth running wild with Dennis Wilson of the Beach Boys, back before he first met Valerie Ryan and stole away with her to Boston. The rest, after that, was the stuff of music legend.

“Long time no see, kiddo. How’ve you been?” Glenn asked, releasing her hands.

“Good, I guess. I’m back in L.A. for awhile.”

“So I hear. How’s Val?”

Sadie hesitated, not wanting to ruin her father’s good mood with talk of her mother. She glanced over at him but noticed he was busy making adjustments to his guitar. “She’s doing better.”

“Good to hear.” He winked at her and turned back to Tommy and Isaac. “If this was really 1985, I’d have a beer in my hand and some weed to smoke right now.”

Tommy chuckled, lazing back in the seat with his arms spread over the backrest. “If this was 1985, you’d be a lot less ugly, too.”

Glenn burst out laughing, prompting Sadie to smile fondly at Tommy. She realized then just how much she missed being around the family. Her real family—the band. As much as she loved her grandparents, they’d never been able to replace the bonds that came from something as tight-knit as Albatross. Even with Valerie and Georgina splitting from the group, the basic core remained in her father, Tommy, and Glenn. Being part of it now brought a strange sort of rightness to her heart.

“Let’s get everyone together and start the song from the top,” Ben said suddenly, motioning for Glenn and Tommy to get onstage. He looked at Sadie, settling back into business mode. “This time, I want you to move around more. See if you can keep your voice steady.”

She nodded, swallowing back a second wave of nerves that hit her. How hard could it be?

N
OT THAT it should have surprised him, but The Forum was packed to the brim. Albatross fans flooded the walkways leading up to the entrance, eagerly awaiting a concert he knew they’d never forget. They may not know what was coming, but Brody did. And he carried that knowledge with him like the blazing torch it was.

Pride filled him as he realized Sadie was really going for it. She wasn’t letting the media get to her, despite the scandal resurfacing in full force. He had to admire her resilience. When the press had turned their ugly heads on him after the incident in Afghanistan, he’d run from it. Guilt had driven him underground and away from the life he’d once lived.

But not Sadie. They weren’t scaring her away. Which meant that maybe, just maybe, she wouldn’t be leaving L.A. after all.

A spark of hope lit within him as he walked up to the ticket counter and gave them his name. The clerk handed him the ticket with a polite smile, which he would have returned if he hadn’t been so shocked by the seat location.

Front and center, arguably the best seat in the entire house.

He shuffled toward the entrance doors, a mix of gratitude and humility churning inside his gut. She wanted him there for her big night, close enough that he could almost touch her. It couldn’t just be for the photographs she’d asked him to take. It had to be because she needed a familiar face in the crowd, someone to ground her when the nerves took over and she wanted to run. The fact that she’d chosen him had all the feelings he’d been fighting for her rushing to the surface. He tried to reason with himself as he walked through the crowded halls of The Forum, but a brazen excitement jumped in to blind him. She wanted him. This was proof, it had to be. And he’d be damned if he’d let her slip by without knowing he wanted her too.

With a determined grin he took the stairs two at a time, then emerged into the expansive stadium already buzzing with voices and laughter. He made his way down to the very front and located his seat. It was mere feet from the stage, which was set up with the band’s equipment and an illuminated sign of Albatross’s trademark flying seabird logo.

Glancing back at the crowd had him smiling again. Even years after their glory days, Albatross could pack in the fans. And although Valerie and Georgina no longer performed with the band, Brody had a feeling that tonight their presence would not be missed.