Page 30 of Backstage with a Billionaire Rockstar

That doesn’t matter. If Evan needed someone to talk to, it’s perfectly fine if they are the ones he went to.

Evan’s door opens a few moments later, revealing the man I can’t stop thinking about, and I step in front of him with a frown. “I, uh, need to ask you something.”

He blinks as if forgetting I’m here and sighs. “What?”

Even though I want to cry, I don’t let the emotion come out. I clear my throat and nod my head into the room. “Can we go inside?”

“We should really head back. Everyone will wonder what’s going on.”

I give him a small smile. “I already talked to Carmen and told her I wanted to go over a few things with you before we left the stadium. No one is expecting us back on the bus for a bit.”

“Fine,” he mumbles, then waves me through the door. “Come on, then.”

I fidget with my hands, resting my ass on the edge of the vanity, and take my phone out slowly. “Um, I call Liam every night after your shows… would you want to join the call this time?”

His face is blank, but within seconds, it transforms into something I can’t quite explain. “Really?”

“I would’ve asked sooner, but I wanted to give you time to process everything.”

“Somehow, I doubt that.” The words sting, but I take them because I know he deserves to get his anger out for what I did.

“Uh, Kenzie will be calling once she’s got him dressed.”

“How was it?” This is the softest his voice has been when talking to me since he found out, and I hate how much my chest wants to burst open from the sound of it.

“Uh, how was what exactly?”

“Raising him.”

I sigh, trying to think long and hard about how I want to answer. Evan could either be truly curious since he wasn’t around, or he wants to get dirt on me to take Liam away. “It was hard,” I say, going with the truth. “There were times when I didn’t know if I’d be able to do it, but most of it was feeling unconditional love.”

“What are his favorite things?”

“Why don’t you ask him when you guys talk? If there’s anything Liam loves, it’s talking about himself.”

Evan smiles at that, then nods and stuffs his hands into the pocket of his jeans.

The silence is heavy, but it’s interrupted when my phone rings from the vanity. I hold a finger up when Evan pushes forward, then smile into the camera. Liam’s chubby cheeks are front and center, with Kenzie sitting right behind him like she always is, and he waves excitedly.

“Hi, Mommy.”

“Hey there, little man,” I say, then glance at Evan’s eager form in front of me. “I’ve got someone I want you to meet, think you are up for that?”

“A new friend? Awesome!”

That gets a chuckle out of both Evan and me, and then I jerk my head to give him the go-ahead to come forward. Each step he takes closer to me speeds up my heart rate, and Kenzie gives me a thumbs-up to calm it down —she always knows what to do.

Evan comes into view, waving awkwardly to the camera. “Hey there, remember me?”

Liam nods in amazement, then asks, “What’s your favorite color?” He’s got a serious expression on his face like there’s a wrong answer, and Evan shifts uncomfortably next to me as he thinks of what he will say.

“Uh, blue?”

Liam smiles wide, showing off the two teeth he’s got missing, and shouts, “Alright, that’s what I’m talkin’ about!”

Evan grins, then carefully pulls the phone from my grasp and turns so that he’s got all of Liam’s attention. It hurts not being involved in the conversation, but I’ve had enough chats with Liam — Evan deserves this time.

“Do you play any sports, bud?”

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