Page 55 of How to Catch a Rockstar

At the reminder of Little Bean, I reign in my temper. “I’m allowed one caffeinated coffee a day,” I say between gritted teeth.

“It’s best not to have any caffeine at all.”

“How the hell do you know? Are you the pregnancy police?”

“I’ve been reading up on pregnancy.”

He has? Is he worried about Little Bean? Me?

What am I thinking? He’s made it perfectly clear he doesn’t want to claim this baby as his. I will not allow him to go all overprotective on me when he doesn’t want this child. It’s a double standard and I won’t stand for it.

I place a hand over my bump. “This isn’t your baby, remember?”

“Like hell, he isn’t.”

“Jett,” I growl.

“No.” He interrupts before I have a chance to remind him of our conversation. “I told you I will be there for this child in any way I can. Making sure you’re both healthy is something I can do.”

“But you can’t be a parent to this child?”

He doesn’t hesitate. “No.”

“I—”

I’m cut off by the doorbell.

I start to stand but Jett glares at me. “Sit down. I’ve got this.”

I roll my eyes as I follow him to the door. It’s cute he thinks he can order me around. Has he not learned anything in the ten years we’ve known each other? Little Bean doesn’t change anything.

A group of elderly women are waiting on the porch for us.

“Good morning,” one of them greets before plowing past Jett into the house. “Aurora,” she addresses me.

My brow wrinkles. “How do you know my name?”

“This is Winter Falls.” She winks.

“I don’t understand how the name of the town is why you know my name.”

Jett sighs. “It’s a small town thing. Everyone knows everything. And these ladies,” he motions to the five women who are now standing inside the house, “lead the charge.”

“I guess I better know what your names are then,” I say.

“I’m Sage,” the first woman who entered the house says. “I’m the leader of the gossip gals.”

My brows rise. “Gossip gals?”

She grins. “It’s our honorary title.”

“They’re very proud of how much they gossip,” Jett explains.

Gossiping is nothing to be proud of in my opinion. At work, the women use gossip to tell tall tales about people and turn the group against whoever they’re jealous of. It’s exhausting. I stay out of it.

Sage doesn’t contradict Jett. Geez. I hope gossip in a small town is less petty than in an office environment.

“This is Feather. She’s your source for ice cream and sexy book ideas.”

---