Snared(91)

Robbie’s mouth dropped slightly. “Really? Like the best one?”

Tanner crossed his arms over his chest. “Yes.”

“Wow,” Robbie whispered. “That’s super cool.”

Tanner leaned down and whispered something in Robbie’s ear. He beamed and nodded. As long as Tanner wasn’t giving him hints on how to get women, we’d be all good.

Everyone settled around the living room and kitchen area. Robbie and April offered the brownies they had made, and I watched every single one of them with Robbie. It was like he’d been here all along. Everyone made small talk, but I just sat and took it all in, trying to process everything that had happened over the last week. When I thought about the giant turn my life had taken, I almost couldn’t believe that it hadn’t been a dream.

Robbie shoved another brownie into his mouth, his face covered in the chocolate fudge he and April had spread over the top. I should probably stop him since I was now his dad and all that shit, but I didn’t have the heart to tell him to stop eating them. I might regret that later. April shifted her eyes from him to me, her eyes lingering on mine long enough to make desire flood though my body. I was sure she’d noticed me being quiet, but it wasn’t that anything was wrong. I was just taking it all in and trying to memorize every detail of my new life.

“Here, Lennox! Want another brownie?” Lennox turned her big eyes on Robbie. She’d taken to him immediately, not leaving his side since the band had arrived fifteen minutes ago. Jaden sat happily in Bex’s lap, watching the two children.

“Wait, Robbie.” April said. “Let’s ask Lennox’s mommy if she can have more.” Oops. Yeah. I guessed I had a lot to learn about parenting. Thank God April was here.

“It’s okay,” Bex said. “One more, Lennox. That’s all. I don’t want you to get a stomach ache.” The little girl nodded in agreement.

April was here. We were in her house. But we had to leave to go home, and we wouldn’t be here anymore. What would that mean for April and me? What did I want it to mean? Panic shot through my body as I thought about doing this without her, and I didn’t just mean parenting Robbie.

Life. How would I do life without her now?

I didn’t want to.

But what should I do about that?

I loved her. She loved me. But her life was here. Her job. Her parents. Would she want to give it all up to be the girlfriend of a drummer who spent a good portion of his life on the road?

I had to talk to her about that before we thought about heading home, but I wanted to make sure I had it straight in my head what I wanted.

My heart knew already.

I wanted her to come with me, but was I asking too much? Our relationship was still so young and fragile. Hell, what she’d been through already with me should count for some major relationship points, right?

All you can do is ask. The worst thing she can say is no.

What if she did say no? What if she wasn’t ready to make that commitment yet? Well, I wouldn’t blame her if she wasn’t. It was huge of me to ask her to do any of this with me.

But she’d said she loved me, too.

You’re an amazing man, Beau Anderson. I love you. I smiled. I loved her voice in my head. For so long, the only voice in my head had been one of pain and anguish. This time, it was one of love and acceptance. April’s soft, soothing voice had taken the place of the angry, abusive one that had haunted me for years.

“Beau.” Natalie’s voice broke into my thoughts. The whole band was watching me. Were they afraid of what I would do?

“I’m just thinking,” I said to them. “Can you guys not look at me like I’m a freak show?”

“We aren’t, Beau,” Bex said gently. “We want to make sure you’re okay.”

“I’m more than okay.” I put my arm around April’s shoulders. “I promise.”

They nodded and didn’t question me any further. I knew I’d scared the hell out of them, and they’d be like this for a while, but I would have to accept it. I’d done this to myself so it would come with the territory.

“I’m having the things picked up from Beats today. I’m putting them in storage at home until we can figure out where all of it is going to go.” Bex looked at me. “Are you ready to go home, Beau?”

I was afraid to see the expression on April’s face, so I avoided her gaze. “I am. More than ready.”

Bex’s eyes shifted to Robbie and then back to me with a silent question. I nodded. “I have to make sure I’m allowed to take Robbie out of the county.”

“It’ll be fine,” April said. “I can transfer the case down there. It’ll be a formality now since you’re his father, and you’re taking custody.”