Page 6 of Sticks and Stones
He was definitely not okay with another man sharing Gianna’s bed. Then or now. But he thought if he started making demands on her, she would do the same, and he would lose her.
“Look, girls, it’s complicated.” He sank down on a bar stool at the kitchen island, which divided the two living spaces. “I know you have questions and you deserve answers, but this is a conversation I should be having with your mom. Not you.”
“Why didn’t you fight for us?” Ramsey asked, looking bitter. “Why didn’t you fight to keep our family together? You just let her leave and take us with her. And if that wasn’t bad enough, you let her move us here, out in the middle of nowhere. Why?” Her hazel eyes filled with tears. “Didn’t you want us?”
Gunnar jumped off the stool and walked over to the ottoman, sitting down in front of them. “I love you guys so much. Don’t ever doubt that. I did try to fight for you. As soon as I got home and got your mom’s note, I headed over to your grandparents house and asked her to come back.”
“We know,” Keegan said, looking sullen as she crossed her arms. “We were listening through the bedroom window while you guys talked on the front porch. We heard every word you said to her. You asked her to come back, but you didn’t beg her. You didn’t cry. You didn’t offer to change. You didn’t ask her to marry you. You didn’tdoanything!” she cried, leaning into her sister as she started sobbing. “You just let her go.”
Ramsey stroked her sister’s hair as she curled her arm around her head. “Why?” she asked. “You said you loved Mom and us, so why wouldn’t you…?” She shook her head. “Forget it, it doesn’t matter anymore. It’s too late.”
***
“So, your ex is just in town for a visit?” Billy asked as they sat in her driveway.
They’d carefully avoided the subject of Gunnar over dinner, but Gianna knew it would come up eventually. She suspected most men would have a hard time ignoring the fact a hot rock star had his ass planted firmly on her couch, entertainingtheirdaughters.
“Yeah. The sooner he’s gone, the better, as far as I’m concerned.” She didn’t want to sound bitter, but she was. She hated Gunnar for reminding her of the past and how much she’d once loved him.
“Your daughters may not feel the same way though.”
Billy was a single dad too. He shared custody of his eight-year-old son with his ex-wife and knew how hard it could be to juggle both roles.
“I’m sure they won’t. They love their dad. They want to be with him.” She sighed, leaning her head against the headrest. “And they hate it here. They grew up in L.A. That life is all they know.”
“So, why’d you move all the way out here?”
“For a couple of reasons,” she admitted. “I needed to get away from Gunnar. It was the only way I could start over. And I didn’t like what that lifestyle was doing to the girls. Private schools, exotic vacations, big houses, fancy cars, privileged friends. They were becoming spoiled, entitled. I didn’t like it.”
“That’s understandable.”
“I grew up normal.” She ran a finger over her smooth, polished nail as she stared out the window at the soft glow of lights inside her house. “Working class family. Part-time jobs. Innocent fun. I wanted the same for my daughters.”
“So, how’d you get drawn into that life?”
She laughed. “Honestly? I ask myself that question all the time. I met Gunnar when I was eighteen. He and his band were on their first big headlining tour and my girlfriend and I won backstage passes. I never expected him to notice me, but he did.”
“And one thing led to another?”
She rested her head against the cool glass. “I fell for him, fast and hard. My parents were worried, but I assured them I knew what I was doing. I didn’t, of course. I had no idea the ways that man would change me, change my life.”
“Were you happy with him?”
“Sure, until I wasn’t anymore.” She finally gave up on the dream when she realized he didn’t really need her and never had. “That’s when I knew I had to leave him. I was miserable more than I was happy, wishing for things I could never have. That’s no way to live.”
“It looks like he may still have feelings for you. He seemed jealous, seeing you with me tonight.”
She laughed, though it tore from her throat like a sob. “Gunnar doesn’t have a jealous bone in his body. In fact, he encouraged me to go out with other men. He stood by and watched other men hit on me and didn’t even bat an eye.”
“Really?”
She didn’t blame Billy for sounding surprised. It was hard to believe anyone could share as many years as they had and care so little. “Really.” She tipped her head to look at him. “So, that’s why I had to leave. I decided I loved myself too much to stay.”
“Maybe he’s had a change of heart.”
“It’s too late for that,” she said sincerely. “I stopped loving that man a long time ago.”
They talked a few more minutes before Billy walked her to the door and kissed her goodnight. There were no sparks, but she didn’t expect them anymore. Sex with Gunnar had been like the Fourth of July, yet still left her feeling cold and alone after the deed was done.
