One

“Well who looks like they just got their cock cut off then?” a voice came followed by heavy footsteps onto the wooden decking.

Jon snorted and didn’t turn around his eyes still roaming along the golden sand that stretched out before him under the fading summer sun. “Just enjoying the view Rich” he said pulling up his sunglasses to rest on his head. He didn’t need to look to know that it was his long time best friend’s voice interrupting his dark mood.

Richie dumped the bags down on the deck which made a thud and then a tinkle, the undeniable sound of alcohol bottles nestled in the bags as this is what this weekend was all about. “Well fuck the view, unless you’re looking at a pretty looking young thing wearing next to nothing, I can buy you a postcard” Richie shifted his weight dropping down into the deck chair. God, Tico had been right, he was a sad sack of shit. It had been time to call in the cavalry, their best friend and leader desperately needed a slice away from reality.

Jon managed a smile at Richie’s attempt to make him laugh, he always knew how to bring the lighter side out. Richie was his ying to his yang in so many ways. Freshly separated from his wife and destroyed from a good year of touring he was tired. He was done. “Thanks Rich for coming, you know I appreciate it man” Jon said glancing over at his friend who’d now stretched out with his long legs and propping his hands up behind his head.

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world, besides your beach house has a bigger TV than mine” Richie jested. He twisted and met Jon’s eyes. Normally bright blue and full of life and ideas, they were dull and almost lifeless. Week old stubble graced his jaw line and black rings threatened under his eyes, Richie figured he’d not been sleeping, even though Jon had told David, Tico and Richie he was fine.

They’d known better and all decided to come and retreat for a bachelor’s weekend at Jon’s beach house here in the Hamptons where he’d been holed up for the past week supposedly doing paper work but even Richie could see there wasn’t a scrap of paper work around. All that lay in the spacious living area was his guitar a pack of smokes and a half a bottle of Jack.

Jon didn’t reply again his eyes turning to the sandy miles that lay before him. Always one to joke was his Rich, but secretly Jon was glad he was here. The last week he’d lived in solitude trying to make sense of what had happened and where it all had gone wrong. Most of all he wondered why he didn’t pick up the warning signs before it was too late. It was because he’d too wrapped up in his own world again, so busy to make sure everything was perfect when he forgot about the one thing that was more important than everything else that hadn’t been going perfect. His marriage.

The sound of the doorbell interrupted his thoughts as he stood up shook his board shorts and adjusted the navy blue polo shirt he was wearing. “Least they knock” he teased Richie before padding to the door in bare feet.

Jon opened the door and rolled his eyes, there stood his keyboardist and long time friend often known for his antics dressed in board shorts a bright printed Hawaiian shirt and cowboy hat possibly squashing his already tight blond curls. He truly was a sight for sore eyes.

“Surf’s up and the entertainment has now arrived” David Bryan grinned proudly holding up two bottles of wine in each of his hands.

“Jesus David, how many children did you blind in that shirt” Jon blinked through the montage of yellow, green and blue blinding his eyes. He as well have been wearing a neon flashing sign over his head it was that loud.

David waltzed in “better than looking like I just crawled out of bed” he turned back and faced Jon “three days ago”.

Jon flicked his middle finger his way and rolled his eyes. “Always count on you to tell me straight Joker” Jon said as the two men walked back towards the deck.

“No that’s Richie’s job, he’s the one that tells you straight, and I’m just here to annoy the living crap out of you” his blue eyes shined with laughter as he patted Jon on the back. David’s brow shot up surveying the scene in front of him.

“What? No drink, King has been here for more than five minutes and there are no drinks? Losing your touch man” David said to Richie dumping his own gear down on the floor.

Richie laughed “Fuck you, I was enjoying the ‘view’” Richie mimicked Jon’s earlier excuse using an air quote with his fingers.

David shook his head “View? Unless there’s a bikini clad blond out there” he looked over Richie’s shoulder to a seemingly empty beach “which there is not, there’s no view” he declared.

“Precisely Dave, precisely” Richie slapped him on the back “Good to see we think the same after all these years”

“Alright asshole, enough now is someone going to pour me a drink or do I have to do that myself?” Jon asked the two men. Almost impatient he wanted to get his weekend started and his mind away from anything that based around reality.

“Now that’s the Jon we know” Richie grinned pulling out numerous bottles from the sports bag on the deck and lining them up on the table. “What’s your poison?” he asked Jon.

Anything that dulls the pain. “Uh just pour me a Whiskey, I see you’ve bought our good friend Johnnie along” watching Richie lift the bottle of Johnnie Walker out placing it along side the others.

“You got it boss, Teek should be here soon and we can get this bad boy started” he said walking back inside to grab a couple of lowball glasses and a wine glass for David.

Jon scratched his chin, his fingers scraping against the stubble staring back out to the beach. There was something soothing about looking at a beach, and an empty one seemed so serene yet eerie all at the same time. It was then his gaze shifted to a lone slender figure drifting along looking like she had not a care in the world kicking the sand under her feet as she walked, he watched until she dropped her bag and stand with her arms stretched out facing the water and stood, head back enjoying the sea breeze.

“Well hello” he mused.

David was about to ask who he was taking to when he caught sight of the woman on the beach that held Jon’s gaze. David could just make out her long blond wavy hair that was being assaulted by the sea breeze and of course her shapely figure wrapped in a lemon sarong with a skimpy black bikini top.

“Hello indeed” David agreed letting out a long whistle.

“What? What did I miss?” Richie asked returning with the glasses joining Jon and David‘s stare. What the fuck are you two staring at?

“That is what you missed, seems there is a view after all” David laughed.