by Ava Walsh
“Why are you here?” Kelly asked, coming to sit beside him. She wanted to keep a bit of distance between them, and she angled her body away from him.
“Well, firstly, I need to talk to you, and secondly I wanted to bring you home,” Oscar said.
“Bring me home?” Kelly asked. “I’m not sure what you mean by that and I think it’s for the best if we don’t confuse April. Her mother is back so you should try to ensure she understands that her mother loves her. Your family is reunited and now your daughter can be happy with her mother.”
“My daughter is miserable,” Oscar replied. “She’s been miserable ever since you left. I’ve never had and will never have any intentions of reuniting with my ex-wife.”
“That’s not what she told me,” Kelly said.
“Well, she lied. I came home that day and you were missing. I figured you were still here with your mother and needed some time alone after, well, you know... But then you didn’t come back. I called you, stopped by to find you and no-one could tell me where you were,” he said. For a second Kelly thought she heard a bit of hurt in his voice.
“I had to leave,” Kelly said. “I thought you had got back together with her and I just wanted to get away.”
“You should have called me,” Oscar said. “I would have set your mind at ease. I would have rushed to your defence. You know how much you mean to me.”
“I’m not sure I do,” Kelly said. “And what about your ex? Is she going to be popping up regularly to mess with me?”
“Well, I sent her away. She’s not healthy for April, who luckily didn’t have to see her,” Oscar replied. “April and I were at my parents’ when she arrived. Kelly, we haven’t had much chance to talk after what happened that night, and I really wanted to talk to you about it.”
“It was a mistake. I know,” Kelly said.
Oscar reached out and touched her cheek.
“It wasn’t for me,” he said. “In fact, I’ve been wanting to do it since I saw you that first day. You are the most captivatingly beautiful woman I have ever seen.”
Kelly was silent. She had no idea what to say.
“That day when we made love, I wanted to give you an idea of what I was feeling. I wanted to know if you felt the same way,” he said.
“I thought you were using me,” Kelly said. “You can have almost any woman you want. Why would you even waste your time with me?”
“I don’t want just any woman,” Oscar replied. “I want you. You’re beautiful, smart and kind, and from everything I’ve observed with you and my daughter, you’re the best thing that could have happened to her, and by extension to me. It’s hard to find a person who will love and care for your child with as much passion and enthusiasm as you have done with my April.”
“She’s easy to love,” Kelly said. “But what does that mean for us?”
“It means that I want you to be a part of my family in more ways than one. I know the age difference might be a bit much, but for now we can just start off dating and see where it goes from there,” he said.
“You want us to date?” Kelly asked.
“Yes,” Oscar replied, reaching over to pull her onto his lap. “Now, back to what I’ve actually been thinking about doing for the past six weeks,” he said, before pulling her in for a kiss. His lips were firm but gentle. Kelly wanted nothing more than to stay in this moment forever, but she was all too aware of her mother lingering behind the door.
“How did you know I was home, anyway?” she asked.
“Your mother called me to tell me you were holed up in your room like a hermit,” he joked.
“That sounds like something she would say,” Kelly replied.
“I’m glad I came,” he said.
“I have something to tell you,” Kelly said, as he held her in his arms.
“What’s that?” Oscar asked, nuzzling her neck.
“I’m pregnant.”
Oscar’s motion stopped and, for a minute, the whole room was quiet.
“I swear, I’m not trying to trap you. I wouldn’t even have told you if you hadn’t told me April’s mother was out of your life.”
Oscar tilted her body so that she was looking right at him. Kelly was surprised by what she saw. She had expected anger, disappointment, regret even, but the look of love on his face surprised her.
“You’re pregnant?” he whispered reverently.
“Yes,” Kelly replied.
“I have no idea what to say,” Oscar said, reaching in front of her and touching her belly.
“Say anything,” Kelly told him.
“I’m glad,” he said. “Now you’re a solid member of my family.”
This made Kelly laugh. While it was not a confession of love, it was more than she had even dared to hope for. They sat there for a few minutes as Oscar gently rubbed her belly.
“We should go,” she told Oscar. “My mother is likely standing at the door listening to our conversation.”
Just as she had predicted, Kelly walked out of her room and found her mother lingering at the door.
“Everything alright?” her mother asked, smiling.
“Yes, mom, everything has been cleared up. Turns out it was all a misunderstanding, and now I can go back to work.”
Kelly did her best to avoid her mother’s prying questions as she packed her case and left. Oscar took her home and walked her to her room, then said goodnight. Before she closed the door, she saw April walking towards her room.
“You came back,” April said, with a smile. Kelly was surprised at how drastically she seemed to have changed in the short space of time.
Kelly could see that the little girl had been crying, so she picked her up and took her into the room.
“Why were you crying?” she asked.
“I missed you,” April said, hugging her.
Kelly felt as if her heart would burst from her chest. She had no idea how anyone could resist such a pure love.
“I missed you too,” Kelly said, before placing her on the bed and laying down beside her.
That night she slept peacefully, dreaming of what lay ahead. She was relieved she wasn’t losing her new found family, but she was also anxious to see what would become of her relationship with Oscar now that he knew she was pregnant with his child.
***
Four months later, Kelly walked into the house after finishing her final exam. She had spent the last two weeks in her room away from everyone so that she could study. Maggie had mercifully helped her to take care of April, and Oscar had been surprisingly absent. For the past four months, he had wined and dined her in every possible way, from fancy gala dinners to the burger shop nearby. She had done her best to hide her pregnancy from the public eye, which had been easier than she had thought it would be. Her mother had cried when she had told her about the baby, but somehow knowing that Oscar was the father had made it easier for her mother to accept it with less worry. Aside from all that, she had fallen hopelessly for Oscar and she knew he knew it. Now, as she stepped into the house, all she wanted to do was see him and tell him how happy he had made her. She had grown a lot while dating Oscar, which had come as a surprise. He had introduced her to another world. It had been scary at first, but now it motivated her and she felt as if she could conquer anything.
She looked around the house and noticed that there was no one there. She wondered where everyone had gone and why Oscar wasn't there to greet her after being away for two weeks. She turned the corner to the kitchen and saw a single candle on the floor with a slip of paper underneath it. She picked it up and read the note.
“We’re out back,” it read. She left her bag on the kitchen counter and went into the backyard. The garden was decorated with candles and flowers everywhere. At first she didn’t see anyone, but then Oscar stepped into the center of the yard, smiling at her. She made her way towards him and was about to ask him what was happening when he dropped down onto one knee. Kelly’s heart went into her throat, but what brought the tea
rs was when April came and knelt beside her father. They both looked up at her with searching eyes.
“What are you doing?” Kelly asked, as Oscar reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a velvet box.
“What I should have done the moment we met,” he said. “Kelly, will you marry me and be my wife and the mother of my beautiful baby girl and our newest bundle of joy?” he asked.
Kelly could hardly breathe as she tried to look at him through the tears. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.
“Yes,” she answered, stretching her hand out so that he could put the ring on it.
“Thank God, I was worried you would say no,” Oscar said, standing and pulling her into a hug.
“I love you two so much,” Kelly said, unable to contain her happiness. She had found love, and the best part was that it was everything she had hoped for and more.
*****
THE END
Played by the Rock Star
Description
I’m a good girl, I don’t like hot, famous rock stars. All I have to do is pretend that I’m dating one...
Brent Jacobsen is living the life of a rock star.
Sold out concerts.
All of the girls that he could ever want.
Parties and fancy hotel rooms.
It’s just too bad that he’s broken and self-destructing. After destroying another hotel room, his best friends come up with a brilliant idea on how to deflect the negative press: date their younger sister out in public and feed off of her sweet and clean life. They already know each other, so it will be easy enough.
It sounds so simple, until it isn’t.
Riley is beautiful and smart. Brent watched her grow up but now, at twenty-two, she is mature and compassionate in ways that he doesn’t understand. They both agree, but soon know that it is more than just a news story.
Can Brent find it in himself to give Riley what she deserves? Can he be what she needs?
Will his friends ever forgive him for what he’s about to do to their sister?
Will he ever be the same again after he tastes her lips?
Chapter One
The sun glared into the room. Brent Jacobson raised his hand to block it and turned onto his stomach in the king sized bed. “What the fuck? It’s so early.”
“Poor baby. What they hell are you up to, Brent?” the sharp voice of his publicist responded, as his head started to pound. “Nice room. Too bad the rest of it is trashed.”
“Trashed? What happened?” Brent groaned as the full effects of his hangover started to kick in and make him feel like shit.
“Jesus fucking Christ. You’re lucky the band is doing well,” McKenzie Adams grumbled, as she stared at the man who was making her life a living nightmare. “A few girls went scrambling out of here when I knocked, since you wouldn’t answer your cell. I got a call from the hotel due to a report of noise sometime this morning and had to catch a flight here from Philadelphia. It was my daughter’s fifth-grade graduation today. Thanks a lot for that, Brent.”
“Shit, I’m sorry.” She snorted at his apology as she paced the room.
“The rest of the band doesn’t even want to answer their phones anymore. Do you think there’s a problem?”
Brent turned in the bed and kept the sheet over his body, even though he knew that Kenzie didn’t care. When she wasn’t babysitting him, she was a happily married mother of two kids. “The gig was great, and we partied afterward. What’s wrong with that?”
“Nothing, except that you have another bill from another trashed hotel room. It’s in the thousands of dollars, this time, Brent. That TV was quite large. Judging from the mess of bottles, you owe on the mini bar as well.” She looked at him with worried, jade green eyes as she ran a hand through her wavy, chestnut hair. “What’s going on?”
“I don’t know, Kenzie. I wanted to have some fun after a show, and the girls were hot.” He looked at her with dull blue eyes that before covering his handsome face with one thick, tattooed arm.
“You know it’s more than that,” she said, before letting out a sigh. “Are you going to stay calm for a while? I have to do damage control.”
“I’m fine, Mom.”
“I am going to call Declan and have him come be here with you.” Her brother was a roadie for Nothing Lost and staying in the same hotel, but she hadn’t made the call yet. She knew how late he’d been up, and this was her job. Technically. Declan just helped her out.
Brent groaned as he saw her shadow leave the room and pulled the sheets over his head. He had no recollection of last night apart from the girls and the drinks, but Brent was well aware that he could lose control quickly these days. His life was successful, and he was doing well on paper, but inside he was a mess.
Brent had wanted more for himself at thirty, but things had just happened to bring him down. He rode the high that was being lead singer of one of the most popular bands in 2016 and tried not to think about the rest of it. Brent knew that he was awake for the day and got up to hit the toilet and pull on some shorts before he walked out into the living area of the suite.
Kenzie was right. It was destroyed. He looked around at the broken and upturned furniture and the shattered television on the floor, not to mention the general mess from the party that he’d thrown at the last minute. He pushed a reddened hand through his dirty blond hair, which was hanging down into his face, and closed his eyes slowly as he heard a knock at the door.
Brent made his way through the destruction and opened it to find Declan Keller standing there in board shorts and a t-shirt, looking as though he’d partied as well. He just didn’t look or probably feel nearly as bad as Brent did. “Were you here last night?”
“I did the after party with the opening band. Cool guys.” Declan walked inside and whistled as he looked around. “Is Kenzie pissed off? It was Scarlet’s graduation today and she scheduled hard to be there. She could’ve just called me.”
“I think she wanted to scream at me in person. Hopefully, she can write a check and get back in time for some of it,” Brent replied, as he walked into the kitchen and sat at the table. Declan followed him and grabbed some water as he looked closely at his best friend. “I think she’s done with me this time.”
“This is…five rooms?” Declan asked, and Brent nodded. “You guys are making bank, but you’re dragging the band’s name through the mud right now. The media is all over your shit, and the other guys didn’t ask for any of this.”
“I know,” Brent responded before he downed the bottle of water. He’d already done a stint in rehab to clear one of his predicaments, but it hadn’t seemed to help. Besides, he wasn’t really addicted to alcohol or drugs as much as he used them to cope with things in his life. Rehab was always a good cover when you got into trouble, though, and it cleared the air, at least until you messed up all over again.
Declan’s phone chimed and he slipped it out of his pocket. He grinned and punched something in. “Riley’s here. She’s going to hang out with us for a couple of months while you tour if you’re not fired soon.”
Brent rolled his eyes and drank some more. He was close to Declan’s family and thought that his sister Riley was a good kid. Hell, she was twenty-two now. “How is she?”
“Dad fucked her out of college money. He said something about Mom being remarried so she can afford it herself. Mom married a plumber this time, and they have their life to live.” Declan looked at him. “I asked her to hang out to get her mind off of things. She only has a couple of years left and hell, maybe I’ll pay for it.” They both knew that she had a promising future in Graphic Design with her talent, but a degree from Parsons in New York wouldn’t hurt her at all.
“You have Mel,” Brent told him, referring to his fiancée. The two were going to get married in six months, and he was already sending her to school for Journalism. She didn’t work and attended college full time while Declan made the money in the family.
“Yeah, I know. I’ve been prett
y pissed off about this.” He sent something on his phone. “She’s going to drop her bag off at my room and come here.”
“Let’s get some room service and eat before we clean up,” Brent suggested, and Declan shook his head. “I’ll need the energy. We drank a lot last night.”
Brent walked over to the phone and ordered a few platters of food before he went to take a shower and face reality. Again. He got out and put some clean shorts on with a gray t-shirt and went back into the living room to see Kenzie and Declan talking to a pretty hot little redhead. “Hey there,” he said.
His eyes almost popped open as bright teal eyes met his, and he realized that Riley was the girl in his room.
Chapter Two
“I hear I’m paying for breakfast,” Kenzie said, as she glared at Brent. “You’re covered with this room, but we need to figure out what we’re going to do. Brent?”
He was staring at Riley but blinked and looked away at Kenzie’s question. Riley was gorgeous now, and it had only been a few years since he’d seen her. “We will. I’m going to eat something and clean this shit up.”
“I am going to the airport. I have a graduation to go to.” Kenzie left in a huff, and Brent glanced at the clock to see that it was still early in the morning.
“Riley, you’ve grown up since I saw you last,” Brent told her, as he walked over to her and gave her a one-armed hug. She was taller than before, just a few feet under his six foot one frame, and she had some beautiful little curves. Damn, if she didn’t smell like something sweet, as well.
“That happens when you’re a famous rock star on the road all of the time,” she replied dryly, as she gave the room a long look. “Really, Brent?” She looked into his eyes, and he turned his face to the floor as disapproval flooded her pretty face. “You’re a talented guy, and this is what you do?”
