Page 36 of Rockstar Baby Daddy

“I did that, and he left town without so much as a goodbye to his good buddy Suzie.”

“That damn slick agent with the greasy hair,” Aaron growled, and I laughed at his misplaced anger.

“Hey, that slickster is why your grandson is so famous and rich, well regarded in his field.”

“Yeah, well, that ain’t everything. He won’t always be famous, and then where will he be? What will he have?”

“Not me and my child as a consolation prize,” I whispered. As much as I regretted saying it, I couldn’t deny the truth of my words. “Granddaddy Aaron, Gavin’s career is everything to him. You may think he wants more, or you may want him to want more, but he’s exactly where he wants to be. And I get that. I really do.”

His eyes flashed with acknowledgment, followed by mischief. “You love him.”

“I do not,” I insisted.

“You do. That’s why you won’t tell him, won’t force him to choose.”

“There is no choice,” I shot back because it was the absolute truth. “He made his choice once and I have no doubt he’d make it again.”

Aaron shook his head. “But this is a child we’re talking about. A wee little baby.”

Not something as insignificant as a woman. “I’m aware.”

He grumbled to himself for a long time before he let out a resigned sign. “I don’t agree with your choice, but I will respect it for now. If you need anything, Suzie, I’ll be here for a while longer.”

I blinked at his change in demeanor. “Jackson’s Ridge pulling you under its spell?”

“Something like that. Getting to know Zola and enjoying all the ways a man of a certain age has to keep busy.” He wiggled his eyebrows, and I had no doubt most of those ways involved the single, widowed, and divorced senior women of Jackson’s Ridge.

“Thanks, Granddaddy Aaron. I’m grateful to know you.” I leaned over and wrapped my arms around him, feeling suddenly emotional. “You’re the only grandparent this child will have.”

It was a thought that made me sad, thinking of just how little family there was to love my baby.

I quickly shook it off. It wasn’t true. I had a big family here in Jackson’s Ridge. They weren’t blood, not even Drew, but they loved me like we were related, and that meant they would love my baby the same way.

“You say that now, but I’m a bossy son of a gun when I want to be.” He let out a loud rumbling laugh and I joined in.

“That’s okay, I am, too.”

He laughed again. “Poor kid doesn’t stand a chance.”

“Not even a little bit.”

“Good. And I want you to know that I have no plans on missing out on seeing this little one grow up for as long as I have left on this earth. No matter what Gavin chooses to do, I plan to enjoy being a great-granddaddy.”

“Thank you, Aaron. I needed to hear that.”

“Well, all right, then,” he said and stepped away from the emotional, teary-eyed pregnant woman. “I needed to say it. Now, I have to go, it’s bingo night and I’m trying to get me a goodnight smooch.”

“From anyone in particular?”

“Just a pretty girl.” He dropped a peck on my cheek and shuffled off, busy living it up in this small slice of heaven.

Gavin

“Where do you think you’re going?”

I turned with a frown at the sound of Alex’s angry voice. “Packing. What does it look like?”

I had been working for weeks and weeks with no break, because I didn’t want one. Didn’t need one. Not until now.

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