Page 89 of Rockstars, Babies & Happily Ever Afters: Vol. 1

Twenty minutes later, they’d checked out and were facing down the same row of game vending machines that had been there since they were teenagers. “What could you possibly have stashed in this machine now?” she asked, gripping the guitar pick necklace she wore. He’d won it for her way back when, and she’d replaced the flimsy chain with something more substantial.

He’d also hidden her engagement ring in one of the machines, with the help of the management. Good thing the owners were the romantic sort.

“You ask too many questions, you know that? You’re supposed to put your money in and take your chances.”

“Uh huh.” But she dug a dollar out of her wallet and fed it into the machine, limbering up her fingers before grabbing the joystick for the giant claw. “You know I suck at this game.”

Which was why he’d had his particular item put at the very top of the stack. There was no way she could miss it.

Until she missed it.

“Seriously, honey?” Shaking his head, he elbowed her out of the way. “Let the master show you how it’s done.”

A moment later, the prize he’d intended for her tumbled down into the tray and he snatched it victoriously. “See?”

“Showoff.” She tugged the plastic container out of his hand and popped open the lid. And gasped. Inside sat a tiny charm necklace with a guitar and a set of drums. “Is this…oh my God, is this for…” She fell silent and blinked rapidly.

“Yes and yes.” He lifted the chain—a much better quality than the one on the original guitar pick necklace, that was for sure—and motioned for her to lift up her hair and turn around. She obliged and he slipped the necklace around her neck. “Until he’s born, it’s yours to wear. After, if he sees fit to wear it, it’s his. He can also choose which instrument he prefers, as long as he picks the right one.”

Grinning, he spun her back to face him and kissed her softly. Already her lips were tinged with the faint tracks of her tears. Even knowing they were happy ones, the sight of them twisted a blade in his gut. “You’re not supposed to cry. Today is a day for laughter and sex.Onlylaughter and sex.”

She sniffled and clutched both of her necklaces. “I cry during sex too sometimes.”

“Shh, you’re not supposed to speak aloud about my secret shame.”

She let out a watery laugh and shook her head. “You’re completely nuts.”

“And you love me. Go on, finish the statement.”

“And I love you,” she agreed, rising up on her tiptoes to press her mouth to his. As always happened lately, her growing belly helped them meet in the middle that much faster. At least their torsos anyway. “Thank you for both of my presents. They’re beyond sweet and I adore them.”

“The necklace is sweet, definitely. The paints?” He cocked a brow. “No sweet there. As you shall see.” He grabbed the cart and pushed it ahead of them out of the store.

They loaded the groceries into the trunk in companionable silence, and she immediately resumed her singing once the car was on the road again. She continued to hum along to the radio even when he pulled into the back lot of Shadyside High, though he didn’t miss how her feet had gone still.

Jazz at rest was never a good sign, since the girl was in constant motion.

“This one I definitely don’t get,” she whispered, gazing out the window at the brick façade buildings and giant leafy trees that rimmed the campus.

“Part of what today is all about is making awesome memories to replace the bad,” he said quietly, waiting until she shifted to look at him before he went on. “We had some great times in this town, but there were some hard ones too. I want to go back into your past and fix them. Unfortunately, I can’t. So we’ll create new moments to diminish the memories of the bad.”

Her attention returned to the view outside the window. “I appreciate you wanting to do that, but it doesn’t work that way.”

“I know it normally doesn’t, but we’re going to try.”

“Gray…”

“Don’t ‘Gray’ me. Try with me. Please.”

“You know that’s not fair, because I’d do anything you ask of me.” He waited, brows lifted, until she sighed. “Okay, yes. I’ll try.”

“Good. Now let’s go.” He got out of the car and rounded the hood, pausing to give her a chance to join him.

“Go where?”

He held out his hand and she clasped it, curling her fingers into his with such trust that he needed a moment to speak over the lump in his throat. “Do you remember your very first lunch in this courtyard?” He tugged her with him as they circled around the back of the building to the grassy area bordered by concrete walkways where the high school students tended to congregate. He came to a stop and thumped the trunk of a pine with his free hand. “How I found you sitting under this very tree?”

She knelt in the grass without losing her link with his fingers. “The day I was ostracized the first time? Sure, how could I forget?”

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