Chapter 237: NATURAL TALENT: VALERIE

An hour later, there was an open mic session, and a kid of around sixteen got up to sing, I'd noticed him having dinner with an older guy and figured it must have been his dad who'd brought him along.

Nervously, he approached the front and placed his guitar case down like it was made of China then crouched to open the case. Lifting a shiny red Fender guitar from it, he placed the black leather strap over his head and attached the wires to the rig on the floor. I saw the same vulnerability in him as I'd seen in Martin when he sang for my parents' friends, and thought of the life he and Adam should have had.

"Are you okay?" Flynn asked as he leaned, took my hand in his, and brushed his mouth over my knuckles. I breathed deeply and nodded, then gave him a small smile. He looked relieved, and I figured he was still chewing himself out about what had happened earlier in the day. I took his face between my hands and pulled him closer to me.