5.

Richie turned onto the road leading to Jon’s Hamptons house and sighed. It had been a glorious month of laughter and fun, and he nearly hated how it was now almost over. Chocolate brown eyes glanced up into the rear view mirror and caught a glimpse of Ava and Linds deep into a competitive game of Monopoly. Fuck put him on a basketball court or in a bowling alley and he reigned supreme, but set him down at a Monopoly board and he was sunk.

His two favorite girls were ruthless when it came to the game, and he’d often been the recipient of the “now you owe us ice cream” grins as one or the other took the last of his play money. Thank God Jon was at the helm of Bon Jovi if Monopoly was anything to judge by.

He smiled as memories of the past month filtered through his mind. Linds had been worried that Ava wouldn’t like her, but Ava had taken too her like a fish to water, hell he’d had to almost compete for time with his daughter so close had they gotten. There had been a few moments, when the spoiling she’d gotten from his ex had reared its head, but Ava had quickly learned that Hollywood princesses didn’t impress Lindsay at all. From that point on the trip had flowed from one non-stop happy moment into the next, with all three of them enjoying the taste of what it was like to be a family traveling the country.

Family, it was something he thought he’d never have again, but with the closeness of Ava and Linds the word was again a part of his vocabulary. He smiled as he turned into the Bongiovi driveway. There was just one small hurdle left, and that was introducing the new light of his life to his brothers. They’d all love her, there was no doubt about it, even David, once he got over the sting of payback that he and Linds were still plotting.

God the only downside to the entire month was the raging hard-on he’d had to learn to live with. Fucking minx would brush up against him with her silky smooth skin, tease and torment him then shake her head and tell him “they couldn’t do things with Ava in the RV.” Fuck that shit, they so could have, he would have just had to keep kissing her silent, but no, she’d stood firm, and now that he was just blocks away from Jon all he could think of was getting little Lindsay into a bedroom while Ava was occupied with her “cousins” and fucking her until he could think straight again. Thank God for end of summer for that one reason alone.

----

Jon slipped from his bedroom and headed towards the stairs after washing the sand of the beach from his body. God it had been a crazy morning of chasing Romeo as he bolted this way and that along their private beach, thank God he’d finally worn himself out. Jake and Jesse were immersed in some video game and that left him time to relax while Dot and Stephy shopped; Hamptons time was family time so they had no one to do the shopping except themselves, no staff was ever allowed during family time. The guys were due in any time and Dot had laughingly agreed that they had to put in more supplies. For all their lean physiques, each and every member of the band could eat his weight in whatever was being served.

He heard the heavy sound of the motor as he reached the first floor and moved to a window curiously. His brow arched as the sight of the biggest fucking RV he’d ever seen pulled up to the smallish parking area they had beside the house. Well who the flying fuck would drive up in an RV? David just wasn’t the RV type and Tico, well Tico was more of a muscle car kind of guy, and it sure as hell wouldn’t be Rich, fuck he loved his creature comforts too much to be in an RV, even one as obviously luxurious as this one was.

He stepped to the door and opened it before leaning against the door frame. Fuck who the hell was it?? They were taking for ever to get out of the stupid tin can on fancy wheels. He straightened and started off the porch and actually made it to the door of the RV only to be nearly bowled by a small ball of blonde energy. “HIYA UNCLE JON!”

He threw his arms around Ava and twirled her around laughing. “Well hiya princess.”

Ava threw her arms around him and hugged him hard. “Where’s Stephy, Jakey and Jesse??”

Jon snorted and settled the girl back on her feet. “Steph’s with her mom shopping but the boys are in the living room playing games sweetie. Why don’t you…..”

Before he could get the entire sentence out Ava had bolted towards the door. He turned back to the RV and watched as Richie stepped from the confines of the vehicle. “We’ll I’ve seen a lot of things in my time, but Dean this takes the cake. Never thought I’d see you arrive in something like this.”

Richie snorted at Jon’s words and grinned. “Ya ain’t seen nothing yet Frank.”

Jon’s brow arched as he studied Richie in that moment and saw the changes in his friend. The last two years had taken a lot out of Richie, aging him in ways that only Jon or the guys could see, but in the final months of the tour he had started to come around. Jon wasn’t sure what had caused it then, but the look on Richie’s face now was screaming it loudly. He looked younger again, hell he looked happy again, and whatever was inside that RV was the obvious reason why.

Probably another Hollywood bimbo, but shit how’d he get one of those to ride around in a fucking RV? On top of that he brought Ava along? Jesus, what did this blondie have that the rest didn’t? Jon’s gaze went wide as the tiny figure stepping from the RV was revealed. His startled gaze moved back to Richie then back to the woman looking up at his friend like he was chocolate cake, and all good things combined.

She was a looker, and not in that wild wacky Hollywood way. She was like a breath of fresh air with her sparkling blue eyes and unaffected air. And she wasn't a blonde, she was a brunette? So this is what had Richie looking so happy? Well fuck if this wasn’t something else.

As his head tilted Richie pulled the lady in close and walked closer. “Man I’d like ya to meet Lindsay.” The intro was short and sweet, but the gaze he gave Jon spoke volumes. Turning to Linds he chuckled and nodded, “And Darlin, I’d like you to meet the best brother a guy could have, for all his anal controlling ways. Linds, this is Jon.”

Lindsay glanced up at Richie’s best friend, her hand reaching out. “Nice to meet you.”

Jon shook his head and snorted. “That’s not how we greet folks around here little lady.” Pulling her from Richie he gave her a bear hug, his lips burrowing into her ear as he whispered, “If you’re the reason for the smile on the big mugs face we’re just gonna have to adopt you or keep you around.”

She pulled back and watched as Jon and Rich unabashedly gave each other a hug, amidst a bit of back slapping and colorful commentary. It was nice to see that how they acted towards each other on camera translated into the same easy camaraderie off camera as well. Now she understood why Richie had said that Jon would be the perfect cohort to fit in with their plans. He had that same youthful joy of living that Richie had, for all his rock star trappings and business acumen.

Wrapping an arm around Lindsay and Jon Richie started leading them inside. “So Frank, when’s the Joker supposed to arrive? We got plans to make my man, plans within plans, and you my brotha, are just about to become a part of it.”

Jon’s brow arched as Richie rambled about plans as they stepped into the coolness of his home. Richie was plotting a joke? He was fucking plotting again and pulling him into things right off the bat? That more than anything had his heart damn near singing. If Richie was plotting then he had finally let go of all his past demons, and from the looks of it a lot of the reason was walking in beside him. For that alone she’d earned a sudden and irrevocable place in his heart.

A shit eating grin began to play about Jon’s lips as they settled themselves into the living room. “So tell me Dean, exactly what is the plan?”

He settled himself into a chair then pulled Lindsay into his lap, his brown eyes sparking with humor. “Once upon a time there was a very naughty Joker…”

Jon leaned forward and intently listened as Richie spun his story his grin growing as he learned how Richie had found and took part in a forum, met Linds and how David had played into that. When Richie got to the part about the video Jon started laughing and even requested a viewing of the homemade vid he’d unwittingly taken part of. As his story wound down Jon leaned forward, the devil flickering in his gaze.

“So Dean, tell me what I can do.”