Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 73774 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 369(@200wpm)___ 295(@250wpm)___ 246(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73774 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 369(@200wpm)___ 295(@250wpm)___ 246(@300wpm)
Gage threads his fingers through mine, and we walk out of the bathroom together, ignoring the looks he’s getting. Hopefully tomorrow people will just assume we were having sex in the bathroom.
Wanting to get out of there as quickly as possible, Gage texts the guys to let them know that he left, and he’ll talk to them tomorrow, and then we head out. Paul drives us home, and after thanking Janice and Henry for keeping an eye on Rory, we shower and change into comfortable clothes.
“I need to call my sponsor,” Gage says once we’re cuddled on the couch. “I’d like for you to meet him.”
“I’d be honored.”
“Gage, how are you?” Gabe says, wiping his eyes and clicking a light on.
“I’m… all right… now.” He turns the phone so I’m in view. “This is Sadie, my girlfriend and Rory’s mom.”
Gabe smiles. “Nice to meet you.”
“You, too.”
“I had a show tonight,” Gage admits softly, so unlike the rock star persona other people see. “I wasn’t going to use, but it brought back a shit ton of memories and scared the hell out of me. I didn’t like feeling like that.”
Gabe nods. “What did you do?”
“Went to the bathroom and hid like a little bitch.”
“Hey!” I say, glaring at him. “Don’t you ever say that again. You didn’t hide anywhere. You got out of the situation the best way you could. This was your first time being at a club. Of course, it’s going to trigger you. You’re human. You could’ve easily allowed yourself to drown in the feeling and used, but instead, you handled it. And that’s more than what many recovering addicts would do,” I say, trying not to compare Gage to my late husband, but I can’t help it. Looking at Gage, seeing how hard this is for him, but also seeing how strong he is without even realizing it, makes me so proud of him. “You did the right thing, Gage. You got yourself out of the situation.”
“She’s right,” Gabe says, making me jump. I completely forgot he was on the phone. “It could’ve ended much differently.”
“I froze,” Gage says. “I should’ve called you. I didn’t call anyone. I just sat in the bathroom and freaked out.”
“But did you use?” Gabe asks.
“No,” Gage breathes. “Never again.” The conviction in his voice sends shivers down my spine.
The guys talk for a few more minutes, and Gage mentions he’s going to attend a meeting tomorrow and call Viola for an emergency appointment, and then they hang up.
“I’m so proud of you,” I tell Gage, climbing into his lap.
“What if this is a sign that I can’t have the career I used to have? What does this mean for the band?”
“Of course, you can have it. You just have to take it one day at a time and adjust accordingly. You said it yourself, you should’ve left, but you stayed when we both know your friends, your family, would never have wanted you to stay if they knew how you felt. You can have the music without the lifestyle, and the guys will understand. Hell, they’re all married. They’re just trying to make music and entertain the fans themselves.”
I wrap my arms around his neck and look into his blue eyes. “Let people in, Gage. Let me in. We love you and support you.”
Gage stills under me, and I realize what I’ve just said. I could play it off, but there’s no point since I meant it. “I love you, Gage. And I want to be here, by your side, and the person you call when you’re feeling alone. Tonight, you should’ve told me how you felt. In the future, talk to me.”
“Fuck,” Gage mutters, crashing his mouth down on mine. He kisses me hard and rough as if he’s trying to convey every emotion he feels in that one kiss. When we break apart, he rests his forehead against mine. “I love you so much, Sadie.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
GAGE
“Dada!” Rory squeals, waking me up. I roll over and find Sadie still asleep. After getting home and talking to my sponsor, I spent the next couple of hours getting lost in her. I showed her how much she means to me and how much I love and need her. We didn’t fall asleep until the sun was damn near coming up, so she had to be exhausted.
Carefully, so she doesn’t wake up, I grab Rory and change her diaper and get her dressed. It’s Mother’s Day, and even though I already bought Sadie a gift, I want to do more to show her how much she means to Rory and me. I consider calling Paul to pick us up, but since it’s a nice day out, I write Sadie a note, letting her know I took Rory with me in her stroller—so she doesn’t freak out—and then we take off on our mission to spoil Sadie.