Good Girls Don't Date Rock Stars(10)

Chuckling, he said, “Nothing. I just can’t believe you still make that noise. That little growling moan, like when you’d bite into those nasty Cadbury egg things. I would go to the store right before Easter and buy a ton of those things for you, remember?”

“Yes, I remember. I used to bitch at you that I didn’t need a hundred Cadbury eggs lying around, tempting me,” she said.

“I never knew what was so good about them. I always liked Peeps myself,” he said.

Gemma twisted her face into a look of disgust. “Peeps are vile.”

“And chocolate eggs filled with sugary cream aren’t?” he shot back.

“Nope, they are to be savored and enjoyed, like this burrito.” She took another bite, and said, “Mmm, mmm, mmm.”

She hardly ever ate Mexican anymore, and when she did, it was usually a taco salad or tostada. Becoming Fat Gemma again was always in the back of her mind when she ate anything, and she hated it. Every humiliating childhood moment seemed to haunt her when she ate something unhealthy. The boys who’d made pig noises in high school, or when Bobby Gillingham had taken her to homecoming only because he’d lost a bet and then ditched her when they arrived. Or when she’d had Travis, Mike, and Gracie over for her birthday, and her dad had told her mother she didn’t need a cake. Or the girls in their little booty shorts at the fair, who’d flirted with Travis in front of her like she wasn’t there.

Through it all, Travis had been her champion. Pulling her onto the dance floor in front of Bobby and everyone else to dance like a dork, despite his date’s angry glares. Telling her dad that he thought she looked great and, the next day, taking her to Jensen’s for a large piece of chocolate pie. And Travis wrapping his arm around her shoulders and introducing her to those thin, pretty girls, by saying, “This is my girlfriend, Gemma.”

He had always surprised her with his ability to look people in the eye, say whatever he wanted, and not care what they thought. She’d spent most of her life just trying to stay invisible so she wouldn’t be made fun of, so Travis’s confidence had been a big draw for her. It had been hard to believe he’d wanted that girl ten years ago. As for wanting her now, Travis was a flirt and obviously hadn’t changed.

“People make noises when they eat,” Gemma said, blushing at the way her thoughts had shifted. Travis hadn’t said anything except that he was sorry about the way they’d parted and wanted to catch up. With all the women in the world undoubtedly throwing themselves at him, why would he be into her now?

Because when he touched my hand, I felt it. That spark is still there.

The problem with sparks was that they were both bright and short-lived. She needed to remember that.

Gemma suddenly realized Travis was speaking and she’d missed it. “I’m sorry, what?”

His grin was mischievous. “I said people might make noises, but your food noises are the same as the noises you used to make right before you—”

Her fork dropped onto the plate loudly, and she squeaked, “Travis!”

Innocent blue eyes stared back at her. “What? I was going to say before you bought a new book.”

“Uh-huh. Don’t play innocent with me! You always had a dirty mind, but I’m sorry to see you haven’t matured,” she said.



UGH, I AM so full, I’m going to bust out of my skirt.

A bit later, Gemma set down her fork with a sigh. “That was amazing.”

“It was a burrito,” Travis teased, taking the last bite of his fajitas.


“It was an amazing burrito,” she countered as she watched the server approach. The woman’s bold gaze was eating Travis alive, and Gemma wished she could send her packing with one of Gracie’s sharp quips.

“Hello, folks. Did we save room for dessert?” she asked Travis, barely glancing at Gemma.

Travis raised his eyebrow at her, and she shook her head. “I’ll explode. I swear. Like the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man at the end of Ghostbusters.”

“And with that mental picture, I think we’re good,” Travis joked, reaching for his wallet and handing the server his card.

“All righty, sir, I’ll be back with your check.” The woman skipped away without asking Gemma if she wanted a box for the rest of her meal. Figured.

“When she comes back, will you ask her if I can have a box? I need to go to the ladies’ room,” she said, scooting out of the booth and smoothing down her skirt.

“Sure,” Travis said, standing like a gentleman along with her.

Moving past him toward the main dining room, she tried not to look back to see if he was watching her. She didn’t really want to think about whether her butt looked big.

Why am I worrying about this stuff? It’s just lunch with an old friend.

Ignoring the way people stared as she came out of the VIP room, she bolted into the restroom and closed the stall door with a sigh. She really hoped people weren’t snapping photos of her after having seen her come in with Travis. The last thing she needed was to be on the front page of every magazine in the world and have everyone in Rock Canyon know what she was doing.

Especially Charlie. And Michael.

She didn’t want to think about how her friend would feel. She was just giving Travis a chance for old times’ sake. Besides, going to lunch was a lot different from turning your whole life upside down for your kid, and Gemma just didn’t think Travis could do it. He had always put his music first, and with how successful he was and his lack of serious relationships, it looked like he was still doing it.