A Sound Like Hope (Fallen Tuesday #3) by Karolyn James

something to eat with Emily and Nick. His job was done
for the day. But, for whatever reason, he almost didn ’ t want to leave. Sure, he wanted to get back to the
studio, but without the music, there would be thoughts. And Trent knew thoughts
were pretty dangerous for him right now.
    “ Frank,
I ’ ve got to go, ” Trent said.
    “ What
are you doing? ”
    “ Let ’ s call it overtime. ”
    “ Overtime?
What the …”
    “ I ’ ll talk to you later. ”
    Trent ended the call as Emily
parked her car. The door flew open and Nick jumped out of the car. Trent parked
and watched Emily get out. From the side, her features appeared so delicate and
perfectly placed. Her thick black hair was long and flowing. It was beautiful. Trent
gripped the steering wheel and gritted his teeth. He shut his car off and
joined Emily and Nick as they walked into the pizza place.
    It was large and noisy.
    On the main floor was a vast
arcade. It appeared to have everything from the twenty-five cent machines with cheap
graphics that Trent used to play to the more advanced games on which you could
win tickets that could be used for prizes.
    They walked to the back of the
place where there was an actual restaurant. It was nice, very cozy, and
amazingly, it blocked out most of the noise of the arcade.
    “ Can
I get some cash? ” Nick
asked.
    “ Excuse
me? ” Emily asked. “ We have to eat, Nicholas. ”
    “ Nick. ”
    “ Sorry.
Nick. ” Emily looked at
Trent. “ Thanks for that. ”
    “ Sure
thing, ” Trent said.
    They sat at a table and a waitress
took their drink order. When she posed the question if anyone wanted a menu,
Trent looked at Emily and Nick. They shook their heads.
    “ Just
a pizza then, ” Trent said.
    He smiled and the waitress stared
at him. She scribbled on a hot pink notebook, but her eyes were locked on Trent
and growing wider by the second. She knew who Trent was but just couldn ’ t put her finger on it.
    “ Everything
okay? ” he asked.
    “ Yes, ” the waitress said and then she
hurried away.
    “ What ’ s that like? ” Emily asked.
    “ What? ” Trent asked.
    “ People
knowing who you are, ” Emily
said.
    “ It ’ s interesting, ” Trent said. “ I consider myself lucky that
most people are excited to meet me. I always do my best to sign something or
take a picture. Without them, I wouldn ’ t
have what I have right now. ”
    “ Well
said, ” Emily said.
    “ Man,
can I just play one game here? ” Nick asked.
    “ Nick …”
    “ Hey,
do you still have my change from before? ”
    “ I
do! ” Nick said excitedly.
    There was that flicker of a smile
again.
    “ Well,
there you go, ” Trent said.
Nick jumped up, but Trent touched his arm. “ But
you better ask for permission first. ”
    Nick rolled his eyes and looked at
his aunt. “ Is it okay?
Please? ”
    “ Just
check back here, ” Emily
said. “ You need to eat. ”
    Nick darted away.
    “ That ’ s kind of impressive, ” Emily said. “ He never asks. He just does. ”
    “ Tough
kid, huh? ”
    “ You
have no idea. ”
    “ Oh,
I do. I used to be Nick. ” Trent smiled. “ I never set
anything on fire, at least nothing like a barn, but I was like that. ”
    “ If
you were like that, then why are you here now? ”
    “ Fair
question, ” Trent said. “ If I tell you, you won ’ t believe me. ”
    “ Try
me. ”
    “ We ’ re calling it misconception. ”
    “ Misconception? ”
    “ Yeah. ”
    “ So
that video and pictures of you hitting and throwing some guy … that ’ s misconception? What were you doing? Hugging him? ”
    Trent laughed. “ You ’ re interesting, Aunt Emily. ”
    “ Don ’ t call me that. ”
    Trent couldn ’ t help himself though. He liked the way Emily ’ s cheeks flushed when he said
it.
    “ Can
I ask some questions about Nick? ” Trent asked.
    “ Sure.
That doesn ’ t mean I ’ m going to answer them though. ”
    “ That ’ s fine. I ’ m just curious, I guess. I feel for him, you