Page 31 of Backstage with a Billionaire Rockstar

Liam claps excitedly, and I know he’s nodding in response. “Soccer. I’m the best!”

“Are you?” Evan asks with a smile. And how would you feel if I came to one of your games? Would that be okay?”

That’s it… there goes my heart with walls built up around it. Seeing the light shining in Evan’s eyes as they talk back and forth, getting to know each other, is enough to have me questioning everything I thought I felt.

12

Evan

I take a deep breath before approaching Mia. We've been dancing around each other since the revelation about Liam, but it's time to clear the air.

"Mia, can we talk?"

She looks up, her eyes guarded. "Sure, Evan. What's up?"

I sit beside her, choosing my words carefully. "I know I've been... distant since finding out about Liam. I was hurt, angry even. But I understand why you did what you did."

Mia's shoulders relax slightly. "I'm sorry, Evan. I should have told you sooner."

"We can't change the past," I say, surprising myself with how much I mean it. "But I want to be part of Liam's life now. And... I want us to try to move forward. Together."

She smiles, a tentative hope in her eyes. "I'd like that."

***

A Few Days Later

Mia is sitting in the living area when I step out of the hallway, exactly where I hoped she would be, and I let out a heavy sigh as I sink onto the cushion next to her. She’s got a to-go cup of coffee from the place around the block from where we’ve got the bus parked – I’m thankful that Carmen finally listened to Mia’s suggestions about that after the Travis fiasco.

As far as I’ve been able to tell, he really was all talk because there hasn’t been a damn thing viral through the media about me and Mia. Which is more of a relief than I thought it would be. After finding out about Liam, I wanted the idea of Mia keeping it a secret to push me away from her, and I’m worried it only drew us closer.

Mia used to take her calls alone at night, but now I’m involved in them as well and that means sharing the same space as her for a period of time. I’m finding that I crave that time now more than anything, especially when I get to see what she’s wearing to bed. It also doesn’t help that she’s a wonderful mother.

It only makes what I’m feeling that much more prominent, leaving me to wonder how I should go about everything.

I clear my throat, getting out of my own head for the conversation I want to have, and then look at Mia with a hopeful smile. “So, there’s something I want to run by you.”

Mia’s perfectly shaped brow lifts into the air, and she swallows a sip of her coffee. “Okay.”

As I prepare to share my idea, a nagging worry resurfaces. The stalker situation isn't resolved, and I'm about to suggest something that could put not just me, but Liam at risk. Still, the need to see my son, to be a real father to him, overrides my fears. We'll just have to be extra careful.

“I want to go to Liam, take him out to do something fun.”

While this benefits me and the bond I’m forming with Liam, I’m also doing it because I know Mia misses him like crazy, and I want to see that bright smile on her face.

She frowns. “Evan, you have a tour you should be focusing on and I’ve got a stalker to investigate. We really shouldn’t.”

“Mia, you kept him from me for six years. I missed everything, and now you’re going to deny me going to see him?”

Her eyes glisten and I immediately feel guilty for using that tactic. Instead of anger lately, all I feel is tremendous relief that my son had a mother like Mia to take care of him. I don’t want to see her upset.

“Look, I don’t understand why you kept the pregnancy from me.” She stiffens, probably thinking I’m going to start questioning her about it, but I don’t want to upset her any more. “But you’re letting me now, and I’m more than grateful for that. All I want is some time with him, in person rather than on a phone screen.”

It’s been great, getting to join in on the calls the last couple weeks, but I want more.

Mia’s shoulders sag forward and she nods slowly. “You’re right, Evan, but how can we do that?”

“It’s simple, there’s a three day break between tonight’s concert and the next. I could get us plane tickets, let Carmen know we have something to take care of, and we’ll meet them at the next stop from the plane.”

---