Lucky: A Rockstar Romance Two Book Boxed Set Page 23

  “It’s about Zoey. I don’t know if you remember that talk we had years ago. It’s got to be at least ten years now.”

  “When you were such an ass that you told me you were in love with my girlfriend?”

  “So you do remember,” Cade said as he grinned. “I meant every word of it. I still do. Jude, you have no idea how much I tried to get her out of my head.”

  “Well, I remember the show tent. If that was any indication, I’d say you tried a lot,” he said, scoffing.

  “You weren’t so innocent either,” Cade said. “I’m not saying you needed to be. But don’t give me grief for having a good time when we both did things on tour that any interviewer would love to get his paws on.”

  “Yeah, good times," Jude said, thinking about the tours after he and Zoey split. "Remember that time you jumped from the hotel room into the pool? Never mind, that was Matt. So what do you want?”

  “I just want to make sure you’re okay with it if I go after Zoey.”

  Jude laughed. “Yeah, good luck with that.”

  “What’s that mean?”

  “You’ve known her longer than I have. She doesn’t give a crap what I think, you know that.”

  “I give a crap what you think. I’m asking you as my bro if you’re okay if I go after your ex. I love her. I’ve never loved anyone else in my entire life. I know you don’t have those kinds of feelings for her, but you’re still friends and she's still your ex. Are you okay with that?”

  “Go for it. Zoey and I have long been over and if you think you’re man enough to make her happy, then I wish you luck. I’d love to see two of my oldest friends get together. I'm surprised you waited so long."

  “Thanks, Jude. I figured you’d be okay with it, but you know. If it was my ex, I’m not sure I’d be alright with my friend taking her out.”

  “I'm just happy, man. When you meet your Olivia, everything else in the world seems insignificant.”

  Cade nodded. “I know. I met my Olivia fifteen years ago.”

  Jude's property backed into the cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean. On a clear night, he could see the lights from the Santa Monica Pier, and it reminded him of how good life had been to him. Today was the culmination of a life he knew he was lucky to have and refused to share with anyone but his closest friends.

  Shortly after moving in, Olivia had an old-fashioned wooden gazebo built between several palm trees in a back corner overlooking the ocean. Both Olivia and Jude spent hours in the gazebo admiring the view while writing songs. It only made sense the gazebo was where they would exchange their wedding vows.

  Chairs were lined in front of the gazebo in one group instead of the traditional bride and groom split. Jude stood in front of the gazebo, now draped with sunflowers, daisies, and roses, dressed in his tuxedo and motorcycle boots with Olivia's family minister beside him.

  Having been there when Jude and Olivia met on her first tour, the band asked to be a part of the wedding. Although they didn't want a big wedding or anything traditional, Olivia couldn't imagine a wedding without music, so she agreed. The band was set up next to the gazebo on a small stage where they began playing Here Comes the Bride.

  Olivia walked along the pathway to the gazebo, the sun glistening against her long, light brown waves. Her hair swayed freely with a crown of pale pink roses and gerbera daisies that matched the simple bouquet she carried.

  Jude couldn't take his eyes off his bride as she made her way towards him. Wearing an ivory chiffon, vintage-inspired dress with a deep V neckline and hand-beaded crystals that lined the cap sleeves and bodice, Olivia looked angelic. Smiling as she reached him, she let out a small laugh when she noticed his boots.

  "You don't like them?" Jude asked, grinning.

  Lifting the hem of her floor-length dress, Olivia stuck her foot out, revealing a pair of white Converse. "At least mine are new," she said, laughing.

  "Olivia," Jude said, "I know we didn't talk about this, but I wanted to say something to you in front of all our family and friends." His expression grew serious and as he looked into her dark brown eyes, the rest of the world fell away. She was all that mattered. "My life was good before we met. I could do whatever I wanted with whoever I wanted. I didn't have to worry about anything or anyone. I was happy. At least I thought I was.

  "I didn't realize how dark my life had become," Jude said as he took Olivia's hands in his. "I have my demons, we all do, and at times I've let them control me more than I've controlled them. But when I met you, all of that changed. You were the light that shone through the darkness.

  "You're the other half of me. Before you I was nothing, but with you I am everything. I love you more each day, and being with you has been the happiest time of my life. It just keeps getting better. I can't wait to begin the rest of my life with you as my wife."

  Olivia sniffed and wiped a tear from the corner of her eye as she smiled. "Damn you, Jude," she whispered. "How am I supposed to speak after that?" She tried to clear her throat, but more tears came to her eyes. "I love you too, I didn't think love existed until I met you," she choked out before her tears spilled onto her round cheeks. "I'm sorry," she said, her voice getting squeaky before she laughed.

  Jude laughed and kissed her lips. "You don't have to say anything," he said.

  The minister stepped forward, smiling. "By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You already did it, but go ahead and do it again, you may kiss the bride."

  Jude pulled Olivia close and then quickly dipped her, making her drop her bouquet as she grabbed onto him, giggling. Holding her in his arms, he kissed her as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Pressing his nose against hers, he whispered, "From the moment I met you, I knew you would be my happily ever after. They might call you Lucky, but today you made me the luckiest and happiest man alive."

  Olivia smiled and shook her head, still choked up. "No, I'm still lucky. I married the man of my dreams and my best friend. We'll be together forever, and that still won't be long enough."

  He lifted her in his arms and kissed her again as the small crowd applauded. Looking out at their family and friends, he saw his bandmates and wished for them the kind of happiness Olivia brought him.

  Continue reading for the Epilogue.

  Epilogue - Ten Years After Lucky Break

  Lucky

  "Is Lucky your real name?"

  Lucky's head popped up from her cell phone and she turned towards the familiar voice with a big smile. In one swift motion, she pushed her chair back from the table, stood, and wrapped her arms tightly around her best friend.

  "I was just texting you," Lucky said. "I thought maybe you were stuck in traffic or hadn't even left the house yet…"

  Jordan laughed. "You're never going to let me live that down, are you? I know how much you hate that I'm always late. I thought it was best to tell you that day that I was on my way. Even though I wasn't."

  The palm trees that lined the Los Angeles block swayed in the gentle breeze. It was a typical gloomy June morning, with the sun fighting to break through the cloudy sky.

  As they sat down, Lucky eyed the magazine cover Jordan placed on the table. It was a copy of her first album cover, only better. Much better. She loved the old version, but there was something about the new one that brought back all the memories even faster. Her eyes filled with happy tears.

  "Oh puhleeze," Jordan said. "Don't you dare start crying. I swear you're the biggest sap. I might have to buy stock in Kleenex."

  Lucky threw her hands up helplessly as she shook her head. "I can't help it." She quickly swiped at a tear as it touched her cheek. "It didn't help that you started with that real name crap. I can't believe you remember that."

  "How could I forget?" Jordan said with a laugh.

  Lucky moved the magazine closer to her to get a better look. Suddenly Jordan's hand landed on the cover. Lucky looked at her strangely, but Jordan forced a smile as she started sliding the magazine back towards her.

/>   "What?" Lucky asked, yanking the magazine out from under Jordan's hand.

  Jordan sighed. "I'm not sure. I just noticed now as you were looking at it that it said something about Jude and Silverlight."

  "And you assumed that was bad."

  Jordan nodded with a sheepish grin. "I'm sorry, but you know the media has been relentless. They're trying to dig up anything."

  "I know," Lucky said as she flipped through the pages before setting the magazine open. The article had a photo of Jude on stage and to the side a photo of her crying. "Geez, I really do cry a lot, don't I?"

  "You do," Jordan said laughing. "What are they saying now?"

  Lucky shrugged. "Just the usual, he's cheating on me."

  "Once a bad boy, always a bad boy. Do you ever worry about it?"

  "What? Him cheating?" Lucky smiled as she shook her head. "There aren't many things I'm sure about in this world, but one thing I definitely know is that he loves me. He'd never do anything to hurt me." Lucky closed the magazine and admired the image of the new album cover.

  "I can't believe it's been so long that they're re-releasing your first album."

  Lucky nodded. She couldn't believe how many years had gone by, but whenever she played any of those songs, she was immediately transported back to when she first met Jude.

  Her phone vibrated with a text message. She glanced over at the screen, and a warmth crept up into her cheeks as the ends of her mouth slowly curved up.

  "It's Jude, isn't it?" Jordan asked. Lucky nodded as she slid her phone over to Jordan, who read the text out loud. "Good morning, sunshine." She rolled her eyes with playful disgust as she slid the phone back. "And he even used the sunshine emoji."

  "He says his days are brighter since we've been together," Lucky said, grinning. "I bring sunshine to his day."

  "You're trying to make me puke, aren't you?"

  "Oh come on, I'm sure Dylan has said plenty of great things to you."

  "Of course he has, but I think it all depends on what you consider great. I'm not the sugary sweet, sunshine type and he knows if he said something like that to me, I'd make fun of him. You though, you get all heart-eyed. I still can't believe Jude Morrison says that kind of crap."

  "You know what? Zoey and I were talking one day and she said he was never like that. I even asked him about it once and he said I just bring it out of him. He said he's never said the kinds of things he tells me to anyone else. It just feels right to say them to me."

  Lucky smiled as she thought about Jude. She placed her hands flat on the menu and looked from her wedding ring to the Tiffany 'I love you' ring he had bought her at the beginning of their relationship and felt her cheeks flush again. It didn't matter how long they had been together, she still felt that same pounding in her chest whenever she thought of him.

  "How are you handling his being away?" Jordan asked.

  "I miss him," she said quietly. "I know you're going to laugh, but it feels like part of me is missing. I mean we talk every day, sometimes several times a day. And he messages me whenever he can just to let me know he's thinking about me. I hate to admit that I really need all that." Lucky looked up at Jordan sheepishly before she shrugged. "He had to go though. When Matt and Cade brought up going on tour and working on a new record, I knew I couldn't get in the way. I was a fan way before I was his wife."

  "You should've gone on tour with him," Jordan said.

  Lucky shook her head. "He asked me to. He even said we could co-headline, which seriously, how crazy is that--me with Silverlight? I couldn't though. He needs to be Jude Morrison, drum god and heartthrob. He's better off without me around."

  "Stop," Jordan said, frustration filling her voice. "You always do that, stop that. You should think more of yourself, and I know for a fact that Jude would never think that he's better off without you. Tell me what's really going on."

  Lucky sighed, and a pained expression crossed her face. She opened her mouth to say something, then rolled her eyes before shaking her head. She felt lost.

  "I don't know. I really wish I did. The new album, the one I promised my fans two years ago, just isn't happening." Lucky shook her head as she turned her focus from Jordan, to the sweating glass of water in front of her. She picked it up and took a sip of the cool liquid before continuing. "I can't write. It's just gone. I keep trying and it starts out great, but then I lose the song somewhere along the way. I would have loved to go with Jude, but I know the press would kill me with all their questions, and I just don't want to talk about it. You know how sensitive I get." Lucky looked at Jordan, who nodded supportively.

  "What about the re-release?" Jordan asked.

  Lucky laughed softly. "When the record company suggested it, I was hoping it would inspire me. I thought having those song remastered and hearing them all over again would get me writing."

  She stopped talking and gave a half-hearted shrug. What Lucky didn't want to admit was that she thought her career was over. She couldn't keep singing the same old songs over and over. She needed something new. Unfortunately, the words just weren't coming.

  Jude

  The bus door sighed as it opened. Jude looked up from under his baseball cap, silently hoping Lucky had decided to surprise him. But when he saw Zoey's dark hair, he let out a disappointed grunt.

  "Well, I'm happy to see you too," Zoey said with the corners of her pursed lips curving upwards.

  Jude lifted his hat off his head, ran his fingers through his hair, then kicked his feet up onto the table in front of him.

  "Don't start with me," he muttered.

  Cade dried his hands with a kitchen towel as he entered the main bus area. His tour bus was a small apartment on wheels, complete with a tiny gourmet kitchen since cooking relaxed him.

  "Just ignore him, babe," Cade said. "He's homesick so I'm making him some of my famous tour bus chili."

  "Killing me is going to make me feel better?" Jude asked.

  "Nah, what are you talking about? You love it," Cade said as he whipped the towel towards Jude.

  "What's in the tour bus chili?" Zoey asked as she reached for the lid of the crock pot.

  "It's a secret," Cade said as he playfully swatted her hand, then slipped his arms around her waist and buried his face in her neck.

  "You'll find the secret in the trash," Jude said as he pointed to an empty chili container from the local grocery store.

  "That's just a base. I don't have the time to make it how I want to. You know, you're a lot more fun when Lucky is around," Cade said.

  "Shhh," Zoey said as she gently stroked Cade's cheek, her simple gold wedding band reflecting the light. "I told you to not bring her up."

  "He's sulking," Cade said. "We should be out with Matt and the guys being rock stars right now. A few drinks will help him feel better. That's what we always used to do back in the day."

  "Yeah, I remember those days," Zoey said, a touch of jealousy in her voice. "I don't know how many times I accidentally walked in on you with some random slut."

  "Sometimes it was sluts. Plural," Jude said with a laugh.

  "That's how many women it took to keep my mind off of you, Zoey," Cade said with a grin.

  Zoey shook her head as she gave Cade a half smile. "So it's my fault you were such a man whore?"

  "Absolutely," Cade said. "I would've been a saint otherwise."

  Jude scoffed. "Gimme a break, Cade. No one is believing that for a second."

  "I guess just about how long anyone believes it when you say you're not missing Lucky," Cade said.

  "I never said I didn't miss her, I do. The days just aren't the same without her."

  "Then where have you been vanishing off to? You think no one has noticed? Even the supermarket rags have started reporting that you're back to your old ways." Cade shook his head disapprovingly. "I really thought you were better than that."

  Jude stood up and glared angrily at Cade. "You don't know what the fuck you're talking about. And you know what else? It's none of
your business."

  As he stormed off the bus, Zoey followed him. "Jude, wait. Cade's only trying to help. He doesn't want to see you mess things up with Lucky."

  "Really, Zoey? You believe it too?" He pulled a set of keys out of his jeans pocket as he started walking towards a Harley Davidson he kept with him on tour. "I'll see you guys tomorrow. I'm going for a ride."

  Lucky

  Lucky tossed and turned in bed. After so many years of sleeping with Jude, it now took her forever to fall asleep without him.

  She reached over and grabbed her phone from her nightstand to see if he texted or called, but there was nothing. She couldn't help but wonder where he was, it wasn't like him to not let her know.

  With a sigh, she started texting him, but then quickly deleted the message. She was overreacting. There was no reason to worry. She put her phone back on the nightstand, then gave in to her heavy eyelids.

  Lucky woke as Jude's arm wrapped around her waist before kissing her neck. "I was getting worried," she said. "I thought you would've called or something. You know how much I hate you riding that thing."

  "Sorry, I should have reached out, but I didn't want to wake you. Cade was giving me shit about some article. He thinks I'm cheating on you."

  "So then tell him the truth," Lucky said. "You said you'd tell him after this leg of the tour was over. Just cut to the chase."

  "No, he'll find out eventually. Right now this is our own little secret." He gently bit her neck. "Have you given any more thought to joining me on the next leg? I'll be farther away. I won't be able to sleep with you every night."

  "I just might," she said.

  "Does that mean...?"

  Lucky rolled onto her back so she could look at him. "I wrote," she said, excitement filling her voice. "I finally gave in after all these years and decided to watch the documentary. Just seeing us together and thinking about our time on the bus and all of our history got my brain going. The next thing I knew, I was grabbing my notebook and writing lyrics. I even have some pieces for other songs down too."