Page 2 of Love is a Drum Beat
She leaned back against the cushions. “I was kind of hoping you’d just say nothing bad will happen.”
“That too.”
She rolled her eyes to the ceiling. “Well, this has been fun and all, but not really. I’m going to try to get up from this couch—trybeing the operative word—to get a seltzer water and pretend it’s a beer.”
“Everything is going to be fine, Joey. I know it.”
“Sure.”
“Call Dax.”
She hung up, giving him no response. Call Dax? She huffed out a breath. In Noah’s dreams.
Jo hadn’t seen Dax since their awkward Christmas weeks ago. He wasn’t a bad guy. Just… she always got the impression he didn’t like her. That there was something wrong with her pink-tipped hair and out-of-wedlock pregnancy.
“Okay, baby alien, help me out a little.” She pushed herself from the pillows and rocked forward before flopping back with a grunt. “Whoever invented the whole having babies thing was obviously a man. That means you, God.” With another grunt, she rocked forward again, this time managing to push up onto her feet. “Victory.” Her arms shot in the air, the movement throwing her off balance.
She pitched forward with a yelp and landed on her knees. If only her fans could see her now.
She gave the kitchen across the room an accusatory look. “I will conquer you.” Placing her hands on the floor, she started to crawl. “See, baby? I’m teaching you early.” Her knees ached as she made her way over the hardwood floors. “Crawling is not meant for adults.”
If Noah were there, she’d have just made him get her whatever she needed. He was the only person she’d ever let herself rely on. He saved her all those years ago when her world felt so dark.
She reached the kitchen and reached up to grip the counter to pull herself up before opening the fridge. There wasn’t much inside. She’d been relying on takeout since she’d started showing.
Leaving the house to do things like shop were a no go. No one could see her like this. If they did, the picture of her baby bump would show up across the internet. She wasn’t ready for the world to know, for the questions to begin.
Who was the father? They’d assume it was Noah.
Why did she hide it? Because they were vultures.
What will the enigmatic drummer do with a tiny little baby? She had no freaking clue.
Reaching into the fridge, she grabbed two cans of seltzer and a takeout container from her favorite Chinese restaurant. Sniffing it to make sure it was still good, she shrugged and lugged her haul back to the couch.
Opening a can, she took a long drink, imagining it was the kind of drink that could make her forget.
It wasn’t.
And when she unlocked her phone, she realized nothing could make her forget the mess that was Jo Jackson’s life.
There was a single text message. Not many people had her number, and she wasn’t quite sure how her dad got it, but he’d called and texted periodically over the years. She’d named himDouche Nozzlein her phone because she knew he’d hate it. Well, he used to hate her, everything about her. Until she signed her first recording contract.
Douche Nozzle:Hi, Joey. It’s your dear old dad. Give me a ring some time. I need a favor.
Favors in his world usually meant money to bail him out of whatever gambling debt he’d racked up or false lead he’d found in his search for her mother who’d disappeared from their lives when Jo was a kid. And Jo had fallen for it time and again. Each time, she thought it would be different. That she’d give him money, and he’d try to have a real relationship with her.
Each time, she was disappointed.
Maybe it was the act of growing a baby, or maybe she was going soft, but she’d vowed to be a better parent than she’d ever had. She wouldn’t abandon her kid like her own mom did, nor treat them to so much misery they’d run away and join the circus.
Okay, the music scene wasn’t the circus. It just felt like it sometimes.
She powered down her phone. She’d had too many let downs today, and the only thing that could make her feel better was a cheesy romcom.
Another secret.
No one would ever guess the surly drummer watched Hallmark movies. If they found out, it would crack the reputation she’d built.
