Page 34 of Backstage with a Billionaire Rockstar

If that’s something Mia would allow… I’ve no idea, but I’ll talk to her about it.

13

Mia

I was more than okay to sit back home, let Evan have his time with our son, but when I stayed put instead following them toward the front door he frowned at me. When he said he wanted to come here and spend time with Liam in person, I had assumed he meant alone. After getting Liam to beg me to come along on the ride with them, I finally let Evan lead me out of the house with his hand pressed against my back.Liam bounces excitedly in his car seat as Evan coasts down the road in my car, eager to figure out where we could possibly be going. Unfortunately, I can’t tell him because I don't even have a clue where Evan is taking us.

When we first arrived, it was filled with introducing Kenzie to Evan. She wouldn’t say it aloud, trying her best to be calm, but I know she was freaking out inside at meeting someone from her favorite band. After a little while had passed with Evan and Liam playing together on the floor, which was a sight I didn’t realize I had been missing in my life, Evan finally decided it was time to go out with Liam.

It almost felt normal, except when my head chose to remind me of our work relationship and it was anything but normal.

Evan keeps looking at the directions on his phone, taking each turn slowly, and I smirk in the passenger seat. “You do realize you don’t have to drive like a grandma, right?”

His shoulders shake as he chuckles, and the hands that were gripping the steering wheel until his knuckles turned loosen. “I just want to do everything right.”

Finally, after taking careful turns, Evan pulls into a packed parking lot. I glance around, noting all the family’s walking hand in hand with their kids, then focus on the sign above the building. If he wants to impress Liam, he’s going to hit out of the park once he sees where we are.

Evan climbs out of the car, then walks around until he stops at the back door when Liam is sitting. His tiny head is tilted up as he tries to see where we are, but he groans when it doesn’t work.

Play Palace is something I try to do with Liam every weekend, at least when I’m home. Evan bringing us here is not only exciting for our son, but me as well since I haven’t been able to spend time with him.

“You ready, bud?”

Liam nods his head as he jumps from the car and plants his feet onto the pavement, his green eyes shining as much as his father’s are. His chubby hand wraps around three of Evan’s fingers, making my eyes sting with the hurricane of emotions, and I quickly turn away from the two of them before Evan notices.

“Play Palace?” Everyone who’s standing in the parking lot glances in our direction as Liam’s voice booms through the air, and I chuckle with a shake of my head. “This is the best day of my life!”

I’m ahead of them as we walk toward the front entrance, but it only takes a few seconds for Evan and Liam to go past me. Evan glances over his shoulder, eyes widened in surprise, as Liam pulls him eagerly to the double doors that lead inside. I shrug my shoulders, then give him a small wave as they disappear through the doors.

When I step through the door, I’m already pausing because it never fails that a few kids will run out in front of me. Sure enough, just when I think I’m out of the woods, a couple kids squeal while being chased by someone I’m assuming is their older brother. I smile at the sight, then carefully make my way across the carpeted area and glance through the crowd for my family.

My family.

I wish it were that simple, but I’m not so sure it ever will be.

Evan is leaning against one of the arcade games while Liam sits excitedly in the seat and leans forward with concentration. When I approach them, I crack a smile at the game Liam is playing. If it weren’t for other kids needing a turn as well, this is the only game Liam would play when we come here.

He frowns as he gets eaten by the little ghosts, but that doesn’t deter him. He sticks his tongue out of the corner of his mouth as he starts one more time.

After the fourth game, with still no luck of him winning, I notice that there’s a few kids who keep walking past and looking at the game with longing. I’m about to open my mouth and let Liam know it’s time to let other kids play, but Evan surprises me by leaning forward.

“Why don’t you let the other kids play? Maybe later you can show me how to be as good as you.”

Liam’s eyes brighten at the praise and he nods his head excitedly. “For sure, Evan!”

Evan’s smile drops slightly, and I wonder if it’s because of Liam using his name, but it’s back in place before I can think too long about it.

Liam pulls him toward another game that happens to be one of my favorites. I’ve watched him play this one and was surprised that he enjoyed it.

I remember being a little girl and playing Super Monkey Ball all the time with Kenzie. It wasn’t until my mother would come into my room, letting me know dinner was ready, that I realized how long we had been playing it. Kenzie would eat dinner with us, and then her parents would come and take her back home, only for everything to be repeated the following day.

Granted, instead of a Game Cube — like we had — Liam just rolls a ball on the panel in front of him and tries to catch the bananas. I’ve found myself a few times wanting to jump in, but caught myself and only watched at his side.

Evan is a different story, though. As soon as we come to a stop in front of the game, his eyes light up exactly as Liam’s does, and his mouth pops open. “Oh, I used to love this game as a kid!”

“I bet you can’t beat my high score,” Liam says, his hands on his hips as he stares at his dad.

“Is that a challenge, bud?”

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