Chapter Twelve – Hank

Hank left Elise and went home to do his chores, before heading to work. As he strolled into the staff entrance of the hotel, he carried a pen and paper, and his guitar. He stowed them in his locker and shut the door. At lunchtime, he planned to find a quiet spot and finally get the song that was stuck in his head down on paper.

He was so close to completing it, but the last verse evaded him. Working in the restaurant gave him the space he needed for his subconscious to untangle the web of words. It was one of the reasons he liked this kind of manual work. His mind was free to wander, to imagine the impossible, and soar as if he were an eagle.

When working on a project in India, he’d been taught the art of meditation and could enter a similar state while his body worked on autopilot.

“Hank.” Julius’s voice pulled him out of his meditation. “I have some bands lined up for the festival. I’d appreciate your input on the running schedule.”

“Sure, are you okay?” Hank seemed to be asking everyone that same question lately.

“Yes, this is harder than I thought.” Julius looked down at his iPad.

“Julius.” Hank placed his hand on his boss’s shoulder. “Is this a ruse?”

A frown crossed Julius’s face, along with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. “For what?”

“Getting me involved.” Hank raised his eyebrows as he studied his boss. “That’s what I thought.” Hank turned back to his workstation.

“Come on, Hank. You could headline this. It would give Elise great publicity.” Julius rested his hand on the counter next to Hank. “You could write a new song or two and relaunch a career that was cut down in its prime.”

“You talk the talk, Julius, I have to give you that.” Hank took down a couple of plates and began layering salad on them.

“You know I’m right,” Julius told him firmly.

“I do.” Hank nodded in agreement.

“Wait, are you playing me, Hank?” Julius asked, trying unsuccessfully to sound offended as he hid his excitement.

“Just having a little fun,” Hank confessed.

“Okay.” Julius put his hand over Hank’s and stopped him from working. “Leave this. From now on, I want you working on a new song. Or two.”

“Are you firing me?” Hank asked in confusion.

“No. I’m redirecting your manual labor hours to where they are best suited. If you relaunch your career at the Midsummer Music Festival, it will be amazing publicity for the hotel. So, I’m willing to trade your work hours for productive songwriting hours.” Julius slapped him on the back.

“Wait, are you playing the player?” Hank asked, turning to face Julius. “You saw me put my guitar in my locker.”

“I didn’t.” Julius backed away, his hands in the air. “I swear.”

Hank’s eyes narrowed. “Was it Emily?”

Julius’s face cracked into a smile. “She is my eyes and my ears.”

“Are you sure you can spare me?” Hank asked. “I could help finish the lunchtime rush.”

“Do that.” Julius pointed at him. “I’ll get someone in to cover you this afternoon. Oh, and Hank? If you could get Lauren to perform, too, that would be great.”

“Because what’s better than one talented employee?” Hank began.

“Two. Yes. That’s true, but I thought she needed something to cheer her up.” Julius rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “I haven’t gotten to the bottom of it yet, but there is something going on. This might be the tonic she needs.”

“I already tried to get Lauren involved. She’s turned me down a couple of times,” Hank replied.

“Well, we need to try harder.” Julius turned on his heel and left the kitchen. “I know you can do it.”

Hank went back to work, his Zen-like state impossible to recapture. This was it, he’d made a commitment, not just to Elise, but to Julius, too. He couldn’t back out. Not that he wanted to, the days of hiding were gone. It was time to embrace who he was. Not the same man he’d been back then, but who he was now. If his life story could help anyone else, then he’d tell it to whoever would listen.

Lunchtime passed in a flurry of activity. Hank kept a look out for Lauren, but he didn’t see her at all. Perhaps she had the day off. The image of her being comforted by her parents flashed into his head and a sick feeling settled in his stomach. What if she was ill?

Hank hadn’t seen what department she’d come out of, he had no idea what was wrong with her. But could this be tied into her relationship with Thor?

“Julius said the acoustics in the Gothic folly down by the lake is amazing.” Emily appeared on his shoulder. “Are you going to tell me why I’m telling you this?”

“You’re a smart young woman, I thought you might have figured it out,” Hank said amiably as he retrieved his guitar and notepad from his locker.

“Wait, you play, too?” Emily frowned and looked at him thoughtfully. “You have a secret past.”

“Is that a question?” Hank asked playfully.

“Let me think, someone mentioned you to me once. They said you had the looks of a pop star. One they remembered from their childhood days, but they couldn’t remember the name.” She snapped her fingers. “Damn, I knew I should have Googled you.”

“You should have,” Hank agreed.

“Is it a secret?” Emily whispered loudly as she scanned an article about him on her phone.

Hank gave her a lopsided smile. “If I said yes, would you keep it?”

Emily thought for a moment. “Hell no, this is too good not to share.” She held up her phone and put her head next to his. “Smile.”

“A selfie with a has-been.” Hank hooked his guitar strap over his shoulder.

“Julius asked you to play at the music festival, didn’t he?” She tapped the screen of her phone.

“He did. He wants me to write new material.”

“Well, I respect Julius a great deal. If he’s asked you to play, then he doesn’t think you are a has-been.” She tapped the screen again. “There, I’ve put the picture on Facebook. The whole world will soon be talking.” She smiled wryly. “The whole of Bear Creek and Bear Bluff anyway.”

“Now we both know why Julius sent you with that message.” Hank placed his hand on his guitar strings.

“So I’d share on social media.” Her eyes widened. “And I thought I had our boss all figured out.”

“Have a good afternoon, Emily.” Hank left her and went outside, feeling self-conscious as he walked across the manicured lawns, heading down to the Gothic folly with his guitar on his back. He’d always loved the strange building, with its arched windows and domed roof. It had no real purpose other than to stand sentinel over the small lake on the hotel grounds.

Today, it would take on a new role as a music studio. “One man and his guitar.” Hank entered the stone building and looked around. Then he strummed a note, listening to it bounce off the walls. With a wicked grin on his face, he launched into an impromptu rendition of “Wishing Tree.” The song’s faintly dark undertones suited his surroundings.

With his voice loosened up, Hank settled down to finish his song. Whether it was the ambiance of the building or his newfound need to express himself, Hank wasn’t sure. But the notes and the words flowed as if someone had pulled out the stopper that had kept them shut away for years. This was who he was. His father’s actions should never have defined him.

“I was going to ask where I could find you, but I followed the sound of your voice.” Thor stood in the archway. “Elise told me who you are.”

“Did she?” Hank set his guitar down. “I hid away for a few years.”

“A lot of years.” Thor entered the building. “This is a cool place.”

“It is. But I’m guessing you haven’t come here to talk about the décor. Or the temperature.” Hank waited for Thor to circle the room once more.

“I don’t know, those gargoyles are amazing.” Thor sat down across from Hank. “You and Elise are mates.”

“We are, but you already knew that.” Hank couldn’t see Thor’s expression, it was hidden in shadow.

“What’s it like?” Thor looked up. “What does it feel like?”

“Haven’t your parents ever talked about it?” Hank asked, unsure where the conversation was headed.

“They have. But they’re all rainbows and unicorns.” He gave a short laugh. “They say it’s a bond that can’t be broken.”

“They’re right. The bond is always there. For the shifter at least. I don’t know what it’s like for a non-shifter.”

“I’ll tell you,” Thor replied savagely. “It’s like having your heart ripped in two.”

Hank let out a long breath. “Lauren.”

“Lauren. She told me we were mates when we first met. But we were young and kept it to ourselves. I thought she was ashamed of me.” He held his arms out. “Not exactly hunk of the year, am I?”

“That’s not how the mating bond works,” Hank told him gently.

“I know.” He rubbed his face. “We agreed to announce it on my eighteenth birthday. Lauren knew before, ever since we met at one of her gigs. We weren’t naïve, we knew what people would say, it’ll never last.” He shrugged. “And they’d be right. She dumped me the week before we were going to tell the world.” Thor picked up a small stone and threw it across the room.

“Thor…” Hank began, choosing his words carefully. “Lauren seems like a down-to-earth woman. I don’t think she would have done this to hurt you.”

Thor shrugged. “Then why? Why would she do it? I loved her, I told her I did. And she said she loved me. And I felt it, in my heart I felt it.”

“Have you spoken to her about it?”

“She won’t see me, she’s stopped answering my calls. Doesn’t reply to texts.” He got up abruptly. “I guess it was all a lie. Or she was too ashamed of me when the time came to tell her parents.”

“There may be another explanation, Thor.” Hank wished he had the answers the young man needed, but he didn’t. “Talk to her.”

“Words.” Thor shook his head. “If only I could be more like you. If I could open my mouth and sing, tell her how I feel.”

“I told you, if you want me to help you write a song, I’ll do it. Why don’t you perform at the music festival?” Hank encouraged.

“Because I’d mess that up, too.” He walked out of the doorway, framed for a moment under the archway with the light casting him in a silhouette. At that moment he looked like the loneliest man in the world.

And in the next moment, Hank had his second song. But this one wasn't for him. Nor was it for Elise. This song was for Thor. Who would be the God of Thunder.