Just One Wish (The Kingston Family #4.5)(11)

Though Axel had been new to the band when Dean started pushing too hard and acting outside of the band’s best interests, the man had an issue with Cassidy as Dash’s girlfriend. If Dash hadn’t stepped up first, Axel might have pummeled Dean into the ground for the way he’d treated Cass. But Dean was long gone, and Brent did a good job juggling the various people who needed access to the band.

The four band members spent the day jamming the song, rewriting the chorus, and arguing over key. All normal in a day’s work. Afterwards, Jagger and Mac went to grab dinner, and Axel joined them. Otherwise he’d be doubly tempted to call or text Tara. He didn’t want to play games, and the urge to ask her out again was strong.

He figured she needed a day or two to process their date, seeing him again, and of course, time to build up her walls. He expected it. Just as he planned to knock them down.

Friday morning, he caved, and after he parked in Dash’s huge driveaway, he called her before heading inside.

“Hello?” Tara answered in a breathless voice that reminded him of a hot, sweaty session in bed.

“Did I catch you at a bad time?” he asked.

“I’m just running late this morning. I overslept, which isn’t like me,” she said, her voice still husky.

He adjusted his dick in his pants. “I want to take you out Saturday night.” He got to the point, not wanting to keep her long if she was busy.

“I’m… Saturday’s not good. I have plans.”

His stomach plummeted at her words. Before he could ask what those plans were and with whom, because yeah, he wanted to know, she spoke but obviously not to him.

“Oh, hi, Mom. Sorry I’m late,” she said.

“Your first patient is already in one of the rooms,” he heard her mother say.

Shit.

“I have to go, Axel. I’m sorry,” she said and disconnected the call, leaving him holding the phone in his hand.

He understood she had a job to do, so her hanging up didn’t bother him. Turning him down on Saturday night for what he figured was a date – because what else would a smart, beautiful woman have planned on the weekend? – that stung.





Tara’s first appointment of the morning was a quick one, a beagle named Buster with bad breath. They scheduled him for a teeth cleaning, and he was on his way. Her second patient was running late, and considering Tara’s own harried morning, she couldn’t be upset.

She walked over to her mom, who sat at the reception desk, confirming appointments for later in the week. Her mother took one look at her and put down the receiver.

“Did you really tell Axel you couldn’t go out with him because you had plans?” Disappointment lit her mother’s gaze.

Tara should have known her mother was eavesdropping on her call as she’d rushed in earlier. “I did because I do. It’s Amy’s bachelorette party, remember?” She looked over her mom’s shoulder at the rest of today’s schedule.

Her mom let out an exaggerated sigh. “Where, oh, where did I go wrong with you? The man probably thinks you have a date!”

Tara blinked. “I didn’t mean to make him think that. I was just rushing into work.” And if he had assumed her being busy meant another man had asked her out? It wasn’t like they were exclusive or even officially dating.

“What would you have said if you weren’t in a rush and didn’t have Amy’s party?” her mom asked.

“I’m not sure,” Tara said. Nor was she going to get into the discussion with her mother.

She’d already spent the days since their date obsessing over every word she’d said, he’d said, and his lack of a kiss afterward. But mostly she’d thought about his present circumstances. He rented a house, traveled for tours, and was the furthest thing from settled she could imagine.

“I’m starting to think you don’t ever want to get married,” her mother said on a huff just as the phone rang, saving Tara from further conversation.

And since her next patient walked through the door, she was spared from overthinking as well.





Chapter Five


Halfway into the bachelorette party, Tara regretted attending. The first part of the night was a dinner to which Tara’s mom and her sister, Tara’s aunt Jeanne, along with Amy’s mother, Barbara, and her future mother-in-law, Liza, had been invited. Amy and her friends were young enough that, though Tara liked them, she had few interests in common with them.

She’d ended up sandwiched between the older adults. They’d eaten dinner and were on to dessert. Afterwards, the bridesmaids, Tara included, were going to head to the bar on the other side of the restaurant for the more fun part of the evening. At least according to Amy and her friends.

Dessert was served, and Tara was on her second glass of wine.

“Are you dating anyone, Tara?” It didn’t matter who asked. The bomb had been dropped.

Before she could reply, her mother answered. “Her first love is back in town. Isn’t rekindling an old flame romantic?”

“Mom, that’s not true.” She gestured to the nearest server and smiled when she walked over. “Can I please get a Long Island Iced Tea?” she asked, ready for something stronger to drink.

“Of course,” the young redhead said.