Page 123 of Dirty Rock

Bobby moved to wrap an arm around my shoulder, dipping his chin to his chest as he pulled me closer. “Tell me, Rhett.” He began to walk us forward, his pace controlled. “Just how much do you know about this woman you’ve gone ahead and fallen in love with?”

I didn’t like the sound of that question. Mainly because the answer would sound shit compared to those love stories that professed they’d known it was true love from the minute they saw the other part of their soul.

Our story wasn’t like that.

“I know who she is and what she stands for, which is why I’ve fallen hard. As for her history…”

“You don’t know a damn thing.” Bobby smirked.

“I guess not.” I frowned, that pinch in my chest tight again. Why didn’t I know shit? How had I let it get this far without asking more questions than I had?

Because you’re a selfish arsehole, Rhett, and as long as you’re getting what you want out of something, nothing else matters.

“How well doyouknow her?” I dared myself to ask.

“Pretty well.” He nodded, pressing his lips together.

“Have you—?”

“Careful with that next question, Rhett.” Bobby stopped and turned to face me fully. “A man should always be careful of what he asks a woman’s pops about her life.”

If it hadn’t been for the music, I was sure the whole room would have heard my jaw crash to the floor.

Chapter Forty-One

“You’re… I mean… Jules is your…” Blinking did nothing for me, but it sure did make Bobby’s face light up. “She never said.”

“Why would she?”

“Because you’re Bobby Fucking Hart, man. A legend. The guys and I have spoken about Zero Heroes over the years, and Jules never even looked up from what she was doing when we did.”

“She’s a professional. She’s never bragged about her life on the road with me.”

“Jesus Christ.” I ran a hand through my hair, exasperated. Shook up. “You’re the guy on a pedestal. How could she not tell me?”

“Not to her. To the twins, I’m just good old Pops.”

I closed my eyes for just a moment to try and muster some control before I looked back up at him. “This is a lot to take in. She never mentioned family. I only knew about Sarah when… you know.”

Bobby’s eyes turned sad, but the trained entertainer kept his face straight like any professional should and would.

“I guess that’s another sign Julia really does love you. Not only has she introduced you to me. She’s told you about Sarah and the baby.”

“Shouldn’t she have?”

Bobby glanced over my shoulder, seeking Jules out. I couldn’t stop staring athim, though. When he turned his attention back to me again, he stepped closer.

“Sarah’s… different from Julia. She always has been. From the moment I found them—”

“Foundthem?” I frowned. “What the hell does that mean?”

“Jesus, she really hasn’t told you anything, has she?” He sighed again, let his hand fall from my shoulder, and he rubbed it across his forehead. The professional entertainer was gone. In front of me was an old man with too much worry on his shoulders. “She could have at least warned me when she asked me to come by tonight.”

“Warned you about what?”

“About you not knowing that her and Sarah were dumped in the middle of nowhere as children and left to fend for themselves.” He dropped his hand and shook his head as the memories flickered through his mind. “The twins aren’t mine… biologically. The girls were no more than six years old, left to rot in the back of some beat-up old Ford Escort on the A14 near Kettering. Their mother was at her wit’s end. Dad was a druggy and didn’t care. The girls didn’t even know his name. The mother was suicidal, and high all the time. She’d gotten pregnant by mistake, and after six years, she’d apparently had enough. So, just like that, she left them with nothing more than a picnic and a bag of clothes each. She took the car keys, told them to stay where they were, and she said someone would be along to pick them up soon. Only nobody was ever coming to get them.”

My heart pinched as I stared at him, unable to say a damn thing.

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