Chapter Eighteen – Hank

“Hey, Jenny, can you run this over to Elise? She’s over at the catering tent.” Hank handed Jenny a microphone.

“Sure.” She looked down at it and tapped the top. “Is it on?”

“It’s not plugged in, dummy,” Jason told his sister.

Hank leaned down and flicked a switch. “Try it now.”

“Is it on?” Jenny’s voice boomed over the PA system.

Hank laughed at Jason’s shocked face. “It’s wireless, dummy.”

Jason laughed. “Can I have a turn?” Jenny held the microphone out to him, and he stared at it. “What do I say?”

His voice carried across the grounds of the hotel and Jenny giggled. “Do you have stage fright?” Hank joked.

“No.” Jason rolled his eyes. “Let’s take this to Elise.”

They ran off across the perfect lawn, laughing and giggling together. One day the twins, Elise and Delia, would be laughing and playing together. He couldn’t wait to share those days with them. And Elise. Every day of his life would be dedicated to his mate.

“How is everything going, son?” Lewis Rivera, top record producer, asked. Yeah, it was still going to take some getting used to, but Hank had established a friendly relationship with his father. Although not perfect, it was a start.

“I think everything is under control. Thanks for loaning us this equipment. Things sure have moved on since I last got on stage.” He looked down at all the speakers and amplifiers. Not to mention the microphones all set out, ready for the festival to begin.

“Don’t mention it. This is the most fun I’ve had in ages.” His dad chuckled, a dry cackle reminding Hank of his dad’s age.

“Really? You must have attended some swanky parties in your time.” Hank watched as Jenny and Jason skidded into the catering tent.

“I have. But they didn’t have the same heart. This festival has really brought people together. You have good friends.” Lewis approached his son. “That’s something all the money in the world can’t buy.”

It was a compliment, and Hank took it as such. These last few weeks, Hank had gotten over being inferior to his father. He’d learned to step out from the shadow cast over a nineteen-year-old young man. It helped that Lewis had changed, and found humility, surprisingly from his relationship with Pamela.

Elise had summed it up one evening as they lay in bed, with the window open and the soft mountain breeze filling the room with the scent of damp forest and pine resin. They were all better people because of what happened. Their lives had been changed by lies, but in the aftermath, they had learned their own truths.

“I wouldn’t swap this life for the world. Particularly the showbiz world,” Hank told his father.

“Not even for a record contract?” Lewis was serious. “I’ve played your song to a few of my contacts. It’s there for the taking.”

“Is this a test?” Hank asked.

“No, son, it’s your decision. I just want to make it up to you.” Lewis looked up as Pamela appeared in the distance. He loved her. It shone through in the way he spoke to her and about her. She’d been his guiding light, his north star when he was lost and alone.

“There’s nothing to make up for.” Hank turned to his father. “I’m glad you’re happy. I mean that. I like Pamela.”

“You do?” Lewis asked, his voice choked. “She’s not your mother.”

“No, she’s not. But she’s never tried to be. And I appreciate that. She has a big heart.” Hank turned away and found something to rearrange while he composed himself.

When he looked up again, Pamela had nearly reached them. But there was someone else with her, too. Hank’s heart faltered, and his palms sweated as he realized he was about to meet his brother.

“This is Milo.” Lewis looked nervous. “Milo, this is your big brother, Hank.”

“Milo. Good to finally meet you.” Hank hugged his brother. It was like looking at himself at nineteen at the height of his fame.

“Wow, man, I had no idea we were so similar.” Milo hugged him back warmly.

“You both inherited your father’s looks, what can I say?” Lewis looked relieved and Pamela couldn’t keep tears from falling.

“Mom, you’re such a sap,” Milo said, hugging her. “It’s good to finally be together. Dad talks about you all the time.”

“I don’t,” Lewis said gruffly.

Milo rolled his eyes. “Hank, you’ve been in my life since I remember. Dad used to tell me stories and sing your songs.”

“He did,” Pamela agreed shyly.

Hank ran a hand through his hair. “I wish we’d found each other sooner.” He looked up. “Hey, Elise.” He waved, and Elise ran across the grass toward them.

“You need to get changed, the show is starting in an hour. People are arriving.” With flushed cheeks and sparkling eyes, she reached them. His heart swelled with love for her.

“This is my brother.” Hank introduced them.

“Oh my goodness, you look the spitting image of Hank.” She hugged Milo, leaving Hank with a twinge of jealousy, which he soon shook off. This was a day of celebration, and he knew better than to ever think Elise would look at another man. After all, she lost her heart to her true mate thirty years ago.

“I’ll see you all later.” Hank took Elise’s hand as they walked toward the hotel.

“Don’t worry, Milo is going to help me with this.” Lewis indicated the sound equipment.

“Thanks, Dad.” That word still felt awkward on his tongue. But Lewis liked to hear it, and Hank wanted everyone to be happy, just as happy as he was, if that was possible.

“Here are Lauren and Thor.” Elise waved to the couple walking toward them. “You look amazing.”

“Thanks.” Lauren did a twirl, she wore a thigh-skimming skirt and long boots that came just over her knee.

“She might have meant me.” Thor touched his fingers to the cowboy hat he wore on his head.

“Have you been working out?” Hank asked, squeezing Thor’s biceps.

“No teasing,” Thor told him, slapping his hand away.

“I’m not. You look buff.” Hank was totally serious. The audience was going to love these two.

“You are such a cute couple.” Elise took a photograph of them. “That one is going straight on our Facebook page.”

“After tonight, you two are going to be famous,” Hank warned.

Thor paled. “I hope I don’t puke on stage.”

“You’ll be fine, just remember you are the God of Thunder,” Hank roared.

“That’s never gonna sell,” Lewis said from behind them. “But I have passed your recording onto a few of my contacts, and they are willing to talk.”

“Really?” Lauren asked. After recovering from her illness, she now looked the picture of health. She also wore Thor’s engagement ring on her finger, which she showed off at every opportunity.

“Come on, Hank. You really do have to get ready.” Elise threaded her fingers through his and led him away from the others.

“You don’t think I’m too old for all this?” Hank asked as they continued toward the hotel, where the restaurant had been converted into a dressing room.

“Cold feet?” Elise asked.

“No. I’m just…” Hank stopped and took hold of her hands. “Now that it’s here, I don’t feel the same excitement.”

“That’s because it’s not the most important thing in your life. I am.” She giggled like a teenager. “Or maybe it’s because I’m excited enough for both of us.” She jumped up and down on the spot. “This my first Hank Rivera concert, you know. I expect an autograph.”

“Tell me you’re my number one fan.” His breath caressed her cheek as he leaned forward.

“I’ll always be your number one fan.” She pressed her lips to his. “I just want you to be happy. We’ve already raised a lot of money from the hits on your YouTube videos.”

“What?” he asked.

“I might have uploaded your rehearsals.” She laughed mischievously. “They were too good not to. The world is at your feet, Hank.”

“But my whole world is here with you.” He looked up at the mountains in the distance. “I don’t know where my path will take me, but it will always lead back to you. I’ve decided to write songs again, but for other people. I have an album planned for Thor and Lauren. What comes after that, who knows?”

“Just remember my heart will be, forever waiting beneath the Wishing Tree.”

“It’s time we wrote our own song,” Hank told her.

“As long as it has a happy ending.” Elise stopped outside the door to the hotel. “We did it.”

“We did.” And he lowered his head and kissed her lips. He didn’t need a wishing tree. Because right here, with Elise, all his wishes had come true.