He saunters in the direction of the champagne-soaked groupies, offering a pretty blonde a towel.
“Is it weird that I’m not even tempted?” Mick asks me. Taryn has a nine-year-old son with leukemia, and though he’s in remission now, she goes back and forth to L.A. to spend time with him when she’s not working, so she left yesterday.
“Nah. You’re in love with Taryn. Why would you be tempted when you have someone like that waiting for you?”
“What about you?” he asks after a moment. “How are you dealing with the whole relationship thing?”
“I’m not tempted either,” I admit. “I’ve had more than my share of one-nighters, you know? Now I have a chance for something real so I don’t want to fuck it up.”
“A family,” Mick says knowingly. “I hear that. I’m already becoming a dad to a nine-year-old. It’s a little trippy.”
“How are you and Taryn handling Europe?” I ask curiously. “Like, she can’t leave Toby that long, can she?”
He shakes his head. “No, but she’ll fly out when we’re in Paris and stay for two weeks. Then she might come back toward the end, but it depends on what’s going on with work. She’s been getting a lot of jobs lately, and we’re saving up for a house, so she doesn’t want to turn anything down.”
“Do you think you can stay faithful?” I ask after a moment. “This is real talk here. Surrounded by gorgeous women throwing themselves at us. And I’m talking about when Taryn’s had a rough day with the kid, or her car broke down and she’s dealing with whatever it is. Not in a good mood. The two of you argue or whatnot. There’s a ten-hour time difference so you’ve barely talked…when the inevitable tough times come. Will you be tempted?”
He doesn’t nod right away, merely looks thoughtful. “You know, with Taryn and me, it’s a little different because I already lost her once. We had an amazing two days together almost five years ago, and then we went our separate ways. She was going back to school, I was busy with my music…it didn’t feel like there was any way for us to make it work. At least, that’s what we tried to tell ourselves. But I always regretted not calling her. Now that I have another chance, I’m not going to screw it up by letting some groupie suck my dick because we had an argument or one of us is having a bad day. You know what I mean? There’s something really fucking important waiting for me at home.”
I nod, because that’s kind of what I’m feeling.
It’s not love, not yet, but it’s…powerful. Important. Just as important as my music, and I’ve never felt that way about anything else before.
Whatever it is I’m building with Summer, it feels like something I really want.
“Can we get a picture?” Two pretty girls wearing the skimpiest little dresses possible approach us holding their phones.
“Sure thing.” Mick goes from thoughtful man who’s in love to flirty rock star in the bat of an eye. He puts one arm around each of them, laughing as they snuggle close, and I obligingly take a few pictures. Then we switch places and while I manage to smile and look like I’m having fun, I don’t have it in me to flirt.
And I’m not sure why that is.
Unless…my feelings are a lot deeper than I think they are.
Unless I’m falling in love with my bride-to-be.
Is that even possible this soon?
Apparently, it is.
Because I’m catching big-time feelings, and the truth? I’m not even mad about it.
Chapter 24
Summer
I’m getting married.
It still doesn’t feel completely real, not even after Dolly and I go shopping for a dress. It’s not a traditional wedding dress, just a pretty white dress that feels appropriate for a Las Vegas elopement. I haven’t gained any weight yet but I buy something that’s a little loose, just in case.
“What’s wrong, hon?” Dolly asks me as we leave the mall. “You’re quiet.”
“This isn’t how I thought getting married would be,” I admit. “I had all these dreams and now…”
“Now you’re having a baby and marrying a rockstar. That was never part of the plan either, but maybe it’s just a new adventure. Something you’re going to discover is the best thing that could have happened.”
“And what if it’s a disaster?” I ask softly.
“What kind of disaster? He cheats on you and you end up divorced? That happens to fifty percent of all marriages in the U.S. so it wouldn’t matter who it was, those are the odds. At least, this way, you’re going to have a beautiful baby with a man who’s going to send you money. I mean, he signed a contract saying so.”
