13 (The LIST Series Book 2)

by Rhonda James

  Tori squealed happily, but a moment later, her face turned serious. “We have to get you to L.A.”

  I shook my head. “I can’t go now. She’s got that party tomorrow, and I don’t want to upset her when she’s supposed to be celebrating the biggest night of her life.”

  She got up in my face and shook a finger at me. “Let me tell you something, buddy. Gavin offered to escort her to that party, and if you don’t march your ass to the airport and hop on a plane, she’s going to say yes, and you’re going to fuck around and lose her completely.”

  J.T. chimed in. “Dude, you gotta go after your woman.”

  Styx laughed. “Yeah, go and do some more of that wooing shit you’re so good at.”

  I flipped him off before turning to get Sin’s opinion. “I agree with V. She’ll book your flight while you go pack. I’ll get you to the airport.”

  I ran upstairs and threw some clothes and toiletries in my suitcase, then looked around and panicked because I realized I didn’t have a tux. I was a musician. The dressiest clothes I owned were a three-hundred-dollar pair of leather pants and a Tom Ford dress shirt my sister had given me for Christmas that still had the tags on it. There was no way I could show up at a Hollywood event dressed in leather. Sophie might appreciate how I looked in it, but I sure as fuck didn’t want to embarrass her in front of her colleagues.

  Thankfully, I had awesome friends.

  Tori entered my room smiling. “Flight is booked. Plane takes off bright and early tomorrow morning. I got you a room at the Marriott for two nights, just in case, and you have a tuxedo fitting at noon tomorrow. I also took the liberty of sending them a photo of Sophie’s dress, so you’ll match.”

  I picked her up and spun her around. Kissed her cheeks and forehead. “You’re amazing. Thank you for everything. For always being there for me. For being a great friend.”

  “Do you remember that day you first convinced me to get up on stage and sing?”

  “Yeah. How could I forget? You totally rocked that P!nk song.”

  “That day you said you were open to falling in love. I’ve known you for a while now, and I always knew the right girl would come along. I had no idea that girl would be Sophie, but I couldn’t be happier for both of you.” She rose up and pressed a kiss to my cheek. “Now, go out there and swoop my best friend off her feet.”

  “I’ll do my best. Do me a favor and let’s make this visit a surprise.” Her answering wink told me my secret was safe with her.

  CHAPTER 33

  SOPHIE

  The first show of the season had aired this evening, and everyone who’d had attended the private showing couldn’t stop raving about how much they loved it. From the set to the wardrobe, the acting and directing. Everything was absolutely fabulous. (The producer’s words, not mine).

  After my last experience on primetime television, I was admittedly nervous about seeing myself on camera again. I’d watched some of the raw footage while we’d been filming, and I’d been pleased with what I’d seen. But the finished episode was one I was definitely proud to be a part of. If the ratings were high during the first five episodes, there was a good chance CBS would renew us for a third season.

  Servers carried trays of elegant finger foods around the elaborate banquet facility. Mini Beef Wellingtons. Lobster bisque served in shot glasses. Shrimp rolls. Oysters on the half shell. And all around me, people laughed and mingled. They drank champagne and flirted with actors and actresses. Business deals were struck, and couples danced to really bad cover songs performed by a band I’d never heard of. I’d met almost every person in the room, yet I couldn’t find a single one I cared to strike up a conversation with. I’d already made small talk with the producer’s wife, a lovely woman named Miriam who’d also grown up in South Carolina. Then I had a nice chat with the creator of the show, Candace, who sang my praises, assuring me I had embodied my character perfectly.

  Somehow, I managed to sneak away and found a darkened corner to hide out in. I checked the time on my phone and wanted to burst into tears when I saw that only an hour had passed since the party had officially kicked off. I’d been warned these things could go on for hours, and as the stars of the show, we were expected to stick around till the end.

  Gavin had been right. I should have brought a date. But I didn’t want to come here with him and spark rumors of us being back together. Normally, I would have been giddy about playing dress-up and mingling with actors and actresses I’d spent years admiring. I was excited about what the party represented. But my heart just wasn’t in a festive mood.

  I wanted to go back to Panama City. I needed to see Hawk. Needed to tell him face-to-face that I was in love with him and had been from the very beginning. One more try to make us work. I knew he loved me, even though he’d never told me. I wasn’t ready to give up. The show had already aired, so there shouldn’t be any reason I couldn’t hop on a plane and go see him for a few days. Or even the rest of the week. All I had to do was find a way to escape the party and get to the airport. Hell, I’d run if I had to.

  I was so caught up in trying to plot my way out that I didn’t see the dark-haired gentleman enter the room. One of my cast members recognized him and ran over to whisper in my ear.

  “There’s someone here to see you.”

  “What are you talking about? Everyone I know in this city is here in this room.” I turned to the left, and that’s when I saw him. He was coming straight toward me, and holy hell, did he look hot.

  He wore a black tux that looked to have been tailor-made just for him, and his tie and cummerbund matched my dress perfectly. His hair had been styled and slicked back, but a few unruly curls still tipped out on the ends and curled over his ears. He was clean shaven, except for a small patch on his chin, and when our eyes met, he smiled just enough that I could see the indentations of his dimples.

  My heart galloped wildly in my chest, and when he finally stood before me, I wanted to jump into his arms and kiss him senseless. The only thing that stopped me was the two hundred pairs of eyes watching our every move. For two months, we’d been one of Hollywood’s hottest couples, and when the news of our split was reported, ours were the faces being spread all over the media waves. No one had ever seen us together in public as a couple. Now that he was here, people had taken notice. I couldn’t really blame them. He wore the hell out of that tux.

  “Hey, beautiful.” He leaned in tentatively for a hug, as if he feared I might refuse him, and my bottom lip started trembling. Strong arms enveloped me, pulling me close. For the first time in months, I felt safe. Loved. “I’ve missed you so much.”

  I peppered him with broken questions. “When? How? You came all this way for me? I’ve missed you, too. So much I wanted to rush home and call you just to hear your voice.” Then I kissed him, not giving him a chance to answer. I couldn’t help myself. I wanted him way too much.

  I might have been the one to start the kiss, but he quickly took charge of its direction. Strong hands stroked up and down my bare back while his tongue swished and flicked, exploring my mouth like he was mining for gold. His head tilted to the right, and he nipped at my lips. I moaned against him, caressing his lips with my own tongue. I ran my hands over his chest, wishing I could rip his shirt open and send the buttons flying all over the parquet dance floor.

  The kiss broke, and he brought his lips to my ear. “Why is everyone staring?”

  I laughed. “Because you’re smokin’ hot.”

  “You think?” He stepped back and struck a weight lifter’s pose, giving me a glimpse of the adorable guy I’d met in a honky tonk bar. The man I fell in love with.

  I trailed my fingers up his chest and peered up at him. “There’s something I need to say.”

  “I have something I need to say to you, too. Something I should have told you long before now.” He glanced over his shoulder and saw the crowd that had gathered around us. “But not in front of everyone. I need this to be about you and me, not them.” He le
d me down a darkened hallway, away from the noise and peering eyes, and cradled my face in his hands. “My whole life I’ve only wanted two things. To play music and find the kind of love my parents have. These last few months, I’ve sat back and tried to give you space because I didn’t want to scare you away, but I can’t hold this in any longer. I’m in love with you, Sophie. I knew it the moment we shared our first dance, but I was scared I’d do something stupid and wind up hurting you. I thought I was doing the right thing, but I ended up hurting you anyway.”

  “Oh, Jared. I’m in love with you, too, but I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want to scare you away. Then we had that fight, and I found that list, and I couldn’t understand why you’d never shared those things with me, even when I begged you to.”

  He swallowed hard. “I was worried you’d think I was trying to hold you back. I never wanted to stand in the way of your dreams. I want to support them and be there for you when you’re lonely or scared. But I miss holding you in my arms. I miss making love with you. I miss everything about us. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking, and I came to the conclusion that I can play music anywhere, but there’s only one love for me, and that’s you, Sophie. My heart is wherever you are, and if you’ll have me, I want the rest of me with you as well.”

  I pressed up on my toes and placed a chaste kiss on his warm lips. “You’d do that for me?”

  “I’d do anything for you, Tiny.”

  “Then take me away from here. Take me somewhere and show me how much you love me.”

  He growled in my ear and pressed his length against my belly. “I thought you’d never ask.”

  He took me to the Marriott, where he’d booked a room for the weekend. He’d no sooner closed the door when I gave in to my urges and threw myself at him. Three months of pent-up sexual aggression took over, and we were a tangled mess of lips and limbs and discarded clothing. When he lowered me onto the bed, I looked up and saw nothing but love and admiration in those Heineken-green eyes of his. He parted my legs and eased inside me, pressing his lips to mine as he rocked against me, bodies moving in perfect sync as though we hadn’t missed a beat.

  After, when we were lying in each other’s arms, he threaded our fingers together and ran the pad of his thumb over my knuckles, stopping when he reached my ring finger.

  He pressed a feather-soft kiss to my lips. “Something’s missing.” He removed his ring, and I held out a shaky hand for him to return it to its rightful place on my barren finger. “One day, this will be a diamond, and I’ll propose to you the right way, but until that day comes, will you do me the honor of sharing your life with me? I promise to always love you. Always be honest with you. And to spend the rest of my days doing everything I can to keep that beautiful smile on your face.”

  I stared at the ring and slid my hand around his neck. “Just keep doing what you’re doing, and that shouldn’t be a problem.”

  He laughed and kissed the tip of my nose. “You got it, Tiny.”

  EPILOGUE

  HAWK

  “Almost ready, babe?” I asked as I entered the bedroom of our new house. It was the one-year anniversary of the night we’d met, and I was taking her out to celebrate. Hopefully, by the time the night was over, we’d have a lot more to celebrate.

  I found her on the floor in the center of the room, surrounded by fabric swatches. (For the record, I only knew that’s what they’re called because it was all Sophie had talked about since we’d purchased the house a month ago.)

  “Babe, you’re not even dressed. We have dinner reservations, and then there’s that thing we need to do afterwards.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “What thing?”

  I crouched down and thumbed through a few swatches. “You know, that thing I told you about last week.” Opting for a distraction, I tapped a finger on the swatch with a blue and gray pattern. “I like this one. It matches the color of your eyes.”

  “Nice try, Sparky, but you still haven’t told me where you’re taking me.” She unraveled her legs, rose from the floor, and followed me to the closet.

  I’d just come from a meeting with the executives at Sony. Sin and I had scheduled a meeting to go over the songs we’d penned for our next album. After our six-month trial period, Sony had offered us a very lucrative recording contract. Not long after that, Sophie and I had taken at good look at both our incomes, which were pretty impressive, and decided we made enough money to take the leap and become homeowners. J.T. and Styx had pretty much relocated to the L.A. area right after I’d left PC. But it took Sin and Tori a little longer to make the move. I understood completely. It was harder for him because Blade was his family, and he’d gone a long time without one, so he hated leaving. The irony had been when Blade had been offered a job by his friend at Sony. He’d found someone to manage the Playground and joined us out here two months ago.

  I quickly changed out of my suit and helped Sophie choose her outfit for the evening. “What about this one?” I held up her favorite little black dress.

  She wrinkled her nose in distaste. “I don’t feel like wearing black tonight.” She pulled down a few more dresses and held each one in front of her as she admired herself in the full-length mirror. She turned, holding up a red dress. “What about this one?”

  “I like it.”

  “Wait, I changed my mind.” She showed me two more. “Which one?”

  I gave each dress an equal appraisal, then reached behind her and pulled a white dress off the rack, slipping something in my pocket while she was distracted. “I think I prefer this one.”

  She tipped her head and smiled. “I wore that dress the night we met.”

  I leaned forward and kissed her forehead. “I remember. That’s exactly why I chose it. Now, hurry your cute little ass up, or we’re going to be late.”

  ____________________________

  We had dinner at The Palm and then stopped for a drink on the way to our next destination. So far, the night was going according to plan. I only counted four times when Sophie had asked where I was taking her after dinner. I had no intention of telling her, but I knew she was going to love what I had planned.

  “Feel like taking a walk on the beach?” I offered her my hand.

  “Okay, but if I get tired, do you promise to give me a piggyback ride?” She giggled, and it was the sweetest sound.

  “I’ll give you one right now. Hop on.” I crouched down, so she could climb on my back. “Ready?”

  She smacked at my shoulder. “No. Give me a sec. My dress is caught in my underwear.” I reached behind me to help her because I didn’t like the idea of anyone seeing her ass but me.

  I gave her right cheek a pat. “Better?”

  “Perfect.” She snuggled close. “Mmm, you smell good.”

  I laughed. “Are you drunk?”

  “Maybe a teensy bit tipsy. That last drink was a little strong.”

  I tightened my grip on her legs. “You probably shouldn’t have drunk it so fast.”

  “Hmm, probably true, but it was sooo good.” She placed her head on my shoulder and adjusted her hips, getting more comfortable.

  “You’re gonna make me carry you the entire way, aren’t you?”

  She pressed her lips to the back of my neck and kissed me three times. “Just until you get tired.”

  About a mile down the beach, we reached our destination. Sophie took one look around and motioned for me to put her down.

  “It looks like there’s going to be a concert or something.”

  I turned away, so she wouldn’t catch me smiling. “Seems that way. Why don’t we hang out here for a bit? Might be fun.” I checked the time and noted that the show was about to start.

  Sophie’s face brightened at the idea. “Sounds perfect. I love outdoor concerts.”

  I kissed her nose. “I know you do, baby.”

  The music started up, and when Chris Young walked out on stage, Sophie screamed so loudly I was sure Chris heard her.

  She turned to face
me. “Did you know he was playing tonight?”

  “A little birdie may have told me he was going to be here. Are you happy?”

  “Blissfully. Thank you.”

  We danced to a few songs, but for most of the show, I stood behind her and held her close. Kissed her temple and rested my chin on her shoulder. Anything to be close to her. We laughed and talked about how fast the year had gone by. We joined the crowd as they sang along to their favorite songs. The smile on Sophie’s face told me she was overjoyed, and nothing could have made me happier. From the moment we’d met, I’d made it my mission to keep a smile on her face. Some days, it was harder than others, but that didn’t stop me from trying. We’d had good days and bad days, but for the most part, our life together had been pretty damn perfect.

  That love my parents shared = I’d found it.

  The dreams we were both chasing = Achieved them.

  Marrying the love of my life = I was about to find out.

  When Chris started singing Hangin’ On, I knew it was almost time. I rocked her in my arms to the song that had started my own love for country music. We danced. Kissed. I whispered, “I love you” more than once. And I did. I loved her so much it hurt. But the thought of not loving her hurt more, so that was how I knew it was time.

  Time to start our new life together.

  Time for kids and pets and all the chaos that came with them.

  Time to put a real engagement ring on her finger.

  When he started in on the song’s bridge, I drew a deep breath and ran through what I wanted to say. I’d planned on keeping it short and sweet, but I also knew it needed to come from the heart.

  When the final note sounded, I pulled the ring out of my pocket, grasped her left hand in mine, and got down on one knee. The crowd around us parted, and Sophie stared down at me. Eyes wide and filled with unshed tears.

  “When we met a year ago, we said some vows that were supposed to be pretend. But for me, that moment was the single most honest moment of my life.” I pulled my ring down past her knuckle and palmed it in my left hand. “And when I slipped that ring on your finger, I had no idea how much I’d grow to love you. You, Sophie Banks, are the most beautiful, most giving, and most loving woman I’ve ever known. Any time spent away from you is pure torture. I can’t focus. Can’t sleep. I feel utterly and impossibly incomplete without you. I lost you once and learned what it meant to be half a man. But then you came back into my life, and once again I had balance. And I don’t want to live another day or even a second without asking you to be my wife. Marry me, Tiny. Marry me and make me whole.”