Sea Breeze 01 - Breathe

handle.
    I get caught up in the lights and the crowd.
    But you’re the reason I keep on playing.
    Without you, girl, it would all die down.
    Hold on to me through this ride, please,
    because if you let go, I will too.
    If the sparkle in your eyes starts to fade,
    my heart won’t beat and my song will disappear.
    “Don’t leave me now! I’ll never make it!
    Don’t leave me now. I’m not strong enough!
    You’re the reason I can take this guitar and make it sing.
    Don’t leave me now, or I’ll fall apart.
    Don’t leave me now, or I’ll fall apart.
    Girl, if you leave me, it will all fall apart.”
    His smooth, husky voice stopped, and the guitar playing slowed. When the song ended, I stared at him, unable to say anything.
    He smiled sheepishly. “The first number one I actually wrote. It’s the song girls always want to hear.”
    I smiled, then sighed. “I wish I could make a wisecrack, but after that performance, I’m torn between standing up and clapping or swooning.”
    He threw back his head and laughed. “Ah, finally!”
    “I wish I’d learned to play the guitar. I’ve never seen a girl
not
get reeled in when he breaks into a love song,” Jason said.
    I shrugged in defeat. “I wish I could argue, but I have to admit, watching him sing that song and play the guitar is incredibly hard to resist. I’ve heard it before, but never with the view he just gave me, and I’ll never turn the station when it comes on again.”
    Jason burst into laughter, and Jax grinned at me. “You couldn’t let it go without reminding me how unaffected you are by who I am, could you?”
    “We wouldn’t want you to get a big head.”
    Jason laughed again. “His head has been big since the first time he realized he was a prodigy.”
    “I’m just teasing. I’ve never turned your songs off. The truth is, I hardly ever listen to the radio. We have one radio at our house, and my mother loves the eighties. I know more songs from that time frame than I do current songs.”
    “I hate eighties music. That sucks for you,” Jason said with sincerity.
    I smiled and shrugged. “It’s not so bad when it’s all you’ve ever known.”
    Jason raised his eyebrows like he wasn’t so sure. “Ah, yeah, sure,” he said, and grimaced. He looked past me at Jax, then cleared his voice and stood up. “Um, well, I guess I’ll be going. I got somewhere to be. See ya later, Sadie.”
    “Okay, bye.”
    “Yeah, see ya.”
    I turned my attention to Jax after his brother’s hasty departure.
    “Why did you run him off?”
    Jax faked innocence. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. You heard the man, he has somewhere to be.”
    I laughed. “Sure he did.”
    Jax grinned at me, walked over to a tall chest of drawers and opened one. “If I give you something of mine, will you accept it if I really want you to have it?”
    I wasn’t sure how to answer. “Um, I guess it depends on what it is you want to give me.”
    He pulled out an iPod and brought it over. “I want you to take this. It’s mine and has some really great artists on there, but I want you to have it because every song I have ever recorded is on there too.”
    I took the iPod from his hands. “Thank you.”
    “If you don’t want to listen to me, it’s all right. If there are other artists you want on there, just bring it to me, and I’ll put them on there for you.” He reached back into the drawer. “Oh, and here are some earbuds. I’ll get you a wireless pair, but I need to have them made to fit your ears. We can get those on Sunday.”
    I laughed at his eagerness. “These earbuds are fine.”
    He shook his head. “You say that now, but if you ever used wireless earbuds, you would know it’s not true.”
    I sighed and agreed. “Okay.”
    He seemed so excited about being able to give me something, I didn’t want to spoil it. I liked seeing him act like a little boy. My insides turned to mush during the times he opened up enough to show his vulnerable side.
    “I’ll listen to you as I go to sleep at night,” I assured the little boy who seemed anxious about his gift.
    He closed his eyes tightly. “You don’t know how good thinking about it makes me feel, but now I’m going to have a harder time going to sleep at night knowing I’m singing in your ears.”
    He opened his eyes to look at me. I saw something there I’d only wished for, or my heart was lying to me.

Chapter Eight
    JAX
    I’d missed three calls from my mother. Once Sadie was