June’s lips parted, then she shook her head. “A two-chord song. Good choice. I bet you’re going to nail it.”
“Are you going to sing?” Bethany asked.
“Absolutely.”
“Grandma!” Bethany called.
Wren breezed in from the kitchen. “Sorry! Now I’m ready.” She went to June and gave her a quick hug and kiss. “Nice to see you again, Junie.”
“Thanks for having me.”
Wren beamed. She was in her element with the girls and with June. She sat on the rocking chair, leaving the other end of the couch open. June perched on the far corner. I refrained from scooting closer to her. The girls somehow believed that June had needed to do nothing more than crash at our place last Sunday night. I wouldn’t give them a reason to suspect otherwise.
Bethany picked through her song. Wren took pictures. Pride could make my chest explode. The girlsloved their music, and I always made sure they could do what they loved.
June whooped and clapped when Bethany was done. “That was amazing!”
Bethany stepped to the side. Hannah worked her way through her song, her tongue shoving into the corner of one cheek. Wren snapped a few photos with her phone. She’d send me the copies and the video, otherwise I’d take my own.
Then it was time for the group performance.
June knelt between both of them. The sight of her with the girls, her face radiating happiness while my kids couldn’t look more delighted, hit in the dead center of my chest. This was what I had wanted.
Temporary. I’d keep the word on repeat. I didn’t even know if June would want to do more. I’d survived the week thinking I’d get to touch her again, hear her needy little moans, but I didn’t know. If I was a smart man, I’d make the decision to leave her alone, to take the full two weeks off and detox from June Kerrigan, but I’d left my intelligence on the table when I’d kissed her that night.
When the guitars started, June sang, her voice soft. She matched her notes with how they played, sometimes slow and halting. My entire focus was on them. A whole band could set up in the house, and I’d notice nothing else.
June sang the last word, then grabbed a girl in each arm for a giant bear hug. “I’m so proud of you two! Ohmigosh. You’re rock stars already.”
The vise around my chest cinched several notches tighter. She was so damn good with them. Encouraging and present.
If only she’d stay.
But this was my dream, not hers. And I made sure the women I loved could live out their dreams.
June
I was finishing with the dishes at Wren’s house. The dishwasher was going and I was washing what didn’t fit. Rhys had already directed the girls to wipe the table and sweep.
Wren hung her damp dish towel up. “I can’t believe you’re back in my house, doing the dishes after dinner.” She continued adjusting the towel on the hook. “I, um, have something. I’ve been going through everything. Rhys?”
He spun around from where he was watching the girls play another round of “London Bridge Is Falling Down.” They played a lot smoother when no eyes were on them.
“Yeah?” He stuffed his hands in his pants, standing tall with those broad shoulders wide.
He’d trimmed his beard since last week. For us? For tonight? Would there even be a tonight?
Had he changed his mind?
I crossed my arms. I’d been impossibly horny for the entire week and my nipples were pebbling just looking at him.
Wren lifted a box from the coat closet by the door to the garage and carried it to the dining room table. “I was going through some things and I found this. It’s... yours.”
His expression shuttered and he sucked in a sharp breath.
Wren clasped her hands together. “I know Kirstin didn’t want to have it in the house but now that you’re in your own place...”
Understanding dawned. The memorabilia that included me.
