Page 83 of A Way Out
“That’s where the debt came from,” Maria guessed. He could hear the tears in her voice.
He dragged his hand through his hair. “I’ve been drowning for a while now. But I’ve been too afraid to take a chance on the band that might have paid it off sooner. And all I was doing was sinking deeper and deeper.”
Maria stood—shit, was she about to walk away? But she stepped closer and sat on the edge of his seat.
“Scooch over,” she said. He inched to the side, and she adjusted to lie next to him on the lounger. The chair was only meant for one body, so it was a tight squeeze, but that was okay. He liked having her this close.
“I’d offer to help, but I’m sure you’ll turn me down,” she finally said.
He shook his head. “Assuming there’s nothing wonky about this contract, they’re giving us each an advance. It’s plenty big enough to pay off my debt.”
“That’s great.”
He shrugged. “It’ll still be a struggle for a little while, until we start growing as a band, but I see that happening pretty quickly.”
“Me too.”
“It’d help if you stayed on as our publicist. We should be able to actually start paying you.”
She smiled. Her hand rested on his thigh. “I like that idea. I really didn’t want to walk away from the band.”
“What about me?”
“I really didn’t want to walk away from you.”
He rolled onto his side and cupped her face. “Then don’t.”
“I’m not.”
He kissed her, a gentle press of the lips. “Where’s Riley?”
She gave him another smile. “With her dad. Vic’s decided he wants to figure out how to parent. And I’m going to help him. We’re going to share custody.”
“All that stuff your mother said…”
“Was all her. And I don’t care about any of it. Vic has seen the light too. He’s planning to distance himself so she can’t influence him anymore. I’m not saying it will be easy by any means, but I do believe we can make this work. So long as?—”
“I love you.”
“Oh.” She blinked owlishly, clearly not having expected him to blurt out such an important proclamation. He hadn’t either, but he didn’t take it back.
He meant it.
She stroked his cheek with one finger. Her smile was wobbly. “I’m so very much in love with you, Oz. I don’t ever want to leave you again.”
He leaned back so he could look her in the eye. “If this thing between us works out?—”
“If?”
He chuckled and kissed her nose, but then he sobered. “When we decide to get married, I want a prenup.”
“Expecting the band to be that huge, huh?” she teased.
He shook his head. “I mean, yes, but that’s not why. I want you to have confidence that I’m not marrying you for your money.”
She cupped his cheek. “I already have that confidence.”
He moved their champagne glasses safely out of reach and unlatched the back of the lounger so that it lay flat, and then he rolled them both until Maria was underneath him.
