Good Girls Don't Date Rock Stars(75)

Gemma snorted. “It’s not that bad.”

“Says you. I happen to be a professional, and I will give you my expert opinion that this . . . is . . . shit.” She tossed the cup into the trash as they passed.

“What am I going to do, Gracie?” Gemma asked.

“Beg. Barter. Offer unlimited sexual favors?”

“Seriously, have you no sympathy?” Gemma said in frustration.

Gracie stopped her with a hand on her arm. “How’s this? You’re my best friend. I have watched you conquer single momhood and I have supported you all the way, even when I thought you were making a mistake by not telling Travis. I have watched you sit at home like a dateless wonder most weekends and shaken my head, but I have said nothing. Well, nothing much,” she amended when Gemma raised an eyebrow.

“I have seen you pass up and overlook one of the best guys in the world, even though I platonically love him as much as I do you and knew it was breaking his heart. Do you know why I’ve been the epitome of love and support, even when I thought you were batshit crazy?” Gracie asked, her green eyes serious.

“Why?” Gemma asked.

“Because any fool could see that you never stopped loving Travis. Honestly, if I were going to believe in that soul-mate, meant-to-be, there-will-never-be-another, perfect-someone kind of love, it would be with you guys. This is where I draw the line, though. So help me God, if you don’t figure out some way to grow up and work out your issues of inferiority I’m going to demote you to random chick I used to know.”

Despite the tears in her eyes, Gemma’s mouth twitched in amusement. “You wouldn’t do that.”

“Hell yeah I would, ’cause I can only tolerate so much stupid,” Gracie said.

“And what makes you such an expert on relationships?”

Gracie tapped the side of her head. “Those that can’t do, teach, young grasshopper.”

“You are crazy.”

“Crazy brilliant.”

“Okay, relationship master, what should I do?” Gemma asked as they neared Charlie’s room.

Gracie stopped and put her hands on her narrow hips. “Seriously, how many eighties movies have we watched? Grand gesture, woman. No one can resist a gesture of grandness.”

Shaking her head, Gemma peeked in to see her mother sitting next to Charlie, snoring. Charlie’s eyes were still closed, and Gemma frowned. “I hope it’s normal for him to sleep this long. He’s been out for hours.”

“Are you kidding me? The kid broke his arm, not to mention the head bump and other bruises. I’d sleep for a week with the pain meds they gave him,” Gracie said, reaching out to hug her.

“What if he doesn’t forgive me?” Gemma whispered.

“Charlie or Travis?” Gracie asked.

“Both.”

Gracie squeezed her waist. “You’re a good mom and Charlie loves you. Believe me, he’ll forgive you.”

“And Travis?”

“If he doesn’t, then he’s a dunce-capped idiot who will find himself in a pair of cement shoes learning to speak trout,” Gracie said with a straight face.

“You are so dumb,” Gemma said, laughing softly.

“Yes, but I’m also hot, funny, and have excellent fashion sense. So I’m pretty sure whatever faults I may have, it’s an even trade. I mean, no one can be this awesome without a few issues,” Gracie said, patting Gemma’s cheek. “If you go to him and tell him you were wrong, that you’ve been a scared sissy la-la, and that you want to spend the rest of your life proving your love. He’d be crazy not to forgive you.”

“I hope you’re right.”



CHARLIE WAS DISCHARGED the next day but still hadn’t said a word to Gemma. After they had him settled at home, her mom had sent her to the store for some groceries while she tried to talk to him, and Gemma went without argument. She needed time to come up with a plan to earn his forgiveness.

And Travis’s.

Travis had called Charlie’s hospital room that morning and talked to him for a while, but whatever he’d said, Charlie hadn’t felt like sharing. She couldn’t blame him.

Pulling into Hall’s Market, she parked her car and grabbed her purse from the front seat. As she headed inside, she passed an employee pushing grocery carts and took one from him before entering the store.

It was like that dream she used to have, where she was walking down the halls of school in her underwear. People were staring at her, whispering behind their hands. She tried to ignore them, intently looking over her grocery list.

“Gemma, how’s Charlie? I heard he had a fall.”

Gemma looked up into Nancy’s concerned face. “He’s okay. Had to stay overnight at the hospital, but he’s home now. He broke his arm, so he’ll have a cast on for a while, but thank God it wasn’t worse.”

Nancy clucked her tongue sympathetically. “Well, be sure to go by the bakery and pick up a sack of snickerdoodles for him. They’re on us. And let him know we’re thinking of him.”


“Thanks, I will,” Gemma said, trying to politely disengage herself.

“Is Travis at home with him?” Nancy asked.

Gemma really didn’t want to get into her marital problems in the middle of Hall’s. “No, actually, he had to leave for his concert in California, but he called.”