I draw her closer to my chest before promising, “He’ll come around.”
Chapter Forty-Four
Nick
Jenni’s dad never came around. Jenni hasn’t heard from her parents in months. She toured with the band while we completed our radio commitments on the West Coast, then when we returned home, I begged her to move in with me at my dad’s house—on my knees, I groveled and begged.
She was hesitant to begin with, but that only lingered for as long as it took my father to convince her that he'd appreciate the company. Just like everyone I’ve ever known, Dad took an immediate liking to her. At times, I think he likes her more than he likes me.
When I first went on the road with the band, my dad drove Jenni into town to get groceries or to take her to her doctor’s appointments, but it was pretty apparent very early on that she needed a car if we were to continue living in the middle of Whoop Whoop. Her smile when I gifted her a little Matchbox car I purchased with my first royalty check was priceless. I thought she loved her BMW because of its expensive price tag. That wasn’t the case at all. She loved the independence it gave her.
During my second stint on the road, I took Jenni’s advice and apologized to Slater. It was one of the most awkward conversations I’ve ever had. Did he accept my apology? Yeah, he did. Does that mean he likes me now? No, not yet. Things are still rough, but they’re getting better every day.
A couple of days after my return, I discovered I was right about the thing I saw dangling between our baby’s legs. We’re having a boy. All I have to say about that is, thank fuck! I know what guys are like. If we were having a daughter, I would have bought a gun, just to ensure guys like me stay away from her.
Jenni’s morning sickness eased as the weeks went on. Now she eats anything she gets her hands on. She's gained back those few pounds she lost at the start of her pregnancy and has even added on a few extra as well. She's afraid of her small weight gain, but I fucking love it. Her hips are a little bigger, and her tits have grown substantially. They’re the perfect combination for her petite frame. It gives her an appealing hourglass figure.
I’ve just returned home after a short stint in Los Angeles. Two songs from our debut album are rocketing up the charts. We’re being inundated with interview requests and have been performing live on morning news shows and radio gigs. I hate leaving Jenni every time we go on the road, but I’m fortunate she's home waiting for me when I’m not touring. Noah isn’t as lucky. He’s not handling our time on the road as well as the rest of the band.
Our weekends are spent doing gigs and building hype for our debut album, but the weekends are the only time Emily has off school, meaning she hasn’t seen Noah for a few weeks. I was shocked this past weekend when Noah openly flirted with a girl in front of me. I nearly told him to pull his head out of his ass; then I realized, I have no clue what he’s going through. I miss Jenni when we’re apart for a day, so I know I’d never survive five weeks.
With royalty checks slowly flowing in, I’ve saved enough to put down a deposit on a house. The mortgage for our home isn’t through a bank, though. It's being endorsed by my brother. The bank manager took one look at me in my ripped jeans and polo shirt and rejected my application on sight.
I’ll be sure to remember him when I’m rolling in money.
When Isaac heard our loan had been rejected, he offered to fund it. I only agreed to his offer when he agreed to charge us the same interest the bank would charge. We sealed our agreement with a handshake a little over six weeks ago. That’s why I’m walking into my old haunt. I’ve arrived at the Dungeon to collect the check Isaac had drawn for us. Once I hand it over to the real estate agent this afternoon, the deed for our very first home will be placed in mine and Jenni’s names within the hour.
I’m not going to lie; I’m fucking stoked. I got my girl; we have a baby on the way, and we’re about to move into our first home. This is the stuff dreams are made of.
When Tina spots me strutting through the double doors of the Dungeon, she squeals before running over to throw herself in my arms.
“Miss me?” I chuckle before returning her embrace.
She drops her arms from my neck and takes a step back. “You were here every day for years, then poof, I never see you again.”
I laugh. That’s not quite how I remember things, but I guess it’ll do.
“Did you hear I’m going to be a dad?” Nothing but pride is audible in my tone.
Tina’s smile sparkles out of her. “I did.” She nudges me with her hip. “With beer girl.”
My chuckle bounces around the interior of the Dungeon. I guess Jenni is going to be forever referred to as Beer Girl from here on out.
My chuckles stop echoing when a female voice on my left says, “Congratulations.”
I pivot toward the greeter, eager to thank her for her good wishes. My smile is wiped off my face when I spot Megan standing at my side. Her hair has returned to its usual light brown coloring, but her floral dress is more concerning than attractive. It’s cold today.
Her crazy eyes dart between mine when she takes a step closer to me. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere; where did you go?”
I swipe my hand through the air, warning her to stay away from me. When she fails to heed my command, I say, “You can’t be within five hundred feet of me.”
Hearing the concern in my voice, Tina bolts for Isaac’s office.
“I’ve missed you,” Megan murmurs through a sob.
I hate that she’s upset, but I’m done dealing with her shit. “You need to leave me the fuck alone. This shit isn’t funny.”
Before she can reply, Isaac comes barreling out of his office. He signals for Travis to follow him just as Megan lunges for me. Travis grabs her around her waist, but it comes too late. Her nails run down my cheeks while she screams obscenities at the top of her lungs, “You said you loved me! You told me you wanted me to have your baby!”
