“I’m sorry. I keep comparing you to all the celebrities I see online. The ones who sleep with different women every night or the ones who have a million kids and want nothing to do with them. And it’s not fair. You haven’t given me a single reason to believe you do that.” I smiled then. “Actually, you’ve done the complete opposite and I need to stop thinking that way.
“I haven’t given you the chance to prove you plan to be around when we need you. Honestly, I haven’t given you much of a chance to prove anything. And I’m sorry for that.”
A smile lit his face. “Trust me, I know it’s not easy to trust people when you’ve spent your entire life taking care of yourself. I have a little less than a week until I have to fly back for our next show.”
He wrapped his hand around mine.
“Spend time with me. I’ll show you how much I want to be here for you and the baby.”
My heart melted a little at his words. “Okay. I have off from the club tomorrow and the diner the day after.”
He narrowed his eyes at me. “Do you work seven days a week?”
“Gotta pay the bills somehow. My grandmother’s insurance didn’t cover even half of her medical expenses. And the funeral costs were even more than I could’ve imagined.”
“Let me—”
“Don’t you dare say let me help. These are my bills and I’ll find a way to pay them.”
He opened his mouth to say something, but quickly shut it. I had a feeling he wanted to argue about it with me. Hopefully, he realized it wasn’t an argument he would win. I had no intention of letting him handle bills he had nothing to do with. My grandmother was my responsibility. I’d pay them off even if it took me years. Deep down, I knew his goal was to get me off my feet more, he wasn’t trying to throw his money around to prove he could. He wanted me to work less for the sake of the baby. I didn’t need to be a bitch, but I had to make it clear that wasn’t the reason I called him.
“I don’t mean to jump down your throat. I know you mean well and want to help. Neither of us planned this pregnancy. It’s not your job to fix everything in my life. The only thing you need to help with is taking care of this baby. The rest I can handle.”
“I’ll admit, I’m not a fan of your working seven days a week when I can help, but I understand what you’re saying. It would make me feel better if you had at least one full day off to relax.”
“Fair enough. I’ll see what I can do about my schedule. I haven’t told anyone at work. I’m sure once I tell Doug, he’ll find me something I can do without being on my feet so much.”
I rested against the back of the couch. Heath leaned back as well, making our shoulders touch. Even through the fabric of our clothes, it felt like an electric current ran through me. I did my best to ignore it. I highly doubted he felt the same thing.
“Tell me about your doctor’s appointment.”
I glanced over to see him watching me. The skin on my neck heated and I tried to think of anything that would stop the blush from appearing. His request seemed simple, yet it was one that made my hands shake.
“You’re so calm about all of this. How come you’re not freaking out?”
He laughed. “Oh, I’m definitely freaking out. I never imagined being a dad at twenty-seven, but here we are. It’s going to happen whether we’re freaking out or not.”
“That’s exactly what I told myself when I had to get up off the bathroom floor the morning the test came back positive.”
Heath nodded. “Exactly. I figure it’s better to focus on what I can control, than what I can’t. Which means wondering what the doctor said.”
He lifted a brow expectantly. That combined with the single dimple in his cheek made my knees weak. Thankfully, I was already sitting. I had a feeling Heath didn’t care how attractive people thought he was. He seemed more interested in what people thought of him as a person and I had to respect him even more for that.
“Well, not much. The doctors at the clinic downtown don’t have a lot of time to spend with you. But they told me the baby would be due in November.”
“What clinic?”
I glanced away. No one enjoyed admitting how poor they really were. He knew I worked seven days a week, but when you had to tell someone that you used the free clinic in town for doctor’s appointments, it really brought the issue to light.
“There’s a free clinic downtown I use whenever I need to see a doctor. They only charge thirty bucks for tests and I don’t go unless I have to.”
“You don’t have health insurance?”
I shook my head. “No. Nana had Medicare and insurance plans were too expensive when I looked for one for me.”
He bit his top lip between his teeth and his eyes closed. I laid a hand on his arm.
“Are you okay?”
He opened his eyes, the deep smoky holding me captive. “I’m trying to have some restraint here. Right now I want to order you health insurance whether you like it or not. But I have a feeling that’s going to probably piss you off if I do.” He watched me, waiting for me to deny it. I wouldn’t. I didn’t like anyone making decisions for me without asking. When I didn’t he continued. “So, I’m asking, please, for the baby, let me get you decent insurance. If it makes you feel better, you can cancel it after the baby is born and I’ll put him or her on my plan. This way, I’ll know you’re getting the best care. You can even pick your doctor. A doctor who would have time to sit and answer all the questions you might have.”
My gut reaction was to immediately say no. Then, he put the icing on the cake with a doctor who had time for me. Someone who would stay and answer my questions instead of hustling me out the door. A guaranteed face for when this baby came into the world and I couldn’t deny how much I actually wanted that.
“Okay.”
His eyes widened. “Okay?”
“You’re right. Having insurance will give me access to better doctors and since I can’t afford it, I’ll let you get it for me.”
“Thank you.”
“No, thank you. I promise I won’t keep it after the baby is born.”
He pressed a finger over my lips to stop me from talking. “We’ll worry about that when the time comes.”
I nodded and let my body settle into the couch. My muscles started to loosen as I relaxed for the first time in ages. Something about Heath made me feel comfortable. Exactly like the night we went to see my grandmother, I didn’t feel like I had to put on a show for him. I could be me and only me. My eyes felt heavy and I let them close, enjoying the moment.
The next thing I knew, I was being moved from the most comfortable spot in the world. I opened my eyes a crack to see Heath staring down at me as he carried me down the hall to my bedroom.
“Heath?”
“Go back to sleep, you need your rest.”
He laid me on the bed, pulling the covers up and over me.
“When will I see you again?”
A voice in the back of my head yelled at me that I was being too needy. Exhaustion was talking and I couldn’t stop it.
“I’ll come by in the morning before you go to work.”
I let my eyes slid closed and slipped right into a dream where Heath pressed a soft kiss on my forehead before promising we would make it work.
If only…
CHAPTER 13
Heath
For the briefest of moments, I thought about staying, even if I slept in another room, just to make sure she was okay throughout the night. But I knew the tough woman I met that first night wouldn’t be happy if she found me there in the morning.
Frustrated, I locked the door behind me and climbed into the rental car. I completely understood where she was coming from, even if it made me crazy not to help. We were both people used to helping our friends and family, not being the ones who needed help.
By the time I opened the door to my room, I felt like I’d been awake for days, not simply since that morning. But I dragged my ass to the bed and slipped my phone out
of my pocket. I hit the button for Sawyer. Two rings later he answered.
“Hey, how’s things going?” he asked the moment he answered.
I sighed and leaned against the headboard with my hand over my eyes. “She thinks I’m gonna get bored with everything and disappear.”
“You told me she had no one else. She’s probably used to people leaving her behind. If you want this you need to get her to trust you.”
I scoffed. “I know that, but something tells me it’s easier said than done.”
“Just be there when she needs you. Eventually she’ll see the truth and hand over her trust.”
“I’ll do my best. Can you do me a favor?”
“Sure. What’s up?”
“Can you have Reagan check into getting her health insurance? Right now, she’s using the clinic in town.”
“Yeah. I’ll see what he can do.”
“Thanks, man. I’m going to head to bed. I’m fucking wiped and I want to head back to her house in the morning.”
“Okay, just let me know if there’s anything else I can do.”
“I will.”
After we hung up, I forced myself to get up and crawl under the covers, my mind trying to figure out a way to deal with Jenna.
With a plan in mind, I drifted off to sleep for a few hours. At least until dreams about a baby woke me. A quick glance at the clock told me it was way too early to head over to Jenna’s place. Once I showered, I tried to find anything that would occupy my time. TV and my phone couldn’t keep my interest.
Eventually, I gave up and left the hotel, hoping by the time I got there she’d be awake. I pulled up in front of Jenna’s place, ready for a new start. We’d finally gotten past my status as a ‘rock star’ and I hoped things would be smooth sailing. I lifted my hand to knock on Jenna’s door. There was still one hurdle to overcome. She’d agreed to let me get her insurance, which Reagan had done in no time, but I hadn’t expected him to pick a doctor for her and make an appointment before I talked to her.
The most important revelation I had last night after talking to Sawyer and Reagan was to get Jenna to trust me. And I was afraid this might put a dent in the small bit of trust I’d already gained. Everyone she’d ever known had left her, whether intentional or not, and I had to prove to her I wasn’t leaving her to raise our child alone. I was just as responsible as she was.
I lightly rapped on the door with my knuckles, not wanting to wake her if she was still asleep. One minute passed. Then two. Hopefully she was still sleeping. I could come back later, before she went to work. Just as I turned to head down the stairs, the door opened. Jenna stood there, her strawberry blond hair hidden beneath a towel. She had on a long-sleeved T-shirt and baggy sweats. Even the loose-fitting clothing she wore drew my attention.
Her gorgeous mouth tightened in a pout. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to take you for coffee so we could talk some more. Get to know each other. I told you I’d be back this morning.”
Her cheeks pinkened. “I guess I didn’t really expect you to come back. Most guys don’t.”
I took a step forward and laid a hand on her cheek. “I promise I’ll never lie to you. If I say I’m going to be here, I will. I wish you’d trust me a little bit more.”
“I’m trying. It’s not easy for me to trust.”
I rubbed my thumb along her cheek. “I know. Hopefully, I can fix that. Can I come in so we can talk or can I take you for coffee?”
Without a word, she stepped back and gestured with her arm for me to come in.
“Thank you.”
She glanced down at her clothes. “I’m not really dressed to go anywhere.”
“You look fine to me.” I wasn’t lying. She did. She looked just as gorgeous in a pair of sweats as she did in a tight ass dress.
She rolled her eyes and laughed. “Yeah, I doubt that. I look like I just rolled out of bed.” She gestured with a wave of her hand. “While you look like you just stepped off the runway.”
“I really doubt that. I’ve been up since the sun came up.”
“Don’t you guys have a lot of late nights?” There was no animosity in her question, just pure curiosity. But it was also frustrating as hell. I hated the stereotypical belief that every musician, especially rock stars, was wild. None of our band was like that, unless of course you counted Monty. I lifted a brow. “Not unless Monty drags us all over the place. Usually, I’m wiped by the end of a show.”
“I know the feeling. By the time my shift ends, all I want to do is sleep.”
“Which hopefully you got enough of last night.”
“I did, and breakfast sounds good. We’re going to be tied together for the next eighteen years. It would be nice to get to know each other.”
“I agree. I’d like to do that as more than strangers who share a child. So what do you say?”
A smirk lifted the corner of her mouth, giving me a glimpse of the woman I spent the night with. I hoped to get to know that side of her. Jenna intrigued me from the first moment we met. She was different than any other woman.
“Sure. Let me change first.”
I smiled. “Absolutely. Take your time.”
She opened her mouth to say something but quickly closed it, turning back down the hall to her bedroom. Maybe it was wrong, but I couldn’t help but wander around the room, looking at the pictures hanging on the walls and frames on almost every surface in the room.
The last two times I’d been there, I hadn’t had a chance to really get to know the woman down the hall. Then again, I never thought I would get this chance again until the tour was over. But circumstances changed and I wouldn’t wait another five months to get to know her.
The more we worked together throughout her pregnancy, the better chance we’d have of raising our child truly together, instead of two strangers trying to make it work.
Almost all the pictures were of Jenna at different ages. One of the ones when she was younger had two people in the picture. I could only assume they were her parents. She looked exactly like her mother. With the long strawberry blond hair and green eyes, they could have been twins.
I set the photo down and continued looking through the other pictures. Jenna in middle school and her high school graduation. I noticed the pictures stopped around that time. Part of me wondered if that was when her grandmother had started getting sick.
With all the things on her plate, I doubted she’d stop to take pictures of herself and hang them in the living room. That was something a grandmother would do. Mine did it all the time while I was growing up. Once I finished looking at all the pictures, I took a seat on the couch and took my phone from my pocket. I’d missed a text from Reagan.
Reagan: Insurance taken care of.
Me: Thank you. I’ll call later.
I pushed the phone back into my pocket and watched the hall for Jenna to appear. A few more minutes passed when she stepped back into the living room. This time her long hair was tied back into a ponytail and she wore jeans and a simple sweater. She was fucking breathtaking.
“You look gorgeous,” I said.
A light pink stained her cheeks and I wondered how often she got true compliments over catcalls and sexual innuendos.
“Thank you.” She picked her purse up from the table. “Anywhere specific you want to go?”
I chuckled. “Considering I only know four places in town and none of them are restaurants, I’ll leave that up to you.”
I pulled my keys from my pocket and followed her out the front door.
“No driver this time?” she asked, but this time I could see a twinkle in her eye.
“Nope.” I laughed, loving the way she was starting to open and joke with me. “This time you’re stuck with my driving. So where are we headed?”
She opened the passenger door. “How about the Dew Drop Inn?”
“Sounds good to me.” I climbed into the driver’s side and shut the door behind me. “You have to show me where that
is.”
She laid her hand on top of the gear shift. I had a feeling she had no idea she’d done it. “Don’t worry, I’ve got you.”
Her words must have sunk in because she quickly snatched her hand away and looked out the window. I knew she hadn’t meant it the way she’d made it sound, but it had a nice ring to it.
“So where do I go?” I asked, not commenting on what she’d said. If we were going to really get to know each other, I needed her to feel comfortable around me, not clam up because she was embarrassed.
She pointed out the front window as we pulled away from the curb. “Take a left at the stop sign and follow that for a few miles.”
Silence descended in the car as I followed her instructions. The roads were quieter than I expected at that time of day, adding to the tension in the car. The scent of vanilla wrapped around me and I couldn’t help but watch her out of the corner of my eye.
Her gaze rested firmly out the passenger window. The only thing that gave away her nerves was the way she fiddled with the strap of her purse.
“Any reason you’re nervous right now?”
Her head snapped around to look at me. “What makes you think I’m nervous?”
It wasn’t the first time I noticed she went straight for the defensive. Hopefully, with time and trust that wouldn’t always be her default reaction, especially when my question came out of concern, not accusation.
“You keep fidgeting with your purse strap.”
She dropped the strap like it was on fire and she clasped her hands between her knees.
“You can talk to me. I’m the same guy you met that first night. Nothing about me has changed.”
“I know you are, but that doesn’t make it any easier. Honestly, I don’t know much about you.”
“And that’s why I’m here. So we can get to know each other.” I tried to keep my tone as reassuring as possible.
She nodded and sighed. “I know. It’s just…”
“Just what?”
She turned her head to look directly at me. “You make me a little nervous.”
CHAPTER 14
Cover Me (Jaded Ivory Book 3) Page 10