Page 22 of Rockstar Baby Daddy

Suzie twirled around, a bright smile on her face. “Gavin, that’s wonderful!” In two seconds, she was in my personal space, her arms wrapped around me and her face buried in my chest. “I’m so happy for you!”

Her words sent a flush of warmth through my body and I held her tighter, kissing the top of her head. “Ah, thanks, Suzie Q. I couldn’t have done it without you.”

She pulled back and rolled her eyes, but her hand cupped one side of my face affectionately. “You absolutely could have. In fact, you’ve written tons of songs before you ever knew I existed.”

“Maybe so, but I haven’t written anything in months. I was worried the music had left me, but I found it, thanks to you.”

“I’ll take the praise from you, right here and right now, but we both know what this is.” She turned back to the wine, pouring a glass for herself and half a glass for me.

“Yeah, what is it?”

Suzie sighed. “Fear. You were afraid that something might be wrong with your voice, so you distanced yourself from the thing you love best: music. Now, that fear is behind you, and the words and the music are flowing.” She handed me a glass and smiled, but I noticed it didn’t fully reach her eyes. “To getting the music back.”

“To unexpected delights. To friends found in the most unexpected places.”

“I’ll drink to that.” She took a sip and reached for plates and forks. “So, can you tell me anything about these songs or is it all hush-hush?”

We sat at the table and talked over pizza and wings. It all felt so normal, so domestic, and I smiled so much my face muscles ached. “They’re not exactly a secret, but right now they’re just words and melodies on paper. I haven’t been able to sing them, not properly.”

She nodded. “It’s been a few weeks already, Gavin. In a few more, you’ll be back singing nonstop. With appropriate amounts of rest,” she added with affection. “Is it difficult, writing songs you can’t sing and tweak as you go?”

“Absolutely. I’ve never written this way before. A little bit of humming here and singing there makes it difficult, but not impossible. I can hear the songs in my head, so I know exactly how they’ll sound. I just need that assurance.”

“Do you have a writing partner?”

“Nah, I tried that back in the day and we argued all the time. I’m strictly a solo act.” The boys in the band hadn’t been interested in writing songs, even if it meant extra cash. “They were happy with the money we got for singing and dancing. Then I tried with a songwriter in Nashville who was looking to become a muse.”

Too bad, because she had been one hell of a lyricist.

“You’re just too irresistible, Gavin.” Her teasing words made me smile. “How do you deal with it?”

“Easy. I faked a throat problem so I could come to a small town to date a woman who is somehow my biggest fan yet not entirely impressed with me.”

“Oh, I amveryimpressed by you. As a singer and songwriter. But as a man, I think you’re perfectly fine.”

“Fine.” I balked. “Did you just say ‘fine’?”

Suzie laughed and the sound wrapped itself around my heart and gripped tight. “Are you too good to befine, Gavin Ross?”

“Not at all, but I have it on good authority that’s not a good word when it falls from a woman’s lips.”

She laughed again. “Fine is a good word. A great word. All I meant is that I like you, Gavin. As an artist and a man, but I won’t give you extra credit as a man simply because you are a fantastic artist.”

And that was what I loved most about her. Love? That was what I liked best about Suzie. “Fantastic? I like what I’m hearing. Tell me more.”

Suzie stood and took her plate to the sink in silence. She turned to face me and slowly sauntered back to the table, resting her palms flat just a foot away from me. “When your next album drops, I promise to heap a ton of praise onto you the next time I see you.”

“I look forward to it.” No matter where I was in the world when that happened, I would make a trip back just to hear what Suzie thought. I was sure of that.

“I’ll just bet.” She scanned the kitchen in search of something, a frown on her face.

“What are you looking for?”

“Something sweet,” she said as her gaze bounced from the countertop to the bag of pretzels on top of her microwave and back to the uneaten pizza and wings.

“Why didn’t you say so? I’m right here.”

She laughed and pushed at my chest. “Hilarious.”

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