Page 19 of Good Girls Don't Date Rock Stars (Rock Canyon, Idaho 2)

She looked at her caller ID. “I need to take this in the other room.”

She disappeared into the bathroom, and his mind clouded with suspicion. She’d said she wasn’t seeing anyone, but she could have lied. Or maybe it wasn’t that serious, and she didn’t want to mention it.

Or maybe what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas?

Travis stood up and retrieved his clothes, dressing as he contemplated exactly what he was doing with Gemma. He was tired of the bullshit; he’d always wanted to settle down and have a family, something he had missed out on growing up. He wondered, not for the first time, if Gemma and he would have made it if Emily had never pulled that crap ten years ago.

Stop living in the past and try not to overthink this. Just see where things go.

Travis pulled his T-shirt over his head and went to knock on the bathroom door but paused for a moment. Leaning his head against the wood, he strained to hear her conversation.

“I love you. See you soon. ’Bye.”

Travis backed away from the door and waited for the shower to turn on, wondering who the I love you had been for.

None of my business. It could have been her mom.

Funny how the reassurance didn’t stop a worm of jealousy from wiggling around in his brain. Logically, he knew Gemma owed him nothing, but it didn’t mean this didn’t bother him.

PREOCCUPIED, GEMMA STEPPED out of the shower and wrapped up her hair in a towel.

Charlie had called to say good night and that he was having a great time, but there had been a note in his voice she’d recognized. Something was going on, but he didn’t want her to worry or, worse, take care of the problem. Michael was constantly telling her that she needed to let Charlie fight his own battles, but it was hard to step back. He was only nine and she was supposed to protect him, to keep him safe. Which made what she was doing with Travis so much worse.

Just one weekend that’s for me in ten years doesn’t make me a bad mom.

Once she left for home tomorrow, Travis would be out of her life again and back to his. She had planned to keep their little tryst to herself, but could she do it? Could she just go home and pretend nothing had happened? And if she went with him to this event, how was she going to spend the evening continuing to keep a tight lid on her emotions and hiding the details of her life?

Because otherwise I’ll be wrecking three lives that work fine just the way they are.

If she were going to tell Travis about Charlie, she should have done it ten years ago, despite what she’d thought was going on between him and the blonde in his trailer.

Closing her eyes, she drifted back to that night, and her stomach roiled with pain.

“Travis, aren’t you going to introduce me to your friend?” the woman had asked, her tone sweet as honey but with a bitter aftertaste.

Gemma had pulled away from Travis and run. She’d almost made it to the gate before he caught her and spun her around.

“Let me go,” she’d cried, swinging her arm. Her hand had connected with his cheek and he’d grabbed her shoulders, shaking her gently until her gaze met his.

“Gemma! Nothing happened. I walked into my tour bus and found her like that. I was telling her to leave when you arrived.”

Did he think she was an idiot? Sobs choking her, she couldn’t even speak. His grip had loosened and he’d rubbed her arms, trying to comfort her. “I swear, there hasn’t been anybody else.”

Even if that was true, she knew eventually there would be. Who were they kidding? He was going to spend over half the year on the road, with beautiful girls coming on to him left and right. Eventually he was going to give in to temptation. In time, he would leave her anyway . . .

What about the baby?

If she told him now, would he quit? Would he come back to Rock Canyon and get a job at one of the dairies? He’d be miserable and would probably hate her for it. Music was all Travis had talked about since the minute she’d met him. If she told him now, he’d give up his dream. And eventually resent her and the baby.

“It’s over, Travis.” Her voice had been shaky but firm.

“What?”

She’d felt sick at the hurt in his eyes but knew it was for the best. “I said it’s over, Travis. I’m setting you free.”

“I don’t want to be free. I just want you,” he’d pleaded, and she’d hated it, knowing what it had cost him. Travis didn’t beg anyone for anything.

“We’re headed in different directions, so why not just end it before something really bad happens?”

---