Beat to Their Heart Read online

  “Oh, Joey, I’m so sorry. What happened to her?”

  “Well, she was walking home one night while I was at work, I had decided to quit the band earlier that week. She was mad at me and we were fighting. Anyway, she ended up getting caught in the middle of a drive-by. She took two shots, one in the chest and one in the stomach.”

  “Oh my God, Joey, I’m so sorry.” Her arms wrapped around him, but he wasn’t done.

  “I rushed to the hospital, but she had already passed. You see, Sky, the reason I quit the band was because I was going to marry her. I had the ring picked out and everything. But what hurts the most is that she was five months pregnant with our daughter. Both of them died, and I wanted to as well.” He hadn’t even realized he had tears on his face until Sky wiped them away.

  “Joey, no one could take them away from you. I understand if you want to just be friends. I can do that for you. And if I had known that coming would bring up such bad memories, I wouldn’t have come with Milo. I couldn’t imagine what it is like for you. But I am sorry, Joey. So sorry you have had nothing but heartache.” He just looked at her. She was offering him friendship because he was grieving. For the first time in his life, he didn’t know what to think. He loved Nikki, and he loved their daughter, but was he using Sky and Milo to fill the hole. For so long booze filled the hole.

  “I don’t know, Sky, I don’t know about anything. But I know I want to know you better. I want to get to know Milo. Even if it is just your friendship, I will take it, for now.” He kissed her forehead before looking at Milo who was watching them.

  “You wanna play, Mr. Joey?” Smiling at Milo he agreed before doing a cannonball in the pool making Milo laugh hysterically.

  Chapter Ten

  Sky couldn’t believe how much Milo had eaten. Three hot dogs, chips, some fruit, and then wanted popcorn to watch the movie. Joey was kind enough to let her wash Milo in one of the spare bathrooms so he wouldn’t smell like chlorine. Now dressed in his comfy clothes as he called them, her son was snuggling in a large armchair with the small bag of popcorn Joey had made him. When the movie started Joey watched Milo so she could shower. Once she was clean and dressed in shorts and a t-shirt, she found the boys watching the movie. She smiled at it. Both seemed to be lost in the movie she had seen so many times she could recite lines.

  She was going to sit on one of the chairs when Joey held out his hand. She took it and he pulled her down so she could sit next to him. She couldn’t help but smile when he wrapped his arm around her so she could snuggle closer.

  “Thank you for today,” she said to him.

  “Nothing to thank me for. I don’t know the last time I had fun like this. Not worrying about anything, no one hounding for pictures or information. Not being pissed off at the world. Plus I got cookies out of the deal.” She laughed at his cheesy smile.

  “You sure you’re a rock star? I mean I thought you guys were all mean and tough, but you seem like a teddy bear to me.” She raised an eyebrow to him.

  “Oh, baby, that sounds like a challenge, and I am indeed. Wanna see my drum set.” He wiggled is eyebrows suggestively, but it seemed to have gotten Milo's attention.

  “You have drums. Can I see them?” Oh no, this could be bad. Milo liked music, and she could bet that if Joey showed Milo the drums he would do what any kid would do, and want to play them.”

  “Oh, Milo, I don’t think so.”

  “It’s okay, Sky. Come on, buddy, we can go play some.”

  “I don’t know how to play.” Her sweet son pouted.

  “Well it’s a good thing I know how to. Come on.” Joey seemed like an eager kid showing off his toys. She followed both of them down a few halls until Joey stopped at a door. He opened it and she was blown away. It was full of all types of musical instruments.

  “We practice here sometimes. Come on, Milo, let’s jam.” She watched as Joey set a smaller drum in front of Milo with two sticks, while he sat behind the giant set.

  Standing there, Milo watched Joey’s movements, and she too couldn’t keep her eyes off him. Each time he lifted an arm, his muscles rippled and he lost himself in the drums. He had a simple rhythm going to a song she knew. It was one on their album. Once he stopped, he looked at Milo whose mouth was wide open.

  “I know that song. Mommy and I danced to it. You played like the people on my mommy’s iPod.” Joey’s eyes moved up to her, lifting a single brow.

  “That’s interesting. Did your mommy tell you that it was me she was listening to?”

  “No, Mommy doesn’t tell me too much. She doesn’t know too many people, but the people at work. She works really hard, but she smiles more now. Is it because you are my mommy’s friend?” Coughing at her son’s statement, she wanted to dig a hole in and hide.

  “Could be, but how about you come over here, sit on my lap and I can show you some things. Okay?” Milo jumped at the chance to sit at the big drum set instead of the smaller one. It was times like these she wished she had a camera. A big bad rocker teaching her small autistic son to play drums. Who would have thought it.

  *****

  The sky had turned dark and despite his persistence, Sky was leaving. Milo had to get to bed, though he was already asleep when he carried him out to her car. He wanted to have her wake up in his bed, he wanted to know what it felt like to hold her all night long. Making sure Milo was secure in his seat, he shut the door and looked at Sky. He hadn’t kissed her all day, and he needed her. Grabbing her by the back of the neck he took his kiss and then some. God she was like an addiction to him. He didn’t know if he could get enough. Breaking from her when he needed to breathe, he buried his face into her neck.

  “I don’t want you to go,” he confessed.

  “I have to. I have to work tomorrow, and Milo will need a day to recover. Plus I don’t want to rush into something until I know it’s serious. It’s not only me that could get hurt, Milo could too. Please understand, Joey. Please.” She went on her toes and kissed his lips softly.

  “Woman, you drive me crazy, but you make sense.” He walked her around to the driver’s side door before opening it, letting her climb in. She shut the door rolling down the window. “Call me when you get home so I won’t worry. If you don’t I will come and get you,” he growled the last part, and a certain part of him wish she wouldn’t so he could.

  “You know I will. Thanks again, Joey.” She blew him a kiss before driving away. He didn’t like feeling alone like this, but he didn’t want to go out either. Pulling out his cell he called Mickey and Hunter to see if they wanted to hang out. But it seemed like even they had plans to go party, and he thought it would be good for the band if he came too. After going back and forth, he finally agreed after Scarlett said it would help dismiss some of the negative press, and to boost fan base for the band.

  After he had showered, yet again, he changed and checked his phone. He smiled when Sky had texted him that she was home, and a picture of Milo sleeping with an old set of drumsticks he gave him to practice with. He sent a quick reply before getting in his car and driving off.

  Pulling into the club Mickey said they would be at, he gave his keys to his car to the valet before heading inside. Indeed there was press standing outside snapping pictures in hopes of catching a celebrity in the arms of someone they shouldn’t be.

  Hunter had already spotted him with beers in his hand. It seemed that he arrived just in time. Taking one that he offered, he followed Hunter to the section Mickey, Scarlett, and Hunter had taken residence in, along with some other women he didn’t know.

  “So we head into the studio again in a couple weeks, and work on some new tracks. Then do a few more tours, but short ones. Nothing more than two weeks. That way we aren’t all drained.” Mickey once again was all business talk. He listened as they talked about different songs they wanted and the type of feel that would work best. Hunter disappeared again and returned with shots.

  “I drove, man, a beer was good for me.” He didn’t want to s
ound like a pussy, but he also didn’t want to drink and drive. He had seen enough of those accidents in his lifetime.

  “Take a cab, come on, Joey, don’t be a pussy and do the fucking shot. We are celebrating.” Once again he agreed and did the shot. The alcohol burned going down, but soon he started to feel warm and fuzzy. But it seemed one shot turned into five, and he was feeling pretty damn good. One of the women sitting with them decided it was time for all of them to dance. Scarlett dragged some poor sap as well, and between the shots and the beers, Joey found himself dancing with various women. The night seemed to fly by, or he was really drunk when Scarlett put him in a cab to go home. He couldn’t remember much other than going up the stairs to his bed before he slumped down into a dreamless sleep.

  *****

  Skylar looked down at her phone again to see Joey hadn’t call her back. She told him that she was bored and asked what he was doing, but nothing. Normally he replied quickly, but maybe he just went to bed, or was practicing. Switching off the side lamp, she closed her eyes to sleep.

  Her alarm clocked went off way too early come Monday morning. She had yet to hear back from Joey. Milo asked when they could see him again, and she didn’t have an answer. Since she had to work that night she did some errands at the store before coming home to sleep.

  Milo was settled watching TV after school when Trudy came over to watch him while she went to work. They were going about their usual routine. After parking in the parking lot and heading inside, she put her purse in the locker room before grabbing a small cup of coffee. As she entered Casey sat at the table looking at her.

  “Oh, Sky, I’m so sorry. Are you okay?”

  “Huh, sorry about what?” She looked at her completely confused.

  “About Joey Hart. I knew he was a rat bastard, all rockers are. They get what they want and then leave.”

  “Okay, still lost, Joey is just busy with work and such, but he didn’t really leave.”

  “Oh God you don’t know. Shit, Sky, I shouldn't have said anything, but you’re bound to find out.”

  “Find out what?” Casey walked over to the stack of papers pulling out a magazine before turning a couple pages. There stood a picture of Joey sandwiched between two women with a drink in his hand. The caption read, “Bad boy heats up the club.” She grabbed the paper and started reading. It talked about how Joey and the other band mates went out with new manager, Scarlett Quimby, to celebrate a new contract before heading back into the studio for a new album. The words weren’t the problem, but the date and the picture was. It was Saturday, and it seemed to have been the night she left his house with Milo. He hadn’t called her back, hadn’t texted her, nothing. She felt sick. Maybe he got what he wanted and when he didn’t get it again he went elsewhere, well two elsewheres.

  “No I hadn’t. It’s okay, it’s not like we were really dating or anything. I gotta go to work.” She pushed past Casey making a quick stop in the bathroom to try to cool down. She wasn’t going to cry, why should she? He was a bad boy sexy rocker, and she was a nurse who was also a single mother. She figured after what he told her about losing his girlfriend and daughter she meant something to him. Well, she needed to get away from him. Milo might seem attached now, but it would fade, and in time maybe her feelings would too. Walking with her head held high she got to work and dealt with the patients that came in.

  *****

  “Seriously, man, you need to chill the fuck out.”

  “How the hell can you say that?”

  “She’s just some chick and it's only a photo.”

  “You don’t get it, Mickey. She isn't some chick, she's special and once she sees this, she will think I cheated on her.”

  “Well did you?”

  “No, I didn’t. I was just dancing, I was drunk, and no thanks to you two fuck heads. I don’t know what to say to her. Shit, I told her about Nikki and everything.” He ran his hand through his hair while he paced back and forth in the den in Mickey's house.

  “Shit, how did she take it?” This time Hunter seemed generally concerned.

  “Better than I thought she would. She told me it wasn’t my fault and Nikki wouldn’t blame me either. I think I’m falling in love with her, and now I fucked it all up. Shit and Milo. He isn’t going to understand.”

  “You met her kid, damn, dude, you are serious about her.” Mickey had sat down now next to Hunter. The two of them kept their eyes glued on him while he ranted about the damn picture. Stupid. He knew better when he went to the club, and even as he was doing the shots.

  “I don’t know what to do. I can call, but it seems a crappy way to talk to her.”

  “When does she work next?”

  “She works tonight, but I don’t want to cause a scene at the ER. Shit, I don’t even know where she lives either.”

  “I say stop acting like a pussy and go to the hospital until she listens to you. If that means you stay until her shift is over, then so be it. And if it means anything, I’m sorry this happened.” Mickey looked sincere and all he could do was nod. He needed a drink, but that was what got him into this mess to begin with.

  “Guess I better stop at a Starbucks and grab a large coffee to go, it’s going to be a long night.” With that, Joey walked out the door and prayed Sky would listen, because if he lost her, he just might lose himself all over again and this time, he didn't think he would make it back.

  Chapter Eleven

  Joey walked into the ER, instantly he was met by a larger woman who was shooting daggers at him with her glare.

  “The playboy returns, huh. What, didn’t get enough the other day, you have to come back here and make things worse?”

  “Ma’am, I just want to talk to Skylar Morgan, please, could you let her know I’m here.”

  “I’ll tell her but I don’t think she will talk to you.” He nodded, expecting that to happen. Hell, the whole hospital knew he was seeing Sky, and now he made her look like an idiot, because he was a fuck up. He seemed to do that a lot, fuck up that is. The woman made a phone call and a few minutes later a woman he remembered seeing before, but couldn’t place her name, came walking out.

  “Sky’s busy at the moment. I just want you to know that you may be hot as sin, richer than most of us, but that doesn’t give you the right to hurt her like you did. Oh, she will carry on like she is fine, but she’s not. That girl works harder than most and always helps others before herself. She was happy, and now she is back to her old self, which is fine, but it’s not healthy. So I hope you’re happy with yourself.” Joey stood there, not sure what to say.

  “Look, I just want to talk, explain what happened. I never meant to hurt her. I was drunk, and that picture was taken out of context. I didn’t do anything but dance. It was stupid, please just tell her I’m here.” God he sounded like a pussy, but he didn’t care, she meant something to him.

  “Fine,” she snapped before stalking back behind the double doors. He waited, and waited, and more time passed but he waited. It was an hour before Sky came walking out to him.

  “Joey.” She grabbed his arm making him move to a small room off to the side.

  “Okay talk, I have to get back to work.”

  “I can explain about the picture and not calling and everything.”

  “There’s nothing to explain, Joey. We’re not in a relationship. You are free to see whoever you want. I just wish you would have told me sooner, maybe I could have avoided Milo getting attached. But that was my fault not yours. So is there anything else? Did I leave something at your house? Need a ride to hide from the press?” He could hear the annoyance in her voice and it bothered him. He really fucked up.

  “I didn’t do anything with those girls. I have only been with you, and I only want to be with you. God, Sky, I was fucking drunk when I was dancing. It was harmless.”

  “Sure that’s what they all say, it was harmless, and the booze made you do it. The guys dragged me out there. I’m not stupid, not by a longshot. You can’t place blame on
drinking. No one made you drink and do stupid stuff, Joey. You just need to grow the hell up and deal with what happened. And what happened is that you didn’t get me to stay with you, so you went and found comfort elsewhere. That’s fine, but I’m done. I don’t play games. I don’t do one night stands either. So it’s best if you just left. You got what you wanted, and you don’t anymore. I’m a big girl, Joey. Now if you’ll excuse me, I got work to do.”

  “It’s not like that, Sky, please hear me out.”

  “No! The time to talk to me about this should have been when you went out and got drunk. Instead of calling for help, you hung out and got into trouble. Guess it sucks getting your dick stuck in the zipper, huh, Joey. It’s the rocker way. Goodbye, Joey.” She leaned up and kissed him on his cheek. “I hope you do find happiness again where you don’t need the comfort of a bottle to do it.” And then she left. She had been right. When he didn’t get what he wanted he drank, it was his way of dealing with issues. He didn’t say he was a drunk, because he could go days, weeks even, without a drink if he wanted. But when shit hit the fan, instead of dealing with the issues, he washed them away. Sitting down on one of the small chairs he put his hands on his head. It was his fault, he just needed to grow up and fix it, and promise to never let it happen again.

  *****

  It had been a week and she had had several voicemails and texts from Joey. She didn’t want to forgive him, but really, he didn’t do anything wrong. It was the rocker persona. All of them were players, women draped all over them like second hand clothes. She wasn’t really in a relationship with him, though she liked to pretend she was. He had acted like a devoted boyfriend would when they were together or even apart. He had texted her, called, and spoke when she was awake. Hell, he even saw her at the hospital, so what went wrong.

  It didn’t take long before the word spread she was back on the market and Dr. Hudson started asking her out again. He liked to point out that he would never do to her what Joey did. Yeah, he wouldn’t because he was at least smart enough to stay out of the paper.