“She slit her wrist.”
“I guess you saw that scar, huh?”
“I didn’t at first, because of the tattoo, but when I found the song, I knew.” I pick up the drumsticks and twirl one, needing something to do with my hands. “Why didn’t anyone call me then? Didn’t you think I had the right to know?”
“She asked me not to. She didn’t want you leaving the one thing you’d dreamed of to run home and take care of her. She promised she’d tell you, but she kept begging for more time. I could tell she wasn’t snapping out of it, so I got her a dog. That’s where things started to go wrong.”
I laugh bitterly. “As if they hadn’t already?”
“Looking back, I should have seen it coming. She needed my help training Dingo. We spent a lot of time together. I thought I was doing you a favor. What I didn’t count on was falling for her.”
I cringe.
“I don’t think we were in love, but we needed each other somehow. I had just started full time at the firm and was under a lot of stress. She needed a shoulder to cry on. Neither of us expected what happened next.”
“But why get married if you didn’t love each other?”
“We already screwed up by sleeping together. I guess we thought you wouldn’t be so mad at us if we were married.” He holds up his hands in surrender. “I know, stupid idea. I wish I could take it all back, especially after meeting Kelsey and finding out what a real relationship should be. She’s the love of my life.”
My throat thickens. “I thought Reece was mine.”
“Who says she isn’t?”
“She lied to me. She married you.”
“None of that means she can’t be the love of your life. Look at what happened to Dad. He was a colossal asshole, then he almost died. What if something happened to Reece? If she were in a car accident tomorrow, how do you think you’d feel? Would you have any regrets?”
Jeremy asked me the same thing, and I know the answer. I’d fucking miss her. My life wouldn’t be the same. It hasn’t been for six years, because something was missing. She was missing. Now that she’s gone again, I don’t feel whole. “I might have screwed it up, Rob. It’s been a long time since I ended things. What if she’s moved on?”
“After six years, did you move on? Did she? You’re meant to be together, and you both know it.”
“What the hell do I do?”
“Forgive her.”
I know it’s my only option. But I’m afraid she won’t take me back after the way I’ve treated her.
Out of the blue, he says, “Reece has a tattoo?”
“You really haven’t seen her?”
“Not since she moved out. We stayed together almost six months, but I think we only lasted that long because of the dog.”
Kelsey appears again. “Rett is asking for you, Rob. He’s scared not being in his own room.”
“Be right there.” He turns to me. “You should talk to Mom. Don’t be too hard on her. We convinced her not to say anything. These last six years have been hell on her. She really misses you, Gare.”
After he leaves, I bang out a few songs to clear my head, then go to the bedroom I haven’t slept in for almost seven years. It’s exactly the same as when I left.
I consider what to say to Reece when she comes home in four days. How do I tell the woman I love that I screwed up in a major way? What if she’s been sleeping with Jonah this entire time? Suddenly, I know what I have to do. I grab my phone and book a flight for the day after tomorrow.
Chapter Forty-four
Reece
“Can you believe we’re here?” Keith says, taking in the expansive grounds at Bumbershoot.
I’m super excited, but I still haven’t heard from Garrett, and my happiness is muted by his absence. When we were young, we talked about driving across the country to attend this festival. We even dreamed of playing here one day. It doesn’t feel right to be here without him.
We don’t go on until four o’clock on one of the outdoor stages, so we check out the other bands, overindulge on food, and have a few drinks in the beer gardens. We even attend a comedy show to calm our nerves—okay, my nerves.
You’d think I wouldn’t get nervous after performing at twenty-eight shows over the past five weeks, but I still do. Every time. Especially now that Garrett isn’t with me.
There are so many people here that we seem to blend into the crowd. A few girls in the bathroom recognized me and asked for a picture, otherwise I’m just another attendee. Judd insisted on coming with us, but he hasn’t been needed.
At three-thirty, we flash our badges at a gate and meet with an event organizer.
“Mancini!” I hear behind me. My four bandmates are in front of me, so I’m certain a fan is calling out to me. When I turn around, I’m stunned. Garrett is standing twenty feet behind me with an armful of flowers.
My heart lodges in my throat. I can’t move, speak, or breathe. The look on his face says it all. He’s here for me. He… forgives me?
“Not so fast,” the gate security guard says, holding him back when he tries to come to me.
“It’s okay. He’s with me.”
The guard doesn’t budge. “He doesn’t have credentials.”
“Came here right from the airport,” Garrett says. “Didn’t have time to work that out.”
“I’ll come back through,” I say.
“There’s no time,” the event organizer says. “You’re on next, and we need you here for an equipment check.”
He’s ten feet away from me, but we might as well be a world apart. I’ve never wanted to run to him so badly. “I …”
“Go,” he says with a cheeky grin. “I’ll be here after.”
He gets smaller and smaller as I’m led away. I finally take a deep breath. He’s here. He came for me.
Of all the moments in my life, this is the one I’ll always remember. Seeing him standing there looking like he wants me as much as I want him. Knowing he flew three thousand miles for me. Understanding he might be in love with me as completely as I am with him. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so many emotions at one time.
I wipe my eyes and catch up to the others. Jonah glances at the gate. “He crawling back with his tail between his legs?”
“I’m the one who should be crawling. It was my fault.”
“Everyone know how this works?” the event organizer asks when we’re in our designated tent.
We nod, having been briefed earlier. The band currently performing is wrapping up. A crew will switch out their equipment for ours after we identify it, and then we’ll do a quick sound check in front of the audience. That’s where Garrett will be. But there are hundreds of people vying for positions in front of the stage. Will he be able to get close? We’re only playing a handful of songs, for which I’m grateful. Not being able to speak to him is killing me.
After we hit the stage, I scan the front rows. People are mashed together, most of them wet from the rain shower that passed while we were in the tent out back. I don’t see him. When we start playing, I have to force myself not to pick up the tempo. I’m in such a hurry to get through this.
To my surprise, when I get to the chorus, the audience sings along loudly. Cade and I share a smile. We’ve been out of the country for five weeks. My songs have reached a lot of people in that time. My energy is completely renewed by the boisterous crowd. The song ends, and they are cheering, whistling, and calling my name as they beg for more.
Something waves through the air twenty-or-so people deep, catching my attention. It’s the flowers. Garrett is letting me know where to find him. He manages to move a few feet closer. He smiles when our eyes lock. He mouths, You got this.
For the next thirty minutes, I sing to him. Even when I look away, I’m singing to him, because all my songs are about him. For him. Because of him.
By the time I’ve sung the final song, he’s worked his way to the front. As people chant and cheer, he throws the flowers at my feet. I pick
them up and smell them, then I pull a rose from the bouquet, lean far out over the barrier, and give it to him. He takes it, smiling from ear to ear, and gestures to the gate where he met me earlier. I nod.
I barely say two words to the band as I rush to meet him. I beat him there. He has a thousand people to weed through. I feel like a little girl waiting for Santa Claus. When I finally see him, my heart thunders. Fans are waiting at the gate for autographs now that they know who I am, but I don’t stop for anyone. I plow through them all and throw myself into Garrett’s arms.
He holds me and kisses me. His lips feel like heaven. His arms are the safest place I’ve ever been. A few people clap, reminding me we’re in a very public place.
“You came,” I say.
“I didn’t want to waste an opportunity to piss off Ronni.”
I laugh into his shoulder. “She’ll be mad all right. Check out all the phones pointed our way.”
“She’ll have to deal with it,” he says, still holding me so my feet don’t touch the ground. “Because I’m never letting you go again.”
“Garrett,” I lean back so he can see me clearly. “I can’t have children.”
“I know.”
“You do?”
“I talked to Rob. And my mom, too.”
“You what? How much did I miss?”
He puts me down. “Why don’t you sign autographs for your fans? Then we’ll return to your hotel, and I’ll tell you all about it.” He pushes my hair behind my ear. “I love you, Mancini.”
I sigh in relief. He knows all my secrets. There’s nothing left to hide. And he still loves me.
I was wrong. This is the moment I’ll remember forever.
~ ~ ~
We get drenched in a downpour waiting for a ride back to the hotel. I have no idea where the band is, but I have no regrets about ditching them.
In the Uber, we can’t keep our eyes off each other. He pushes a strand of wet hair off my forehead. “I couldn’t find a hotel room. Everything is booked.”
I raise a brow. “That’s a pretty big chance you took. Am I that much of a sure thing?”
“I wasn’t planning on taking no for an answer.”
I look at our clasped hands. “Thank you for coming.”
He eyes my necklace and swallows hard. “You’re still wearing it.”
“I never take it off.”
He runs his thumb across my knuckles. We don’t talk. The things we want to say aren’t for the driver’s ears.
When we reach the hotel, it dawns on me he hasn’t got any luggage. “Don’t you have a bag?”
“I forgot it on the plane.”
I can’t hide my smile. “You were in such a hurry, you left your bag on the airplane?”
He pulls my hand to his lips and gives it a kiss. “I had to get to my girl.”
“But your clothes are drenched,” I say as we get on the elevator. “What will you do?”
“I’ll send out for some. There are services for that, you know.”
On my floor, I retrieve my key card and open the door. “Sounds expensive.”
“Reece, I flew here first class. I think I can swing a personal shopper. You better get used to it, because this is how things are going to be.” He looks around my hotel room. “And this is the last time you’ll ever stay in a room like this. It’ll be presidential suites from here on out.”
“For you, maybe.”
“You’ve been out of the country a while. You have no idea how bat-shit crazy people are going over your album. I happen to have the inside info on the size of the check you’re about to receive. You may want to be sitting down when you see it.”
“None of that matters to me, Garrett.”
He pins me to the wall, heat in his eyes. “Liar.”
“Okay, maybe it matters, but right now, you’re the only thing I care about.”
I squeal when he picks me up, caveman style, and takes me over to the bed. He peels my wet shirt off and kisses my neck, running a trail down to my chest. “Jesus, I’ve missed you.”
“Don’t you want to talk first?”
“We’ll have plenty of time for that later. I’m not going anywhere.” He works a hand under the waistband of my jeans and into my panties. “Except maybe here.”
I groan when he touches me. The past five weeks without him seemed far longer than the six years we were apart, because the way I love him now is more complete. All-consuming. He’s the very air I need to breathe.
“We’re getting the bed all wet,” I say.
He sits up, ripping off his shirt. “It’s about to get a lot wetter.”
I laugh when his carnal need turns to frustration as he tries to get my soaked jeans off.
“Damn,” he says. “We may need to cut you out of these.”
I get off the bed and help him. Then we remove his, which are almost as difficult. I giggle. “Who knew we’d have to work so hard for this.”
He cups my face. “I’d work a lot harder if it means being with you. I’d do anything, Reece.”
“Me, too. I’d do anything to be with you, Garrett.”
He sits me on the edge of the bed and falls to his knees. Staring into my eyes, he spreads my thighs and sprinkles kisses on the insides of my legs. I squirm in eager anticipation. “We’re never going to be apart this long again.”
“What about tours?” I ask.
“Never, Reece.”
His tongue reaches my clit and my eyes close. It’s been so long since I’ve felt anything like this. I couldn’t even touch myself on the bus for fear of someone seeing or hearing me. I’m wound like a tightly-coiled spring. As soon as he puts a finger inside me, I explode. “Oh God!”
Before I’m done convulsing, he pushes me back up the bed, climbs on top and is inside me. He goes slow, thrusting in and pulling out as if he wants to remember every movement. “You feel so good.” He stops moving.
“Are you okay?”
Perching above me on his elbows, he stares into my eyes. “I love you.”
I cup his face. “Always and forever.”
He leans in to kiss me. We’ve probably shared a million kisses, but none of them holds a candle to this one. It’s full of promises. Forgiveness. When he moves inside me again, it’s different. He makes love to me like waves crashing on the beach, each one inching us closer to the shore, bringing us to the home we’ve always dreamed of.
As he gets close, he works a hand between us, rubbing me the way only he knows how to. His loving whispers in my ear drive me to clench down on him, milking him inside me as we shout each other’s names.
Our breathing slows. He rolls onto his side and rises on an elbow. He traces the vertical scar on my stomach, starting at my navel and running to my pubic bone. “I’m sorry this happened to you.”
My eyes become glassy. “It’s my fault. If I hadn’t done what I did—”
“I was an idiot. You were right about everything, Reece. I made it perfectly clear I didn’t want kids. We were young. I don’t blame you for what you did.”
“You don’t?”
He offers a lopsided smile. “Well, I’d prefer it if my brother hadn’t seen you naked.”
I’m dumbfounded that he’s joking about it. “Are you really okay with everything?”
He pulls me against him, spooning me, and tells me about his father, Rob, his mom.
“Rob has a family?” I say, surprised. “I didn’t know. He never mentioned it in his Christmas cards. Neither did your mother.”
“Could be they didn’t want to rub it in your face—him having kids and all.”
I stiffen. “Remember when you were babysitting Olivia and asked me if I wanted kids?”
I feel him nod behind me.
“I wanted to tell you then. I wanted to tell you so many times.”
He runs a hand down my arm. “I know. It must have been hard for you to keep it all inside.”
I turn and face him. “But you want kids now, Garrett. How can you say you
want me when you also want a family?”
“Who says we can’t have a family?”
“My missing uterus.”
“There are other ways to have kids, Reece.”
“Like adoption?”
“Whatever it takes,” he says.
“Aren’t we getting ahead of ourselves?”
“Do you want to be with me?”
I take his hand in mine. “Of course.”
“Then I want us to be on the same page.”
“Okay then, sure, I guess we’re on the same page, but not like now, right?”
He laughs. “No, not now. We have a lot of things to accomplish first.”
I try to hold back tears.
“What is it?” he asks.
“I thought that train had left the station. I never even considered … and least of all with you.”
“Well, consider it now.” He flips me on my back and presses his erection into me. “The best thing about your missing uterus? We can fuck like rabbits anytime we want.”
I laugh. For the first time in my life, I laugh about the missing part of me. Because suddenly—I’m whole again.
Chapter Forty-five
Garrett
There is commotion in my parents’ backyard as people work like crazy, putting the finishing touches on the chairs set up for the ceremony and the tents for the reception.
Crew watches intently from the large picture window in the living room, where the two grooms have set up their dressing area. Mom passes in the hallway and pops her head in. “Everything going okay here? Nobody’s getting cold feet, are they?”
“Not a chance,” Liam says, stepping into his tuxedo pants. “Mrs. Young, thank you again for letting us use the grounds. I don’t know what we would have done.”
“I’m happy we could help. It’s a shame the press found out about your other location and publicized it yesterday. Thank God the vendors were willing to make the drive out here.”
“It’s amazing what people will do when you offer to double their fee.”
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