Sinner (16 page)

Zach

I must have been tired last night because I passed out right after we made love. I feel bad about that, but it was so good to wake up next to her this morning. Now, I have to find a way to convince her that we need to wake up next to each other every morning. After we have another go at each other, I take her to breakfast, and we have a chance to talk. She apologizes for shutting me out, and I tell her that I'm sorry I didn't fire Mel sooner.

"How are we going to work this?" She asks as she finishes her scone and coffee.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, how are we going to proceed with our relationship. If you want a relationship that is. That's what I thought you wanted." She says and sounds unsure of herself.

"Yes, it's what I want more than anything." I cover her hand with mine. “I just don't know why we have to work anything out. You can stay with me for the rest of the tour and then move into my place when we get back."

"Zach, as tempting as that sounds, I'm in school and I've got a job now working with my father's label. I can't just quit all of that. Please don't ask me to quit."

I'm about to tell her that there is no way I'm letting her out of my sight again, but I stop and think first. I want her to be happy, and I can't ask her to leave her job and school. The tour is only six more weeks, and then I'll be home in L.A. for a least a few months.

"Okay, baby. We'll handle it by staying in touch on the phone and Skype. I'll fly home to see you when I can. There are only a few weeks left of the tour, and I know I can make it back to L.A. at least once. I have a few days off between Europe and Asia."

"Really!" Josie squeals so loudly that everyone in the restaurant turns around and looks at her.

"Really, my love."

The next couple of days is a blur of sex, delicious food, and sightseeing with Andy and Josie. When it's time for her to go home, I'm petrified that something bad is going to happen. I can't lose her again she's my heart and soul. The only thing that I can think of to make sure she stays mine is to tell her how I feel.

"Josie. I love you." I tell her while we're saying goodbye at the airport.

"I love you too, Zach." She says and kisses me deeply.

I can feel in that kiss that I have nothing to worry about. But just in case, as soon as she's on the plane back to America, I take the train to France and visit a jewelry maker that I've heard makes amazing rings.

Chapter Ten

Josie

The six weeks until the Troubled Kids world tour is over feels like an eternity. Zach holds to his word and comes to visit me between the European and Asia leg of the world tour. I have something important I need to tell him, but I can't until the doctor confirms it. It wouldn't be fair to let him in on the secret until I know for sure. Andy figures it out in about thirty seconds during one of our Skype calls, and I make him swear on his life that he won't tell Zach until I know for sure.

I move my things into Zach's place about a week before he comes home. I didn't want to move in until he came back, but he insisted. I could tell this wasn't a battle I was going to win, so I relented. His house is a mansion, and it was not at all what I was expecting. It didn't look like a rock star bachelor pad, but instead, it looked like somewhere to raise a family. I touch my stomach and hope that he will be as excited about the news as I am.

I say it's a great place to raise a family, but I left out the part about there being barely any furniture. A music studio and movie theater, yes. A sofa and dining room table, no. He told me to pick what I wanted and he'd pay for it. I don't normally like the idea of him giving me grandiose gifts, but Ellen and my mom told me to get over it and make the place into a home.

Fortunately, the Verona name carries weight in Los Angeles, and all of the furniture arrives before he comes home from the tour. Our housekeeper, Sue, was delighted with the new appliances I purchased for the kitchen as well.

The day he arrives home is one of the happiest of my life, but it almost turns into an epic disaster. Zach and I kiss for an hour and then have hot sex on our new bed before he passes out from exhaustion again. I sincerely hope that he doesn't keep doing that, but that isn’t the disastrous part.

After his nap, Zach tells me he has reservations at one of the hottest restaurants in the city. I go into the bathroom and make sure I look smokin hot because I know there is a chance the paparazzi will be all over us tonight. I've gotten used to them hanging around, and I'm not sure why I'd ever been so afraid. Growing up in the business had taught me how to work them to my advantage, and all I had to do was put those skills in play.

He takes me by the hand and leads me out to a white tent on the back lawn of our home. I didn’t noticed the crew here this afternoon setting it up, and when we step on the walkway, lights along the sidewalk and in the trees come alive. It looks like a fairy tale, and it takes my breath away.

Inside the tent is a table and more twinkling lights. Sue brings us plates of roasted chicken, stuffed grape leaves, and sautéed spring vegetables. She hugs me before leaving the tent, and I tell her thank you. I think it was strange that she’s being so affectionate, but the food smells good and I've been especially ravenous lately.

After we finish eating, soft music starts to play from the speakers in the tent. The lights get low, and Zach comes around the table and gets down on one knee. He pulls a small, black velvet box out of his pocket, but before he can open it, I stand up and back away.

"Wait, what are you doing?" I ask and I can feel the fury rising inside of me.

"Well, my love, I was trying to ask you to marry me." He says and smiles.

"He told you, didn't he? Andy promised me he would let me tell you. But, he told you, and now you feel like you have to marry me. Well, you don't." I practically yell at him.

"Whoa, baby, whoa. Slow day. Sit with me. Tell me what?" He says and pats the chair.

"Don't play with me. If you already know, then just be honest."

"Sweetheart, I have no earthly idea what you are talking about or why me asking you to be my wife is making you angry." Zach says and laughs.

Something about his laugh calms me down, so I sit down. He pulls the chair over and takes my hands as he sits down across from me.

"Now, Josie. Please, tell me whatever it is so important that you told Andy before you old me." He teases.

"I didn't tell him. He figured it out. I made him promise not to tell you because I wanted to tell you, but not until the doctor confirmed it."

"Oh god, baby. What's wrong. Are you sick?" His face goes ghostly white, and it's my turn to laugh.

"No, Mr. Verona. I'm not sick. You're going to be a daddy." I say and smile hopefully at him.

"No fucking way." He yells and jumps up out of his chair. "That is the most awesome thing ever." Zach does a goofy victory dance that makes me laugh harder.

"I'm sorry I got angry. I've been a bit temperamental and hungry lately."

"It's okay. I am a little sad that you think they only reason I'd marry you is that you're knocked up." He says and gets back on his knee. "Makes no difference now, though, because you're going to be my wife."

"That doesn't sound like much of a proposal."

"That's because I'm not asking, baby. You're mine."

He takes out the ring, and it's a seven-carat yellow diamond set in platinum. I roll my eyes at the gigantic rock, but I don't hesitate to stick my hand out. He puts the ring on my finger and kisses me.

"I saw you roll your eyes." He says and smiles.

"That ring is all you. I can't believe you bought something that big. Wait, yes I can." I say and stare at the huge diamond weighing down my ring finger. “It’s breathtaking, Zach. Is it a yellow diamond? I’ve heard of these, but I’ve never seen one in person before.”

“Yes, it’s a yellow diamond. The color comes from imperfections in the stone. I wanted you to remember every time you look at it that sometimes the most beautiful treasures break the rules.” He says and I can’t hold back the happy tears for another second.

Epilogue

Josie

Our wedding broke the internet. Okay, not really, but I'm sure it stressed a few servers to the max. It was also in every magazine and plastered across every celebrity gossip site in existence. Any money I made selling the details of our big day I gave to charity, and I made a lot of money.

Rock star weddings were big news back when I was a kid, and I made sure this one got as much attention as possible. I know that doesn't sound like me, but the money went to help kids displaced by war. I made sure that the world was looking at us for our big day, and then used the attention to raise money for refugees and their children.

I only had a few months to plan the ceremony and reception because I decided I wanted Zach and I to be man and wife before our little boy is born. The Verona name carries weight around here, as I've said before, and I got almost everything I wanted even on short notice.

It was a lot of work since for most of the wedding planning I still had school, but my mom pitched in. Turns out, she's a sucker for weddings and babies. My dad hired an assistant for me as well. I was originally going to refuse to work with an assistant for planning a wedding, but when I met her, I couldn't let her go. She had just graduated from college and wanted to go into event management. Lana reminded me so much of myself that we became fast friends. I've hooked her up with several of my best industry contacts, and soon she'll be planning parties and events for some of the biggest names in music.

Our wedding was beautiful. It was at night, and I went for a galaxy theme. My dress was black with tons of swirling galaxies and planets embroidered into the fabric. As tribute to the night Zach declared that I was going to become his wife, we had the wedding on the back lawn of our estate. The reception was held in a massive tent decorated with thousands of twinkling lights.

I was in the easiest part of my pregnancy when we got hitched, so I was able to stay up half the night dancing and having fun with all of our family and friends. I probably ate too much cake, but it was delicious. All seven tiers were different flavors, and of course I had to try at least one bite of each.

When we retired to the house, Zach and I made love all night. As long as he's not on tour, he doesn't crash on me after anymore. We wake up the next day as man and wife and start planning the summer stadium tour. The baby will be old enough by next summer that I'm going to go on the road with Zach. I don't regret the way I grew up one bit, so I'm taking our little boy on tour at least until he starts school or Zach retires from being a rock god and starts producing.

The stadium tour is already sold out, and I couldn't be more proud of my husband. He's proud of me as well because I plan on getting another semester of my degree finished before we hit the road. After that, the college has agreed to let me finish my studies independently, and I'll graduate with my Master's degree in about another eighteen months.

Zach wants me to take over managing Troubled Kids once I'm done with school, but I tell him he'll have to negotiate with my father.

"How are you going to manage any other band, my love, if you're on tour with us?" He asks me over bacon and eggs.

"I can't, but I just want to watch you try and negotiate with my dad." I say and wink at him.

I snatch a piece of bacon from his plate and he pretends to be angry.

"Sorry, Mr. Verona. We're very hungry today." I say and eat the whole thing in two bites.

"Mrs. Verona, you've always known that I’ll give you anything and everything you want."

Fifteen Years Later

Zach

I walk into Michael’s room and he's writing furiously at his laptop. His guitar is sitting next to the desk, and I can tell he's in full on song writing mode. He's only fourteen, almost fifteen, but Michael already fronts a band called Out to Lunch. They play gigs in front of some pretty big crowds, and they already have a record deal in the making. He's my son for sure.

Michael was our only boy, and after him came his younger sister Alisa. Then the twins Megan and Millie. There are so many females living in this house that Michael and I have to stick together to stay sane.

"What are you doing?" I hate to interrupt him, but he's got my curiosity turning.

"Lenore says she's not sure if we're right for each other. She says she likes me, but she's afraid to commit to a relationship with a musician."

"Oh, I see. So, what are you doing on the computer there. Are you guys talking about this in chat, because that's a discussion you should have in person." I say.

"Nope. She told me after school today. Then, she said she needed time to think. I asked her if we could go out tomorrow night and talk about it some more after she's had a chance to sleep on it."

"Alright, so then, what are you doing? I don't mean to pry, I'm just curious."

"You're not prying, dad. I'm writing a song for her. I figure if I get the words and music just right, she'll know that I'm the one for her."

Like father like son.

***

About Natasha Tanner:

Natasha Tanner is a hopeless romantic. She loves to write about bad boys and her stories always wind up with a happy ending and some steamy moments. She resides in Vermont and hopes you enjoy every one of her books as she strives to become a full-time writer.

Also By Natasha Tanner:

Wrecker

Hooked

Hit and Run

Shotgun Wedding

Bad Patient

Tempting Me

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Minx Hardbringer

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