“Hey, guys,” Bryan jumped in, giving me an expectant look. “You ready for tonight?”

  Ben’s voice drowned him out, shouting to a roadie about his precious drums. “No way your big bear paws are touching my kit again. I won’t be able to get parts here!”

  Bryan rolled his eyes. “I’m going to have to keep an eye on Ben. With our lineup of pop starlets, I don’t know if we’ll be able to trust him. Jazmin is here too.”

  Ben pivoted to face us. “Love is in the air.” He winked at me.

  “Oh god,” I groaned. “Try not to get into any trouble. I think one press stakeout a day is enough.”

  The trailer door opened and a high-pitched voice called, “Yoo-hoo!”

  Kelly’s mom, Marie Cavendish, stood there blinking at us, her hands gripping her purse.

  “Mrs. Cavendish.” The room fell silent. “I didn’t expect to see you here.” Sweat popped out on my forehead. This couldn’t be good.

  “Hello, Gage. Could we have a moment?”

  The boys scrambled to get out of the way, and the trailer was empty except the two of us in about half a second.

  “It’s nice to see you doing something back at home. New Hope doesn’t get enough events like this one.”

  I swallowed, wishing she would get to the point of her visit. “I expect you received the tickets I sent? You’re going to enjoy it. We’ve managed to get some awesome bands with us—”

  “Oh, I’m sorry. I just came by to congratulate you and…” Her face fell. “Gage, the thing is, despite my trying to convince her otherwise, Kelly has decided not to come, and I thought you should know.” She frowned. “I think you two need to have a conversation.”

  “Kelly isn’t coming?” I had to sit down because my legs refused to keep holding me up. “But she has to be here. That’s the whole point…”

  “She hasn’t been dealing with everything very well, and I think the crowd and all might just be too much for her.”

  “Where is she?” I stood, swaying. “I love her. I’ve planned a surprise. I want to make it right. I can’t fit into her life, and she can’t mine, but I want us to try to make it work in a different way.”

  I snatched my wallet off the table, and a set of car keys that belonged to the rental my bodyguard had been driving.

  I was halfway to the door when she said, “She’s just finished work, so she’ll be on the way back from the hospital. If you go now, I’m sure you’ll catch her just as she gets home. And be good to my girl.”

  “Thank you, Mrs. Cavendish, that means so much to me. I won’t let you down.”

  “Good luck, Gage. I think you’re going to need it.”

  30

  Kelly

  What the hell is going on?

  My pulse raced as I slammed on the brakes so I wouldn’t run over any of the dozens of reporters hanging out in my driveway. When they realized it was me, they perked up and whipped out their cameras and microphones. I parked on the street and was trying to figure out how to get through them and into the house when they swung as a group to the car in front of me.

  My eyes had to be playing tricks on me. It looked like Gage climbing out of the black Toyota. I took in his dark hair just before he was surrounded by reporters. I shook my head. It couldn’t be, it was wishful thinking.

  But then, the crowd parted, and a second later, he was tapping on the passenger side window.

  I popped the locks, and he flung himself in, saying, “Drive!”

  I just stared at him for a second as the car was swarmed.

  It had been challenging enough knowing he was here without actually seeing him, so challenging that I could barely keep myself contained at work. Millie had been covering my ass all day long. I’d been jittery since I woke up this morning, looking forward to the moment I could go home and block this day out.

  “Gage,” I said as the shock wore off.

  “Will you please just drive? I’ll explain.”

  My foot hit the gas automatically, and the reporters got out of the way or be run over.

  “I couldn’t be here and not see you.”

  I shifted uncomfortably, focusing on getting out of the neighborhood without running any stop signs. Wasn’t he supposed to be angry at me for leaving? Dating other women and forgetting about me? Oh yeah, he was dating other women. I frowned. “But aren’t you supposed to be getting ready?” I checked my watch. “The show starts in just an hour or so.”

  “Your mom came to see me.”

  “She did?” My heart did a hard thump. I would have to tell him now. There was no way around it, no way to avoid. But first, I needed to address the elephant sitting on the front lawn. “Look, I’m sorry for the way I left, that was wrong of me. I probably should have talked to you, but I was—”

  “No, I get it. I understand. New York was a total shit storm, not the best way to introduce you to my life.”

  “It wasn’t your fault.” I automatically turned away from town. “It was me who couldn’t hack it. I guess I’ll always be too much of a small-town girl to have everything I do examined under a microscope.” I tried to smile so he’d know there weren’t any hard feelings between us. I never hated Gage, even when I thought he’d moved on quickly. I just wished things weren’t as they were.

  “I shouldn’t have expected you to hack it. It’s nuts.” He twisted in his seat, facing me. “I just…wanted you to know that I’ve been talking with my dad.”

  “You have?” My eyes popped wide. “Wow, that’s huge.”

  I should’ve known all that talk about not caring was just bravado. He had to be curious, he wouldn’t be human if not. I was sure every single person had a need to know where they’d come from.

  This was good. He brought me and my mom closer together while I brought him to his father…we were in each other’s lives for a reason. And would be, because of the baby. It didn’t matter that we weren’t together. My heart gave a lurch. It wouldn’t matter someday. “And has it…been good?”

  “It has actually. He wants me to meet my siblings soon.”

  “Wow…are you going to?” He nodded, and I couldn’t stop tears from welling up in my eyes. “You’re going to have a new family soon.”

  One I wouldn’t know at all.

  “Yeah, it’s pretty wild.” He stuffed his hand into his pocket. “All thanks to you.”

  “I just took the envelope from your mom. Nothing more.”

  “Yeah, you took it when I refused. You knew what was good for me even when I didn’t. And you brought it to me at just the right time as well.”

  “Well, I’m glad then.”

  He wasn’t alone now. He had his band and his father in his life. Good for him.

  “I don’t know if you have anything planned right now, but I wondered if you might come with me.”

  Instantly, my walls flew high. It was challenging enough being this close to Gage. I shouldn’t want to dive deeper. “I actually have plans with my mom…”

  “I know you aren’t planning to go to the concert. Your mom told me. Please, just give me a few minutes. That’s all I ask.”

  Heat filled my cheeks. “I just thought…I’ll donate some money to the hospice anyway, that’s a great cause you picked for the concert.”

  Gage stunned me into silence by taking my hand. My body filled with crackling electricity as he looked over at me with the beautiful smile I’d convinced myself was just for me.

  “Kelly, I understand why you don’t want to come, this isn’t about that. I have something I want to show you.”

  “What?”

  “It’s a surprise.”

  I narrowed my eyes at him. “What do you mean, surprise?”

  He laughed, the sound going straight into my blood. “It means I can’t tell you what it is. Please. I just want you to see it.”

  “It what?”

  He grinned, and I could tell he was enjoying himself. “If you don’t like it, I promise I’ll bring you right back here.”

  This is a bad idea, my brain screamed.

  But intrigue got the better of me, and being near him again, I couldn’t help myself. I nodded before I could even really consider what I was doing. “Okay, sure, surprise.”

  “I knew you’d agree.”

  I gave him a playful shove, and just for a second, our eyes connected and the love we’d shared since day one flowed between us again. I knew if I wanted to, I could’ve pressed myself up against him and we would’ve been kissing like there was no tomorrow. His hands would be all over me, I could almost feel his skin burning hot with passion under my hand. Maybe we would even tumble into the back seat, and he’d be inside me in moments.

  I dragged my eyes away and followed the directions he gave me to this surprise.

  When I pulled into the drive of the two-story stone house, he got out, coming over to open my door. I puzzled over the giant smile on Gage’s face.

  Since he didn’t seem like he was going to explain what the hell we were doing here, I couldn’t hold in my curiosity any longer.

  “Gage, what is this?” I turned, frowning at the sweeping flower beds. “I mean, why did you bring me here?”

  “This house has been on the market for a while now.”

  I turned slowly back to him, watching his lips move. “Okay…”

  “I bought it. It’s mine.”

  “Oh,” came out in a small puff of air that escaped my lungs. I was afraid to turn and look at the house again because I knew I would instead see visions of us raising our child here. Gage playing baseball in the front yard with our boy. Me and Gage sitting on the porch swing with a baby girl tucked between us. I took a deep breath. It would be good for the baby. Good to have him this close. But how would I get through even one day, knowing he lived mere miles from me?

  Oh god, he didn’t even know.

  “That’s…” I gulped. “Great. Gage, there’s—”

  “Wait,” he said, holding out his hand. “Let me show you.”

  I nodded slowly, selfishly glad the moment of truth was being put off. Taking his hand, I let him lead me into the house. “So you have your mom’s place, and you bought this…can I ask why? You live in New York. Isn’t this going to be a bitch of a commute?”

  He grinned at me, and his eyes danced in a way I hadn’t seen since we were in high school. “Well, it would be. But now, it doesn’t really matter where I’m based.”

  “You’re trying to tell me that you’re moving here?” My head spun, and I couldn’t get air into my lungs. Tell him, Kelly. Tell him now.

  “I want to move here, live here.”

  My heart stopped. I turned away so he wouldn’t see the tears that had popped into my eyes, and focused on the beautiful stone fireplace that was the focal point of the den. We were done, we’d moved on—he’d moved on. And now he was coming back? I wanted to be able to have a friendship with him for the baby’s sake, but this? I didn’t know how to handle him being so close.

  “I-I…” I didn’t know what to say. “This is crazy.”

  “No, not crazy, Kelly. I can’t stop thinking about us. As far as I can see, me and you are good, it isn’t us that’s the problem, it’s everything else.”

  My heart went from a dead stop to doing cartwheels. He couldn’t stop thinking about us. “The rest of the world isn’t going anywhere.”

  “I am. We tried to fit into each other’s lives, and it didn’t work. So, I think it would be much better if we blended our lives together.”

  That sounded so good, it was everything I wanted and more…only I couldn’t grasp how it could work.

  “But what about the paparazzi? What about all the media intrusion and stuff?”

  “That’ll be over.”

  I turned to him, confused.

  “I’m retiring. Gaged’s last show is tonight. We may do a farewell tour at some point but not right now. Right now, I want to focus on this, on you.”

  I wanted to say, not me—us. Two for the price of one. I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. My thoughts just crashed into each other, and none made it out of my mouth.

  He grinned. “Did I mention there’s roughly a hundred acres? And a barn.”

  “A barn?” The word squeaked out. I cleared my throat. “I’ve, um always wanted a barn.”

  “I know! Let’s go check it out.” He held out his hand again.

  I wasn’t sure my heart could take being opened up again, just to be shattered. But I could handle a walk to the barn.

  Outside, Gage said, “I know we’ve tried twice, but I’m not ready to give up.”

  Baaa-meh!

  “What was that?” I stopped, turning to him, then toward the sound.

  Baaa baa-meh!

  “He’s not ready to give up either.” Gage pulled me to a tiny corral where the baby goat I’d admired at the Amish farm stood.

  I fell to my knees in front of him.

  Baaa-meh!

  His white hair was soft and wiry at the same time. He’d grown so much and tried to butt the fence so he could get to me.

  “I think he’s trying to say mama,” Gage said.

  The next bleat sounded so close to mama that we both dissolved into laughter.

  Once we’d recovered, I stood and wandered into the barn, breathing deeply of the earthy smell I loved. I turned in a circle, spotted the hayloft, and climbed the ladder just for fun.

  There was actual hay in the loft. Delighted, I checked it out. When I turned to go back down to ground level, Gage was standing behind me. And he wasn’t moving out of the way.

  Suddenly, I didn’t care about New York or the fans or the reporters, or even that too pretty tramp who had been on his arm. Despite everything, I could picture us really giving it a go here, living a gorgeous little farm fantasy, with our goats and our kids.

  I had to tell him.

  “Gage—”

  He hooked his hand around the back of my neck and dragged me to him for a kiss. As his hot lips covered mine and the lengths of our bodies merged, I could feel how much he wanted me, pressed against my belly. My muscles went liquid, as his arm came around my back and he lowered me down into the hay bales. I happily pulled him closer, feeling his body weight pressing down on me. I wanted to stay here in this hayloft, with Gage over me, his breath blending with mine, forever.

  “God, I’ve missed you so much,” Gage whispered.

  I threaded my fingers through his hair and tugged his lips back down to mine. “You have no idea.”

  His mouth joined with mine again, his tongue dipping in, making me forget he had a place to be soon.

  I let my hands wander over the muscles of his back, and when my fingers found the bottom of his t-shirt, they automatically curled under, conspiring with my arms to yank until it was tugged over his head. Gage’s hands swept under my ass, lifting me, pressing our sexes together. Streaks of fire shot through me until I was throbbing, shaking with it. My shaking fingers massaged his abs.

  “Gage, the concert—”

  “I don’t give a shit about the concert.”

  Well, then…

  “Get on your back,” I commanded, almost as surprised at my demand as he was. I scooted down the hay bales, pieces of it poking me, but I didn’t care. While my hands were unbuckling him, unzipping, I fixed my eyes on his as a pleased expression flashed across his face. “That’s right, just like that.”

  I couldn’t resist teasing him and pressed my lips on his chiseled chest, moving them lower. Occasionally, I darted my tongue out to taste the perspiration that was salty and addictive. My stomach clenched with desire as I licked my way down his torso, following the trail of dark hair that led to the prize. The very big, hard prize that my fingers fisted over through his boxers, making us both gasp.

  “Fucking hell, Kelly.” His eyes rolled to the back of his head as my other hand reached the waistband of his boxers. I dipped my fingers inside, just a tiny bit, enough to brush against his tip, which was begging to be released from its material prison. “You’re killing me here.”

  He raised his hips off the hay in response, and I couldn’t wait any longer. I yanked the trousers and boxers down and wrapped my fingers around his silky, pulsing cock.

  He trembled beneath me and sucked in a harsh breath as I blew a breath along his length. Parting my lips, I ever so lightly pressed them against the underside of him, running them downward, pausing. Then with just the tip of my tongue, running them back to his tip.

  “I want to taste you, Gage.” Somehow, my voice was soft and seductive. “Do you have time for that?”

  “Fucking hell, Kelly, I would miss a nuclear damn war right now.”

  I laughed and pressed his tip between my lips and darted out my tongue, flitting it into the dent that rewarded me with a drop of pre-cum. Now it wasn’t just his cock that was stiff, it was all of him. I could read each change of tension in his body and wanting to pleasure him consumed me.

  I wrapped my lips all the way around him, taking the round mushroom between my lips, pulling back again as I tightened my mouth around him. Releasing the suction, I slid down his length as guttural noises I’d never heard Gage make before burst from him. I dragged my tongue all the way to his base and let him hit the back of my throat for a second before I pulled back.

  “Kelly, that’s…incredible.”

  His fingers delved into my hair on either side of my head, his hands resting lightly, letting me control the pace. It felt so good to make him feel so good.

  “Too much.” Gage’s hands came under my arms, and he pulled himself from my mouth.

  Before I could protest, I was on my back in the hay with him over me, his hand dipped inside the crotch of my scrubs and inside my underwear. He sucked in a breath when his fingers found how soaking wet I was.

  “I need you, Gage.”

  “Fuck, no condom.” He blew out a frustrated breath and cursed again.

  I hiccupped a laugh. “We don’t need a condom. If you don’t need a condom for other reasons...”

  He shook his head. “I don’t need one. Are you sure?”

  I nodded, hoping the dim light of the barn would hide the way my breasts had swelled already. I wasn’t showing, my belly was still flat, but I had gained a few pounds that, in my opinion, showed. I wanted this, needed this with him. Then I would tell him. Inspiration struck.