Chapter 7
Kelsey
With a cup in each hand, I step out onto the veranda and wander to the railing. The ranch is bustling with activity under the bluest of skies. It’s a beautiful morning. The sun is already baking warmth into the ground. I set the cups down on the narrow rail and lift my face to bask in it.
The man currently showering in our room is mine. He told the whole world. He made it clear. And for the first time since we started fooling around, I don’t feel like it’s only a matter of time.
Workers rush this way and that, setting up for Ivy’s bridal shower and Rogue’s groom’s roast later today. Adira stands in the middle of the hubbub, a stately queen commanding his armies despite the fact that Rogue and Ivy didn’t come back with us last night.
The whole wedding could be in jeopardy, but we’re carrying on as though they’ve taken a ten-minute ride into town and will be back any second. I hope they’re back in time. I hope we find and neutralize whoever is threatening their perfect day.
Riot shuts the screen door behind him.
I hand him his cup of coffee when he slips an arm around my waist. He’s still warm and a little damp from the shower. I tip my head back and inhale. He smells damn good. It makes my belly flutter.
“Is this true?” Rochelle marches toward us, holding her phone up with the screen pointed in our direction.
“It’s true,” Riot says.
“Why didn’t you say anything?” She gasps and covers her mouth. “I would never have said what I said...”
Riot locks his arms around me. “You don’t need to be embarrassed, Ro. We’re friends.”
“But I...” She lowers her voice but sounds more distraught. “I propositioned you. I feel incredibly awkward.”
I suspected as much with the way they were talking last night. It had looked intimate.
“You didn’t know, Ro. We were keeping it a secret.” I let her off the hook. It’s much easier not to be jealous when it’s clear I have nothing to be jealous about. Now, if I can come up with a plan for how I’m going to tell him that he’s going to be a daddy…
I could write it across my belly in marker.
Or I could have it printed on a new box of guitar picks and wait to see when he notices.
Or…
“Candy head, what are you thinking?” Riot asks.
Both he and Ro are staring at me like the conversation must have continued without me.
I smile at them both and then peck him on the mouth. “I’m glad we’re done with other woman dram—”
Overhead a chopper whirs, stirring the leaves on the willows along the pond and whipping up dust when it gets lower to the ground.
Adira shields his eyes with his hand. He almost looks relieved, but then his expression grows grim.
Ro clamps a hand to the top of her hair as the wind picks up strands and whips them around. “What in the world is happening now? Do you think it’s Rogue and Ivy.”
“No,” Riot says. “They won’t be back today.”
The rotor cuts out.
Bianca, who is the drama queen of the Maddox’s closest friends must have arrived during the spectacle. She marches toward the chopper with the support of one of her two besties Ethan. “Ivy and Rogue are going to love this. I totally got them the best wedding present ever.”
What kind of present is delivered by chopper? I get a sinking feeling.
“Rogue, Ivy...” She searches the faces gathered, looking for the bride and groom. Ethan opens the door to reveal the occupant.
Sonatina Savant appears in the open space. She smiles and waves at everyone while she exits the helicopter. The gold tartan mini, and too tiny, cropped L.A. Riot shirt both creep up when she bounces up and down in glossy skyscraper boots. Oh my God. She can’t be for real.
“What the hell?” Riot’s breath stirs the hair at the top of my head as he stands behind me at the railing.
“You didn’t know she was coming?” Ro glances from him to me. “Either of you?”
“Nope,” Riot hits that p hard, making him sound terse.
“No.” What is she doing here? And why is she dressed like... me? Other than the color of the skirt, which I would never. The tartan pattern and cut... the competitively short crop... and those boots... I own this outfit. I’ve worn it to concerts and to party with the guys.
“Oh boy.” Ro offers me a sympathetic smile.
A second woman climbs out. Unlike Sonatina, she wears sweatpants and a sweater that cover her from neck to knee. Her hair is pulled back in a mid-ponytail, and her gaze is curious as it glances around at the gathered guests.
Sonatina says something to the girl that has her dropping her head into a bow. The brightness dims from her gaze and she turns back to the helicopter to retrieve several heavy looking bags, slinging them over her shoulders until she resembles a pack mule.
Sonatina’s gaze barely catches mine—if looks could kill, but then I’m sure that’s also the expression on my face. Her attention slides over me like oil on water and lands on Riot. Her cherry red lips curve and she waves at him.
I will not slap Carmine’s daughter. I will not get in a cat fight and scratch her eyes out. I will not do anything to jeopardize the band’s relationship with Savant Records. Or cause trouble at Rogue and Ivy’s wedding. I release my death grip on the railing.
Bianca’s excitement dampens when neither Rogue nor Ivy appear. “Where are the bride and groom?”
“On that note,” Adira sashays into the space Bianca has taken up.
He claps to get everyone’s attention since the crowd has grown by the minute.
“A small announcement... Rogue and Ivy have an emergency to attend to. This will impact only today’s schedule, but not the wedding tomorrow, which will be on time. ”
“I hope he’s right.” Riot’s lips tickle my ear.
“Do you think they will be?” Ro asks.
Riot shrugs. “If it’s possible.”
“What?” Bianca’s disappointment carries. Even from this distance she looks crestfallen. “They’re not here?”
“Sorry, sweet thing.” Adira winds his arm around her shoulder.
Rumbles start amongst the guests. He raises his voice, modulating it to be heard over the murmur.
“In the meantime, we’re going to celebrate our bride and groom in their stead.
Until they can rejoin us. We have all this nature and tranquility surrounding us, an amazing catering team, and a fleet of spa therapists set up under the marquee. Please, relax and rejuvenate.”
The staff disperse to their tasks while the guests congregate in groups, no doubt to discuss whether the wedding will indeed happen and where Rogue and Ivy have disappeared to. It shouldn’t be too long before Adira’s queens intentionally start to float the idea of a Vegas elopement.
“I know how much Ivy and Rogue love that ballad she sings. I thought if I dedicated a live performance of it to the bride and groom that might go some way to making up for the trouble I caused last night,” Bianca says tearfully to Ethan as they walk past us.
“Do you think they’ll like it? They are going to come back, right? ”
“I’m sure they will,” he says sympathetically with a glance at the popstar over his shoulder. “I wasn’t aware you know Sonatina.”
“Well, I don’t have her on speed dial,” Bianca says. “But when she—”
They’re too far to hear, so I turn my attention to Sonatina who is chatting with Adira.
“Whether or not Bianca meant to stir up trouble, she’s managed it.” No doubt the queen is probably trying to work out where he’s going to put the uninvited pop princess and her assistant when every cabin is packed with guests and the main house is full up. I hear the pit is nice this time of year.
Not bothering to hide my smugness, I put my arms around Riot’s waist. “She’s going to be unhappy when she realizes she came all this way for nothing.”
Somehow, Adira manages to be a total professional and not have a meltdown with yet another problem thrown on the pile he’s already handling.
He calls out to one of the wedding crew, “Can we get some help with the bags please?”
One of them trots over to Sonatina’s assistant.
“No,” Sonatina says. “That’s quite all right.”
Adira narrows his gaze at her. “But—”
“I’m sorry. I don’t like people I don’t know touching my bags. My assistant can handle them.”
Ro rolls her eyes at me. “Well, she’s a peach, isn’t she?”
“That’s not what I would call it,” I tell her.
“Behave, Kelsey,” Riot warns me.
Sonatina’s assistant’s downcast expression says she doesn’t enjoy being Sonatina’s pack mule, but she gestures to the staff that she’s fine.
“Well, then. Let’s get you settled in.” Adira escorts Sonatina to the house with her assistant trudging behind.
“Riot.” Sonatina waves enthusiastically as they come toward us.
“She has to have realized you blocked her by now,” I say low enough that only Riot and Ro hear.
Ro’s eyes widen.
“She’s obsessed with Riot,” I explain.
“Kelsey is super jealous,” he adds. “But I’m trying to distance myself.”
“It doesn’t look like it’s working too well,” Rochelle says. “Is it possible she hasn’t seen your announcement?”
“Unlikely.” Riot picks up his coffee cup and takes a drink. He wrinkles his nose. “What is this shit?”
“Oops. That’s mine.” My pulse quickens and I try to snatch it from him.
I always mainline caffeine, but now caffeine is bad, and pregnancy vitamins are good.
.. There was tea in the kitchen, and I figured I could hide my sudden decision to quit coffee for a couple of days at least. Apparently, it’s not so easy.
He tips it out over the railing onto the garden bed below. “You can’t drink that. It’s fucking awful. And you’ll be a real cranky-pants without decent caffeine. I’m going to get someone to make you a proper cup of coffee.”
I press my lips together as Adira and Sonatina trudge up the stairs. The last thing I want is Sonatina to work out that I’m pregnant before I have a chance to tell Riot.