Rumor Has It

Part 16

The sun was almost uncomfortably warm when Bradley picked Lea up the next morning. He was deep in thought when he pulled up in the driveway, mentally still processing everything he had read yesterday. After his mother had left, he had spent some time looking into what was known about Stefani's other projects.

Maybe he should have done so before. There were a few rumors about her appearing on American Horror Story, but most of all, they were speculating about her next album. Which, for all he knew, she was working on, too. All he had heard her talk about was Jazz music and he wasn't very aware of other music on her radar. He knew she was going to give another Jazz performance tonight and was tempted to try and go again, only because watching her was addicting. But he wondered about her other music that always gave her so much presence. And he had invited her into another project that he hoped would be able to keep up with both of their ambitions.

Emily confidently ripped the door open, already expecting him.

"You're early." She said full of something that sounded like reproach, but with a shy grin.

"I know, I got done with my chores a little early. Is that okay?"

"I think so. Everyone's outside."

The dogs were still glued to her and she kept almost stumbling over Koji in front of her as she led him through the house back into the yard.

All he caught at first when he got outside was a flash of pink against the glare of the sun and then he realized it was a bright pink bikini clinging to Stefani's body. Lea was seated in front of her on one of the sun beds by the pool, nose buried in a small book. Bradley could tell she was reading aloud by how her brows furrowed in concentration.

His eyes were quickly drawn back to the curve of Stefani's hips and the bikini digging into the tanned skin, her tattoos on display. He forced himself to look up at her face instead, where she had a contented smile that made him feel like his heart just melted. He didn't even know how she did it, but it was hard to take his eyes off of her, even more so now.

"Mom, you said you'll do mine next!" Emily yelled next to him and Bradley pulled his gaze away entirely when Stefani looked up at them.

"Daddy!" Lea climbed off the sun bed and hugged him, his hand coming to rest on her shoulder. " Stefi did my hair." She explained the obvious.

"It's very pretty. Is that..." He squinted, trying to think about the hair his daughter had come home with the other day.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to take it over." Stefani bit her lip, an apologetic expression on her face, and got up as well. "We let them play in the pool earlier and we had to wash that hair afterwards or it would've been a full day job to detangle."

Bradley kept his eyes fixed on her face and wondered if she would be able to tell he was doing an awful job at it. "No, don't worry, she loves the pool but the hair...yeah, I know the problem."

"Didn't manage to figure out what exactly it was she was asking for. So we went with this and I'll do Emily's next." She shrugged and softly stroked over Emily's hair.

Ashley approached them and quickly draped a robe over Stefani's shoulders. "Sorry, she has no sense of modesty when she's comfortable around people. I'm only protecting myself from being complained at later."

Stefani cringed while Bradley cleared his throat, trying not to laugh. "Ash, please, oh my God."

"Love you!" Ashley nodded at her and took Lea's hand. "Come on, let's go find your stuff."

"Wait!" His daughter yelped and waved the book to Stefani. "Can I borrow it?"

"What do we say?" Bradley sighed and Lea squinted at him like he just killed the fun.