Page 62 of Jonny’s Redemption

“No, boy, that’s not the way music works,” Sean chastised and Tony’s jaw clenched.

Chasin chuckled and Bonnie repeated, “Oh, Lord.”

“Do you know Radar Love? And I mean Golden Earring, not the White Snake cover.”

“Hell, yeah, I do,” Penny said and twirled a drumstick in her hand.

“More covers? Isn’t she here to make her music?” Tony interrupted.

“He’s got to go,” Bonnie drawled.

Sean didn’t answer. He started strumming and the familiar chords of a great hit silenced Tony’s objections. A few seconds later, Penny entered with the drumbeat. Evie joined in and my gaze went to her. What could only be described as serenity infused her features.

“Good goddamn, she’s spectacular,” Chasin mumbled.

Yeah, he didn’t miss the look on Evie’s face. And I adored how much he loved watching Evie.

Sean took the first verse, Evie joined in at the hook. Sean’s voice faded and Evie belted out the second verse. When the hook was coming near, Evie turned and jerked her chin at Penny. Then it happened; Penny’s voice hit my ears and I was mesmerized. The tone and pitch were different than Evie’s but no less good. Penny was a little breathy but she was banging away on the drums and it really added something to the sound.

Evie wasn’t blowing sunshine, the girl was good, really freaking good. And with a little help, she’d be sensational.

“Jesus, she can sing,” Jonny said and I turned to find him filling the doorway.

Then an idea hit me.

“Is this being recorded?”

“No,” Bonnie answered.

All right. New idea.

“I walked around Evie’s huge mixing desk and pushed in next to Chasin. As soon as the song ended, I opened the mic to the sound booth.

“That was awesome. Give me another one. Rush, Collins, Stones, it doesn’t matter. But make it the same as before. Sean, Evie, then let Penny come in at the end.”

“Why?” Tony snapped.

“No. Stevie Wonder, Superstition,” Evie suggested.

Evie started playing and thankfully I’d already started recording. Penny picked up the beat immediately and thirty-one seconds later, Sean started singing. The three of them ran through the song and it was better than the first. That was partly because the song Evie chose was perfect for them but also because Penny hit her groove. I’d seen Evie do it countless times—the world melted to her and her PRS and her soul came alive. The same thing happened with Penny Cash, and when it happened there was no denying she was meant for this—she and her drums belting out lyrics that came alive when she sang them.

The song came to an end and Evie swung her guitar to her back and placed both hands on her belly and tossed her head back and exploded into a fit of laughter.

“Your son loves music, babe,” Evie said straight to the window even though she couldn’t see through it. “And damn if he doesn’t already have rhythm. The kid is rockin’ out.”

“Son?” I whispered.

Chasin didn’t answer me but I didn’t miss his growl, it was guttural and sweet all at once. He sounded like a proud papa bear.

“Fuckin’-a girl but you got some lungs,” Sean announced and he, too, sounded proud minus the papa bear.

No, Sean sounded impressed, which was hard to do considering he’d been around the block a few thousand times.

I hit the mic again and said, “Take a break. Lunch has been delivered.”

I was staring at the monitor in front of me when I felt a hand on the back of my neck.

“Babe?”