The whole place had the vibe of a rock festival about it and Luke couldn’t believe where he was. He couldn’t believe that this was the home of his mum and soon-to-be-step-dad, a real-life rock star no less! And he wanted this life so badly. He wanted to be around this all the time, and now this was his home! This was where he was going to live, at least, for the time being. In Los Angeles, with Stevie and Mark.
He’d spent almost six weeks with Colin in London, learning the ropes of a job he’d fallen in love with; from intimate gigs in city halls and small arenas to a couple of weeks in a recording studio watching a new up-and-coming rock band put their new album together, it had been an incredible few weeks for Luke. A life-changing time for him.
He’d been fascinated by everything, and it had only made him all the more sure that this was what he wanted to do. He’d worked hard at the jobs he’d been given, showing a real flair for everything that was thrown at him. Like Stevie had said, he was a total natural. It was in his blood.
But now he was here, in L.A., and this was where he was going to be living, in his own self-contained apartment within Stevie and Mark’s incredible new home. It had been the obvious solution. He had his independence but he was still close enough for Stevie to keep an eye on him. Not that that bothered him. She was no ordinary mum and he loved hanging out with her. She’d changed his life and given him one he loved. Even if it was still going to take some getting used to. After all, he was in a strange country with people he was still getting to know and he had yet to make any real friends, but it would come. He was going to love it here, he had no doubt about that, and he couldn’t wait to see what this new future was going to bring.
Connor walked over, sitting down next to his son. Stevie had invited him to the wedding and he was happy she’d done that because he was growing to like Stevie Stone. She took a lot of getting used to, he had to admit, but she was an incredible woman. So different to Stefanie though. Still stunning to look at – even more beautiful than he remembered her being when they’d been together – but she was also somebody who’d welcomed him and Luke into her crazy life and for that he was truly grateful. Because Luke needed her. That was becoming increasingly obvious. And maybe he needed her too. There were still so many things Connor wanted to say to her but he couldn’t help thinking the time just wasn’t right anymore. Maybe it had passed, maybe it hadn’t. But for now he’d make do with just being around her. And he guessed a lot of people would give anything just to have that.
He wasn’t looking forward to going back home to Manchester without Luke, though. That was going to be hard. So much had changed in such a short space of time and everything was still sinking in. His son had suddenly grown up, made a decision about his future that didn’t really involve him and Connor had to respect that, even though he was going to miss him more than he cared to admit.
Stevie Stone had landed back in their lives without any warning, turning everything upside down, but Connor didn’t mind, not anymore. She’d made his son – their son - very happy. She’d given him some direction, and even though she was now taking Luke away from him, moving him over to Los Angeles, Connor had a feeling it was all going to be ok. She may be this crazy, wild and unorthodox woman but she knew what she was doing. And she cared about Luke. The most important thing. But none of that would stop him from worrying.
“Are you still sure about all this, Luke? I mean, L.A. It’s so far away from home.”
Luke looked at his dad, smiling. “This is my home now, dad. And I’m more than sure about all of this. This is where I want to be. It just feels…right.”
Connor sighed, sitting back, taking a drink of his beer. “I’m gonna miss you, kid. I’m really gonna miss you.”
“I’m gonna miss you too, dad.”
Connor looked at him and smiled. “Yeah, sure you will. You won’t have time.”
Luke smiled too. “I’ll e-mail you. And I’ll call you. Let you know how I’m getting on.”
“You’d better.” He leaned forward, watching as people ran about on the stage further down the garden, past the pool, setting up the drum kit and microphones for the evening’s gigs. “You’re a very lucky young man, you know. Being given this chance.”
“I know,” Luke said, draining the last of his beer from the bottle. “And I’m really grateful to both you and Stevie for letting me do this. For giving me this chance.”
Connor looked back over at the stage. “Shouldn’t you be over there working?”
Luke smiled again. “Yeah, I’d better get back to it. I’m still in training after all, and I don’t want to let Stevie down. Not on her wedding day.”
Connor watched his son run off in the direction of the stage. He was in his element. He’d found his vocation, knew what he wanted to do with his life, and all because of a woman called Stevie Stone. But he was going to be ok; Connor had no doubt about that. He was still going to worry, he’d still be calling every day to see how he was and what he was doing, but he had to let him go. He had to give him to the woman who hadn’t had a chance to be his mum for over fifteen years. A woman whom Connor had once loved so much, but that had been a woman so different to the one she was now, and Connor wanted to get to know Stevie Stone better. She’d once been his wife and they still had that history together. Stevie Stone. A woman whom no man who ever came near would ever forget. And didn’t Connor Franklin know that.
***
“No white dress and veil for you then,” Johnny smirked, as Stevie ran her fingers through her short, white blonde hair, shaking it out.
“Like I would ever wear shit like that.”
“No, of course you wouldn’t. ‘Cause you sure as hell ain’t no virgin, honey.”
She stuck her tongue out at him and turned to look at herself in the full length mirror, a vision of the ultimate rock-chick-bride staring back at her. No, this was no ordinary wedding. Not where Stevie Stone and Mark Cassidy were concerned. She was going to be getting married in a dress, sure, she’d given in to that much. But this was no girly white wedding dress. Stevie Stone was getting married in black - a short, black baby doll-style dress teamed with knee-high biker boots, leather wrist cuffs, and all her tattoos proudly on display. And as she tied the black bandana round her head the outfit was complete, just as Mark walked into the room.
She turned around and he whistled, standing there with his hands in his pockets, the epitome of rock star-cool in a black t-shirt, jeans and his usual heavy army boots. Handsome as hell and about to become her husband. Unbelievable, if she thought about it too much. This was a place she just never thought they’d ever get to. Marriage had never been on either of their agendas, but then, their agendas had kind of changed somewhat, hadn’t they?
“Look at you,” he smiled, walking towards her.
Johnny looked at Mark, then at Stevie, sensing that something was about to happen that he didn’t really want to watch, but they wouldn’t care less if he did, he knew that. They hadn’t changed that much.
“I’ll see you both down there,” he said, quickly kissing Stevie on his way out. “You look gorgeous, kiddo. Cassidy’s one fucking lucky bastard.”
“Yeah, and don’t I know it.” Mark slid an arm round her waist, pulling her close, kissing her mouth gently. “And he’s right. You look amazing.”
“You don’t look too bad yourself, Mr. Rock Star. Jesus, Mark, we’re getting married!”
“You still up for it then?”
She couldn’t help laughing. “We could just fuck off to Las Vegas and do away with all that shit happening downstairs. Nobody would be surprised in the slightest.”
“Do you want to?”
She put a hand to his face, kissing him slowly. “No. Not really. I’m quite happy here.”
“Yeah, me too.”
Another kiss, longer and harder this time, and Stevie fell against him, letting her feelings take over, letting it all just happen as he pushed her back against the wall, pulling up her dress, pushing her legs apart wi
th his hand. Mark Cassidy wanted sex and she wasn’t going to argue. He wanted it, he got it, because that’s what they did.
“Together forever,” he whispered, pushing himself inside her, and she smiled.
“Just the way it should be, Cassidy.” And she closed her eyes and let that warm, almost calming feeling wash over her as he made love to her.
Some might say this was the end of the journey for Stevie and Mark - getting married, settling down, but Stevie knew different. They may be getting married but they wouldn’t be settling down. That’s not what they did, and this journey was only just beginning. This was nothing but the turn of a page, the beginning of a whole new chapter in their lives and yes, they were going to have to get used to some changes. One very big change in particular. One that neither Stevie nor Mark had planned for, but it was happening. One that nobody would be expecting, not from those two. They hadn’t expected it themselves, but when it had happened it had felt like everything else that had happened to them had felt. It had felt right. So they were running with it. They were about to get married, but that wasn’t all. Rocks coolest, most beautiful couple were about to embark on a whole new journey. Because Mark Cassidy and Stevie Stone were also having a baby.
***
They walked up a make-shift aisle lined with Harley’s and leather clad bikers, said vows they’d written themselves containing more than a handful of classic rock song quotes, and became man and wife as AC/DC’s ‘Back in Black’ blasted out of the speakers, signalling the start of the all-night party that was to be their wedding reception. The ultimate rock star wedding, and Stevie couldn’t have asked for anything more perfect.
“So, what’s it feel like then?” she smiled, sitting down on one of the motorbikes as she looked at her new rock star husband, a cool breeze punctuating the warm Californian night air.
Neither of them had chosen to wear wedding rings, instead they’d had tattoos done – on the back of their necks – which read ‘tillsammans for evigt’ - ‘together forever’ in Swedish, and the date of their wedding.
“It feels the same,” Mark said, standing in front of her, running his hand along the smooth skin of her thigh. “Except that now, when I tell you I love you, you don’t run away. You love me back.”
“Jesus. Mark Cassidy’s gone all emotional. Who’d have thought?”
He smiled, still running his hand up her leg. He’d just married the girl of his dreams and he felt like the luckiest bastard alive. She was stunning, just beautiful, and he knew now that he’d loved her from the very first minute he’d set eyes on her. He’d just had to play the rock star, he’d had to get that out of his system, but he’d let that stage persona spill over into real life, and whilst that rock star would never go away – it was part of who he was - the real Mark Cassidy was going to come out a lot more than he’d used to. Because he now knew it was ok to do that. It was ok.
“Do you remember the first time we had sex?”
She smiled too, leaning backwards slightly. “On a bike.”
“On a bike,” he repeated, straddling the seat as she moved closer, wrapping her legs round his waist as he kissed her slowly. “I love you, Stevie Stone.”
“I love you too, Mr. Rock Star.”
“And we’re having a baby…shit! How crazy is that?”
She smiled again. “I just hope he or she’s ready for the ride of their life with us as parents. Because this ain’t gonna be no ordinary family.”
He stroked the small of her back, desperate to get her inside and make love to her again. It was all he wanted to do these days, make love to her. He didn’t think he’d ever get bored of that. He’d known her for years yet it seemed as though this relationship was completely brand new, and in a way it probably was. It certainly felt different. It felt good. It felt safe, and that was something Mark had never really got from a relationship before – safety. Security. He liked it.
“How do you think Luke’s gonna take it?” Mark asked. “Having a baby brother or sister?”
“He’ll be fine. He’s a great kid, a sensible level-headed kid, and that’s thanks to Connor.” She ran her fingers over his rough chin, kissing his slightly open mouth. “I think I should tell him and Connor first though, don’t you? Before we do the big announcement. And I think you should tell Johnny. Tell him to get ready to become rock’s greatest Godfather. He’s our best friend, Mark. He’s the only man for that job.”
Mark kissed her again. He could kiss her forever. And why he hadn’t realised that before he had no idea. He’d just been too stubborn to listen to his feelings, and too weak to fight for her once he’d realised they were there.
“You sure you don’t want to be known as Mrs. Cassidy?” She pushed him away and he laughed. “Still a no then?”
She climbed off the bike, straightening her dress. “Your levels of perception are impressive, Cassidy.” She pulled him up off the bike and slipped her arms round his waist, kissing him quickly. “However, just because I won’t be Mrs. Cassidy in name, doesn’t mean to say I won’t be Mrs. Cassidy in the bedroom, and later, when we get bored of this party – which will probably be sooner rather than later because you look incredibly hot tonight – I’m gonna take you up there and show you a few Swedish tricks of the trade that should keep my new husband more than happy.”
“You mean there are some I haven’t seen yet?” he smirked.
“Oh, there are quite a few, handsome. Believe me.”
He groaned as she put her hand where he really needed to feel her and she laughed. “Hold that thought, baby. I’ll see you later.”
She ran off in the direction of one of the bars to talk to Connor, and Mark sat back down on the bike, pushing a hand through his dark hair. Stevie Stone. The love of his life. Now he just had to make sure he held onto her. For good this time.
***
“You not drinking?” Connor asked, after Stevie turned down a beer.
She shook her head. “I’ve had a glass of champagne but…Connor, I’m pregnant.”
He looked at her. “Whoa! I wasn’t expecting that!”
“No. Neither were we.”
“You ok about it?”
She couldn’t help smiling. “Yeah. I think I am, now the shock’s worn off.”
“How…how far gone are you?”
“Almost four months. Hence the baby doll dress. The bump’s small but noticeable.”
“It’s Mark’s then.”
She nodded. “Could’ve been a whole new mess if it had been Daniel’s, couldn’t it? But no, there’s no doubt. It’s Mark’s.”
“And…is he ok about it? Because he doesn’t strike me as daddy material.”
She couldn’t help smiling again. “He’s fine. Was a bit shell-shocked at first, as you can imagine, but then I wasn’t exactly doing cartwheels the second I found out either.” She looked at Connor, his kind eyes staring straight at her. He was a good man. How different would her life have been if she’d stayed with him? He would have looked after her, that was for sure, but Stevie Stone didn’t do being looked after. Not anymore. That was something Stefanie would have wanted, but not Stevie. “I messed up with Luke...”
“Stevie…”
“No. I messed up big time. And now I want the chance to prove I can be a good mum - to Luke and to this baby. I’m not saying I’m going to be perfect - this baby is going to be brought up on the road, spending a lot of its life at rock gigs and that’s no ordinary life, but…I can do it Connor. I know I can.”
“I know you can too, mum.”
She swung round to see Luke standing there, his hands in his pockets, proudly wearing his Black Rock Diamond t-shirt, studded belt and scruffy jeans, his new tattoo on show. Her handsome, grown-up son.
“And I’ll help you. I’m gonna be it’s big brother after all.”
She smiled, standing up and pulling Luke into her arms for the first real hug they’d ever shared. It was the first time she’d put her arms around him and held him like a mother holds a
son and she cried as he clung onto her. She’d let him down but she didn’t want to repeat that mistake. She didn’t want to do that. She wanted to show him things could be different, that she could be his mum – in whatever guise that happened to be. She wanted him to know that she loved him. More than he’d ever know.
She pulled away, noticing that he was crying too and she smiled at him again, wiping his tears away. “Hey, come on. You’re a rock roadie now, kiddo so, no tears, alright? We’re gonna be ok.” She turned to look at Connor. “All of us. We’re all gonna be ok.”
Luke looked at his dad, who just smiled and nodded. They were going to be ok. Stevie Stone was back in their lives, and who knew what that was going to be the start of. Who could possibly know?
***
“Fuck me, Mark…a baby? You and Stevie?”
“Yeah. And I kinda reacted just like that when we found out.”
Mark sat back and opened another beer, taking a long swig as he remembered the morning they’d learned they were going to be parents.
Stevie’s period had been late, they’d been having sex practically non-stop for weeks beforehand so it hadn’t taken a genius to put two-and-two together. She’d gone and bought a handful of pregnancy tests, they’d had sex in the shower while they’d waited for the results, and come out to the news that they were going to be mommy and daddy.
“And you’re ok with it, are you?” Johnny asked, looking at his friend as he watched Stevie from across the pool.
“Yeah, I am. Now.”
“And Stevie?”
Mark looked at him, smiling slightly. “She freaked out more than I did.”
Johnny looked down into his drink. This was something that had come completely out of nowhere, from right out of left field. Even finding out Stevie had a grown-up son hadn’t been as much of a shock as this.
“You didn’t get married just because…”
“No. Why would we do that? We didn’t need to get married at all, but I love her so much, Johnny. I love that crazy, Swedish woman, and the fact she’s having my baby…you know what? That’s an incredible feeling.”
See You at the Show Page 33
