Willow Creek Bonus Content Page 2

  “And he can step out of the spotlight for three minutes for us to sing our song.” He cupped my cheek, his fingers tangling in my messy hair.

  “I can’t believe this,” I breathed. “Is this real life?”

  He pulled me into his arms and I straddled his waist. He pressed his lips softly to mine. “Was that real?”

  I nodded, wrapping my arms around his neck. “This was the best surprise ever…although I was really hoping we were going to jump out of a plane again.”

  He threw his head back and laughed a deep, throaty laugh. “My little adrenaline junkie,” he murmured.

  And then he sealed his lips over mine, and we made that stage ours.

  3

  Mathias and Remy bonus Scene #1

  (Visiting Hope’s grave)

  MATHIAS

  I was so fucking jittery that Remy reached over and placed her hand on my knee, forcing me to keep still. I felt like I was about to crawl out of my damn skin. I’d never been the nervous type, but right now I felt like I was about to blow chunks.

  I gazed out the round plane window at the rapidly changing landscape. Green grass gave way for desert sands.

  Arizona.

  The place Remy had ended up after she moved in high school.

  The place where she’d lost our daughter.

  Fucking hell, even months later it made me sick to think of her going through that by herself. At first, I wanted to be mad at her for keeping my daughter a secret from me, but after I thought it through I understood why she did it. If the situation was reversed I would’ve done the same thing. Secrets suck, but sometimes you have to keep them to protect the ones you love.

  “Are you this nervous because my parents are meeting us at the airport?” There was a teasing glint in her eyes.

  I glanced at her small bump—a complete surprise, but a blessing nonetheless—and the ring on her finger. “Your parents are the least of my problems.”

  She laughed and I watched the way her neck arched and her white-blonde hair fell around her like a silky curtain.

  My wife was fucking hot.

  “Then what has you so upset?” She asked once she’d recovered. My teeth snapped together and I glared out the window. “Mathias,” she prompted.

  My lip furrowed. “I’m scared,” I admitted. “I’m scared to see her grave,” I whispered so softly I was surprised she could hear me.

  “Don’t be scared.” She took my hand. “It’ll be okay. This is hard for me too, you know? I’ve only been there twice…the first time to bury her, and then again on what would’ve been her first birthday. I feel horrible that I never went back, but I couldn’t,” tears shimmered in her eyes, “it’s too painful. But we’ll be there together this time. We’re not alone.”

  I nodded at her words. Not alone.

  I took a deep breath. I could do this.

  Much too soon our plane touched down at the airport. We only had carry-on luggage since we weren’t staying long, and I set down both of our bags from the overhead compartment. I took Remy’s hand in mine and we each wheeled our bags.

  Out in the terminal two bodyguards met us and Remy turned on her phone to check her messages. “They’re here, but I need to stop at a bathroom first. If I don’t pee soon…” She let me fill in the gaps.

  I scanned the signs. “Restrooms that way.” I guided her in that direction. She cried out in relief when we reached the entrance and left me with the bags.

  The guards formed a flank around me, and I wore a baseball cap low over my eyes to hide my face, but neither detracted from the curious glances.

  It didn’t take long for the whispers to spread and the cameras to come out.

  Was this how fucking zoo animals felt?

  I could almost deal with this better if people would actually speak to me, instead they acted like I was dangerous and they couldn’t get too close.

  When Remy emerged from the bathroom I couldn’t get out of their fast enough.

  And that was why I preferred to use the band’s private plane. You could usually avoid all this shit.

  The guards kept the growing crowd at bay as we headed for the exit. I kept a close hold on Remy, afraid of her or the baby getting hurt.

  When we stepped out into the sunshine I allowed myself to inhale the tiniest bit of relief.

  It was short-lived, though, when I noticed Remy’s parent’s and brother waiting outside a Ford SUV.

  “Oh, great,” I muttered, “your brother’s here too. A whole fucking family reunion. Fantastic.”

  “Be nice.” Remy smacked my chest.

  “I will be if they’re nice. Otherwise, no promises.”

  She rolled her eyes. “You’re all impossible.”

  We finally reached them and stopped across from them.

  No one said anything, but around us the crowd grew louder and people called out my name. Remy’s too.

  “Hey mom, dad, Robert.” She waved awkwardly. Remy hadn’t always been on the best of terms with her family, and I knew even though she wasn’t really showing it she was even more scared than me.

  “Remy,” her mom was the first to break their silence, “I missed you.” She stepped forward to hug Remy and then me. It was awkward as fuck but I’d give her credit for trying.

  Meanwhile, Remy’s dad and brother looked at me like they wanted to flay me alive.

  Be the bigger man, Mathias, I told myself.

  “Nice to see you guys.” I held out my hand. Her father and brother looked at my hand like it was the grossest thing they’d ever seen. “Tough crowd,” I muttered, and stuck my hands in my pockets.

  Remy sighed beside. “Dad, Robert, be nice. Mathias is my husband, and that’s not changing.”

  Her father’s lips curled in distaste. The feeling was mutual but I was able to mask my revulsion to him.

  “Shall we go then?” Her mom asked, trying to break the tension.

  Without saying a word Remy’s dad turned and headed for the driver’s side. He didn’t even say anything to her.

  I started after him, about to tell him what a prick he was and he needed to pull the lead pipe up his ass out, but Remy gripped my arm and held on.

  “No, don’t do it. He isn’t worth it. Let it go.”

  “No one should disrespect you like that,” I spat through my teeth. “I can handle people treating me like shit, but not you.”

  “I’m okay, Mathias. I’m a big girl,” she said in a calming voice.

  I let out a breath. “Fine. Just get in the car. I promise not to do anything stupid.”

  I loaded our bags into the car and climbed inside. Of course fucking Robert had taken the window seat and I wasn’t about to force my pregnant wife into the middle, so I took the seat between. Nice and cozy beside Robert.

  “Hi.” I grinned at him—although I’m sure I looked more like a shark showing my teeth.

  He huffed and looked out the window.

  Remy took my hand and gave me a look that said I needed to watch it. I knew this was her family and she wanted us to get along, even if they hadn’t always been the best to her, but this was fucking hard. I hated willingly surrounding myself with a bunch of pricks, even if they were my wife’s family.

  The drive to her parents place was the worst thirty minutes of my life—and that was saying something.

  “We should’ve rented our own fucking car,” I told Remy as soon as we were out of earshot of her family and safely hidden in the guestroom.

  “Stop cussing around the baby,” she scolded, pointing at her stomach. “We’ll be fine. It’s only a few days.”

  I scrubbed my hands roughly down over my face. It would not be fucking fine. I was going to strangle her brother and her father. Her mother was okay, for the moment.

  “They’re going to expect us back downstairs for dinner,” she warned, “so pull yourself together.”

  “I am together,” I grumbled, “just trying to tell myself all the reasons murder is wrong.”

  Her fist conn
ected lightly with my stomach. “Stop it.” She sat down on the bed and tucked her hair behind her ears. “You know this is hard for me too, but it’s the right thing to do.”

  “I’m not saying we should’ve flown to Arizona and not seen them, but I am saying we could’ve stayed in a hotel.” I held up my hands innocently. “It would’ve saved us a lot of headache.”

  She frowned. “True, but I think we need to face this head on.”

  “If I punch your brother during dinner, don’t say I didn’t warn you.” I pointed a finger at her. “The dude keeps giving me this weird look and it’s freaking me the fuck out.”

  “Mathias,” she hissed, pointing at her stomach again. “The baby.”

  I slapped a hand over my mouth and then let it fall. “Just admit it, Rem, the baby’s first word will not be mom or dad. It’s going to be fuck, because I fucking love saying the word fuck.”

  She breathed out a heavy breath. “Should we just go ahead and name the kid Fuck Wade?”

  My lips twitched with the threat of a smile. “Come on, Rem, we don’t want him or her to get made fun of.”

  She rolled her eyes, but I could tell she was trying not to smile.

  I took a moment to look around the room. Bland beige walls, dark wood furniture, and pastel yellow bedspread.

  “Something tells me this is not how your room looked when you lived here.”

  She smiled. “What tipped you off?”

  “It’s too boring for you.”

  Her smile grew into a grin.

  “Dinner!” Her mom called.

  I closed my eyes. I wasn’t ready for this.

  The bed squeaked as Remy stood and I opened my eyes to find her standing in front of me. She placed her hands on my cheeks and looked into my eyes.

  “We’re doing this for Hope,” she whispered, “nothing else matters.”

  Hope. My daughter. The daughter that never even took her first breath. The daughter I didn’t get the chance to hold.

  I nodded. “For Hope,” I echoed.

  She kissed me, and I tried to deepen the kiss, but she pulled back and shook her head at me. “Nice try, Wade.”

  I grinned. “You’ll let me into your pants later, Mrs. Wade.”

  She winked. “Only if you’re a good boy.”

  The woman was trying to bargain with sex and dammit if it wasn’t working.

  I followed her out of the room and down the steps. Her parents and brother were already seated at the dining room table. Remy and I took the last two empty seats on the end.

  “This looks delicious,” I commented, nodding my head at Remy’s mom.

  “Thank you, Mathias.” She smiled back. It wasn’t a big smile, but I’d take it.

  We grew quiet as we all piled food on our plates, but I knew the reprieve wouldn’t last for long.

  Remy’s dad shoved a forkful of food in his mouth, chewed and swallowed, and then gave me a death glare. “So, Mathias,” he said my name like it left a sour taste in his mouth, “you’re in a band…how interesting.” I knew interesting was the last thing he thought of it.

  “Yes, I’m in a band,” I nodded, “a highly successful band. One in which I’ve traveled the world, had our music featured on TV shows, and even won a Grammy.”

  His upper lip curled. “Regardless, you weren’t good enough for my daughter as a teenager and you aren’t good enough now.”

  My fists clenched beneath the table and the muscle in my jaw ticked.

  “Dad,” Remy scolded, “you can’t talk to him like that.”

  Her dad swung his glare to her. “It’s my house, I can talk to him any way I want.”

  “He’s also my husband,” she countered, “and you will respect that, or we’ll leave.”

  “Then leave,” he said simply.

  Remy’s mom paled. “He doesn’t mean that, honey,” she said to Remy.

  Remy stood and threw her napkin down on the plate. “Yeah, yeah he does. Come on, Mathias, we’re leaving.”

  “Rem?” I said hesitantly. I wanted to leave as much her, but this was her family.

  “We’re leaving,” she repeated through clenched teeth and stormed out of the room.

  I cleared my throat and looked at the three people sitting at the table. “Well, um, it was nice seeing you.”

  And then I got the hell out of dodge. No way was I willingly staying around her psycho father. I didn’t think the man would ever accept me. He’d wanted Remy to end up with some rich stuck up prep school type boy, and I was definitely not that. Rich? Yes. But none of the other.

  Remy had already called for a cab by the time I met her upstairs.

  “Are you sure you want to leave?” I asked, standing in the doorway to the room.

  She wheeled her bag over to the door. “Yes, absolutely. I should’ve listened to you from the beginning and we should’ve stayed at a hotel and maybe had dinner with them or something—but look how that turned out.” She laughed humorlessly. She tore at her hair. “I can’t believe I let my mom talk me into this. She said dad would be fine, and why the fuck is Robert here?” She seethed.

  “Baby,” I mouthed and nodded at her stomach.

  “Fuck,” she cursed again. She slapped a hand over her mouth. “Do you see what these people do to me?”

  I could see her becoming distressed, so I reached out and wrapped her in my arms. “Shh, it’s okay,” I soothed.

  She blubbered into my shirt, “Why do I keep hoping it’ll be different?”

  “Because they’re your family and you love them despite themselves.”

  She sniffled. “Why are you so smart?”

  I snorted. “I’m far from smart, Rem,” I took her face in my hands, “it’s just the truth.”

  She nodded and wiped at her eyes. “Let’s get out of here. This kind of stress isn’t good for the baby.”

  Her words spurned me into action and I grabbed up our bags.

  We didn’t linger another minute.

  We waited out on the front porch for the cab, and before it could arrive the door opened behind us and Remy’s mother appeared, easing the door closed behind her.

  “I want you both to know I’m sorry about this. I know I haven’t always been the nicest to you,” she addressed me, “but I’ve accepted that the two of you are pretty perfect for each other. I wish your father and brother could see that.” She turned to Remy. “I’d love to have lunch with you guys before you leave. Just me,” she added hastily.

  Remy looked to me for approval—it was unusual for her to defer to me since she was such a ball-buster, but after this disaster I guessed she felt she owed me.

  I nodded. “Yeah, sounds good.”

  “Great.” Her mom smiled. “Remy, you can text me and let me know when and where to meet you guys.”

  Remy nodded and hugged her mom, and then—because what the hell—I hugged her too.

  Her mom slipped back inside with one last apologetic smile.

  Thankfully, before anyone else could appear, the cab arrived.

  I loaded our suitcases in and instructed the driver to the nearest town. While he drove I googled nearby hotels, and when I found the nicest I called to make a reservation. They weren’t very accommodating until I dropped my name. Figured.

  We arrived at the hotel and I tipped the driver before leading Remy inside.

  We checked in and headed up to our suite on the top floor.

  Once inside Remy sunk down on the couch and let out a groan. “I feel like I could sleep for days.”

  “What happened to the sexy times you promised me?” I jested.

  She gave me the finger and I grinned.

  I loved riling her up.

  I moved into the small kitchen and opened the refrigerator. It was freshly stocked with water and beer. I grabbed two water bottles—one for each of us—since beer wasn’t my thing and Remy obviously couldn’t drink.

  I sat down and placed her feet in my lap before handing her the bottle of water.

  She too
k a greedy sip and I set mine on the coffee table. I pulled her shoes off and dropped them on the floor, then massaged the soles of her feet with my thumb.

  She let out a moan. “That feels good.”

  “You know what would feel better?” I waggled my brows.

  She threw a pillow at me.

  “A pillow fight?” I questioned. “That could be interesting, but not what I had in mind.”

  She shook her head. “You’re incorrigible.”

  “I have the hots for my wife, is that such a bad thing?”

  She smiled at me. “No, but your pregnant wife is exhausted after dealing with her psychotic family.”

  I nodded. “Thank God you’re not crazy. I mean, you are, but not that crazy.”

  She laughed and rubbed her hand over her stomach. “Thanks.”

  I winked. “Why don’t I run you a hot bath and order room service since we didn’t get to really eat?”

  Her pale blue eyes twinkled—God, I hoped our baby had Remy’s eyes, they were so unique and always full of mischief. “Mathias Wade, big bad rock star, you’re going to make me a bubble bath?”

  I puffed out my chest. “Yes.”

  She grinned and then sobered. “That sounds wonderful.”

  I smiled. I loved making my wife happy.

  A lot of people didn’t see me as the dotting husband, but when it came to Remy I’d do anything for that woman.

  I lifted her feet off my lap and made my way into the spacious bedroom.

  The bathroom was attached, and pretty big as well. A large white porcelain tub sat in the middle of the space in front of a tinted window. It had one of those little tray things across it, and on it sat a bottle of soap, shampoo and conditioner, bubble bath, and bath salts. Perfect.

  I made sure the water was warm, not hot, and added the bubble bath and salts. The room immediately smelled like a spa.

  When the tub was full I turned off the water and went to get Remy. She was half-asleep on the couch and looked cute as hell.

  I touched her cheek and she jolted awake, blinking up at me with wide eyes.

  “Your bath is ready.”

  She yawned and nodded.

  I helped her up and led her into the bathroom. Her large smile when she saw the bathtub made my whole fucking day.