Joy and Sorrow

By Maria Bernard

Darien River is the gorgeous and charming lead guitar player for These Bones, a local goth rock band.
Faith Cromley is an extremely shy introvert. She works at Dave’s Music Shop and does her best to avoid the intimidating clientele. Hiding away in her relatively quiet classical instrument department suits her just fine.

In a twist of fate, these two opposite individuals are thrust together. Their mutual attraction is undeniable. They instantly fall for each other. Unfortunately, their budding romance gets thrown off track by an untimely tragedy.

Will love be enough to sustain them? Will their relationship survive the emotional upheaval? Will they stick it out through joy and sorrow?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Maria Bernard
• Release date: Jul 10, 2015
• ISBN: 9780973147490

Maria Bernard

Maria Bernard is a Canadian author, residing in the Greater Toronto Area with her music-obsessed husband, and her adopted cat, Rex. Maria eats, sleeps and dreams with romance in mind. One day the idea to share the many stories and scenarios that swirl in her imagination became a reality. Her stories are heavy on the romance with a healthy dose of steam. Maria’s characters are creative, strong-willed, artistic individuals, unafraid to show their vulnerable sides. Hand in Glove is her first published full-length novel in the Stick Shift Lips Series. She has since written and published thirteen books and is currently working on a few upcoming projects. Besides writing, Maria enjoys listening to music and playing guitar with her husband. She also loves drawing, painting, and travelling.

Book preview

Chapter 1

Present Day

It was all the encouragement Darien needed. If Falquen, his Goth bandmate, could make it work with Janie, such a sweet, mainstream girl, well then he too could make it work with Faith. Even ultra-Goth, Gray, Falquen’s twin brother, hadn’t thought it odd that a girl like Janie could fit in with their unusual circle of friends. Perhaps he’d been fretting over nothing.

Darien entered the music store where she worked and immediately sought her out. There she was... his Faith. Well, not quite his yet, but hopefully soon. How long had it been? Two, three weeks since Darien first set eyes on her? It had to have been fate that led him to wander into the violin department of Dave’s Music Shop on that particular afternoon.

What else could it have been? It’s not like he knew anything about violins, or had any interest in classical music. No, in fact, Darien was first and foremost a guitar player — specifically the electric guitar, and it would be obvious to anyone who observed his eccentric looks and style of dress that Goth music was his genre of expertise.

Three Weeks Prior

Are you lost, sir? she asked with the cutest, most adorable smile that Darien had ever seen.

Completely caught off guard, he was stunned speechless by her unexpected loveliness. Unfortunately, she mistook his immediate lack of response as personal offence and as a result, her shy smile turned into a frown of self-doubt.

At that very moment, Darien realized that his life had changed forever. From that day forward, it would be his personal mission in life to banish all but smiles from her adorable face.

It’s just… oh, I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to um, insinuate that you… she fumbled, nervously chewing her bottom lip.

If only he could find his voice, he would reassure her that she had in no way offended him, but as it was he could only stare helplessly at her heart shaped face, her huge doe eyes and those most mesmerizing pink lips.

Faith was mortified! She hadn’t meant to offend him. It’s just that he looked so out of place standing there in the violin section of the shop. Now, what? What if he complained to her boss? She really couldn’t afford to lose her job. She was still relatively new here and offending customers was the last thing she wanted to do. Musicians could be such a sensitive and temperamental lot.

Faith was a painfully shy introvert. Sometimes, she used humour to detract from her bashfulness, but unfortunately, not everyone understood her quirky sense of humour. In fact, it had gotten her into a few awkward situations in the past.

Yet, she couldn’t help herself. When he just stood there gaping at her with the clearest, most remarkable green eyes she’d ever seen, she kept going, digging herself further into a whole lot of trouble.

I mean… with your, um… hair, and dark clothes. Well, you don’t exactly look like the classical music type. I guess I just assumed you were lost.

Black, his hair was black like coal. It was long, past his shoulder blades, parted in the middle and severely straight-ironed.

Yes… he managed to whisper, staring into her dark eyes. I seem to have gotten turned around. Faith literally sighed with relief, realizing he hadn’t gotten offended. She was grateful her assumption about him being lost had been correct. Guitars… he continued, feeling like a complete ass. I’m looking for the electric guitars.

Oh, they’re back that way, she said, pointing in the direction from which he’d come.

Oh, yes right, of course. Thank you. He started to turn but hesitated before quietly asking. Your name?

Faith, my name’s Faith. I’m new here, she said with a shrug and a smile.

I’m glad, I mean Darien, he said, feeling the blood rush to his head. He was making a fool of himself yet he couldn’t help it. My name is Darien River.

Uh... okay well, nice to meet you, Darien River. If there’s anything you need, just let me know, she offered, looking unsure. I mean, I don’t know much about electric guitars just yet but I can ask one of the other clerks for you.

He nodded politely. I’ll be fine. Thanks for watching out for me, he said with a handsome smile. He bowed his head as he retreated into the familiar territory of the shop, but not without one last lingering glance in her direction. She stood there watching him, in case he got lost again. She gave him an encouraging smile and a slight wave of her fingers.

Chapter 2

Present Day

Would he come into the shop today? Faith wondered wistfully. He hadn’t for the last three days. Before then, he’d come in almost daily. Sometimes he’d buy the odd little thing, like strings or picks for his guitar. Other times he’d just come in to browse and try out the latest equipment. Unintentionally, Faith started to look forward to seeing him, yet she didn’t really know why except that well, maybe she found him incredibly handsome! No matter what her friends might say, not that she had many friends to worry about. So what if he was different, a Goth to be specific? He was absolutely dreamy. He was also way out of her league.

Faith had no delusions of grandeur when it came to her appearance. She was in her mind, quite average if not boring. She was short, had an average physique, maybe even a little dumpy and her hair was brown, boring brown like her eyes and her face was just a face, pleasant enough but nothing to get excited about. This was all fine with her because she was shy to the extreme and the last thing she’d want was to draw attention to herself.

In fact, she liked being ordinary because people generally didn’t make a fuss over her. Faith could walk into a crowded room and not have to worry about being approached or having to mingle.

When she’d taken the job at Dave’s Music shop, she assumed that she had been hired to stock shelves, but when she showed up for work the first day and had been told that she was in fact expected to be a sales clerk and help out with customers, she almost lost her nerve. Deal with customers? Her? That meant having to talk to people she didn’t know about things she knew even less about. Thank goodness, Dave put her in the classical instrument department. It was usually relatively quiet in there in comparison to the more popular guitars and drums department.

It was no wonder Darien had looked so out of place in her department that day. He looked like a rockstar, not a classical violinist. Normally, she would have shied away from someone like him but he’d looked so lost. As tall as he was, and as intimidating as he may come across, he’d looked so helpless at the time.

He hadn’t spoken to her since, though. That was of no surprise to her. Why would he? They had nothing in common. So what if her overactive imagination had led her to believe that he’d stolen glances her way every now and then. He was probably just being polite, giving her the occasional nod.

Thanks for the ride, Dad, Faith said, gathering her purse onto her lap.

Always, sweetie, Stan said, having just pulled up in front of Dave’s Music Shop.

You know, you don’t have to pick me up tonight. I can take the streetcar, she said, looking over at her father. He looked exceptionally tired today. He’d been working so hard lately and the nasty cold he’d been fighting appeared to be catching up to him.

I’ll be here. Don’t you worry. Besides, I won’t have my little girl taking the streetcar at night. It’s not safe.

Dad, please, I can take care of myself, she countered feebly.

Ha, since when? her father teased affectionately. Besides, it’s on my way home from work too.

He wasn’t being mean. He was being honest. She was a timid girl, afraid of trying new things, making friends, talking to people in general, not to mention wide open spaces, being on her own… you name it, she was afraid of it. He’d tried over the years to help her with her confidence and overt shyness but nothing seemed to work.

Fine... She sighed as she got out of the car. Her father was right. She was a coward. See you later, Dad.

If her father hadn’t been there holding her hand throughout her entire life, she didn’t know if she would have survived it, from her first day of kindergarten to more recently her first day of work at Dave’s. If he hadn’t driven her there himself, she would have never gotten in the door, and as pathetic as that reality was, it was hers. But, most of all, what scared her most was losing him. He was her rock, her security blanket and he no longer tried to fight it either.

Bye, sweetie, Stan said, watching her for a moment before driving away.

***

Good afternoon, Dave, Faith said as she stepped into the music shop.

Hey, gorgeous, Dave greeted her, looking up from the inventory catalogue on the counter.

Yeah, right. She blushed and shook her head. Dave was forever flirting with her. Flirting was probably the wrong word. The guy was just really friendly and outgoing. Only three years older than her, Dave was her boss and the owner and store manager of the music shop. An outsider might consider his flirtatious overtures as sexual harassment, but in truth, he was just a harmless flirt and a really nice guy. He was also the son of her father’s long-time friend and yes, that is why she’d gotten the job in the first place. No point in being too proud to admit that sometimes it was nice to have connections.

Looks like we might get busy, being Friday and all, Dave said. We might need your help in the guitar department tonight.

Oh, really? Faith hesitated at the end of the counter. But I don’t really know much about guitars.

Sure you do, Faith. Dave chuckled, shaking his shaggy blonde mane. "We’ve been over it a half-dozen times. Besides, most of our customers know what they want. It’s just about being around to supervise some of the other clowns who think they can come in and get their grubby mitts all over the merchandise even though they have no intention of buying anything.

Oh, I don’t know... Faith sighed, nervously chewing her bottom lip.

Come on, you can handle it. Dave laughed, his blue eyes twinkling. Even if you just walk through now and then. What’s the worst that can happen? Maybe you’ll even get asked out on a date. He smiled at her, watching her shake her head.

When his father had asked him to hire her as a favour to his buddy, Stan, Faith’s father, Dave hadn’t hesitated. But when Stan had come to him the day before her first day on the job and basically pleaded with him to go easy on her, explaining to him how nervous and shy she was, Dave couldn’t help but wonder about her. He hadn’t yet met her. He’d just simply hired her as a favour to his dad, but when she came in the next day and barely made eye contact with him, he was further perplexed. He didn’t really know what to make of her or where exactly she might fit in here at the music shop. How was she supposed to deal with his intimidating clientele, if she couldn’t even look him in the eye? Let’s face it, some of his customers could be arrogant jerks, full of ego and attitude.

He had decided then and there that she might do well in the classical instrument section of the shop. Even then, she’d hesitated. Her dad had somehow led her to believe that she wouldn’t have to deal with customers. At the time, he could tell she was literally hoping he would fire her right then and there.

He wouldn’t dream of it, though. Something about her made him want to help her come out of her shell. He suddenly felt the need to take her under his wing. Working in the classical department of the shop would be a good place to start since it was generally quieter in there and the clientele a little less intimidating.

She eventually got into the swing of things. He had watched her in the beginning. She had struggled with approaching customers in the first few days, but after the second week, she seemed less hesitant.

As it turned out, it was just as he had suspected. Her dad had probably been way too overprotective of her and while that was sweet and all. It would do her no favours in life.

Yeah right, musicians? Not exactly my type. She shook her head and made her way into the relative safety and quiet realm of the violin department.

Is that all you can say? Yeah right? Dave teased, following her a few feet. Do you even have a type? The girl obviously didn’t realize how gorgeous she was.

All kidding aside, he meant what he said. The shop was already starting to fill up, and as patient and understanding, as he’d like to think he was, business was business. I mean it, Faith. I’ll need you out here later.

All right… Faith said, nervously wringing her hands together.

Chapter 3

Darien took a deep, calming breath as he stepped in the shop door. Tonight would be the night! Darien was psyched up and ready for it. He was going to finally ask Faith out. No more stalling. No more pretending to aimlessly search for reasons to hang out at Dave’s when really what he wanted was right there in front of him. Not literally in front of him but over in the violin department.

Until that very afternoon, he’d been making excuses up in his head for all the reasons why it would never work between him and Faith. They were so very different. He was Goth, she was not. What would they even have in common? Why would a nice mainstream girl like Faith ever want to go out with the likes of him? He didn’t even know anything about her. But ever since he first set eyes on her, he hadn’t been able to get her out of his mind.

When he had found out about his fellow Goth bandmate, Falquen, getting together with his own very mainstream girl, Janie, Darien could no longer deny himself the opportunity to at least ask Faith out for coffee. Anything beyond that would be awesome. Just the thought of looking into those fathomless dark eyes or caressing those lovely cherubic cheeks, kissing those sensual pink lips was enough to drive him out of his mind with anticipation.

It didn’t make any sense, why he was feeling this way. He wasn’t exactly starved for sex. He’d had plenty of that. He was Darien River, lead guitarist of These Bones after all. The Goth babes couldn’t get enough of him.

He’d never been interested in a long-term romantic relationship before, until now. Why he now believed that Faith was the one, was beyond his comprehension.

Faith, come on! We need you. It’s a zoo in here, Dave insisted, jolting her out of her thoughts.

Oh, here we go, Faith thought, taking a nervous breath. Reluctantly leaving the relative comfort of the quiet violin section, she followed Dave into the very busy guitar and bass department. Dave hadn’t exaggerated. The place was teeming with people.

There were guys on guitars, guys on drums, guys running their hands on anything they could get to. Yes, there were some girls there too, but the vast majority were guys of all shapes and sizes. Some she had seen come into the shop before, others were unfamiliar to her. Without knowing exactly how to help or what to do, she glanced at Dave who’d just approached a couple of rockers in the back and asked if they needed any help. Oh, if only she could be that confident.

Darien had just stepped in the front door when he felt his breath catch in his throat. His heart literally skipped a beat at the sight of her. She was literally standing right in front of him.

No, not tonight of all nights! She should be back in her little violin section, not here surrounded by all these people. He’d had plans of walking into the quiet violin department to see Faith and ask her out. In his mind, it had been simple. He would have found her all alone and approached her. He would have said hello and gone from there. But suddenly those plans were of no use for she was standing right there in the middle of the very noisy guitar section.

He watched her timidly approach a couple of dudes who basically ignored her. The dejected look on her face was almost enough to bring out an unfamiliar but primal need to throttle the bastards.

What a bunch of posers, Faith thought, turning from the last guy she approached. Tempted to retreat into her quiet little classical instrument world, she frowned when Dave made eye contact with