Good Girls Don't Date Rock Stars(39)

“I couldn’t,” she said, wrapping her arms around her body. “I didn’t find out until you were on the road, already launching your career. That was why I came to see you in Phoenix, to tell you, but I just kept thinking, ‘All he’s ever talked about is music, and I’m about to crush his dreams.’ You were starting this whole new Chapter of your life, and despite what I thought had happened between you and that woman, I loved you, more than anything, and I wanted your happiness. I didn’t want you to hate me.”

“And you not telling me had nothing to do with punishing me for what you thought had happened between me and her?”

“You have every right to be angry, but please believe me; I wasn’t trying to hurt you. I was trying to protect myself and my baby,” she said, her voice wavering at his outraged expression.

“By keeping my son from me? I never would have hurt you!”

“Not purposefully, but you were gone, Travis. There was nothing holding you back from your life but me. You had been given so many raw deals; I just wanted you to have your dream.”

Grabbing her shoulders, he shook her gently. “I loved you. I would have taken care of you both! I would have married you, Gemma. I would have provided for you.”

Pulling away from him, she snapped, “I’m sure you would have, financially. But you would have been on the road the rest of the time. You forget—I’ve been reading about your exploits for ten years.”

“That’s no excuse! You kept my kid from me because you were worried about me f*cking around on the road? That wasn’t your call.”

“It was a valid concern, but I was also a kid, Travis. I panicked. I had so many reasons why I couldn’t tell you, and I made a decision that I thought was for the best. It wasn’t like you didn’t agree at the time. Ten years, Travis? In the ten years since I broke up with you, I haven’t heard boo from you,” she said.

She saw a flicker of what looked like regret pass over his face before he took on a defensive stance. “Are you seriously putting the blame on me? It’s my fault you didn’t tell me you were pregnant?”

Gemma heaved a sigh. “No, of course not. It was my decision, and mine alone.”

He ran his fingers through his hair. “Where is he?”

“He’s away at camp until next week.”

“Okay. I need some time to process this,” he said, turning away from her and walking to his truck. She jumped when he fired it up, spinning the tires as he pulled out of the parking lot.

Gemma walked to her own car door, but her hands were shaking so bad, she could hardly grip the handle. So many scenarios ran through her mind, ways she could have handled things better, but it was too late now.


Shoulda, woulda, coulda.



GEMMA WAS SO tired of feeling like shit. With the hangover from the weekend, the lack of sleep the previous night, and the stress, she was ready to have some Eternal Sunshine–style memory erasing crap done. She was just pouring a second cup of coffee when her cell phone rang. Pulling the black rectangle out of her pocket, she saw the caller ID for Camp Shoshone.

“Charlie?”

“Ms. Carlson, this is Roberta Wilson at Camp Shoshone. I’m calling because Charlie was in a fight this morning. As you know, we have a zero-tolerance policy regarding violence, so I’m going to need you to pick him up.”

Gemma gripped the phone. “What happened? Charlie doesn’t fight. Ever.”

“The fight wasn’t instigated by Charlie, but you could say he finished it. Both boys are being sent home early; that’s our policy.”

“What were they fighting about?”

“The other boy is one of our more troubled campers and, apparently, Charlie caught him bullying a few of the younger kids and tried to intervene. When the boy hit him, Charlie fought back.”

Gemma couldn’t stop the smile that spread across her face. Not that she condoned violence, but Charlie had a big heart. She knew how hard it was for people to go against the grain and stand up to bullies, and she was proud of Charlie for doing what most people wouldn’t.

“All right, I’ll leave now.”

Gemma walked out the door a few minutes later and drove through town to the bookstore. It would take her at least two hours to drive to the camp, which was located above Sun Valley in the Sawtooth Mountains, and with the drive home, she’d been gone half the day. She might as well stay home and spend some time with Charlie. She’d missed him like crazy, after all.

It would also give her a chance to tell him his dad was in town.

She thought about Travis’s need for time and wondered what would happen when he came face-to-face with Charlie. Should she let him know Charlie would be home early?

No. She’d give him his space, but she would have to tell Charlie. She could just imagine the excitement her son was going to feel.

She stopped in front of her shop and put up a CLOSED DUE TO FAMILY EMERGENCY sign. She was just climbing into her car when Gracie poked her head out. “Hey, aren’t you coming in?”

“I have to go get Charlie. He got into a fight at camp, and they have a zero-tolerance policy.”

“Charlie fighting?” Gracie asked, surprised.

“He was defending some other kids and the bully threw the first punch.”

“Yeah, that sounds logical. What do you need?”