Chapter 6
She rode a high of adrenaline and euphoria. Josie pressed a palm to her racing heartbeat, loving this. Singing up there, seeing all those people listening to her -- Her! -- and feeling the buzz and frenzy of performing onstage…
All her life, she’d been an attention-getter. But this was something different. This was...was...f*cking awesome!
Then she heard a little voice call out, “Daddy!” and she turned to smile at a little boy with a shock of black hair on his head running toward Dave. Cute kid, she thought, but the boy raced around the bassist and toppled into--
Travis?
Life died. Josie’s body drained of all good emotions. She blinked and gaped as Travis scooped up that little boy and hugged him tightly. “Daddy, I hear you play,” the boy said, and Travis grinned, saying, “Did you like it?”
The boy hugged Travis’ neck, and a dark-haired woman joined them.
Josie needed to sit down. Now. Anywhere.
Livie was there, taking her arm and pulling her over to a trunk, pushing her down as the backstage darkened around her, swamping her in a void.
Travis shifted his hold on the boy and wrapped his arm around the woman’s shoulders, bending down to kiss her cheek. Josie couldn’t hear what they were saying. Static filtered through her eardrums. Other women joined the band, hugging Dave and Stan, but Josie’s eyes stayed on Travis.
Livie moved into her vision. “You didn’t know,” she said, staring worriedly at Josie. “I thought you knew.”
Josie’s gaze gradually focused on Livie. “You said...you said…”
“That he wasn’t seeing anyone? That’s true,” Livie said sadly, reaching to clasp Josie’s limp hand. “He and Arielle aren’t together, but they have a son.”
Josie looked back at them. The Arielle woman smiled lovingly up at Travis. Not together, my ass.
Livie let out a slow breath. “I really thought you knew, and that you didn’t care.”
Travis looked over at her, a frown marring his smile. “Hey!” he called. “You okay?”
Josie squeaked something, and Livie called back, “Stage fright is hitting her late!”
Travis stared at her a moment, but the boy took his face between tiny hands and started jabbering, pulling Travis’ attention back to his son. Josie felt like following Lydia’s avenue and puking in the nearest trashcan.
Livie disappeared for a second and came back with a ice-cold plastic bottle. “Drink that.”
Josie blinked at the bottle. “Is it vodka?”
“No.”
YOU ARE READING
Compromise Me (Book Two of the Kirkland Family)
ChickLitJosie Kirkland loves music. She loves her family. And she loves her new job... Travis Fischer loves music. He loves his band. And he loves his son... She wants him, and he always thought of her as that pesky little girl who liked to tease him re...
