by Ford, Mia
“She would be happy that we found love and think they were hot.” We both laughed, and she looked at the large dish of lasagna. It was thick, meaty and cheesy and just the way the guys liked it. The kids all ate it as well, but we cut up fresh fruit to go with it. The salad was for us and the cake was for everyone.
“I think she’d want you to learn how to bake these cakes.” Cammie hinted as I laughed.
“I think she’d hint for about twenty grandchildren.” I quipped as we both laughed. “I know I am happy for now. These kids wear me out.”
“Me, too. And we both spend so much time with each other to boot.” We smiled at each other as she slid the dish into the oven to bake. “I know I couldn’t do it any other way.”
“Me neither!” I exclaimed as she pressed some buttons on the oven.
“Want to hang out with them?” She asked as she glanced at the door to the living room. We grabbed our wine and walked in, settling by our men as they wrapped their arms around us. The kids played well together, being close in age. They got loud as expected but had a great time and gave us a weird break from parenting.
The four of us discussed the two-month long fall tour and the logistics of it. We helped each other through the time and made plans around the locations and dates. It wasn’t easy to be the wife of a Rockstar and it took some work. We planned to visit them at the closer dates on the weekends with the kids, staying at hotels as a family for those nights. During the week, we kept it normal for the kids in school. Normal schedules and regular bedtimes, whether or not it was at my house or her house. We lived so close already so why not? The guys had the best security in our homes and even had the neighborhood security involved. We felt incredibly safe even while the guys worried that a crazy fan might get to us when they were gone. Many of the women didn’t appreciate the fact they had wives.
After about an hour, I helped my sister bring the food to the table. We already had the plates set out and situated the kids where they needed to be in relation to the adults. This time, the dads handled the little ones and we enjoyed the independence of the older ones. Cammie was an amazing cook and used a lot of Mom’s old recipes in her meals as well as some that we got from our grandma’s handwritten book. I always knew that she’d be the cook out of the two of us, though I did okay. David enjoyed cooking the most out of us when he was home.
I watched the smiles around the table as everyone started digging into the food, knowing that they all loved it. Cammie basked in their praise as she grinned, eating it up as I shook my head. Cammie deserved all the praise in the world but the way she handled it was comical at times.
We turned on a movie for the kids when dinner was over, so they could play. The guys went into the studio to play the song from the radio station again, fine tuning it for the tour. I went over my writing schedule with Cammie since she helped me out and we split up the jobs. There weren’t as many as before, but I kept a few clients happy. It was nice to have a few things in life that all worked together for me. I always wanted a full life that fulfilled my interests and both my husband and I had that. We both contributed to our happy life financially and mentally.
I took the time to finish up a project and submitted it as the kids sang along to Frozen in the living room. The room that I was writing in was just off of it and I always kept the door open to listen to them. Cammie was also in the kitchen having insisted on washing the dishes despite all our protests. We all had a good location to the kids, and it made me smile.
We met back at the table for cake and coffee and I sat beside David with our kids on either side of us. He had his hand on my thigh as he ate, joking around about the last practice with the band. They were a bunch of characters and had a raucous relationship though one that reminded me of brothers. I loved them all and treated the younger ones like they were just that, being just a few years younger than us. They were man whores, but that was to be expected at this age when they had the jobs the guys did. David and Brent had their moments. I just hoped they didn’t get anyone pregnant or a permanent sexual disease. They were young and rich, and a lot of people would love to sink their claws into them.
Rosie was sleeping as David carried her to the car three hours later. Cammie had packed up leftovers for us and she tucked it into the back of the car before hugging us. Braden fell asleep on the way home and we carried them to their rooms before locking up the house and going into our bedroom.
He pulled me to him for a deep kiss, sliding off my jeans before he cupped my ass tightly. I reached around his back to grab the hem of his shirt, tugging as he pulled his face back to laugh at me. I stared at David when he stripped, still in awe of this man. He stalked toward me as I dropped to the bed to crawl away from him, feeling him wrap his arms around me. “Shirt off.” He directed me as he slipped his hand over my nipple, pinching it tightly. I giggled and tugged it over my head as he unhooked the front of my bra, pulling me against him. He touched me as he kissed my neck until I couldn’t stand it anymore and turned around to kiss him. David responded hungrily, pushing me down to the bed as our tongues danced together. His chest was pressed against mine and his cock resting against my folds as I arched my back.
“David,” I whispered as he slid inside of me. He was thick and filled me so well as I pressed into him. “Oh, God.”
“You feel so good, baby. So tight.” He murmured as he moved slow and so deep. I wrapped my legs around him and clawed at his back, gasping his name as he plunged into me. He whispered into my ear as he drew close to his release and I arched and jerked against him. I came hard, letting it out in a ragged breath as he drove in and came deep inside of me.
I let my legs fall to the side and my hands above my head. David leaned over me and sucked my nipple into his mouth as I parted my lips, loving the feeling of his mouth on me. “Perfect day, baby. Perfect.”
“It was.” I knew there were parts about it that I didn’t love but overall, it was incredible. I would never love every moment of my life and I learned that when I lost my parents. It was in different ways but hard, nonetheless. I also knew that there was still good coming for me despite the bad. I walked into this marriage knowing who he was and what he did for a living. That job provided us with an incredible life, but it also came with some crazy fans. The women caused me extreme insecurity in the beginning but deep down, I knew that David was in love with me.
I still had my times of doubt. I knew that I had two babies and my body wasn’t like it was when we met. I was curvy then, but pregnancy changed everything, and I struggled with the extra weight. I focused on how much he loved the three of us and how hard he worked to show me that. David was the best man that I ever met. He was the best father and husband. He was everything to me.
We settled together in bed in the dark, his arms wrapped around me. “I love you.”
“I love you, baby.” I replied as my eyes dropped closed. I loved being wrapped in his warmth as I slept, making me not want to think about the time that he’d be away. The bed felt big and empty during those times, and cold. Sometimes, I had one or both of the kids with me just to have some company. I still fell asleep, unable to stay awake to memorize the moment.
I woke up to Rosie calling me from her room in the morning, thrown into my day as she asked for breakfast. I allowed David to stay in bed and cooked eggs and toast for Rosie and Braden once he woke up. I got him off to school and came back home to allow Rosie to play while I worked on my laptop in the living room.
I loved my mornings like this. They were still quiet, but my daughter chattered in the background while her music played, reminding me of how good I had it. I heard steps on the stairs and glanced up to see David, grinning at him as he walked into the kitchen for coffee. “Morning,” I called out as he smiled drowsily at me.
“What time did you wake up, baby?” He asked as he walked in to sit beside me. Rosie walked over to him and he set the cup down to pick her up and kiss her all over her thick, auburn hair that hung in curls around her
little face. “Morning, pretty girl.”
“She was hungry at six,” I admitted as he widened his eyes and gazed at me over her head.
“Holy shit.” He mouthed as I smiled. It was life with my kids and I was fairly used to it.
“It’s okay. Such is life with a tot.” I murmured as Rosie jumped down to return to her toys. He sipped his coffee again, looking grateful for it as I watched him.
“What are you working on?” David asked me as I reached for my own coffee.
“Just some emails for a new party company. They’re trying to get their name out there.” I replied, skimming what I’d already written. David actually asked me to take over the band’s website from the manager who struggled with some of the concepts, insisting on paying me for the work. I cleaned it up and made it look more professional and saved money from them hiring a service. I even told David several times that I didn’t need to get paid, being married to him and all.
“You’ll get it for them.” He assured me as I smiled at him. “I’ve heard good things about the site.”
“I have help with it,” I told him, trying to remind him that the manager was still involved. I just had to instruct him on a few things to keep it fresh and still offered my assistance.
“Hardly. Steve is a great guy but not so techno.” I laughed as she shook her head. “I just wish your sister still worked for the catering company.”
“They’re still around. She just doesn’t work there, and Sarah is a stay at home mom now. Everything else is the same.” I started to do a grammar check on my work and he snorted.
“It’s not. Steve has started using someone else.” I raised a brow and gazed at him as he shrugged.
“You’ll still eat, baby. I’ll bet you could even talk Cammie into making dinner for you a few times when you’re back.” I patted his shoulder before I burst into giggles.
David went to get Braden since Rosie was sleeping and I was stretched out on the bed, listening for her to wake up. He was going to practice with the band later tonight and we’d be on our own. I tried to sleep when Rosie did to keep my sanity. I woke up when I heard them come home, chatting downstairs. I rolled over and enjoyed listening to my boys as they laughed and hit the kitchen for a snack. When Rosie woke up, David went to get her as he called for me to rest if I still felt tired.
I did get up to help with dinner and spend the evening with my kids. David made fajitas for us and then kissed us all before he left. I spent the evening with the kids and spoke to his mom and sisters before I got Braden and Rosie in the bath before bed. Once they were asleep, I collapsed on my bed and turned on the TV, unable to move. I made plans for Sunday dinner with his family tomorrow and wanted to sleep before then. I sent David a message about it and assumed that he got it, knowing how busy he got at practice. I woke up to his kisses on my neck, smiling in the light of the TV. “Hi,” I murmured as he found my mouth.
“Sleepy girl,” David told me, sitting beside me smelling like his peppermint soap as I cuddled against him. He showered, and his skin was warm, which I loved. “The kids are asleep, and everything is secure for the night. Mind if I join you?”
“I’d love that,” I replied as he pulled back the covers and joined me, naked as he moved to take off my shirt. I allowed it and turned towards him as he kissed my breasts, sucking my nipples. “How…how was practice?”
“Great,” he told me, cupping me and sucking me into his mouth. I gasped and felt him moving down to remove my shorts to taste me before he slipped inside of me. We made love slow and sweet as I wrapped my body around him, wanting this to last forever. After we were done, he held me until I fell asleep.
Chapter Thirty-Two
David
It seemed like no time at all before we were preparing to leave for our tour. I had met up with the opening band a few times and they were good guys if not a bit wild. They would get the crowd going and hopefully propel themselves into the spotlight more than they already were. I was packing and making the final arrangements for my family to assure they would be fine without me.
I hated leaving this time. I was grateful that it was a shorter tour that only was in the states and I’d be home in a few weeks. Everyone was going to visit us twice when we were closer to them as well to break up the time. We had plenty of family dinners before I left. Everything was in place, but I felt like I wanted to stay home this time.
Aubrey helped me pack since she knew what I preferred for the road. I could tell the kids sensed I was leaving since my daughter got hyper nervous and Braden started pouting around the house a few days before I left. We both did everything we could to calm them and Aubrey suggested that we should go out to dinner the night before and explain to them about my job.
We took them to their favorite place for food and fun, since it offered games and toys. I liked it here because most of the parents were too busy to even notice me and the kids that worked there usually didn’t have time to stalk me. The kids had a blast too and it brought me back to be a kid and playing with my brother like we had nothing else to worry about. Once we were done with dinner and fun, we got the kids dessert and settled in one of the quieter rooms. I had Braden with me and Rosie sat beside me as Aubrey smiled encouragingly at me.
“I know you two have seen the hustle around the house the last couple of weeks.” I looked at both of them and Braden stared at me with wide eyes. “I have to take a trip for work tomorrow like we told you about. My job is about travel like we’ve all done together in the past. You need to stay home for school, bub. Mommy and Rosie are going to stay with you and you’ll be visiting Aunt Cam and your cousins a lot.”
“What is your job?” Braden asked, looking like the little man he was becoming. Aubrey and I spoke about showing him the band onstage and I took a deep breath. I wasn’t worried about him knowing I was a singer as much as I was the day he would Google me. There were a lot of false rumors out there about me, but I was a womanizer in my past and not proud. Kids had access to the internet early these days.
“This is your dad,” Aubrey said, showing him her phone as she scooted in beside Rosie on the long seat. It was a local show, and I was singing a song I’d written about her, so it was tame. “He’s a singer in a band and goes a lot of places to see his fans. Sometimes we can go and other times we can’t.” They both watched for a little while, but Rosie focused on her cookie before too long.
“Wow, Daddy. Everyone is clapping for you. That’s Uncle Brent too!” Braden said as I exchanged a long look with Aubrey.
“Yep. He goes with me when we play and that’s why you see your cousins so much.” I replied as Aubrey touched my shoulder.
“Is that how you found Mommy?” Braden asked as we both chuckled. That was one way of putting it.
“It is. We met here in Seattle.” I said as he stared from my face to hers. “Aunt Cam met Uncle Brent that way, too.”
“You won’t be gone forever?” Braden asked as I hugged him close to me.
“No, never. It’s a small tour and I’ll bet Mommy and Cam will get you to a few shows. Remember how much fun that is being behind the curtains where you can see us?” I knew that Braden had a great memory but also had a lot going on in there. He nodded with big eyes as if it came back to him. I understood that seeing as he hadn’t been to that many shows. “When I go far away, I make it for times you guys can go with me, like when you’re out of school.”
“Could I stop school and go with you all of the time?” He asked as I shared a look with Aubrey.
“We’ll talk about that down the line. You can do school from home but you like going to your class. Don’t you love your teacher and friends?” I asked as he nodded with a big smile. “Let’s keep you there for a while. It would be kind of lonely on the road without them.”
Braden seemed to think about this as he reached for his sundae. He took a bite and chewed thoughtfully as I waited for him to speak. I was holding my fucking breath I was so nervous. “Yeah, I think I might. I’m going
to stay at school for a while, Dad. We’ll wait for you to come home and visit sometimes.” I kissed his head as emotion washed over me at his words.
“That sounds perfect.” I lied as I thought over his life. It seemed like just yesterday he was a baby gazing around the world as Aubrey held him for the first time. I thought we had forever that day but here he was approaching six and turning into a little man. When the fuck did that happen? I felt tears in my eyes and cleared my throat as I reached for my water, taking a long sip. I looked at Rosie and shook my head at the way she was watching the TV above our heads. “She won’t even miss me.” I remarked, hearing how rough my voice was.
“She will in her own way. She adores you,” Aubrey assured me as I locked eyes with her. “She’s your little princess.”
In that moment, I felt my world turn on its axis. I wanted another baby with Aubrey and I breathed in slowly as I let that sink in. We decided that after Rosie, we were good for a while and would focus on our careers. God knows how active the both of them were, but I had an image of Aubrey holding another one and blinked it away. “She is and you’re my queen,” I told her as she blushed and smiled.
We left after that and I felt like the weight was lifted from my shoulders. We took the kids home, and I bathed them and put them to bed, reminding myself that I’d be back. The time would pass quickly. When they were taken care of, I took my wife to bed and made love to her until we both passed out. We were both aware that she wasn’t on birth control and okay with whatever came of that but now I wanted her to get pregnant.
We fell asleep, and I set the alarm for a bit earlier than necessary, so I could hold her for a little while in my arms. They were taking me to the tour bus, and I’d have the chance to say goodbye there, not wanting to deal with it first thing in the morning. I made breakfast and grabbed everything I needed before we left, tucking a box into the pocket of my workout pants before I left the bedroom.