"Hey, Axel?" A blonde sidled up to him, calling his stage name. "You're on my bucket list."
He hugged the bear closer to his chest, turned, and smiled at the woman. "Can I give you some advice?"
She reached out to touch his shirt, and he jumped back.
"I'll do anything you tell me," she purred.
"Good, because this is important." He studied her for a moment. "Update your bucket list. Put things on it that will lift you up instead of tear you down. Being someone's one-night stand won't ever be the end all and be all. When you're older and wondering what the hell happened to your life, you don't want groupie trophies lining your memory shelf. You owe it to yourself to be better."
He turned and walked away, and a second later, she called out, "Hey, Pablo, you're on my bucket list."
"Hold that thought, sweetheart," Pablo rushed to Alex. "We've got a few days, and then it's tour time." He looked over his shoulder to the blonde. "I'll share."
Alex shook his head. "Not my type."
Pablo's eyes grew wide. "You got a type?"
He closed his eyes and pictured Mercy. "Yep, a sweet schoolteacher with motherly instincts."
"Is that some new kind of fetish, like a hot librarian?"
Alex chuckled. "Nah, man, that's love." He moved down the hall and entered the room where he'd stored his things. Everything he brought, save for the guitar and the bear, was at the hotel. He set the guitar against the wall, tucked the bear under his arm, and walked to the door. He had no problem traveling light when his heart was so full.
He passed the roadie on the way out. "There's a guitar in the greenroom. It's yours, man."
"What? Are you serious? Why would you do that?"
"I don't need to hold on to the past any longer. I'm racing for my future."
He walked outside the venue and climbed into a waiting cab.
"Where to?"
"Airport, please."
Chapter Twenty-Four
Mercy laughed. "Honey, it doesn't matter how many times you change the channel, your father is not on the television anymore."
"I miss Daddy."
She tugged Maddie to her and held tightly. "I miss him too, but he called and said hello, and that's all we have for right now." She looked down at the little girl in her arms. This was the way life was supposed to be—almost. To make it perfect would take Alex there, hugging them both.
"Let's pack lunch, and we'll go to the park early and get a place close to the stage."
"And see Daddy?"
Typical five-year-old. Maddie was like a dog with a bone when she got something into her head, and right now, all she wanted was her father.
"Wouldn't that be nice?" It was better to answer with an open-ended question than have to explain that Alex was on a vision quest. "Peanut butter and jelly or turkey?"
Maddie strutted to the pantry and took out the peanut butter jar. "Grape jelly, please."
By the time they arrived, the crowd was building, and the Aspen Cove firefighters walked around handing out plastic hats and filling empty boots with donations. Before Samantha came to town, this would have been an ordinary August day, but it carried the popularity of a county fair, bringing people from all over.
A part of her was glad Alex wasn't here. There were so many beautiful women hanging out for a chance to hook up. She wanted to march up to them and say, "Show yourself some respect," but she didn't. Even her mother had been a groupie once.
"Daddy's here." Maddie bolted from the blanket, but Mercy had lightning reflexes and caught the hem of her shirt, tugging her back.
"He's in Los Angeles, sweetie."
"No, he's here."
Mercy patted the blanket next to her. "Come sit with me. The band is about to play."
Samantha walked out, and the crowd erupted into applause.
"Hello," she shouted and waved. "Welcome to our annual Fireman's Fundraiser, which became a thing when my house burned down. The town of Aspen Cove had a wonderful volunteer fire department, and the people who came to my rescue did so without reservation. In return, I hold this concert every year to fund the new fire department as my way of giving back. Are you ready to party?"
The roar of the crowd was deafening. Samantha tapped on the mic to get their attention.
"Before we begin, I want to introduce the band." She pointed to her right. "On the bass is Gray Stratton." Then she turned to her left. "On the guitar is Red Blakely. Today we also have a guest filling in. Originally, he was taking Alex Cruz's place, but Alex is here." The women went wild.
Mercy stood up so she could see the drummer who was obstructed by the cymbals.
"Turns out he loves Aspen Cove and couldn't stay away, or maybe it's something else like a hazel-eyed little girl and a pretty schoolteacher. Anyway, Axel or Alex, as we know him, is on the drums. That leaves Griffin Taylor, who is hanging out with the band today. He's a musical sorcerer and can play anything, so he's taking over the keyboards. Maybe we can convince him to stay."
Mercy craned to see Alex.
"Told you," Maddie said.
"Yes, you did."
A tap on her shoulder drew her attention from the stage.
Dalton stood beside her. "I've set up some seats for you and Maddie. Alex wants you to come up on stage with him."
"He does?"
He nodded. "That's where family belongs." He helped her gather her things while the band played their first song.
Dalton slid headphones over Maddie's ears before she took the steps to the stage.
Sweat dripped from Alex's face as he played, and when he saw her approach, his smile broadened. He never looked so happy.
And as soon as the song finished, he stood and held his arms out to Maddie, and she flung herself into his embrace.
"Oh, Daddy, I missed you."
"Missed you too, squirt."
Mercy's heart nearly exploded seeing them together. Family was what you created, and a perfect one stood before her.
Alex slid Maddie
