Good Girls Don't Date Rock Stars(82)

Kenny popped his head in again. “Hey, boss, someone says your wife’s on Music City News right now.”

“What?” Travis grabbed the remote and flipped the TV on, hollering, “What channel is that?”

“Channel 10, I think.”

Travis changed the channel, and sure enough, Gemma was sitting in her living room with a big-haired blonde.

“Gemma, you decided not to tell Travis about your son. Why?” Big Hair asked.

Gemma swallowed nervously. “Why? I used to have a lot of reasons I told myself to justify my actions, but I guess the biggest reason was fear. I was scared that he wouldn’t want us, or that he would eventually resent me and then our son for holding him back. I was terrified of him going out on the road and finding someone better. I guess it just boils down to me being selfish.”

“I think those all sound like rational fears for a pregnant seventeen-year-old,” Big Hair said kindly.

“Rational perhaps, but that doesn’t make it right. He should have had a chance to decide if he wanted to be a part of mine and Charlie’s life, but I didn’t give him that,” Gemma said.

“So, all the stories about you blackmailing him for money . . .?” Big Hair prodded.

“The first time Travis found out he had a son was two weeks ago, right after we were married,” Gemma said.

“Why didn’t you tell him then? You were already married.”

“Well, I didn’t think we would stay married, and with how crazy his life was, I wasn’t sure if I wanted Charlie around all the chaos, but I was wrong again. I didn’t trust Travis to put his son first.”

“That’s a hard thing to admit, I imagine,” Big Hair said. “What was your wedding like? Is it true you were both too drunk to remember it clearly?”

Gemma’s eyes widened, and Travis cursed. If the look on her face was any indication, they hadn’t rehearsed that question.

Then Gemma’s surprise melted into a soft, dreamy smile. “No, that’s not true. In fact, I just received our wedding video in the mail. Would you like to see it?”

Travis sucked in his breath.

As the feed cut to the wedding video, Travis watched with a heavy heart and a knotted stomach. Everything he had felt during the ceremony came flooding back.

The clip lasted a few short minutes, and when it was over, Big Hair said, “That was beautiful. Thank you for sharing it with us. You both look like you were very happy. I understand your hometown is putting together a reception for you. Did you ask them to do that?”

“No, but I appreciate their support. Our first wedding was spontaneous and romantic, but it wasn’t right,” Gemma said.

While Travis digested that, Big Hair pounced. “What do you mean, it wasn’t ‘right’? Do you mean you shouldn’t have gotten married at all?”

Gemma looked right into the camera. “No, I’m not saying that. I love Travis. He’s the only man I’ve ever loved. I meant it wasn’t right because we should have waited until there were no more secrets. We should have been married in our hometown church, surrounded by our friends and family. I wanted to have our son walk me down the aisle and share in our vows. Afterward, I’d laugh as I watched everyone do the chicken dance, and we’d cut the beautiful cake my best friend Gracie would make. Travis would pretend like he was going to smash some cake into my face, but in the end he’d be sweet. And when it was all over, we’d head off on our honeymoon. That’s how we should have done it.”

Travis watched, mesmerized, as Big Hair asked, “Where would you honeymoon?”

“In Stanley, at this little log cabin in the mountains.”

“Time to go, Mr. Bowers,” Kenny said.

“Shhhh.”

“Of all the places in the world, why there?” Big Hair asked.

“Because it’s where I realized that I’d never love anyone else,” Gemma said.

Gemma had gone on national television and told them everything, including about her feelings for him. If she had stood in a crowd with a homemade I LOVE YOU sign, it couldn’t have been more romantic or clearer.

Turning to the open door, Travis handed Kenny his cell phone. “I need you to do something for me.”



GEMMA HAD BEEN back home for two days and hadn’t heard a thing from Travis. That morning she’d gotten up early to open the shop. Charlie had headed back to Boise with her mom for a visit, and in all honestly, Gemma was glad for the time alone. Except she would be a little sad to go home tonight to that big house by herself. Maybe she would invite Gracie over for a slumber party.

Picking up a stack of books that needed shelving, she went to the romance aisle and started searching the author names.

Just as she was finishing, the bell on the front door jangled.

“I’ll be right with you,” she called, slipping the last book into place before standing up. As she walked around the corner, she froze.


Standing in the doorway with his guitar in hand was Travis, looking tired, rumpled, and so damn good she wanted to run to him.

“Hey.”

Taking a slow step toward him, she said, “Hey, yourself.”

He swung up the guitar and strummed the strings. “So, I’ve been working all weekend on this new song, but it didn’t feel right. I was hoping you could give me a second opinion.”