Rory
Last night’s show might have been terrible, but Jace made up for it. Three orgasms and an all-night snuggle fest put me to rights.
Am I still jealous? Yes. Do I still want to smother him with a pillow? No.
Yawning, I head into the kitchen where Jace is doing airplanes with Layla’s food to get her to eat some yogurt.
“Morning.” I kiss the top of Layla’s head, and she squeals happily.
“Rara!” We’ve been working on saying my name. Smiling, I turn to Jace and give him a quick kiss, and he pulls me onto his lap, so I’m sitting sideways with my back to the window. It’s the only way we’ll both fit.
“Morning, gorgeous. How’d you sleep?”
I chuckle. “Too well. I woke up and couldn’t remember what town we were in.” I glance around, grateful we’re alone but curious. “Where is everyone?”
“Guys went out for breakfast.”
“You could have woken me. I would’ve watched Layla.”
He shrugs. “I see them plenty.”
“Right, but it probably helps to have some downtime when you just hang out.” I don’t know where I get this bit of wisdom, but it seems to make sense.
“Here’s the thing.” He licks his bottom lip. “I just wanna spend time with you.”
I thread my fingers through his hair. “Careful, or you’re going to get sick of me.”
He plants a kiss on my lips. “Impossible.”
Sitting with him like this, I could almost forget what happened at last night’s show.
My phone blowing up with notifications tells me otherwise.
I’m going to have to look at the footage whether I want to or not.
“Listen, if it’s okay with you, I’m not going to get online until after I stop by Taylor’s reception.
I don’t want to deal with everything that happened with Marlowe yesterday until I get a chance to see my dad and let him know I’m alive. ”
“That’s fine.” He frowns. “I thought you decided not to go.”
I sigh. “My dad left me this long voicemail last night, and I think he caught me at a vulnerable time because I texted him and said I’d try to stop by.”
He cups my face. “I know I’ve already said it, but I’m sorry about what happened at the concert. I wish I could undo everything about that show.”
“It helped to talk about it. Thanks for tackling that head on.” I try to smile.
“I might not like the woman, but even I can admit it was a killer performance.” I run my finger over the collar of his t-shirt down to where his wedding band hides beneath the fabric.
“Would you mind if Susan babysits Layla? She’s offered before, so if she’s free tonight I was going to ask her to watch the baby for an hour, if it’s okay with you. ”
“That’s fine. I trust her.”
Layla slaps her hands on the table, and I take the spoon from Jace and feed her. “Is Daddy dropping the ball here? Daddy, she’s hungry.”
I try to scoot off Jace’s lap, but he nips my earlobe with a growl. “Daddy, huh?”
My face goes beet red. “Nope, I’m not calling you that.”
He chuckles as I move to the opposite side of the table. I grab a yogurt for myself, and Jace finishes feeding Layla. “What time are you leaving for the reception? I’d like to go with you if I can swing it.”
“It’s close to our hotel, so I’m heading over there at eight.” We’re checking into our rooms at three and then the guys are headed to practice. “How will Frank feel about you ditching rehearsal?”
“If I only go for an hour, it shouldn’t be too bad. We usually practice till pretty late. I’ll call it our dinner break.”
I smile, loving that he’s willing to do this for me.
Frank’s scheduled this week down to the minute so he can maximize rehearsal time.
I’d feel bad about this, but Jace’s band is really experienced.
Hopefully they won’t have any trouble learning the new songs.
“So we’ll meet at the hotel to go to the reception? ”
He gives me that crooked grin. “It’s a date.”
I’ll feel so much better showing up to Taylor and Hayden’s reception with Jace in tow.
Frank’s wife waves me off. “I’ve got her, dear. Go have fun.” Susan’s sitting on the couch, knitting, while Layla plays with a few toys on a blanket. She’s staying with Frank in our hotel while we’re in Dallas.
“She can crawl really fast now and walks along the couch, anything she can grab on to, really, so just make sure she doesn’t fall and hit her head. Or grab anything that can topple over.”
Susan gives me a patient smile. “I have a dozen nieces and nephews. I swear, she’s in good hands.”
I bite my thumbnail. “I’m sorry she’s not in bed yet. It’s hard to nail down a sleep schedule for her on the road. She sometimes conks out at a concert, but the rest of the week we struggle to get her down. Bedtime is hit or miss.”
“Sweetheart, you don’t have to explain that to me. If anyone knows that living on the road is a giant pain in the patootie, it’s me.”
I laugh and grab my purse, but I hesitate by the door. “I was also wondering if you’d show me how to knit. I can crochet a little, but I’d love to learn how to knit.”
Her grin widens. “Absolutely. We could make Layla little outfits.”
“That sounds so fun.”
“Now shoo. I have knittin’ to do and you’re distracting me.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Smiling, I head for the elevator. By the time I’m downstairs, it’s a little after eight. I look around for Jace, but the hotel lobby is empty. Did we say we’d meet in our room? I shoot him a quick text.
Me: I’m in the lobby.
I wait for another ten minutes, but there’s no sign of him. By half past, I’m annoyed. His heart is in the right place, but I’m not sure he should be making promises when he can’t keep them. At least not while we’re on tour.
Me: I’m going to the reception before it gets too late. Be back in an hour.
I reserve all the things I want to say for an in-person conversation. Like, why couldn’t he text me to let me know he couldn’t come? Or that he was running late?
Calm down, Aurora. The man’s trying.
When I get to the Oasis Hotel two blocks away, I put a pin in my annoyance because I’m suddenly aware that I’m here for my ex’s wedding reception.
The lobby is gorgeous with sleek, retro couches and a Mad Men vibe. This place must cost a fortune for a wedding reception. I wonder if my father is paying for it.
Nervous, I duck into a restroom in the lobby and reapply my lip gloss. I’m wearing another one of Honey’s outfits. She let me borrow several for my date with Jace and then told me to keep them while she was pregnant because none of them fit her.
I’m wearing a purple sheath dress with a boat neck, or at least that’s how Honey described it. It’s almost off-the-shoulder with small straps and a pair of black heels, compliments of Baylee. Who knew you could borrow fashion from friends?
I’m tempted to put on more makeup, but I don’t want to try so hard for this.
Standing in front of the mirror, I give myself a pep talk. I’m going in there, grabbing my dad, and talking to him for a few minutes. I’ll be polite to Taylor and Hayden if I happen to see them. Hopefully, they’ll be too busy with guests to notice me.
It’s a solid plan.
As I exit the bathroom, someone shouts my name, and I turn and see Jace jogging toward me in a suit.
I’ve never been so relieved in my life. “There you are.”
“Sorry I’m late.” Ducking down, he kisses me.
“I was halfway here when I realized I was wearing jeans and a ratty t-shirt, so I went back to our room to change. I don’t know what the fuck I did with my phone or I would’ve called you to let you know I was running late.
It’s probably back at the rehearsal room, but I wasted ten minutes looking for it before I said fuck it and left. ”
Now I feel like a jerk for getting upset with him. I adjust his tie. “Is this the suit you wore to our wedding?”
Grinning, he nods. “One and the same.” His smile fades. “Is it wrinkled? I had it in a garment bag, but I should’ve pulled it out earlier.”
“It’s fine. You look very handsome. Thanks for going through the trouble of changing. You didn’t have to do that.”
“Uh, yeah, I did. I’m meeting your dad. I can’t do that looking like a hobo.” He laces our fingers together as he gives me a once-over. Leaning close, he whispers, “You look fucking edible.”
Blushing, I kiss him. “Thank you. Listen, Taylor is probably going to be really nice because she wants everyone here to think she’s the perfect angel and I’m the asshole.”
He cups my face. “Don’t worry. I got you.”
Grateful that he came, I kiss him again. Although I thought I could do this alone, I’m relieved Jace is by my side. We follow the sign for Taylor and Hayden’s reception. “Is Frank upset you left?”
He tilts his head one way, then the other. “Ehh.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means that I might not have told him I was leaving.”
“What?” I stop and turn to him. “That means what exactly?”
“I told him I needed a break, and I’d be back in a little while.”
My head drops forward. “Jace. He’s going to be pissed.”
“Maybe, maybe not. I just don’t have it in me to grovel to my manager. I pay him. And tonight is important to you, so it’s important to me. I don’t feel the need to explain that to anyone.”
I can read between the lines. He doesn’t want to explain it to Frank only to have him think it’s a stupid reason to leave rehearsal. “Then let’s hurry so you can get back. I’ll track down a big box of Twinkies for him to apologize.”
“Why?”
“They’re his favorite.”
“They are? How do you know?”
Laughing, I shake my head and tug him toward the ballroom. “I pay attention.”
But when we reach the reception, my smile fades. Because my dad is dancing the father-daughter dance with Taylor.
And I realize I never got to do that with him.