He thought of his nephew Connor and couldn’t wait to see him now that he was a little bit bigger. The whole day of his arrival had been like something out of a bad comedy. Between Aubrey’s water breaking while they were moving Quinn and Anna into their new home and Hugh almost passing out in the car while Bobby Hannigan drove like a lunatic and Riley seeing things no guy should ever see on his sister-in-law… He shuddered. By the time they arrived at the hospital, Aubrey was ready to strangle all three of them, and Riley had been more than happy to wait in the waiting room for the rest of the family to arrive.
They had celebrated that night like they never had before. A new member of the family. And not one who had married into it, but one who was born into it. That hadn’t happened since Darcy. They cried and laughed together as a family, and at the core of it all was the celebration of a new life.
Riley sighed as he remembered the look of pure joy on his brother’s face when he came out of the delivery room with Connor in his arms. And in that moment—and maybe for the first time ever—Riley was jealous of Hugh. Of anyone. All the fame and money he had from his music career didn’t give him that look or what Hugh was feeling at that moment.
Clearly he’d hit the age where you realized there’s more to life than being a celebrity. He didn’t want to party and he didn’t want to be alone. The thought of coming home at the end of the day to a wife and kids was suddenly way more appealing than it used to be. Before, he’d thought he was too young or that he wanted to accomplish more with his career, but as he sat here alone again, Riley knew everything he accomplished would mean so much more if someone were here to share it with him.
Savannah’s face instantly came to mind.
Not that it was a surprise. He was drawn to her the first time he saw her, and no matter how much he tried to tell himself they’d only just met or maybe it was just a serious case of lust, Riley knew differently. He enjoyed talking to her. Sharing a meal with her. Playing a game with her. Looking around, he could still see her in every room of his house and she simply…fit. Before Savannah, he never invited women into his home. If it was for business—like this interview was supposed to be—he would have normally made arrangements to meet someplace neutral like the studio or at a restaurant. Pretty much anyplace but his home. Even when he was involved with a woman, they tended to meet either at her place or a hotel.
This was his private space.
His haven.
Until now.
Now he just felt lonely. Alone. With a growl of disgust, he stood and walked back into the house. He needed to pack and get things together for the trip. He’d already talked to Mick and made sure someone would come and check on the house while he was away. His housekeeper came in twice a month, but Riley knew Mick would make sure nothing out of the ordinary went on while he was away and ensure that security monitored the place.
Mick had been equal parts happy to help and annoyed with him. He was glad that the interview was moving forward, but the fact that it was happening back east seemed to hit a nerve. “What about work, Riley?” he’d snapped. “You’ve got music to work on and the studio is here! And what about public appearances? I thought we were going to start working on getting you seen out and about more?”
Ugh. Shit like this annoyed him, but in the end they had come to a compromise. Riley promised to keep working on writing the music while he was away—even without the use of a studio—and he’d keep in daily contact with his publicist so they’d be able to get occasional photo ops for the tabloids should they need them.
It was the lack of privacy that he hated the most—especially when he was back home with his family. It was one thing for him to be inconvenienced or followed. It was another when the press bothered his family. Unfortunately, this was probably the first time it was going to be a major issue. The local press left him alone for the most part. But with the current state of his career, he was having to play the games that he despised.
It wasn’t as if Riley hadn’t taken vacations and breaks before. He wasn’t an idiot. He knew the drills to keep his voice in good shape and how important it was to do vocal exercises daily. Hell, sometimes he just ran through them in the shower or when he was bored. So why Mick was treating him like this was his first time away from the nest, Riley had no idea.
“Like a freaking mother hen watching over me,” he murmured as he walked through the house.
In his bedroom, Riley walked through his closet and packed the essentials—he could almost do this in his sleep. When he had to be on tour, the amount of stuff he usually packed on his own was minimal because the rest was somewhat dictated by his team. And for a family trip? He kept some stuff back at his father’s house so all he really needed was one suitcase.
“Well, that took all of five minutes,” he said as he looked around his room. The clock read nine-thirty and Riley had no idea what to do with himself. The town car was coming to pick him up at seven in the morning and then on to pick up Savannah. Their flight was at ten.
He worried about it—the flight and how Savannah was going to handle it. As he relaxed on the bed, he pulled out his phone and decided to check on her. It was a legit reason should she question why he was calling, but the truth of the matter was he just wanted to hear her voice.
“Hey,” he said when she answered the phone. “How are you doing?”
“Oh, hi,” she said, sounding a little flustered. “I’m good. Just trying to sort through everything I think I’ll need.”
“You don’t have to go crazy, Savannah,” he said, smiling at the image of her surrounded by piles of discarded clothing choices. “If there’s anything you need that you’ve forgotten, we can buy it there. It’s coastal North Carolina and believe me, there are plenty of places to shop. And if I know my sisters-in-law, they’ll want to take you out shopping at some point. It’s their thing.”
She chuckled. “It’s a girl thing, although I’m sure there are some guys out there who enjoy a good shopping spree too.”
“I’m not one of them.”
“Good to know,” she teased. “I’ve never been away from home for this long so I’m just not sure how much to pack.”
“We’re going to be staying with family so we’ll be able to do laundry. Really, you don’t need to go crazy. Pack for a week to ten days and maybe a nice outfit or two in case we go out anywhere, and call it a day. Seriously, I don’t want you to make yourself crazy over this.”
“I know you’re right. I think… I think I’m still freaking out about the flight. I know you said it’s going to be fine and all but… I can’t help but be nervous.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t know about how you felt about flying, Savannah—”
“You don’t have to keep apologizing, Riley. We just met. How could you possibly know?”
She was right, but it didn’t stop him from feeling bad. “What can I possibly do to help you relax tomorrow? I’ll make sure the entire plane is stocked with whatever you want. Food? Snacks? Books? Movies? Music? You name it and I’ll have it on board.”
She was laughing. “I’ve got my Kindle. I can’t imagine wanting to eat on board. Just thinking about it now makes me a little sick.”
“Oh, come on,” he said. “It will be like hanging out in my living room—only more comfortable.”
“I find that hard to believe. Your couch is incredibly comfortable.”
He chuckled. “Believe me, I know. That’s why I bought it. But let’s just say we take off and you’re feeling all right. What would be something you’d like to snack on?”
“I really don’t think—”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah…I get it. You can’t imagine eating, you’ll be sick, blah, blah, blah,” he teased. “Just humor me, Savannah. If you could have anything you want on the plane to eat, what would you want?”
She sighed loudly and if Riley wasn’t mistaken, she was slightly annoyed. He
could almost picture the frown on her face and those violet eyes glaring at him. “Fine. You want snack choices? I’ll tell you: Double Stuf Oreos but only if there is ice-cold milk to go with them. Brownies—no nuts—and they have to have icing on them. You already know my love of chocolate milk shakes so I wouldn’t say no to one of those either.”
“I’m noticing a trend here…”
“You asked,” she reminded him.
“What about normal food? You do eat regular meals, I know this. I’ve eaten some with you,” he teased. “What do you like for, say, breakfast?”
“I rarely eat it.”
“The most important meal of the day? I’m shocked!”
Savannah laughed out loud. “You’re crazy, you know that, right?”
He laughed with her, amazed that he even enjoyed the sound of her laughter. What in the world was happening to him? It was as if she cast a spell over him. He shook his head and quickly reminded himself how ridiculous he was being. She was a reporter and he was being forced to do this interview. He needed to keep his mind on why she was in his life. This wasn’t a…relationship. Not a real one.
“Okay, so not a big fan of breakfast,” he said, forcing himself back into the conversation. “I happen to enjoy a good bagel and cream cheese—you know, in case you were wondering.”
“Ooo…that can be good. With bacon! Extra crispy bacon on a bagel and cream cheese is amazing.”
“So health food isn’t your thing? Whew! You’ll fit right in with my family.”
“Oh yeah, I guess I have mainly been picking junk food here. But…bacon. Everyone loves bacon, right?”
“Absolutely. I would never argue that point. What about lunch?”
“Well, now you’ve made me want to ask for a salad.”
“Considering you would have eaten about six pounds of chocolate and some bacon by that time, it might not be a bad thing.”
“Riley!” she said, and he knew she was trying to yell at him, but it came out as laughter.
“With the time difference, it will be around dinner time when we land. Rather than eat on the plane, I just figured we’d eat with my dad. Is that all right with you?”
“That’s fine. Really. I think it’s the perfect plan. By that time I’m going to just want to get off the plane and have my feet on the ground.”
“Believe me, I will too. I don’t mind flying, but I much prefer to be on the ground. If it wasn’t so far, I would drive it myself. But it’s a lot of time confined in a car, and that has the potential to make me crazy.”
“I don’t know, I think a road trip could be fun. I did one the summer I graduated college with a couple of friends. We drove from Kansas to Nevada and went to Vegas for a week, but the drive was a blast,” she said, and Riley could hear the smile in her voice.
“The first few years the band was together, we traveled by bus. And not one of those tricked-out ones you see nowadays. It was your basic charter bus. The seats were okay but it was pretty hard to sleep in them.”
“Oh, yikes. You didn’t stop at hotels for the night?”
“Uh-uh. We were really poor in those days so it just made sense to live on the bus and then shower and get ready at the venue. You have no idea how glad I am those days are over. I’m not much of a diva compared to some guys out there, but I definitely put my foot down and demand a hotel room to myself every night we’re on tour.”
“That’s a fairly mild request,” she said. “I’ve heard a lot of rock stars can make some outlandish ones.”
“Oh, I know. I’ve heard them all. Personally, I don’t see the point in being difficult. I’d rather pay someone to make sure we put on a kick-ass show rather than sorting out M&M’s or placing white rose petals around the dressing room. As long as the space is clean, I’m happy.”
“You’re in the minority.”
“And I’m okay with it.”
Riley closed his eyes and smiled. Yeah, he really liked talking to her and right now, even with nothing to say, he liked knowing she was on the other end of the phone.
He was screwed.
The idea that being around his family was going to help him keep his hands to himself was quickly becoming a joke. Because right now, he was tempted to get in his car and go to her, and he knew spending time alone on the flight tomorrow was only going to heighten his awareness of her. Sleeping in the room next to her at his father’s was going to be torture.
Yeah, he was screwed.
“Riley?” Savannah asked quietly.
“Hmm?”
“You’re sure everything’s going to be okay tomorrow?”
If he could, he’d wrap her in his arms right now and promise her anything. But for now, he only had his words. “Savannah, I promise I will do everything in my power to make sure you feel safe, secure, and relaxed for the entire flight tomorrow.”
She hummed sleepily. “Mmm…okay.”
“We’ll be to you around seven-thirty to pick you up, okay?”
“Okay.”
“I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Okay.” He heard her yawn.
“Savannah?”
“Hmm?”
“Good night,” he said softly.
“Good night, Riley.”
Chapter 5
“This isn’t a real plane. This is like a movie prop.”
“Why would I take you on a movie prop?”
“I have no idea but I’m telling you, this isn’t real. I don’t even think it can fly.”
“I can pretty much guarantee you it can.”
Looking over her shoulder at him, she gave him a look of disbelief. “And it’s small. A lot smaller than I thought it would be. I’m not sure if—”
“Sit in one of these seats,” Riley quickly interrupted. “I’m telling you, they’re beyond comfortable. And I know it’s smaller than a commercial jet, but you’re not even going to notice it once we get in the air. You’ll be too comfortable,” he added with a grin.
Savannah wasn’t so sure.
A flight attendant came out to welcome them and asked if they’d be interested in coffee or juice.
“I’ll take some coffee, Lisa,” Riley said and then turned to Savannah. “How about you?”
“Um…”
“Lisa, do we have any hot chocolate on board?” Riley asked.
“Yes, sir. I’ll get those for you right away.” And then she swiftly disappeared into the galley.
“Where would you like to sit?” Riley asked softly. “Every seat has a lap belt for takeoff and landing so wherever you think you’ll be the most comfortable, that’s where we’ll sit.”
Looking around, Savannah weighed her options. So far, the normal nerves she had about flying were the only ones she was feeling. The space was open, and with just the two of them, she couldn’t imagine freaking out too much. Even if the flight was delayed and they had to stay on the plane, it wouldn’t be a hardship.
“I think this sofa back here looks good. Plus it’s close to the TV. Maybe we can watch something to distract me?”
“Whatever you want, that’s what we’ll do.”
Wordlessly, Lisa placed a tray down on the coffee table with their drinks as well as some fresh fruit and muffins.
“Wow, she’s good,” Savannah said, taking a seat and shifting around until she found her seat belt. Riley sat down beside her and helped her. “Thanks. I think I’m all thumbs this morning.”
“You’re doing great,” he said and reached over and picked up their mugs, handing Savannah hers.
“Why hot chocolate?” she asked. “I mean, I love it but why did you ask her to make it for me?”
“After our conversation last night it seemed like a safe choice. I knew you were probably wrestling with whether you could eat anything, but your love of chocolate came through loud and clear d
uring our talk so I figured you would probably enjoy it.” He took a sip of his coffee. “If you would prefer something else, don’t hesitate to ask.”
“Oh, I don’t want to bother her. And besides, this really is fine.” She tasted the hot chocolate and sighed with pleasure. “Oh yeah. This is better than fine.”
“There’s a chocolate chip muffin in the basket too—you know, if you’re interested.”
“I have a feeling if I keep hanging out with you, I’m going to need a whole new wardrobe because I won’t fit into anything I currently own.”
“And you’d still be beautiful,” he said, and Savannah could only turn and stare at him. “It’s true.”
She swallowed hard, unsure of what to say.
“If you’ll both fasten your seat belts,” Lisa said softly as she came back to check on them. “We’re preparing for takeoff. I’ll be up in the galley area. If you need anything or when you’re ready for breakfast—or lunch—let me know.” Then she smiled and walked away as both Savannah and Riley thanked her.
This was it, Savannah thought to herself. She was on the plane and so far, no meltdowns. All around her she could hear what was going on—the main door was closing, the engines were running, and everything seemed to be all right.
Without her asking, Riley stood and closed all the window shades around them. It was a little unnerving how well he seemed to anticipate her needs and concerns. Some people enjoyed looking out the windows as their plane took off, but Savannah wasn’t one of those people. She thanked him for being so considerate as he sat back down and buckled his seat belt.
The plane started to move, and Savannah instinctively dug her fingers into the soft leather of the sofa. There weren’t any armrests near her—not like she would have on a standard airplane seat—so she just grabbed as much as she could, closed her eyes, and held on tight.
“We’re just moving away from the terminal,” Riley said quietly.
This Is Our Song Page 9
