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I purse my lips, trying not to laugh, remembering our night in the wild club. “I still can’t believe he went up the ladder with you riding him.” I burst out laughing.
Addie laughs, falling on the couch next to me. This feels so good, us laughing together. “I was going to kill you. But it was kinda hot.”
“I’m going to choose to ignore the fact that my wife just said riding someone was hot,” Aiden grates, walking in carrying an adorable little boy with large green eyes identical to his dad’s. His gummy smile shines as soon as he sees Addison. She walks over and takes him from Aiden.
“You’re so hot when you’re jealous.” She pushes up on her bare toes, kissing him on the lips and he slaps her on the ass as she walks away. I love that their dynamic hasn’t changed.
I glance behind him and sigh. “Where’s Max.” I’m sure he was happy to drop me off and run. He did his job. I’m not his problem anymore.
Aiden studies me for a beat, making me rock back and forth from his intense stare. “He’s staying at a hotel. Said to call him when you’re ready to go back to LA.”
“What?” Addison clips. “Are you leaving soon?”
I wince at her disappointment. “I told Graham I’d only stay a week.”
“Wait a minute, Graham DeLong?” I nod, wondering if she would’ve remembered him. “He always adored you in college. So, are you ready to meet your nephew?” She takes a couple steps toward me. “JD, this is your aunt Syd.” He grins and claps his hands while drool spills from his mouth. Addison wipes it off and laughs. “He’s teething, so he’s a slobbery mess.”
I reach out and shake his plump hand. His fingers wrap around mine. “Hey JD.” I glance at Addie. “What’s JD stand for?”
She swallows and looks around the room for Aiden. I tilt my head, surprised by her hesitancy. Aiden stands behind her, squeezing her shoulders. She finally answers. “Jett Damon.” My hand drops to my side.
Oh.
That hurts. It shouldn’t. It makes total sense why they would do it, but knowing it, doesn’t stop the sting. I shake the unwanted feelings from my thoughts, and manage a smile, holding my arms out. “Hey Jett, can I hold you?” He comes to me easily and I have to adjust him on my hip. He’s a chunker with some serious chubby legs. What are they feeding this kid? I sit with him on the couch and slap his hands together, playing patty-cake. When giggles fill the room, they tickle my soul with happiness. Tears well up in my eyes. I glance at Addie and she’s biting her nails watching us, trying to read my reaction. “He’s perfect. Y’all did good.”
When he falls asleep on me not long after, I’m disappointed when Aiden takes him from me. I tell Addison to tell me about him, wanting to know everything I’ve missed when Aiden disappears into a bedroom with Jett. It’s surreal to think my baby would be the same age.
As Addison is telling me about the birth and Aiden’s attempt to cut the cord right before he passed out, Lulu comes running into the living room. “Sydney, is that you?” She’s holding my LA Now magazine that she must have snatched on the way to her room. It was next to my purse on the counter. She squeezes in between us on the couch and points to a picture. Addison and I both lean in to see.
I gasp. “Oh, my gosh.” It’s a picture from my concert the other night. I pull the magazine out of her hands and read the article next to the picture. My eyes widen and a few squeals escape my lips.
“What does it say?” Addison asks, trying to read over my shoulder. I’m done reading it, but I can’t stop staring at it. Addison gets impatient and rips it out of my hands.
The smile on my face is ridiculous. “Syd, this is amazing. While we have always thought Sky Owen was something worth watching, tonight she showed her raw side, singing ‘Lost Boy’ by Ruth B, and let me just say… she blew us out of the water. Her soulful voice mixed with rawness had everyone in the bar hypnotized,” she reads out loud. She sharply inhales when she keeps reading the rest to herself. Laying the magazine down in her lap. She places her hand on mine and says, “Is this why you came home?”
Of course, the magazine covered my fainting too. I blow out a heavy breath. “I want to say no, but I can’t. It made me realize that I had to mend my past before I could move forward.” I squeeze her hand.
“I’m glad you did. So, should I call you Sky from now on?” she teases.
“Don’t you dare.”
Chapter Eight
Sydney
“I can’t believe we’re doing this,” Addie says as we walk through the blacked-out doors.
We’ve spent the last couple days catching up on everything. Aiden kicked us out of the house, tired of hearing us talk. He cheerfully volunteered to take care of the kids as long as he didn’t have to hear us laugh again. My heart is happy being here, but I miss Los Angeles. I was afraid coming back, I’d fall back into the same mentality that I had to be close to Addison. I realize I can have both. Addison and my singing career can coexist in my world.
“I know. Remind me why again.” I shake my hands to stop the trembling. Pain makes me a wimp.
The walls are painted red with black-framed artwork pinned to them. We move from picture to picture admiring the inked tattoos.
“Hey ladies, what can we do for you?” A grizzly bear of a man approaches us. The only thing soft looking about the guy is his rosy cheeks you can barely see under his shaggy black beard.
“Um… we’re here to…” Feeling out of place, I have a hard time finding my words. The sound of a buzzing noise comes from somewhere in the back and I can feel it in my teeth when I open my mouth.
“We’re getting tattoos,” Addison says confidently. Easy for her to say. She’s never been afraid of pain. “Max Shaw recommended we come to you.”
