Page 53 of Good Girls Don't Date Rock Stars (Rock Canyon, Idaho 2)

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TRAVIS WOKE UP a few hours later, still feeling like a zombie. Between the sore ribs, the hangover, and the thoughts running through his head all night, he’d gotten less than nothing as far as sleep went. Add to that the spat with Gemma this morning and he was definitely feeling crappy.

He’d been trying to find a way to resolve all their issues, but he hadn’t come up with anything that would make everyone happy.

Scenario number one was the first thought that had come to mind last night, when he was drunk and angry, but somehow he couldn’t imagine his son being happy if Travis sued for sole custody, so that was out.

The second had him taking Charlie every other weekend, but if he was on the road, he had a hard time imagining Gemma would be okay with that. Plus, how was he supposed to get to know his son amid concerts, interviews, and whatever else Big George scheduled for him? He had always been the yes guy, the one who would do anything, but now, with Charlie . . . well, they would have to make some changes.

The last idea had them all living under one roof, while he and Gemma worked on their temporary marriage and he got to know Charlie. If he was being honest, that was the one that had been pushing to the forefront. Whether they liked it or not, they had a child together, and right now they were married. They couldn’t spend the rest of their lives going back and forth about their mistakes; it wouldn’t be good for them or Charlie.

He walked out to his truck and drove through town, hoping to catch her during a slow time in the shop, maybe take her to lunch and talk like adults. As he parked in The Local Bean’s parking lot, he saw Mike march down the sidewalk and yank open the door to her shop in an obvious temper.

Wonder what in the hell she did to him.

GREAT. MAYBE I should start listening to Gracie’s advice.

“It’s not what you think,” Gemma started. Her hands were shaking so bad, she gripped the counter to steady herself, hoping it would make them stop.

“Oh, thank God, because for a minute there, I thought you’d spent all weekend with your ex and then married him, all without telling me. Oh, wait, that’s exactly what happened.”

“It was a mistake. We just got caught up and had a little too much to drink. I didn’t know he was going to come after me,” Gemma said.

Then Travis walked in, and Gemma wanted to crawl under the counter. Mike glanced back at him for a second before facing her again, his expression darker.

“Great, the gang’s all here,” he said sarcastically. “So, you just ac

cidentally fell into bed with him?”

Gemma met Travis’s eyes, and he raised an eyebrow. She was completely mortified by the whole situation and, feeling cornered, snapped, “No, I meant to sleep with him.”

“You just accidentally married him? How do you accidentally marry someone? I don’t care how drunk you were, you knew what you were doing, even subconsciously, and I can’t believe you didn’t tell me.”

“Michael . . .” Gemma reached out for her friend, the man who had stayed up with her during emergency-room visits and had taught Charlie how to fish. The man who had held her hand when her dad died. She never should have kept this from him.

I really am selfish.

“If that wasn’t bad enough, I kept your secret like an idiot, when I should have told Travis ten years ago,” Mike said.

“I agree. I really ought to kick your ass for that,” Travis said dryly.

“It wasn’t your secret to tell,” Gemma said, wishing she didn’t have to deal with both of them at once. “And it wasn’t even a real marriage, so I figured we’d get an annulment and no one would have to know.”

“But me, Gemma. Why wouldn’t you tell me? I’ve been there for you for everything!” Mike said.

“I didn’t want to hurt you,” she said helplessly.

“I’ve dealt with a lot from you, including when you started dating other men. I got the friend speech and I survived that. So why was it so hard to tell me this?” Mike asked.

She didn’t have a reason, at least not one she was willing to say out loud.

Because of the way Travis makes me feel.

“I’m so sick of being your little lapdog, doing everything you want and need without anything in return, even common fucking courtesy. You know what, she’s all yours.” Mike backed away from her and rushed out of the shop, leaving Gemma alone with Travis.

Gemma started to go after him, but Travis stopped her with a hand on her arm. “Let him go.”

Biting her lip, she realized she did that a lot with the men she loved: Travis, her dad, and now Michael.

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