LAST NIGHT HAD been amazing—as cliché as that sounded, but it was true.
After making love for a second time, and with his arms wrapped around me, he’d said, “Let’s go get our girl.”
Despite the late hour we’d dressed and driven over to the hotel to pick up Mia. She’d been asleep and Hayes had scooped her up into his arms. She’d woken up, but once she saw that it was us, and knew we were bringing her home with us she fell back to sleep.
It took my breath away the way he loved my daughter as much as I did. He didn’t begrudge the fact that I was a mother. Instead, he embraced it, and treated her as if she were his own.
Now, we stood in back of the studio, watching the guys give their interview with the show hosts.
Maddox and Hayes stole the show, but there was no surprise there.
Mathias looked like he didn’t want to be there, and Ezra, being the shyest, kept quiet unless addressed directly.
Maddox gestured wildly with his hands, telling some outrageous story about one of his and Emma’s many adventures.
“Momma, I’m firtsy.”
“Come on, we’ll find some water.” I reached for her hand.
I headed back towards the room we’d been waiting in before the guys were called out. There had been a fruit basket and bottles of water sitting on a side table.
I stepped into the room with Mia glued to my side and grabbed a bottle. Unscrewing the lid I handed it over to her.
She sipped at it greedily and smiled up at me beautifully. “I wuv you, momma. You’re the best momma in the whole world.”
My heart warmed. “I’m glad you think so baby girl.”
With the water bottle and an apple in hand we headed back out to join the girls.
The guys had already started their set and Mia squealed excitedly, darting away and in front of the cameras before I could blink. I started forward to grab her and pull her away but I caught Hayes shaking his head.
The show hosts laughed as Mia began to dance around, shaking her butt, and giving it her all.
Even I had to laugh.
Hayes went over to her, leaning down as he played his guitar. Mia jumped up and down before dancing around him. Hayes tossed his head back, his body shaking with laughter. He grinned from ear to ear, appearing to have the time of his life.
The song came to an end and the show went to commercial. Hayes removed his guitar and set it down before picking up Mia and tickling her stomach.
“We didn’t know you had a daughter.” One of the show hosts said. “She’s adorable.”
Hayes shrugged, his smile making his dimple appear. “I didn’t, but now I do.” He caught my eye and winked.
Beside me Sadie sighed dreamily. “Is anyone else swooning? Because I’m definitely swooning.”
Emma laughed, wrapping her arms around Maddox as he approached. “I think everyone is swooning.”
It was then that I turned to see several other women staring with lust-filled eyes at my boyfriend. I wasn’t jealous, and frankly I couldn’t blame them. The sight of a hot rock star with a child in his arms would send any woman’s ovaries into overdrive.
“Over me?” Maddox asked in response to what Emma said. “Of course they are, Em. I’m irresistible.”
She poked him in the ribs. “We were talking about Hayes.”
“Hayes?” He scoffed, wrinkling his nose. “Everyone knows I’m the swoon-worthiest. There’s no competition.”
“Swoon-worthiest? I’m surprised you even know that word.” Emma laughed, leaning her head on his shoulder.
“Yeah, Maddox, enlighten us on how you know this.” Mathias said, taking his son from Remy. He immediately melted into a pile of goo as he gazed down at Liam, peppering kisses onto the downy brown hair that covered his head.
Ezra snorted and covered his face. “This oughta be good.”
Maddox shrugged, stroking his fingers absentmindedly against Emma’s hip. “You left your computer open on some blog and they had a list of the most swoon-worthiest book boyfriends.” He paused, seeming to contemplate something. “What the hell is a book boyfriend?”
“Don’t worry. You’d never be one.” Emma smirked at him and reached up to pat his head.
He tried to glare at her but instead laughter reflected in his eyes. “Come on, Em, we all know I’d be number one.”
“You keep telling yourself that.” She patted his stomach.
He lowered his head, grazing his lips against her ear. “Maybe later I’ll show you my most swoon-worthiest qualities.”
He pinched her butt and she squealed jumping away. “I hate you!” She laughed.
“Yeah, tell that to my child growing inside you. It looks like you hate me a lot.” He grinned crookedly and crossed his arms over his chest.
“You’re on a roll today.” She shook her head.
“What did I miss?” Hayes asked, suddenly appearing at my side.
“Nothing.” Emma insisted.
Hayes looked around at us doubtfully. “Something tells me I don’t want to know.” He adjusted his hold on Mia. “We should probably get going.”
Maddox looked down at his watch. “Yeah, you’re right.”
Hayes had told me this morning that we were all going out for lunch together and then he had a surprise planned for Mia. A surprise he wouldn’t even tell me. I hoped it didn’t involve sugar.
We were ushered out of the building by the band’s security team and immediately I was thankful for their presence when the hundreds of fans gathered outside all began to scream.
Signs were held up, names were called, cameras flashed, and requests for autographs sounded around us.
The guys stopped and posed for as many pictures as they could and signed everything that was shoved in their face.
All the while their security detail worked to keep the women from grabbing any of them, or us.
When we finally reached the SUVs I would’ve sworn it had taken us twenty minutes to get to them even though they were only about thirty feet from the exit.
I climbed into the back of one of the SUVs and Hayes was right behind me, lifting Mia into the car so I could grab her and put her in her car seat. He joined me in the back, slightly out of breath from the chaos. Mathias and Remy joined us with Liam and the others scurried into the other car.
“It’s getting worse all the time,” Remy commented, buckling Liam into his baby seat. I leaned forward and noticed her hands shaking. “It scares me with the baby. I don’t want someone to hurt him by accident.”
“I know,” Mathias said, kissing the side of her forehead. “I’ll call for more security detail.”
“What about when we’re home and there is no security?” Her voice rose in pitch. “What then?”
Mathias grunted and glared out the window. “I don’t fucking know, Rem. We can’t bubble wrap the kid for his whole life. I can’t change who I am and I can’t change that this kind of thing follows us everywhere.” She opened her mouth to say something and he held up his hand to silence her. “I don’t like it anymore than you do. But it is what it is. This is why I don’t ask you to come to many of these things, but the reality is we can’t avoid it all.”
“I know,” she finally sighed, “I’m sorry for getting upset. It’s just hard and I’m still new at this whole mom thing.”
Mathias softened and reached over to cup her cheek. “I’m sorry too. And for what it’s worth, I think you’re the best fucking mom there ever was.”
She laughed and leaned over to kiss him.
Mathias and Remy were…explosive, to say the least, but no one could deny that they were madly in love with each other. I was sure there was no one else on the planet that could handle either of them. They were meant to be.
We pulled up to the back of the restaurant in order to avoid the crowd that had followed the cars and from there we were led into a private dining room. There were no windows and silence surrounded us. Quiet was rare in this city and I took a moment to let it sink in.
Hayes pulled out a chair for me and then requested a booster seat for Mia. I didn’t know how he managed to remember such simple things, but I was thankful for it.
Menus already sat on the table waiting for us and I scanned the items, looking for something that would be okay for Mia. Everything my eyes landed on was far too fancy for a three-year-old. She’d look at the food in disgust and ask me for chicken nuggets.
Hayes leaned over to whisper in my ear. “I asked Casey to run and pick her up something from McDonalds. I hope that’s okay. I didn’t think she’d like any of this.”
I gaped at him and he grinned, reaching over to push my chin up.
“It’s like you read my mind sometimes. It’s scary.”
He chuckled. “I’m perceptive, but definitely not a mind reader.”
“Can I sit on your wap?”
I looked down at Mia and found that she was staring with wide eyes at Hayes.
“Sure thing, Ms. Mia.” He slid his chair out and she scurried off of hers and climbed into his lap.
The waiter returned with a booster seat and fixed it in the now empty seat, but I doubted Mia would be returning. Her favorite spot was apparently in Hayes’ lap.
The waiter took everyone’s drink order and disappeared from the room.
I picked up the menu once more, trying to find something I could eat that didn’t cost the same amount as a kidney on the black market. I knew Hayes wouldn’t let me pay for my own meal, but regardless these prices were ridiculous, and the menu items were outlandish. I wanted something normal to eat, not something that sounded like it’d been made up.
By the time the waiter had returned I’d decided on a cheeseburger—although, according to the menu it was far superior than a regular cheeseburger and had a list of fancy cheeses and toppings, but I figured it was safe enough.
Hayes got the same thing while everyone else seemed to either order steak or seafood.
A few minutes after the waiter left us again Casey appeared with a happy meal box.
“Is that for me?” Maddox grinned. “Case, you shouldn’t have.” He chuckled, tipping his chair onto the back two legs.
“I didn’t.” Casey huffed, clearly not pleased at being made errand-boy, and placed the box in front of Hayes before exiting the room.
“He’s always so chipper,” Hayes jested, “remind me to give him a raise for being such a joy to be around.”
He reached for the box and set out the apples and chicken nuggets.
“Toy!” Mia chimed happily when he grabbed the plastic wrapped toy. He opened it and handed her the cheap plastic Barbie necklace, but the way she lit up you would’ve thought he’d given her a diamond.
That was the beauty with kids, normal every day things seemed so grand and monumental.
“I’m really bummed I don’t have any chicken nuggets or a toy. It’s not fair.” Maddox mock pouted.
Mia picked one up and held it out between her chubby fingers. “I twill share wit you.”
Maddox grinned widely. “That’s sweet of you princess, but I won’t eat your food.”
She shrugged her shoulders. “Tat’s otay. Moar for me.”
We all burst into uncontrollable laughter at her comment.
“Wat’s so funny?” She asked innocently, blinking her wide doll-like eyes.
“You, cutie,” Hayes kissed her cheek, “you’re so adorable.”
My heart.
It was melting.
And I was helpless to stop it.
Hayes and I stood on the street with Mia, surrounded by four bodyguards, as the rest of his band members and their girls drove away in the SUVs.
Hayes crouched down so he was closer to Mia’s eyelevel.
“Want a piggyback ride?”
She nodded her head eagerly and he turned around and crouched down so she could hop onto his back.
He seemed to know what direction to head so I fell into step beside him while the bodyguards flanked us, keeping the growing crowd at bay.
The fans were far more eager today than they had been yesterday and I was sure the band’s TV appearance today might’ve had a hand in that.
Hayes was completely unaffected by all the attention, and for some reason Mia was too which I was grateful for. When she was two she’d gone through a nasty spell of crying and yelling about anything that upset her. Thank God she’d finally grown out of that stage before I pulled out all of my hair.
A few blocks later my eyes landed on a building and my steps faltered.
“No.” I gasped the word.
“Yes,” Hayes said, somehow managing to hear me over the chaos surrounding us.
“No,” I repeated.
“Don’t look scared. It’s only dolls.”
I let out a laugh. “Aren’t I supposed to say that to you?” I asked, staring up at the American Girl logo on the building.
He shrugged, stepping up to the crosswalk. “It’s just a bunch of dolls and little girls. What’s there to be afraid of?”
A mob of horny mothers, but I didn’t say that out loud.
We reached the store and stepped inside.
Pink.
Pink and red everywhere.
Mia squealed in delight and Hayes let her down, quickly grabbing her hand before she could run off and be lost in the throngs of people.
Since Christmas was only a month away they’d already put up a tree—a pink one covered in so many decorations you could barely see a branch.
Mia spotted it and tugged on Hayes’ hand to get his attention. “Twee!” She cried. “I wants to see the twee!”
“Of course, Ms. Mia. Shall we take a picture with the tree?”
She beamed up at him and nodded eagerly.
“Greg, take a picture of the three of us.” Hayes commanded, pulling his phone out of his pocket and tossing it at his burly bodyguard.
Somehow Greg managed to catch it despite the ginormous bear paws he had for hands.
“Arden,” Hayes called, waving me over to stand beside him in front of the tree.
When I stood beside them Mia beamed up at me. “I wuv you, momma.”
I smiled down at her. “Love you too baby girl.”
I lifted my head and found Hayes staring at me, and what I saw in his eyes said so much more than any words could express.
The flash on the camera phone went off.
“Smile!” Greg called to get our attention this time.
I reluctantly turned away from Hayes and gave the camera the cheesiest smile I could—but while cheesy, it was one hundred percent genuine.
It always was with Hayes.