Waiting for the Sun (Waiting for the Sun #1) Read online

  Copyright © 2017 by Robin Hill

  All rights reserved.

  Visit my website at www.robinhillwrites.com

  Cover Design by Robin Harper, Wicked by Design, www.wickedbydesigncovers.com

  Cover Art by Mariana Stauffer, www.malorcka.com

  Editing and Interior Design by Jovana Shirley, Unforeseen Editing, www.unforeseenediting.com

  Proofreading by Rachel Lawrence

  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without the written permission of the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  ISBN-13: 978-1981946020

  ISBN-10: 1981946020

  CONTENTS

  PLAYLIST

  AUTHOR’S NOTE

  WAITING FOR THE SUN, PART ONE

  PROLOGUE

  CHAPTER 1

  CHAPTER 2

  CHAPTER 3

  CHAPTER 4

  CHAPTER 5

  CHAPTER 6

  CHAPTER 7

  CHAPTER 8

  CHAPTER 9

  CHAPTER 10

  CHAPTER 11

  CHAPTER 12

  CHAPTER 13

  CHAPTER 14

  CHAPTER 15

  CHAPTER 16

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  DEDICATION

  To Stephan,

  For reading this over and over and over.

  For believing in me when I couldn’t.

  For giving me courage and when that failed, cognac.

  PLAYLIST

  “Circles” by machineheart

  “Touch Me” by The Doors

  “La Vie en Rose” by Edith Piaf

  “Ain’t Never Been Cool” by Ellen Cherry

  “Promises” by Ryn Weaver

  “This Isn’t Everything You Are” by Snow Patrol

  “El Perdón” by Nicky Jam & Enrique Iglesias

  “Back Door Man” by The Doors

  “Watercolors” by machineheart

  “Parade” by Meg Myers

  “Wrecking Ball” by Miley Cyrus

  “It’s Over” by Civil Twilight

  “White Blank Page” by Mumford & Sons

  “Love Her Madly” by The Doors

  “Flight” by Lifehouse

  “Forever for Now” by LP

  AUTHOR’S NOTE

  The South by Southwest Music Festival, abbreviated SXSW, is the largest event of its kind in the world and takes place every March in Austin, Texas. It grows and changes annually, so while I tried to keep its treatment as authentic as possible, things that are probable one year are likely improbable the next. Therefore, I took some liberties, combining some likelihoods and omitting others, to enhance the story. Locals refer to the festival simply as South By, which is how it will appear in this book. If you’re ever in Central Texas during early spring, I hope you check it out.

  Can you feel it,

  Now that spring has come?

  That it’s time to live in the scattered sun.

  —The Doors, “Waiting for the Sun”

  PROLOGUE

  Not to Touch the Earth

  Darian

  “Darian, come on. Call him back when we get to our gate. I need to get Annie settled and I want to check flight times.”

  I trail a few feet behind my wife, head down, eyes fixed on my phone. “You can’t check them here? There are monitors everywhere, Jules.”

  I stop abruptly when she does, biting back my smile at the sight of her glare. For the most part, my wife’s a pretty understanding woman. She understands why I have to cancel on her because the band got a gig. She understands why I have to take business calls during dinner. Hell, she even understands why I’m a little too polite to the fucking groupies.

  Unless she’s traveling.

  The woman is not a traveler.

  “I’m serious, babe. He’s called three times in five minutes. I need to take—dammit, Julia, will you wait up?” I say, watching her tightly wrapped bun bob up and down as she marches off.

  I toss my head back and look up as if asking God to please help a guy out.

  My dad chuckles behind me.

  “Fine,” I say to her back as the distance grows between us. “I’ll walk and talk.”

  She turns around and glares at me again. I smile because it makes our little girl giggle.

  “You know she’s mad at you, Daddy.”

  “I know, baby.”

  My mom catches up to me and squeezes my shoulder. “Julia’s kaput,” she says.

  “Kaput? Is that your new word this week?”

  Her face lights up. “Yes, it is. What do you think? It’s a great word, but no one ever uses it.”

  “It’s lovely, Mom, but Julia can’t be kaput. We just got here.”

  “Cut her some slack. She’s a nervous traveler; you know this.”

  “You’re right,” I say over the lump of guilt forming in my throat. “And she’ll be fine as soon as I get a glass of wine in her.”

  “Take your call, sweetheart,” Mom says, stretching tall to ruffle my hair. “Your dad and I will find her a decent chardonnay.” She smiles down at Annie. “Anabel can come with us.”

  “Yay,” Annie says as she tugs on Mom’s skirt. She pulls a PEZ candy from her Minnie Mouse dispenser and pops it into her mouth. “What do I get?”

  “Anabel, chew first, please,” Mom says.

  Dad grabs Annie from behind and lifts her over his head until she squeals. “You get milk, small fry,” he tells her.

  She scrunches up her nose. “Milk? Yuck.”

  Dad laughs as he puts her down. “No milk, huh? What about a milkshake?”

  Annie squeals again as she runs ahead to Julia. Prattling about milkshakes, she grabs her mom’s hand and bounces up and down, jerking her back and forth like a yoyo. Julia’s long, dark hair tumbles to her shoulders, and she stops, right there, in the middle of the busy concourse. Although I can’t see her face, I’d bet money her eyes are squeezed shut and she’s counting to ten, willing herself not to snap. She looks back at me, and there it is. Glare number three.

  God, I love her. She’s so fucking cute when she’s mad.

  “Thanks, guys,” I say to my parents. “Make it a big chardonnay.”

  Dad gives me a thumbs-up as they walk ahead.

  I dial my manager back, and he picks up on the first ring.

  “Sorry, Rick,” I say as I slow my pace. “Trying to navigate an airport with the fam. Not an easy feat. What’s up?”

  “Thank God I caught you. Have you boarded yet?”

  “No. Why?”

  “You need to postpone your trip a day,” he says.

  I stop. “What the hell for? Is this about Bearfield? He’s your problem, not mine.”

  Rick laughs. “No, my boy, this is about Global Records. They have a guy in town. Today only. He heard your demo and wants a meeting.”

  My heart stops. “Holy shit.”

  “Holy shit is right.”

  Adrenaline races through my veins. I grip the back of my neck and shake my head as a foolish grin spreads wide across my face.

  No fucking way.

  “Darian?”

  This could be it.

  “Jules is going to be pissed,” I say, my smile firm despite my words.

  “Jules wi
ll get over it when you take her to the Four Seasons in Bora Bora instead of a piece-of-shit all-inclusive in the Bahamas.”

  “Please. My mom is going,” I say. “It’s a really nice piece-of-shit all-inclusive.”

  Rick scoffs. “Whatever you say, man. Look, Darian, I don’t have to tell you, Global is the big time. And they’re asking you for a meeting.”

  Holy shiiiiiiiit.

  I clear my throat. “What time?”

  “Five sharp. Be there at four.”

  “Have you talked to the guys?”

  “Not yet. I wanted to tell you first. I’ll call them as soon as we hang up.” Rick blows out an exaggerated sigh. “I know this means I’ll be out of a job soon, but I’m excited for you. I really am. I’ll text you the address.”

  I find my family in a small café across from our gate. Annie’s managed to cover both herself and Minnie Mouse in chocolate, and I laugh at Mom’s vain attempt to clean them up. She brightens when she sees me, her eyes meeting mine with a mix of love and amusement as she motions toward an austere-faced Julia and mouths the word, Kaput.

  Dad gives me his trademark my-life-couldn’t-be-better smile as he passes Mom a stack of napkins. I nod and then lower my gaze to my wife. Her hair’s been re-piled on top of her head in what can only be described as a bird’s nest, and she has more mascara beneath her lashes than on them.

  So fucking cute.

  It’s all I can do to bridle my own my-life-couldn’t-be-better smile.

  “Daddy!” Annie’s high-pitched shriek nearly launches Julia from her chair.

  “Hey, little one. Is that good?”

  Annie nods and hands me her milkshake. A whiff of chocolate invades my nose as I take a long pull from her straw.

  She arches her eyebrows as her little hand reaches for the cup. “Just a sip, Daddy.”

  “You’re right. That is good,” I tell her.

  She smiles.

  I sit in the chair beside Julia and carefully pry her fingers from the stem of her glass. “Hey, babe, we need to talk for a second. That was Rick.”

  Her eyes slowly lift to mine. “Is everything okay?” she asks.

  But she knows it is. My grin gives me away.

  “Global wants to meet with me. Tonight.”

  My mother gasps. I turn my smile toward her and her cheeks flush pink.

  “Sorry, dear,” she says. “You were talking to Julia. I’ll try not to eavesdrop.” She scoots her chair closer to Annie. “Anabel…oh, honey, look at this mess.”

  My focus returns to my wife. Her eyes are stretched wide and her grin mirrors my own.

  “So, I’m going to meet you guys in Nassau,” I say.

  I brush the loose pieces of her hair behind her ear. She shakes her head, and more strands fall.

  “No way.” She pushes back from the table and begins to collect her things. “Are you kidding? We’re coming with you.”

  “No, Jules. You guys go. I’ll fly out tomorrow.”

  “Darian, this is huge.”

  “I know, baby. That is precisely why I need to do this by myself. I need to focus. And it will be a lot easier to change one flight than five, not to mention the hotel and the car.”

  Her eyes begin to water and it almost breaks my resolve.

  “You’ll be fine. It’s the Bahamas, for crying out loud. Look, I’ll take the red-eye. I’ll be there when you wake up in the morning.” I hold my hand to her cheek and brush my thumb across her bottom lip. “We’ll leave Annie with my parents tomorrow night and I’ll take you out to celebrate.”

  “Darian, come on. We’ll wait. We can all go tomorrow. I’ll take care of everything.”

  I reach for her hand and thread our fingers. “I’m sorry, Jules, but no. Mom and Dad live over an hour away, and Annie will be crushed. Can you just work with me on this?”

  “Your parents can stay with us, and Annie is spoiled rotten,” she says. Her mouth curves into an adorable pout. “It won’t kill her to wait one day.”

  The airline announces preboarding.

  I look at my watch. “You need to go.”

  I lift her hand to my lips and kiss her palm. She pulls it back.

  “Look, baby, you’re already here. I know you hate to travel, especially out of the country, but they speak English. It’s not like you’re going to Budapest. And my parents will be with you. I’ll be there first thing tomorrow. I promise.” I sit back in my chair. “I really need you to do this for me.”

  She grabs a napkin off the table and dabs the corners of her eyes. “Annie, come spend a few minutes with Daddy. He’s going to have to meet us in the morning.”

  Once I pay the tab, I take Annie’s hand and we cross the concourse to our gate. The plane is boarding.

  I tell my parents goodbye. I tell them I love them. They each hug me and tell me how proud they are. Mom promises to look after Annie. She says Julia will be fine.

  I pick up my baby girl. “Bye, Annie, honey. You be a good girl for Mommy, okay?”

  “I will, Daddy.”

  She hands me her PEZ dispenser, and I smile at the tiny chocolate fingerprints on the stem.

  “What’s this?” I ask her.

  Her little brows furrow in confusion. “It’s Minnie.”

  “I know, sweetie, but why are you giving her to me?”

  “I want her to stay with you so you won’t be lonely.” Her arms circle my neck and a mop of springy curls brushes my cheek. “Now you give me something,” she whispers in my ear, “so I won’t be lonely.”

  “I have just the thing,” I say, reaching in my pocket for the green piece of plastic I’m never without. “This is my lucky pick. Take good care of it, okay? I need it to play my guitar.”

  Her body jerks back with a gasp. “It’s lucky?” she asks, grinning as if I’d given her a pony. “I promise. I’ll take the best care of it ever.”

  The line begins to dwindle, and I see Julia walking toward us. The look on her face tells me I have some kissing up to do.

  Not a problem, I think, glancing down at my carry-on. When she sees her new ring…

  “Mommy!”

  “Oh, Annie. Ouch. You’ll make your old man go deaf.”

  She giggles.

  “Think that’s funny, do you?” I say, tickling her. “It’s time to go.” I give her a huge kiss on her cheek and squeeze her tight. “I love you more than anything.”

  “I love you too, Daddy.”

  I put my daughter down and turn to the love of my life. “I’ll be there tomorrow, Jules. First thing.”

  She glares at me.

  I shrug.

  What can I do?

  CHAPTER 1

  My Eyes Have Seen You

  Ten Years Later

  Drew: Having a good time?

  Darian: Grr.

  Drew: I’ll take that as a yes.

  Darian: You’re a shit friend. You should’ve come with me.

  Drew: You’ll thank me when you don’t wake up with a hangover tomorrow.

  Darian: Whatever.

  Frankie

  “Hold that thought,” Jane says as I turn the corner onto Cesar Chavez.

  I’ve been rambling for the last hour about our five-day South by Southwest adventure in Austin. We haven’t missed the music festival in three years, and no way Jose are we breaking tradition and missing it this year. I tell myself this, but the regretful look on my best friend’s face tells me something entirely different.

  She sets her phone in her lap and sighs. “I can’t go.”

  “What do you mean you can’t go? We’re already here,” I say, talking over machineheart blasting through the speakers. Maybe if I play “Circles” for a third time, she’ll reconsider. I know what’s coming next, and I mentally kick myself for being so selfish.

  “Then I can’t stay. Mom just texted me. Jacob’s miserable. I thought my little guy was feeling better, but she can’t even get him to eat ice cream.”

  Jane holds the title of World’s Best Mom, so it surprise
d me she hadn’t canceled the trip at his first sneeze.

  “I’m so sorry,” she says.

  You’ve failed me, machineheart. I should have stuck with Morrison.

  I’m pulling into the IHOP parking lot to turn around when Jane reaches across the console and grabs my arm.

  “Did you bring a book?” she asks.

  “Of course I brought a book. Why?”

  She waits until I stop the car to answer. Good foresight on her part. The only thing that would suck more than the demise of our getaway would be slamming into the Mercedes we were trailing.

  “Because you’re staying. And without my engaging company, you’ll need one.”

  “Jane, it’s okay. I understand.”

  She turns in her seat to face me. She sucks in a deep breath and pushes up her sleeves. “No, Frankie, you’re not canceling. You’re—just no.”

  No? I give her a defiant stare.

  “You never do anything unless it’s with me.” She crosses her arms. “Live a little, will you?”

  “You sound like my dad.”

  “There you go,” she says, seeming pleased with herself. “You promised him you’d come out of your shell. Here’s your chance.”

  “I was thinking more along the lines of going to a movie by myself, not taking a vacation.” I roll the window down a couple of inches. The cool March air rushes inside, carrying with it the scent of day-old grease and stale festival beer. I roll the window back up. “I don’t know.”

  “Frankie, you need this. Ever since your dad passed away, the only time you leave your house is to go to work. You’re not coming out of your shell; you’re not doing anything. It’s been six months. I know you’re grieving, but it’s time to join the land of the living.” Her worried gaze falls on me as I swallow the uncomfortable lump rising in my throat. “I know you’re scared, but you’ll be okay. I promise.”

  “I’m not scared.”

  “I think you know what I mean.” She smiles. “And besides, this is perfect for you. Think of all those music-industry geeks who go by themselves. It won’t be weird at all that you’re alone. Just hit some day parties and catch a few live bands. Pretend you’re taking notes. They’ll think you’re a scout.”