Perfect Song (Mason Creek Book 2) by Lauren Runow (christmas read aloud .txt) 📕

world is still a shock to me. Add in Sarah’s past with the music scene in New York and how they met only because she was Cailin’s kindergarten teacher, and I know this is going to be a long, in-depth story that I can’t wait to write and share with the world.

Learning everything about Linda and how much of a difference she made in Adam’s life just makes me love Tucker more. He obviously came from a great family, and I can hear a lot of Tucker in the way Adam describes Linda.

Once I feel I have the whole story, I close my notebook, even more excited about this piece than I was before. “I really can’t thank you guys enough for taking the time to talk with me today.”

“No problem. My management kept telling me we needed to do a big interview to set the record straight on everything, so this was the perfect time,” Adam says. “Tell me, how’s Tucker’s playing going? Is he still only singing those ’90s cover songs?” he asks, his voice giving away a hint that it’s something he must tease him about.

“Sure is. I was introduced to him as somewhat of a local legend around here.”

He laughs, and it makes me smile as well. “Tucker Simms. A local legend. Well, look at him. You know, he’s one of the reasons Linda gave me that first guitar. Thank God she was more into rock than country,” he says, inflecting his voice to make a point.

Imagining someone like Adam Jacobson potentially becoming a country singer versus the hard-core rock star he is makes me giggle to myself.

“Have you guys ever played together?” I ask, trying to envision the two of them side by side, Tucker with his acoustic and Adam with his signature black guitar slung low on his body.

“Yeah, we’ve jammed a few times when he’s come out here to visit.”

Out of all the symptoms I looked up that he’d complained about, gripping things is his number one issue, which makes me wonder. “Hey, do you ever have issues gripping the strings and holding the notes?” I ask, hoping maybe I’m totally wrong and reading into things too much with Tucker.

Maybe this is normal for guitar players, as I can imagine that holding up the guitar and pressing down fingers while you grip the neck of the guitar can be wearing on your hands.

“No. Not really. Why? Is Tucker still having problems doing so?”

Shit. There I go, opening my big mouth. But wait. He said still …

“You’ve seen him have that issue?”

“Yeah, last year, when he came to visit. He blew it off as carpel tunnel or something. Did he ever get that checked out?”

I sigh, not sure what to say. I don’t want to get in his business any more than I am already, but hearing this issue was going on a year ago makes me worry even more. From everything Adam told me about Linda in his interview, I know they are not like some families, where they are only family by blood, not by the true meaning of the word.

Tucker is Linda’s brother, and this is what family is for. To support you in any time of need. Or to smack you across the head to get you to think straight, which might be more likely in this situation.

“What’s going on with him?” Adam asks when I don’t respond.

I take a deep breath and decide to tell him, praying I’m not doing something I shouldn’t. “I hope I’m not overstepping my boundaries, and who knows? I might be off my rocker and wrong on my thoughts, but I just …” I bite my lip and close my eyes. “I think Tucker needs to go to the doctor for some symptoms he’s been having, but when I brought it up to him last night, he got pretty mad, and to be honest, he hasn’t spoken to me since.”

“What other symptoms are we talking about?”

“There are a few different things. He’s had trouble gripping things and even walking at one point, tripping over seemingly nothing. When I researched all of them together, they led to the same diagnosis. Multiple sclerosis. I could be totally wrong, but I just think he needs to get it checked out to make sure.”

“Oh man,” Adam says in disbelief.

“Are his symptoms severe or just mild?” Sarah asks, surprising me since I completely forgot she was on the line, which makes me feel even worse.

I know I shouldn’t be spreading his problems, but I’m worried.

“They’re not too intense, but that’s the thing. I’m just afraid if it goes untreated, it will become more of a problem. When I mentioned going to see someone about it, he made it pretty clear that he had no intention of doing so.”

Adam lets out a small laugh. “That sounds like Tucker all right. Linda used to say there was no one as stubborn as her younger brother, so I could be all the pain in the ass I needed to be because she was used to it.”

I smile in relief. “Yep.” There’s a pause between us all, and then I continue, “I’m not sure if I should have said something. It’s just … I know if it were my family who didn’t live near me, they would want to know.”

“I’m glad you told us. It actually means a lot. It’s nice to know he has someone looking after him. I know after everything that happened with his ex-wife, he became kind of a recluse on a personal level. I’m glad to see he’s letting you in. Well, as much as Tucker lets anyone in. I’ll talk to Linda and see what she thinks.”

“Thank you, Adam. And thank you too, Sarah. And, Cailin, I didn’t forget about you either.”

“I’m still here,” Cailin shouts out, but I can tell she’s a little farther away from the phone now.

“Thank you, Justine, for wanting to cover our story. It’s nice, knowing the personal connection when you’re doing