Read Trouble Rising (New Adult Rock Star Romance): Tyler and Katie's Story #3 Online

Authors: Emme Rollins

Trouble Rising (New Adult Rock Star Romance): Tyler and Katie's Story #3 (15 page)

BOOK: Trouble Rising (New Adult Rock Star Romance): Tyler and Katie's Story #3

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“Me either,” I agreed, clinging to him.

The glass patio door opened behind us and I glanced over, expecting Daisy to be there, asking if we wanted anything to eat. But it wasn’t Daisy.

It was Jay.

“Ty,” I whispered, shaking him so he would look, and he did, just as I scrambled off his lap.

“Jay!” I cried, and then she was running to me, putting her arms around me, sobbing and apologizing, all of nearly unintelligible.

“I didn’t know where else to go,” she gasped as we hugged and rocked on our feet. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry!”

“I’m just glad you’re safe,” I told her. “We’re just glad you’re home safe.”

“We are.” Tyler was there, too, putting his arms around us both. “You’re safe, Jay. You’ll be safe with us, I promise you.”

His words made me cry, so then both me and Jay were crying and apologizing for crying, and then were laughing because of all the apologizing, and that’s when the back door opened again.

“Hey.” Rob called out to his brother. “They arrested him. Nick and Jon, too.”

“Not Kenny?” I asked, stunned by the news.

“No.” Rob shook his head, looking as incredulous as I felt. It was like we’d all been run over by a freight train today. “Kenny didn’t know anything about it. But Arnie implicated both Nick and Jon.”

“Where’s Mom?” Tyler asked, taking my hand and pulling me toward the house. Jay wouldn’t let go of my other hand, so she followed. “Is she all right?”

“She’s fine,” Wendy called from somewhere inside. I glanced in and saw her on the phone. “They’re bringing her here.”

“Thank God.” I breathed, and I felt Tyler relax, too.

Inside, everyone was talking at once. The news had come in—that Jay was safe, that Arnie’d been arrested—and the relief in the room was palpable. Jay took some cookies off a tray, sharing some with Lucy, and Sabrina smiled as she watched them. So that was over, too—thank goodness. Whatever ill-will that had formed there had dissipated.

When Leanne appeared in the doorway of the kitchen, I thought it would be Tyler or Sarah who went to her. But it wasn’t. The first person who went to her was Rob. He put his arms around her, giving her a long, hard hug. I don’t know what he said to her—his words were clearly only meant for her—but whatever he said caused long streaks of tears down the side of her face as she hugged him back.

I watched Tyler and Sarah hug their mother, too, feeling slightly misty, but it wasn’t until Jay walked over with Lucy in her arms and handed the little dark-haired girl to her grandmother that the waterworks really started.

“Here.” Celeste handed me a box of Kleenex and I took one, wiping the tears falling down my cheeks.

“This is crazy,” I gasped, laughing through my tears at the insanity of it all.

Trouble was dead, with two band members going to jail along with Arnie. But there was Leanne, finally fully reunited with her family, including her last, angry son and her two beautiful grandbabies. And Jay, who was smiling and happy and, hopefully, ours. And Tyler had a part in a new movie, along with the series.

We’d probably be making a baby in New Zealand this year.

How could I feel so sad and so happy all at the same time?

“This is life.” Tyler put an arm around my shoulder, leaning in to kiss my wet cheek. “You were right. It’s a goddamned roller coaster ride. Buckle up, baby.”

I laughed and put my arms around him, holding on tight. “As long as we’re in it together.”

Epilogue

“Mom!”

I sighed and Tyler laughed, wrapping me in a hug as I headed toward our bedroom door.

“You wanted to be Mom,” he reminded me, nuzzling my ear and pinning me against a nearby wall.

“You better quit, or you’re gonna make me ‘Mom’ again,” I teased, sliding my thigh between his.

“Tempting.” His hands were already edging my skirt up.

“Mom!” Jay called again from her room down the hall. “Help!”

“Coming!” I called, straightening my skirt before knocking on her door. “Jay?”

“I’m stuck,” she called. “Open the door!”

I did, laughing when I saw her half-in and half-out of her graduation gown.

“My hair’s stuck,” she complained from underneath. “In the zipper.”

I helped her get unstuck, putting her gown on the bed, along with her cap, while Jay wiggled into her the dress she’d picked for her graduation party.

“Did you see the card?” I asked, biting my lip as I sat on the edge of her bed. “Dad said he left it for you.”

“Yeah.” Jay sat in front of her vanity, reapplying her make-up. “I called her. She said congrats.”

“We would have flown her out…”

“She didn’t want to come.” Jay shrugged. “It’s okay, Mom. I’m okay.”

“Yes, you are.” I went over to her, putting my arms around her neck and kissing the top of her head. “I’m so proud of you. We couldn’t be prouder.”

“Thanks.” Her smile was bright and beautiful, just like she was.

I couldn’t believe it had been three years already. Jay had spent the first half of her sophomore year with a tutor while we filmed in New Zealand and the lawyers hammered out agreements.

Jay’s mother hadn’t put up much of a fight—which was awful for Jay, on the one hand, but great for her, on the other. Because she was happy with us, and we couldn’t have been happier having her.

When we’d come home, she asked if she could go to school, so we’d found a private one, something co-ed, per her request. Although to my surprise, boys hadn’t been that much of an issue. She’d dated a few, but she hadn’t settled on any one guy.

She’d found a love for reading—and writing. And she was quite good. We’d spent months researching and sending college applications, and she’d been accepted to almost all of them. I’d been afraid she’d go to the east coast, to one of the more prestigious schools she’d applied to—“I just wanted to see if I could get in,” she said later—but she decided on UCLA. Some place closer to home.

“Jayyyyy!” Lucy’s footsteps came pounding up the stairs.

“Coming!” Jay called, laughing and twirling in her dress. “What do you think? Good enough?”

“You’re beautiful,” I told her, and then Lucy was bursting in, hugging Jay around the waist.

“I guess this means your mom and dad are here?” I asked Lucy, getting up off the bed.

“Yup.” Lucy nodded, giving me a gap-toothed smile. She was in kindergarten this year and growing like a weed. She looked more like Sabrina every day. “But Henry’s home. He’s got a rash. Mom says it might be chicken pox.”

“Oh great,” I said, heading toward the door. “Let’s hope you’re not all contagious.”

“Did I hear Lucy?” Tyler looked up at me when I opened our bedroom door. He was sitting on the bed, barefoot, a guitar in his lap, strumming idly.

“Rob and Sabrina are here. I can smell Daisy’s food.” I sniffed the air, smiling. “I’m so glad Sabrina let me borrow her today.”

“Guess we better head downstairs before everyone else arrives.” Ty smiled at me, changing chords. “Hm. I’m a little rusty.”

“You’ll do fine.” I leaned over his guitar and kissed him. “Jay will love it—you and Rob and Sabrina playing for her graduation.”

“Just a few songs,” he reminded me with a little snort. “We all know everyone wants to see the big stars.”

“Ha.” I wrinkled my nose at him. “You’re a bigger star than both of them, these days. Mr. Oscar-winner.”

“Double platinum,” he countered, setting his acoustic aside. “Sold out in every single city on tour.”

“Katie!” I heard Sabrina calling up the stairs. “Daisy can’t find the food processor!”

“Coming!” I called, reaching out for Tyler’s hand. “You ready?”

He took it, standing and pulling me into his arms. “Remember when I said… life was like a hot air balloon? Every time we started gaining altitude, something would shoot us down?”

“Yeah.” I put my arms around his neck.

“But you said it was like a roller coaster. With all these ups and downs…”

“Uh-huh.” I cocked my head at him, puzzled. “And…?”

“These past couple years… we’ve just been going up and up…” He slid his hands down to my lower back. “I’m afraid we’re due for a crash.”

“Shhh.” I kissed him quiet, still amazed that every time we touched felt electric. “I’m buckled in. We all are. We’ll be fine, no matter what.”

“Mamamama!” The sound came from the room next to ours. Followed by, “Dadadada!”

“You or me?” I smiled, hearing our impatient son standing and rattling the side of his crib, calling for me, then for his father. Oliver was a towhead like his dad, but he had my little snub nose and, Tyler liked to say, “He inherited Katie’s sass.” Leanne often countered that with, “And his father’s temper!”

“Both of us.” Tyler gave me one more long, lingering kiss. “I love you, Katie. Up or down, it doesn’t matter. As long as I’ve got you.”

“Damn straight.” I grinned, taking his hand as we headed toward the nursery. “I’m on the best ride of my life.”

The End

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About Emme Rollins

Emme Rollins is a NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of New Adult/Mature Young Adult fiction. She’s been writing since she could hold a crayon and still chews her pen caps to a mangled plastic mess. She did not, however, eat paste as a kid.

She has two degrees, a bachelor’s and a master’s, one of which she’s still paying for, but neither of which she uses out in the “real world,” because when she isn’t writing, she spends her time growing an organic garden to feed her husband and children (and far too many rabbits and deer!) where they live on twenty gorgeous forested acres in rural Michigan.

She loves tending her beehives, keeping up with her daily yoga practice and going for long walks in the woods with her boxer dog, who loves chasing squirrels almost as much as Emme loves writing!

Emme loves hearing from fans!

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