Good Girls Don't Date Rock Stars(40)

“Nothing, If people wander over from next door and mention I’m gone, just say it was personal.”

“Have you told Travis about Charlie yet?” Gracie asked quietly, coming over to stand next to her car.

“Last night,” Gemma said, wincing. “It didn’t go well.”

“And again your lack of telephone communication is seriously putting you on my naughty list,” Gracie hissed, elbowing her. “Aren’t you going to elaborate?”

“I just kind of blurted it out, and then he said he needed time,” she said.

“Well, that’s slightly anticlimactic,” Gracie said, frowning at her. “So, you just told him and he just said, ‘Yo, I need space’?”

“Believe me, it wasn’t that casual, and it definitely wasn’t something I want to relive by telling you about it,” Gemma said, sometimes wishing Gracie would take a hint. “Let’s just say he was angry, accusations were thrown, and I’m giving him space.”

“Okay, fine, I’ll let it go, but you are the world’s worst storyteller,” Gracie said lightly, before clearing her throat. “On the subject of secrets, have you told Mike about your impromptu marriage?”

Gemma sighed. “No. I haven’t even talked to him. I’m hoping to keep the whole thing under wraps until it can be dissolved.”

“Haven’t you learned anything about secrets, young lady?” Gracie said jokingly, before adding, “Oh, by the way, your hubby made the Small-Town Scandals column this morning.”

Gemma groaned. “What did she say?”

“Not so fun when the gossip’s about you, huh?”

“Shut up and tell me!”

“She just mentioned that Travis was back to recapture your heart.”

“Great. Awesome. Is that it?”

“Most of it,” Gracie said with a sheepish grin.

“Now who’s withholding information?” Gemma said crossly, holding up her hand to stop Gracie’s no doubt witty rejoinder. “Can we play ‘The Roast of Gemma Carlson’ later? I’ve got to get Charlie.”



GEMMA KEPT LOOKING over at Charlie’s blackening eye and wishing she could have had a chat with the other boy’s mother. The only reason she hadn’t was because the bully had looked worse than Charlie, who had had several inches on him.

Charlie caught her looking at him and rolled his eyes. “You’re doing it again.”

“Doing what?”

“You get this look on your face when you’re about to go all supermom.”

Gemma laughed as she kept her gaze on the road and off her son. “I can’t help it. Mama bear’s mad.”

“I would have let it go after he hit me, but he called Kaylie the B word when she said she was going to tell.”

Gemma’s jaw clenched. She sometimes wished she could keep Charlie in a bubble, away from the world and all of the bad things that could happen to him. Every time she watched the news and heard about another school shooting, a cold sweat broke out when she pictured Charlie in a situation in which she couldn’t protect him. He had begged her to go to camp this year, and she had only agreed after talking to the owner and the camp director, and asking about the counselors’ background checks. And even then, it had taken Mike telling her she was being paranoid to get her to say yes. She knew she needed to relax and let Charlie be a kid, but it was hard to let go. Especially when the world around her told her every day to keep him sheltered.

“Mom? Are you okay?”

Gemma realized that Charlie was still talking to her. “Sorry, honey, got lost in thought for a moment there.”

“Can we stop at Stampede Burger? I’m starving.”

“Yeah, we can do that, but I need to tell you something kind of big,” Gemma said, trying to keep her tone even.

“What? Did you get me something? A four-wheeler?”

Typical boy. “No, I didn’t get you a four-wheeler. There’s someone I want you to meet.”

Charlie was silent, and she caught his scowl out of the corner of his eye. “Your new boyfriend?”

“No, no boyfriend.” Taking a deep, strengthening breath, she continued, “It’s your dad. He’s in town.”

“Really?” Charlie’s voice was so soft, she could barely hear him.

“Yeah. He got in yesterday, and I was going to talk to him about introducing you two.”

In typical Charlie fashion, he said, “We don’t have to stop for food; I can eat when we get home.”

“Charlie—”

“Please, Mom.”

Gemma sighed. “I’ll grab the burgers to go, but Charlie, I have to talk to your dad first. He’s not thrilled with me for keeping you to myself.”

“Do you think he’ll like me?”

“Are you kidding?” Gemma reached over and ruffled Charlie’s hair. “He’s going to love you.”






Chapter Twelve




* * *





TRAVIS HAD BEEN sitting on Gemma’s front step for hours. He looked out over the view of the Magic Valley and took in the flat fields that gave way to the Sawtooth Mountains to the north. People didn’t always appreciate the beauty of southern Idaho, but he’d never been anywhere else that compared.