“Do you have time to do that? Are you done working for the day? Should we go after dinner maybe?”
“I’m good. Like I said, the call went really well, and we’re on track with everything. I was just looking over some proposals for upcoming issues and topics to explore. Nothing that can’t wait.” She glanced over at the clock. “Give me ten minutes to freshen up and change and I’ll be good to go.”
She was sprinting up the stairs before he could stop her. Then he figured it was probably for the best. If he’d stopped her—or followed her—it would be a lot longer than ten minutes before she was ready to go anywhere.
His phone chimed with an incoming text and he saw it was from Riley, confirming that both he and Savannah loved all kinds of Mexican food—and adored chili. It made him smile, and Matt knew Vivienne was going to be relieved. It was going to make shopping so much easier.
Picking up the shopping list, he began adding the items Vivienne hadn’t gotten to and then some things he wanted to get as well, and he had to stop and laugh at himself.
He, Matt Reed, was making a shopping list and going to the store to shop and purchase it himself. It was like he barely recognized himself anymore.
And that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.
Chapter 8
“So there I was, thinking I was going to get to do all kinds of cool stunts like we’d done on the Exposed tour and Mick was like, ‘No. You need to keep it real and personal, like you did at the Hollywood Bowl.’” Riley shrugged. “It’s a completely different vibe on this tour. I’m way more relaxed than I can ever remember being when we toured.”
Matt laughed. “Well, to be fair, we were largely responsible for all the stress and craziness that followed us around on tour.” He shook his head, still laughing. “I’m surprised Mick didn’t hire babysitters more often for us.”
“It would have been like trying to herd cats. It just wouldn’t have worked. The four of us were masters at creating distractions to keep everyone on their toes,” Riley said, joining in the laughter. “If you ask me, I wouldn’t mind touring like this all the time. If there was a way to keep this kind of level of Zen going and do it with you guys, I’d be a very happy man.”
“It could happen,” Matt said, instantly sobering. “I think when the time comes, we’re going to be a completely different bunch of guys going back into the studio and then on the road.”
Riley rested his arms against the back of the sofa as he looked at Matt and smiled. “I agree,” he said easily. He studied Matt for a little bit longer. “You’re different. I can see it. I’m not going to lie, I was a little bit nervous about coming here today.”
“Why?”
A shrug was Riley’s first response. “I wasn’t sure what I was going to find. We’ve been talking, and I knew you sounded good, but I was afraid it was all a show. But now that I’m here, and I see you—and Vivienne,” he added with a wink, “I’m really happy for you.”
Matt looked over his shoulder toward the kitchen, where Savannah and Vivienne were huddled together talking. As much as he had helped Vivienne prepare food so she wouldn’t end up chained to the kitchen, she was still in there, fussing over the meal. Typical of her and just one of the many reasons he loved her.
“It’s a good look on you,” Riley said, interrupting his thoughts.
“What is?”
“Love.”
Matt rolled his eyes but couldn’t stop the grin on his face. “Oh, God. Are we going to be those guys?”
“What guys?”
“You know, the sensitive ones who talk about their feelings.” He burst out laughing. “Weren’t we just talking about how wild we used to be?”
“Used to be—key words,” Riley stated. “Look, I don’t regret the things we did when we were younger and on the road. It was great. It was fun. But what I have now with Savannah?” His smile grew. “There are no words to describe it. It’s just…the best. Every day with her is amazing and…and…and…” He threw out his hands and laughed. “She’s everything.”
Matt knew exactly what he meant because he felt the same way about Vivienne. Leaning forward, resting his elbows on his knees, he lowered his voice and asked, “Can I ask you something?”
Riley nodded.
“When did you know? I mean, how long did you and Savannah know one another before you knew she was it for you?”
“The first time she came to the house to start interviewing me. And it was only the second time we had ever seen each other.”
“Seriously?”
Riley nodded. “We talked, we had lunch, and the interview got off to a bad start. I already knew I was attracted to her, but I figured that was about it. So we mutually agreed to stop the interview and just sort of hang out and get to know each other. We went down to the game room and challenged each other to a game of ping-pong.”
Matt shook his head and chuckled. “Oh, how the mighty have fallen.”
“I know, right? If word got out at that time that one of America’s hottest bachelors was happily playing table tennis—and it wasn’t a euphemism for sex—I would have totally lost my credibility as a sex symbol.”
“Boohoo,” Matt teased.
“Anyway, we challenged each other, and it was winner’s choice. I chose to kiss her.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“Damn.”
“I knew instantaneously that I was in trouble. And I couldn’t wait to see where it would lead.”
“But it wasn’t all smooth sailing, right? I mean, I remember you being pissed at her over the article.”
“I was pissed at her for a lot of things—and they weren’t her fault. I was a mess during that time and overly sensitive about everything.” He stopped and looked at Matt. “Not unlike how you were feeling not too long ago.”
Matt nodded.
“Thanks to me acting like a damn diva having a hissy fit, I almost lost her. It didn’t help that we were both stubborn,” he said with a chuckle. “But in the end, we made it work.” He turned and looked toward the kitchen and then back at Matt. “How does Aaron feel about all of this?”
“He doesn’t know yet.”
“Uh-oh.”
“Yeah, I know,” Matt quickly interrupted. “Things sort of got off to a rough start here.” He told him about kissing Vivienne two years ago after a show.
“Oh my God! I remember that night! I remember seeing her and helping her get backstage to see you. Wow! I can’t believe I didn’t put it together until just now.”
“Yeah, well…I didn’t remember it either. So when I showed up here—”
“She was a little less than enthused to see you,” Riley finished.
“Exactly. So the last Aaron saw of us, Vivienne was barely tolerating my presence.”
“So what happens when he gets home? What do you think he’s going to do?”
“I’m sure he’s going to be pissed, although Vivienne and I are undecided on who he’s going to be more pissed at.” He shrugged. “We’re both adults, and I’m not just killing time here, screwing around.”
“And how does she feel?”
Matt looked down at the carpet and shook his head before looking at Riley again. “I honestly don’t know. I can’t get a straight answer out of her, and I don’t want to push. Just because I realized how I felt after such a short amount of time doesn’t mean she was going to do the same.”
Rile nodded. “Okay,” he said slowly. “And you’re okay with it?”
“I don’t have a choice, do I? I don’t want to push her away, and I don’t have the greatest reputation coming into this. I have to prove to her that I’m serious, that I’m not looking to take off and start having orgies on the road again.”
“Look, I know I’m no expert, but can I offer you a bit of advice?”
“Absolutely.�
��
“You need to talk about it before Aaron comes home. Because if you both come at him with differing stories, or if he senses she’s not serious about you, I can guarantee you he’ll use that to his advantage to try and break you up.”
Matt shook his head. “Uh-uh, Aaron wouldn’t do that.”
“Dude, I speak from experience, as someone with a younger sister. If I even thought for a second that Darcy was involved with someone who wasn’t right for her and she wasn’t too deeply committed? I would do whatever I could to break them up.” He shrugged. “It’s the right of the big brother. And no matter how tight you and Aaron are, his sister is always going to come first.”
“Shit.”
“Exactly.”
The sound of female laughter broke into their conversation. Vivienne and Savannah walked toward them. “I’m going to show Savannah my office,” Vivienne said excitedly. “I like showing off to a fellow writer!”
Matt watched them walk away before turning back to Riley. “In a million years, I never thought I’d be in a situation like this.”
“What? In love?”
“Yeah. And in love with Vivienne Forrester. I mean, she was always around when I was hanging out with Aaron, but she wasn’t on my radar at all. She was younger than us and… I don’t know. I just never thought of her that way. The night she showed up at my dressing room, I just about had a stroke when I realized it was her.”
“So I have to go back to asking: What are you going to do about it? Let’s just say you talk to Aaron and he doesn’t kill you. What then? Are you going to stay here? Go back to LA? New York? Vivienne has a lot of freedom with her writing, like Savannah did, so it’s not like she’s tied to this area for her job, but…this is her home. Are you willing to move here?”
“You have no idea how much I’ve been struggling with that. If she lived anywhere else in the world, I wouldn’t even have to think about it. But I don’t know if this is someplace I want to live again.”
“Have you gone into town?”
“Not much,” Matt said with a shrug. “We’ve picked up takeout, gone food shopping, and went to the beach, but…I do my best to avoid it at all costs.”
“Are you even sure he still lives here?”
“Yeah. Aaron’s mentioned it a time or two. It pissed me off at first because I was like, ‘Why do I need to know this?’ but then I realized it’s just something Aaron does. He’s the same way with Vivienne and their parents.”
Riley paused for a minute. “Why? I don’t remember Aaron having any issues with his folks.”
“Not him. No. Vivienne.” He shrugged. “Cold. Distant. Not the warm, fuzzy types at all. And apparently they’re even more so with Vivienne than with Aaron.”
“I kind of remember that. I know I never felt completely comfortable when we hung out there, but…still. That sucks.”
“Yeah. Aaron’s one of those guys who thinks everyone should just get along.”
“Seriously? He knows better than anyone how much you went through at the hands of your dad. That’s just messed up if he thinks you need to be okay with seeing him.”
“I’ve had a pretty good run of it—almost thirteen years since I last saw him. And I have no interest in breaking that streak.”
“So no sightings? Not even from a distance?”
Matt shook his head. “And I haven’t been looking.”
“Okay, let’s just say, hypothetically, that you run in to him. What would you do?”
“Honestly? Nothing,” Matt replied seriously. “There isn’t one thing I have to say to him. I don’t particularly care how he is and the feeling is clearly mutual. He hasn’t reached out either, and I’m not hard to find.”
Riley nodded and then held up his hand. “Okay, let me throw something else out there.”
“Seriously?” Matt sighed dramatically.
“Hear me out. What is the worst thing that could happen? Come on. What would you do?”
Straightening in his seat, Matt then leaned back against the cushions and let his head fall back. “I know it’s probably hard for you to understand but…I wouldn’t do anything. I’d hear him out and wish him well. I don’t want him in my life. I don’t need him in my life. I needed him when I was growing up. I needed him when I was struggling in school, and I needed my mom there, but he forced her to leave too. So if he’s gotten his life together or went and found Jesus, then good for him. But as for inviting him back into my life? It’s never going to happen, and I’m okay with it.”
Rather than saying anything else, Riley simply nodded.
“Matt?” Vivienne called out from her office.
“Yeah?”
“Can you finish putting the food on the table? Savannah and I will be out in a minute.”
“No problem.” He was thankful for the distraction, and he latched on to it like a lifeline. Jumping to his feet, he clapped his hands together and smiled at Riley. “Wait until you taste her cooking. I swear to you, it’s better than anything I’ve ever had anywhere.”
Riley got to his feet and clapped a hand on Matt’s shoulder. “Then let’s eat!”
* * *
From where Vivienne was sitting, things were pretty much perfect. This was a completely new feeling for her, and she found that it felt…good. She was happy. She was sitting, enjoying a meal with people who were happy. There was no drama, no awkwardness. If anything, she felt as if she had found a new BFF in Savannah Shaughnessy.
It wasn’t something that came easily to her.
Maybe it was her upbringing or maybe she was just a snob, but Vivienne didn’t bond with many people. Sure she had friends—lots of them. But even with those she’d known since childhood, she didn’t feel this kind of closeness.
Besides their careers and love of writing, she and Savannah had similar tastes in food, hobbies, and—obviously—men.
While they had been back in her office, Savannah had grilled her a little bit on her relationship with Matt. Vivienne hadn’t been prepared to talk about it—especially not with someone who was essentially a stranger—and yet she had.
In great detail.
And once she’d started talking, she couldn’t seem to stop.
By the time she had gone through the whole kiss backstage, the rage at getting thrown out, the embarrassment, and then more embarrassment and rage when Matt had shown up at Aaron’s, Savannah was wide-eyed and on the edge of her seat.
“Holy shit! That is crazy.”
Vivienne nodded. “I know, right?”
“So how long until he remembered?”
“About a week. Aaron had left, and we were hanging out, arguing a bit, and he kissed me. And it was as if it all came back to him.”
Savannah had given her a knowing look.
“What? What did I say?”
“It came back to him because it meant something,” she said.
The first thing that came to Vivienne’s mind was denial—force of habit—but she knew it would be a lie. And just the thought of all the times Matt had shown her how much she meant to him had her blushing.
“That must have been some kiss.”
“You have no idea,” she’d replied, giggling like a schoolgirl.
The sound of laughter brought her back to present, and the sight of Matt looking so happy and carefree had her smiling. Sure he’d been relaxed and smiling around her and Aaron, but this was different. Maybe he hadn’t been as much at ease as she’d thought because there was a definite difference in his face right now.
As if feeling her eyes on him, Matt turned toward her and winked. Something so small, so simple, and it just tugged at her heart more than anything else. When he reached over and took hold of her hand, it hit her like a ton of bricks.
She was in love.
No maybes about it.
And no chance of her
trying to downplay it.
She, Vivienne Forrester, was head over heels in love with Matt Reed.
“You guys should come to the show in Myrtle Beach at the end of the month,” Riley was saying. “Come down Friday the nineteenth, the show is on Saturday, and leave on Sunday. We’ve rented a house for the weekend that is far too big for just the two of us, and it would be a blast to have more time to hang out. What do you say?”
Matt looked over at her, and she could see how much he wanted them to do this. Turning toward Riley, she smiled and said, “That sounds great!”
“Awesome!” Riley replied.
“So what has you here this weekend?” she asked him.
“My brother Aidan and his wife Zoe just had a baby two months ago—a little girl. The first since my sister Darcy, so everyone is just about losing their minds,” he said, chuckling. “She is going to be spoiled rotten.”
“Well, she should enjoy it while she can because another baby’s on the way,” Savannah said.
“Wait! What?” Matt cried, looking at the two of them with wide eyes. “Are you two…?”
“What?” Riley said. “Oh…no! No. Not us.” He let out a nervous laugh. “My brother Quinn and his wife are expecting too.”
“Wow,” Matt said with a relieved sigh. “Okay. Whew. I was beginning to think you were holding out on me and that news would have been huge! I couldn’t believe we’d been sitting here all this time, and you didn’t mention anything about it.”
Riley grinned before leaning over and giving Savannah a loud, smacking kiss on the cheek. “We’ve talked about it, but we want to get through this tour first and then see what we’re going to do next.”
“What are you thinking?” Vivienne asked, unable to help herself.
“We’ve only got another dozen stops on the tour, and then we know we’re taking a three-month break to go back to LA and stay in our home.”
“It’s such a freaking amazing home—it has the best views. I couldn’t imagine him getting rid of it.” Savannah chimed in. “I had a small place, and believe me, it was no hardship to move out of it and in with him.”
“And what about after that?” Matt asked, and Vivienne heard the twinge of anxiousness there.
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