Good Girls Don't Date Rock Stars(72)

She didn’t listen to the voice of reason, though. “Yes. I think you should go.”

His voice lowered. “You didn’t answer my other question.”

“What does it matter?”

“It matters a lot. Do you love me?”

“I just think we rushed this.” She took a deep breath, trying to swallow the lump of tears in her throat and say what she needed to, before she changed her mind and gave in. “It’s obvious we don’t trust each other and probably never will. You didn’t trust me enough to tell me that we’d been outted to the media.”

“I’m sorry about that, but that had nothing to do with trusting you. I wanted to have more time, build what I thought was a new beginning.” He tried to reach out to her, but she sidestepped out of his grasp, and his hands fell away. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but I was worried you would freak out. I wanted us to have enough time to rebuild, so when something like this happened, we’d stand by each other.”

“It’s not about the time, Travis. This was a mistake, and we both know it. In Vegas it was about nostalgia and trying to get back that feeling of first love, but I think we were just deluding ourselves when we said we could start over. There’s too much water under the bridge to muddle through, so maybe we should just call it off while we can. Before things get worse.”

“Let me get this straight: You want to go back on our deal to make a fresh start, to make our marriage work, because something happened that wasn’t my fault? I had nothing to do with these reporters being here. I tried to keep you out of this.”

“You also weren’t honest with me about what was going on, and you knew I was concerned about something like this happening.” She forgot for a minute about the reporters outside as her voice rose. “And I wouldn’t say you had nothing to do with this. They’re here because you’re a big star with a scandal to expose.”

“It wouldn’t be a scandal if you’d told me you were pregnant when you found out. You have to shoulder some of the responsibility for this mess, Gemma. I can’t be the bad guy all the time.”

“You’re never the bad guy! I am. That’s what our time together has been about. Me apologizing for a decision I made. Well, I’m done groveling. I groveled for twenty years to my dad and I’m done. I made a mistake, I said I was sorry several times, and now I’m telling you that I don’t regret what I did. I gave my son a normal life, and rehashing the past again won’t change anything. As long as you’re here, they’ll be here, too, and I need to think of Charlie.”

“Don’t you think Charlie wants to have me here?” Travis asked.

“Of course he does, and I’m not saying you can’t see him, I’m just saying that maybe we should give it a little time until this dies down,” she said.

“And us, Gemma? What about our marriage? Our second chance?” Gemma tried to look away. but he grabbed her chin firmly. “No, you look me in the eye and tell me you don’t love me.”

Gemma had never been strong until Charlie was born, and then she’d had to be. Travis was the last of her weaknesses, and if she didn’t tell him to go, it would only get worse. Travis said they just needed more time to build a relationship with trust and respect, but what if it never happened? They’d be stuck in a marriage of convenience for the sake of their son, and eventually, her original fear would come true. Travis would resent her, and she would lose him anyway.

“No, Travis. I don’t love you.”

Travis dropped his hand from her face and took several steps back. “If that’s how you really feel, I’ll have my lawyer get in touch with you to see about getting that divorce you wanted, and handle the custody situation with Charlie, too.”

“What does that mean?” she asked.

Travis stopped at the door. “It means that just because you want me out of your life doesn’t mean I’m giving up my son.”

“I wouldn’t keep you from him,” Gemma said hollowly.

Travis’s smile was bitter. “I’ll send for my things. Tell Charlie . . . just tell him I love him and I’ll see him soon.”

Travis opened the door, and Gemma saw the flash of cameras as it closed behind him.

Hearing a sob, Gemma looked up the stairs and saw Charlie standing at the top, his small hands clenched into fists.

“You ruined everything!” he screamed.

“Charlie . . .” Gemma started up, but he shook his head.

“I hate you! I hate you! I want to go with Dad!” Charlie yelled as he turned around and ran for his room, and then slammed the door.

Stunned, Gemma sat on the couch and buried her face in her hands. She didn’t blame Charlie for hating her, but it wasn’t necessary. Right now she hated herself enough for the both of them.



TRAVIS DROVE NORTH toward the highway, cursing George, cursing the reporters, and cursing himself for not setting up the interview with Carol from Country Weekly earlier. If he had just given her the exclusive, it wouldn’t have been such a juicy story.

Of course, he found himself cursing Gemma, too. She was a coward; that was all there was to it.

If she wanted to pretend that there was nothing between them, that it had been a mistake, because she was scared of the hard stuff, then he was better off without her. He wasn’t going to beg her to change her mind. He did love her, probably always would, but she was right about one thing: how could you have a real marriage without trust? And she’d let him down enough in the last couple of weeks to make him wonder if he had been a fool to think they could have been completely happy.