Page 25 of Accidental Fire
“Yeah, I bet.” I glanced at my phone to see I had a couple of hours to kill, but I really didn’t want to spend them with Clancy. “I better get going. I’ll see you later.”
I stood and collected my trash as Clancy pulled out a book and ordered another cup of coffee when the server came by to check on us. I glanced into the restaurant. River and the band were gone, so I sent a text to him.
You busy?
In a snap, River responded.
I’m sitting on a bench on the boat dock, writing nothing in particular. The others are sleeping—lame assholes.
I sent back a laughing emoji and headed toward the boat dock. There were several sets of benches, but at the far end of the dock was a guy with an acoustic guitar sitting cross-legged on an old gray bench.
My smile couldn’t be contained as I jogged down the dock, dodging fishermen and tourists along the way. My heart beat like a rabbit’s, but I was more than happy to see River. I wasn’t planning to give it too much thought. Like Clancy said, taking time to figure it out seemed the best idea.
A few people were standing nearby, watching River as he strummed a couple of chords before writing something in thenotebook next to him. It was as if he were oblivious to the people listening to him.
As I started to approach him, River began playing a pretty great song I’d never heard.
I’m standing on the outside,
always looking in.
You’re standing on the inside,
holding on to him.
He treated you so bad,
I held you while you cried.
You told me I was perfect,
And now I know you lied.
Why did you leave me behind?
How could I have been so wrong?
I thought you were the one for me,
But you had to string me along!
You promised me forever,
And I took you at your word.
How could I have imagined,
You’d fly off just like a bird?
His voice was beautiful. The night in LA when I sat through their dreadful, incoherent concert, River hardly sang a note. He and the rest of the band were so out of it that they barely got out a song anyone recognized. Now, hearing him sing alone was truly beautiful.
He stopped singing and opened his eyes, jumping a little bit when the bystanders began clapping. I joined them, completely blown away by what I’d just heard.
River glanced around, and when he spotted me, he grinned. He put his guitar in the case beside the bench and closed the lid, so I walked over and sat down. “That was great, River. Is that going to be on the upcoming album?”
Heat rose up his neck and cheeks. “I don’t know. I just felt like trying to get something on paper. The muse comes and goes. How’s your day going?”
“It’s been unusual. I won’t make the mistake of drinking seven beers on an empty stomach again, but after I went for a run and then a swim, I felt good enough to eat. I’m doing okay. How about you?”
