To Cherish and To Hold (Love of a Rockstar #1.5) (2 page)

“No, unless another pissed off fan has decided to pay me a visit.” He shot a wary glance at the door. “I really hope it’s not that. The last time that happened, a liquid that appeared to be water but smelled like pee was thrown in my face.”

“Go to the kitchen, I’ll answer it.”

Luke shook his head. “No way, José. I’m not putting the mother of my child and love of my life in harm’s way.”

“I’m just answering the door, Luke. Don’t be so dramatic.”

A tapping on the window drew our attention. My mother, hands cupped around her face, peered into the living room. She waved frantically at us to let her inside.

“See!” I said. “It’s my mother.”

“That doesn’t lessen my anxiety.”

“Me and you both, buddy.”

My mother and Luke weren’t always on friendly terms. These past six months though, she’d seen Luke was doing everything he could to ensure a happy and healthy home life, like quitting the band for instance. However, she was a hard woman to please.

As soon as the door opened, my mother barged past me. Raindrops clung to her trench coat. “Didn’t you hear me knocking?”

“Sorry, you should have called,” I said.

“Why? I’m your mother. Mothers don’t need to call before stopping by their daughter’s house.”

“Because obsessed fans, the media, and other crazies are using this house as a shrine to the late Luke Anderson, rock star,” I said for the fifth time this week.

She rolled her eyes. “Whatever. I keep saying you should just elope and escape to Europe for the next six months.”

“Luke and I have a restaurant to run—and a daughter to raise. We can’t leave.”

My mother overlooked my excuses as if they were exactly that, excuses. “Speaking of my granddaughter, where is she?”

Luke spoke. “She’s at ballet, practicing for her upcoming performance in
The Nutcracker
. She should be home soon.”

“Do you want me to pick her up? We could grab takeout on the way back.”

Luke and I shared a grateful look. We had a load of laundry to do, cakes to bake, and recipes to test. Not to mention, Luke needed to stop by the restaurant later on to check on the hardwood floors. We were having them stained a rich mahogany that would contrast beautifully with the white walls. We were stretched beyond our limits.

“Please,” I said. “That would be incredibly helpful.”

My mother dug into her purse, producing her car keys. “I love watching Nil dance. She is so graceful.”

Luke smiled proudly. “She is a performer in the making.”

Nil and Luke were two peas in a pod. They shared the same quirks, the same unruly hair, and the same passion for music. At first, I was jealous of their connection but that didn’t last long. I was just happy Nil had so readily accepted her father into her heart.

“Is there any reason you stopped by?” I asked.

My mother racked her brain then snapped her fingers together. “Yes, your cousin called and said she was allergic to salmon. Also, your grandmother is coming home tomorrow from her honeymoon.”

My grandmother had reconnected with her long lost soul mate after thirty years. They’d married on her present husband’s ranch, surrounded by cow pastures and wide open fields. I never thought my grandmother would end up living in the middle of nowhere. She was a city gal through and through.

“Does she need a ride from the airport?” I crossed my fingers, hoping the answer was no.

“Nope, but she does need the final seating chart agreement from you and Luke.”

“Right.”

Luke and I were having the reception at my grandmother’s barn where she had hers. It was breathtakingly beautiful with the exposed beams and tongue-and-groove hardwood floors. My grandmother had been acting as our part-time wedding planner and secretary, but everything had been put on hold when she left for Mexico.

“I’ll get that to her as soon as we know,” I said.

My mom clicked her tongue. “There’re only four months left, Marlene. You can’t wait till the last minute.”

“I won’t! Give me a break. I’m juggling a thousand things at once right now, ok?”

“It was your idea to make your own wedding cake. You could have done something easy instead, like pie,” she suggested.

It actually wasn’t a bad idea. Pies froze well, which meant I could bake five different kinds and then bake them when the day came. Excitement flooded my veins.

“You are a genius!” I exclaimed, kissing her on the cheek. “I love you!”

Used to my theatrics, mom didn’t even bat an eyelash. She watched me skip out of the living room into the kitchen, where I pulled out my tools of trade.

“Do you know if Camilla is coming?” My mother called after me.

My hands stilled as a fresh wave of hurt licked at my wounds. Camilla had been my best friend since the dawn of time, but I’d recently learned she had been keeping a secret—an important one. I was under the impression Luke hadn’t been there for Nil’s birth when in reality he was. However, Camilla refused to let him see us until he was ready to become a full-time father. We’d attempted to patch things up, but our relationship had changed,
irrevocably so.

L
uke and I sat across the table from Lacy, owner of Olive Tree and our caterer, where three different menu options were fanned in front of us. My eyes scanned the entrees, which were a variation on classic comfort food. Lacy and Camilla had gone to college together before Lacy had dropped out and pursued the culinary arts instead. Camilla had mentioned how she had a creative eye that would be perfect for our wedding. As my stomach growled at the sound of peppered filet mignon resting on a bed of whipped brown butter sweet potatoes, I had to give it to Camilla. She was right. While last on our list, Lacy had won me over. My hand excitedly squeezed Luke’s knee, my message to him that our search was over.

As he glanced over at me, relief shined brightly on his face. “Thank God.”

Taking that as we were in agreement, I smiled widely at Lacy. She shifted higher in her seat and smiled back. The confidence that had slowly leaked away while Luke and I were deliberating returned.

“You’re hired!” I exclaimed. “I’m in love with the third menu. Although, we’ll have to offer a vegetarian option. My great uncle claims to be allergic to meat and as everybody knows, death ruins a wedding.”

Luke kissed my cheek. “That’s my fiancée. Always worrying about everybody else.”

“Hey! I don’t want a repeat of my grandmother’s reception.”

Off Lucy’s curious glance, Luke explained. “Her grandmother’s husband’s best friend had a heart attack due to a vigorous dance number called ‘The Chicken Dance.’ Even though he was nearing ninety, he thought he could keep up with the twenty year olds. He couldn’t.”

Lucy gasped. “Is he ok?”

I waved away her concern with a flick of my wrist. “He’s fine. Although, his wife banned him from dancing anymore.”

Luke and I laughed while Lacy stared at us like we were horrible people. Our similar sense of humor was one of the many things that attracted me to Luke. Not everybody had the same dark and twisted outlook on life that we shared.

Lacy cleared her throat. “Anyways, now that we’ve picked a menu to go with, the next step is figuring out a payment plan. I usually….”

The ringing of a cellphone interrupted her monologue. Luke patted his pockets with an apologetic look. Glancing at the call screen, two lines appeared between his eyebrows. An expression reserved solely for his former manager.

“Sorry,” he said as his chair scooted backwards. “I have to take this. Continue on without me, I’ll be right back.”

Lacy and I watched him leave the kitchen, his mouth already moving at rapid speed. Since he’d shifted his dreams from rock star to restaurant owner, Luke’s manager had been on the verge of a break down. It had slowly dawned on him though that Luke rarely changed his mind unless sex was involved. Typical male, am I right?

“Would you like me to continue?” Lacy asked.

“Please. He shouldn’t be long.”

Lacy launched into logistics, numbers, and cost reports that had my head spinning. Luke handled the books in this family while my responsibility fell toward the cooking and cleaning—a role I didn’t mind. Both those chores fed my creativity.

Lacy must have noticed my glazed over eyes. She paused. “Why don’t I give you this binder for you and your fiancé to look over tonight? We can talk tomorrow.”

“Thank you. I’m a pastry chef, not an accountant.”

She laughed. “Me too. Running your own business though, you have to juggle a million different positions. The first year, Olive Tree lost close to a ten grand due to an error I made in QuickBooks.”

“That’s awful. Luke and I are in the process of opening a restaurant called Norma Jean’s. Any advice for the newbies on the block?”

“Be organized and hire trustworthy staff. They will become like family.”

I tucked away Lacy’s reputable knowledge. So far, Luke and I hadn’t hit any roadblocks, but we were only five months in. The old but charming house he’d bought required a gut renovation. We’d reconfigured the floor plan, which added additional space to the kitchen and dining area. Next up was removing the wallpaper and painting the walls a crème color that would evoke a relaxed romantic vibe.

Lacy gathered her materials and shoved them into her large purse. “Tell Camille I send her my love.”

“Will do. I’ll walk you to the door.”

In the other room, I heard Luke talking loudly, his tone laced with frustration. After Lacy bid a cheerful goodbye, I found him pacing a hole in the carpet. His lips contorted into an ugly smirk. Glancing up, he gestured to the phone as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“Yeah, I understand, but that isn’t going to happen. You can tell those jackals to go jump in a lake and die.” With an angry huff, Luke jabbed the end button.

He sat on the edge of the bed, his shoulders hunched around his ears. I sat next him, easing my fingers into his tightened muscles. Dating a rock star had its perks but it also had its downfalls. Unlike normal couples, our relationship wasn’t ours alone. It was the public’s to criticize and twist into a sensational story.

“You alright?” I asked, even though I knew he wasn’t.

“A new headline broke today.”

“New headlines break everyday.” Luke’s gaze searched my face and my stomach dropped.

“They went for a new angle,” he whispered. “It’s Nil.”

Luke had been getting the majority of the criticism in the press, but they hadn’t touched our daughter. While I’d known it was only a matter time, my cheeks heated. My naivetés made me think the press had somewhat of conscience. Obviously, they had none. Luke removed my hand from his shoulder and cradled it in his grasp.

“This will all settle down eventually.”

“You’ve said that the past two weeks and it hasn’t. I mean, no offense, but there are more important issues in the world than Five Guys breaking up.”

Luke massaged my palm with his thumb. “When my best friends abandoned me, I thought that was it. I thought the dream I’d scarified tooth and nail for would die along with them. Then one night, I played a show at this little bar in Montana. A record executive heard me play and offered me a deal on the spot. Matthew, Sean, Jude and Otis were brought on as my backing band. Hell, it didn’t even matter I got bumped to bass player because as long as I was on stage, I was happy. Over the next four years, they became like family. This decision may only affect you positively, but you are not the only one who exists. My surrogate brothers are out of a job, the record label lost a shit ton of money, and my fans are confused at the sudden dissolve of Five Guys.”