Chapter 18 #2
Ian rolled his eyes, but I could see the admiration in them as he leaned over the back of the couch to kiss Corrie’s forehead.
My heart warmed at the sweet gesture directed toward my BFF.
She deserved a terrific guy who’d treat her like gold, and clearly that giant of a man was the one to do it.
“This what you two talk about every time you get together?”
Corrie took a drink and shrugged. “Pretty much. Guys’ locker room talk is nothing compared to what women talk about. If you knew, you’d blush.”
“Not all of us are like that.” I scowled in her direction. “I don’t want to hear about your bedroom skills, and I certainly won’t be sharing Garrett’s.”
“Buzzkill,” Corrine grumbled.
“Thank you,” Ian replied flatly.
“What’s bedroom skills, Mommy?” Liddy asked.
Damn it. “Nothing, monkey.” Luckily the trolls on the TV started singing again, distracting my girl from the adult conversation.
I turned back to Ian and asked, “So how’s it going down there?”
“Pretty good. They’re on a roll. I haven’t seen Garrett this focused in years. They keep this up, they’ll have a new album in no time.”
That didn’t fill me with the warm and fuzzies. A new album meant another tour, more groupies, life reverting back to what it had been the past three years. Ian must have noticed my displeasure because his expression morphed into one of concern. “This time’ll be different, Gwen.”
The smile I forced didn’t reach my eyes. He had no way of knowing that for sure. But before I could absorb the news fully, Garrett appeared. “Dear sweet merciful Christ,” he declared. “What the hell is my daughter watching? Is that unibrowed thing singing Lionel Richie?”
“Daddy!” Liddy squeaked, forgetting all about her show.
Garrett caught her mid-leap and tossed her into the air, making her squeal with delight. “Hey, munchkin.”
“What’s bedroom skills?”
Son of a bitch! Garrett looked back and forth between his daughter and me for several seconds. I discreetly shook my head in a pretend she didn’t say anything and change the subject gesture. We really needed to start watching what we said around our little girl.
“What are you watching?” he asked, easily diverting her attention.
“Trolls!”
“Shit,” he grunted, rolling his eyes as if in agony.
“Can the men in this house please watch their language around the child?” I asked sarcastically.
Garrett put Liddy back on her feet, and she ran back to the TV and began dancing around as a new song started to play. He moved around the couch and bent down, placing a kiss on my lips. “How’s it goin’, baby?”
Swoon. From the look on her face, Corrine really liked what she saw.
“I’m good,” I answered, even though it wasn’t totally true. “So… Ian says you guys might have a new album done soon?” I hedged. “That’s exciting, right?” And by exciting I meant not exciting at all… at least not for me.
“I guess.” His casual response and shrug surprised me. “It’ll be nice to have one in the bag already, but me and the guys aren’t planning on releasing it anytime soon. Chris is already throwing a shit fit about that.”
The mention of Civil Corruption’s manager would usually put me in a terrible mood, but I was too focused on what Garrett had just said. “What? Why? Really?”
Catching on to the relief I couldn’t keep out of my voice, Garrett smiled knowingly. “I told you we were taking a break, didn’t I?”
“Yeah, but—”
He cut me off. “Releasing a new album means another tour. It was a mutual decision. The four of us want to stay off the road for a while. It’s been almost ten years.
That shit gets old, Gwen. We want a life that doesn’t include hotel rooms, buses, and plane rides.
The label isn’t expecting anything from us for a while, so we’re in no rush.
But when the creative juices are flowing, we have to follow where they lead.
That’s why we’ve been spending so much time in the studio.
And I made you a promise. No more carrying the burden on your own. ”
The remaining pieces of my shield fell right then. If or when that other shoe decided to drop, I was in serious trouble. Because my heart officially belonged to Garrett Wilder.
“What about Chris?” I was surprised I was able to say that jack-ass’s name without gagging. The only person I disliked more than him was Kimber.
Those jade eyes grew warm as he glanced at Liddy, still singing and dancing, before he looked down at me. “Don’t you worry about him. I can control Chris. All you gotta worry about is my girl’s questionable choices in music.”
A blinding smile slowly stretched across my lips. “There’s nothing wrong with her music choices. Justin Timberlake’s in this movie. He’s hot.” And because I wasn’t done messing with him, I asked, “Oh! Do you know him? Could you introduce me?”
He growled, but there was no anger behind it. “Oh, baby. You’re gonna pay for that later tonight. Now give me a kiss. I gotta get back to work.”
I gladly did as he asked, and then he and Ian started back downstairs to the studio. I was still wearing a stupid grin on my face when I turned back to Corrine. She was smiling too.
“I approve, honey,” she said. “I totally approve.