Haunted(26)

“What the f*ck!” I blurted.

Berg pushed me back, trying to hide me in the process, and then he shut the door. He wore a baseball hat and sunglasses. In his hand, he held a newspaper and a box shipped from Amazon.

“What is all that out there?”

“Hey, Mrs. Roman Reed.” Berg hugged me and kissed my cheek. He put the package and newspaper on the kitchen table.

“Where is my little man?”

“Since when do you call Roman your little man?”

“Funny! No, I mean Joey. Is he here?”

“Oh, no he’s at his dad’s this week. We’ll be getting him back full time next Friday.” I smiled. “How do you like your eggs? Over easy or scrambled? By the way, are those fans outside or news people?”

“Any way is good and the answer is both.” Berg sat on a bar stool and I grabbed all the breakfast fixings.

I was planning on making a big breakfast for the three of us, with eggs, bacon, sausage, and gravy and biscuits. This would be easier now since Roman had given up being a vegetarian.

“What’s wrong, Berg?”

“You know you and Roman are going to have to move?” He spoke gently to me.

“Move? Why?”

He pointed toward my front lawn. “It was just a matter of time.”

My face fell, and Berg looked distraught. “I am so sorry, but it comes with the fame.”

Roman walked in the room and saw the distress on my face. He walked over and embraced me. “What’s wrong, baby?”

“Fans and paparazzi are already on the front lawn,” Berg told him.

“Already? Shit!” Roman held me closer. “I am so sorry, baby. I guess I should have warned you, but to be honest, I forgot.” He hugged me even tighter. “I’m just so used to it, and I forgot that you’re not. I promise I’ll buy you the home of your dreams.”

“It will need to be behind a huge iron gate,” Berg piped in. “Unfortunately, when we become famous, we lose some of our privacy. That’s why I pushed you back in the house.”

“Will Joey have to change schools?” I spoke into Roman’s chest.

“Not if you don’t want him to or we can move to a nicer section of town and the school system might be better funded to deal with his special education. You talk to Eric to see what you guys want to do, and I will make it happen. Everything will be fine, I promise,” he said as he brushed my bangs out of my eyes. “You sit down with Berg at the bar, and I’ll make breakfast.” He kissed my forehead.

“No,” Berg said. “I wanted Beth to make breakfast. I heard country women can make a mighty fine biscuits and gravy.”

Roman popped him on the head.

“Hey,” Berg complained, “she said she would last night during our dance.” Berg stuck out his tongue. “Besides, she’s decided to be my country bumpkin.” Berg wore a huge grin.

“No, no, no! There will be no flirting with my wife. She is my wife, not yours.” He pointed at Berg with the spatula.

“But I don’t have one. I want to be included.” Berg put his head on my shoulder.

“You go get your own. What about Eve?” Roman asked.

I looked at Berg. “You have a thing for my best friend?”

Berg’s face turned red and he put his head into his hands.

Aww…Berg was embarrassed.

“Maybe?” He peaked out.

“Oh my gosh, you got a boner for Eve?” I asked.

“Beth, please don’t say boner. It makes me think of you surrounded by a bunch of boners.”

Roman hit him on the top of the head with the spatula.

“Berg, stop thinking of my wife surrounded by a bunch of dicks.”

“Hey, I wasn’t happy about it either. She’s my wife too—by association of best friendism.”

“Berg!” Roman warned.

“Hey, Beth, did you see your picture in the paper?” Berg asked me, diverting my attention away from the conversation.

“Let me see.”

He opened up the paper, and there was a wedding picture of us accompanied by an article. Berg read:

Well, single ladies will be grieving today. Roman Reed, lead singer of Phantom, was married last night at a cozy little chapel in Nashville, Tennessee. Reed, who was recently known for being abducted with a fan from his concert, married Beth Lowe. This amazing love story is embraced by his fans whole heartedly. Beth Lowe was the fan who was abducted with Roman Reed. They fell in love while being held for ransom. Roman has been quoted as saying: “When it’s right, it’s right. I will never want to be with anyone else but her.”

Moreland: Mr. Reed, some say that you might be suffering from a different version of Stockholm syndrome, and people are expecting you to go back to your notorious lifestyle. What do you have to say to that?

Reed: People believe what they want to believe. Beth and I share a bond that no one on the earth will ever understand. I’m fine with that. We understand it and that’s all that matters.

Moreland: Will you continue to tour?

Reed: Phantom will only tour in the summer months when my family can tour with me. During the rest of the year, the band will be writing and recording albums.

Moreland: So you’re a stepfather now.

Reed: Yeah, how lucky did I get? I found the love of my life with a wonderful son to boot.