Page 19 of Rockstar Baby Daddy

I barked out a laugh and shook my head. “That’s the downside of dating a rock star.”

“Does one overnight stay and one cafeteria meal constitute dating in Hollywood?” Her tone was playful, but I could hear the curiosity in her voice.

“Hell no. No one dates in Hollywood, but you and I seem to be having our third date tonight. At seven.”

She laughed again and the sound sent shivers up and down my arms. “Seven, then.” The loudspeaker let out a muffled message and then Suzie sighed. “See you tonight, Gavin.”

“I can’t wait,” I told her honestly before the call ended. There was something about Suzie that was just irresistible. I couldn’t get enough of her. The past three days had felt like an eternity without her melodic laughter and her wit. She didn’t try to massage my ego or worry about hurting my feelings with her words, which made her even more intriguing.

“What, or should I saywho,has put that gooey-eyed look on your face?” Granddaddy stood behind me, laughter in his voice.

“You can’t even see my face.”

“Maybe not, but I can see your cheeks puffing out in a goofy smile so I assume you’ve been gabbing with Dr. Wright?”

“I invited her for dinner tonight.”

“Finally decided to give the oldfriendshipa kick in the nuts?” Granddaddy laughed. “I’m glad to hear it. I was startin’ to wonder if you’d hit your head with all that people-surfing you get up to on stage.”

“You mean crowd surfing?”

“Yeah, whatever. The point is, I like Suzie and I think she’s just the kind of woman you need. Soft and curvy, smart as hell, and only a little bit impressed by you.” He clapped me on the shoulder and dropped down on the sofa beside me with a sigh.

“That’s what I like about her, too.” I hadn’t looked forward to spending an evening with a woman in a long time. Sex was easy to come by in my business, and most of the time I didn’t even have to look for it. Women were justthere, willing to do whatever I wanted just to say they fucked Gavin Ross. “She’s cool.”

Granddaddy snort-laughed. “Be damn hard to do better than her.”

I nodded my agreement. “I need to go shopping.”

“Gnocchi Bolognese?”

I nodded. It was one of the few dishes I made well, thanks to my sweetheart of a grandmama, and I planned to make it tonight for Suzie. If she wanted to keep things between us quiet, that was fine, but I would make damn sure that I was always on her mind. As loud as can be.

Suzie

“We ran the Cheeky Bugger Diner for more than thirty years before my Elsie went on to the next dimension, rest her soul.” Granddaddy Aaron, as he insisted I call him, had lived a thrilling life filled with adventure. “When I lost her, I didn’t have the heart for the mundane business of inventory lists and paperwork. And the lack of grab-ass in the kitchen.” The older man laughed until he was breathless and red-faced.

“We should all be so lucky to have what you two did,” I assured him and lifted my wine glass. “Everything was delicious, thank you.”

Aaron shook his head. “That wasn’t me, it was my boy. Isn’t that right, Gavin?”

I turned my gaze to the quietest of my two dinner hosts. Gavin had taken the doctor’s orders seriously, which I was glad to see even if I missed hearing the sexy timbre of his deep voice. “You made this?”

He nodded, a small, almost shy smile kicking his mouth into a lopsided grin. “I did.”

“It’s wonderful. I’ve never had baked gnocchi before.” It was hearty and delicious, the perfect meal against the chilly night air. “Did you learn it from Aaron?”

“Nope. My grandmama.”

I smiled at his affectionate names for his grandparents, at the love in his voice when he spoke of them. It made him real, human, and dammit, even more attractive, if that was even possible. Tonight, he’d dressed like the rock star he was in jeans that fit his body like a glove, a faded black T-shirt, a leather cuff on his wrist and his hair sexily messy. “I’ll bet she was great.”

“Oh, she was,” Aaron piped in. I dreamed of meeting a girl like her when I was in the military and packed with a bunch of men nonstop.” He laughed to himself, a wistful smile on his face. “It took a lifetime to meet her. I worked as a cruise ship chef sailing the Mediterranean and then as a roadie for a rock band, but you know where I met her? A small-town library when the tour bus broke down.”

“No way! That’s a movie,” I insisted and looked to Gavin. “That’s totally a movie plot, isn’t it?”

Gavin smiled and shook his head. “Should be, though.”

I couldn’t agree more. Granddaddy Aaron had lived his life to the fullest. He’d seen the world and then he’d fallen in love and settled down with the woman of his dreams. They had kids, a home, and a business together. A full life of love and of happiness. Exactly what I wanted. And was no closer to getting as long as I spent my free time with a nomadic rock star playboy.

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