Chapter 21

Lily hadn’t realized she had been holding her breath until , Heather smiled and responded in a friendly manner. So far so good, she thought to herself but what are they going to feel about the baby ? her stomach started to churn nervously at the mere thought and her hand slid to her still flat stomach, Please let them be okay with this, she silently prayed.

Richie squeezed Lily’s hand before turning to Heather. “Would you mind staying for dinner? Both Lily and I would like to speak with you, if that’s alright.”

Heather nodded slowly, her gaze shifting from her ex-husband to the woman next to him, wondering what in the world this could be about. “Sure, okay.”

Lily sucked in a deep breath, then glanced nervously at Richie while they all filed in to the dining room.  She walked towards the table , Richie slid out the chair beside him and waited for her to sit then scooted her in.  “Thank you . “ she replied while she gazed at the beautiful cherry wood table that was set with light blue china and crystal glasses.

He waited until Heather and Ava had also taken their seats before Richie took his place at the table. Rosa had prepared a lovely meal for them, and he thanked her as she brought it out to them.

Rosa appeared with a bottle of Bordeaux. “Miss Heather would you care for a glass ?”

Heather nodded and held out her glass with a small smile, “Yes, please Rosa. Thank you.”

Rosa poured the wine into Heather’s glass then walked towards Lily. “Miss Lily would you care for some wine as well ?”

Lily started to say yes then thought better of it , casting a quick glance to Richie. “No thank you Rosa . I will just have a glass of water if that's alright .”

Ava piped up , “Lily, did you give up alcohol like daddy? “

Lily started to panic, Ok Lil its not that hard of a question “Yes I did honey . “ she shot another nervous glance hoping that neither Heather or Ava caught the nervousness in her voice.

Heather crooked an eyebrow, worrying about her daughter’s safety more than anything. “Was there a problem? I know that’s blunt but I feel I should know since Ava will be spending time with the both of you.”

Richie looked around the table quickly, noting Heather’s stern and worried tone and the panic in Lily’s eyes. “Well, there’s the thing Heath. You see--”

Lily’s stomach churned, her face turning a ghostly pale , she quickly scooted her chair back “Excuse me where’s the bathroom ! “ as she fought back the bile that coated that back of her throat.

Richie jumped up and led her down a short hallway, and returned to find two pretty blondes staring at him worriedly. Well, Ava looked worried. Heather looked like a light bulb had just clicked on over her head.

“Oh God,” she said quietly, her eyes locking with Richie’s. “You’re kidding me.”

Lily flushed the toilet and debated whether she should just remain in the bathroom for the remainder of Heather’s visit “Good going now she knows for sure . Stupid Lily, really stupid.” she shook her head, reached for the glass to rinse out her mouth and washed her hands  then slowly walked down the hallway , She felt like she was heading to the gallows .

Sucking in a deep breath,  She stepped back into the dining room and quietly sat back down in her chair , her eyes fixated on her plateful of food.

Richie wrapped an arm around the back of her chair, “You alright, Darlin’?”

“Yes “ she quietly responded.

Ava watched her dad and Lily with concern, “Lily you got the flu that’s going around ? I had it last week and it sucked. “

Lily glanced at Richie with pleading eyes, begging for help. “ Um -- “

Richie squeezed Lily’s hand again under the table as he spoke to his daughter. “Actually Ava, Lily is gonna have a baby.” He figured he’d better just drop the bomb and stop beating around the bush.

Ava’s eyes grew wide and a smile spread across her face. “Really? I’m gonna have a brother or a sister. Did you hear that mom ? Oh wow ! this is so cool.”  she jumped up and hugged her dad and then Lily.

Lily wrapped her arms around the young girl and slightly smiled , her eyes refusing to meet with Heather's, she felt her eyes boring into her clearly stating she wasn't too happy with their news.

Heather met Richie’s gaze. “It is yours, right?”

Richie nodded, trying to hold in his excitement. Not a good time, Rich..“Yeah. It is.”

“Isn’t it great mom, I finally get a brother or sister. I don’t care - well okay rather it be a girl but oh well take what we get right? “ Ava paused then frowned. “Mom , Dad has a right to be happy. “

Heather’s eyebrows raised as she regarded her daughter, who she had to admit was growing up much too fast. “I know that, Ava. I’m glad you are. Congratulations, you two.” She forced a smile. “So what’s next? Marriage?” she chuckled sarcastically. “I’m kidding. Richie I know you always wanted more, so it’s good you’re getting what you wanted.”

Ava shook her head, knowing her mom like she did she wasn’t going to make it easy for them. She leaned in to Lily’s ear and whispered. “Don’t worry about mom, okay? “

Lily smiled then whispered back “Thank you . “

“So are you going to move out here with daddy? “ Ava asked while she sat back down in her seat.

“I well- my business is in South Carolina so I don’t know what our plans are yet” Lily admitted honestly.

Richie smiled, “We have lots of time to figure it all out,” he added.

Heather chuckled darkly, “Richie, you should move down south with Miss Lily.”

“I don’t appreciate the sarcasm, Heath..” Richie replied quietly before returning his attention to Lily, who was listening to Ava chat excitedly.

Lily shot Heather a dark look, her temper barely contained . “ Now that’s an idea Richie baby, we southerners are very friendly and we know our manners too. “

“Very friendly. Cousins, siblings, everyone’s very friendly with each other,” Heather snorted, “And manners, yes I can see that, too. Like don’t play your music too loud so the whole trailerhood can hear it,” she chuckled.

“Heather! Holy shit are you kidding me?!” Richie exploded, standing up. “Ava, babygirl you wanna go unpack your bedroom or something while this gets straightened out? I’m sorry, honey..”

Ava shot her mom a glare, “Yes daddy “ she mouthed “I’m sorry to Lily “ before taking off upstairs.

Lily gripped her fork tightly , fighting the urge to rip out the bleached blond mop of hers. “ Well at least I don’t send my flunkies to do my dirty work. “ Lily spat back.

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?!” Heather shot across the table, her voice rising.

“ Oh I didn’t know my assistant was going to leak out about me filing divorce papers, she’s fired. What kind of woman are you? Oh yea that's right an aging actress that can’t get a good part now if she slept with all of Hollywood. “ Lily shot back.

“Oh what did you do, Google me?! God how the hell do you know what goes on in my life?” Heather replied, rolling her eyes, “Go back to the boondocks, you redneck bitch!”

“HEATHER!” Richie yelled, unable to take it any longer. “I invited you to stay thinking you could be civil! Have I ever said a single negative thing about Jack? Don’t think so! Why the fuck do you have to do this?!” He ran a hand through his hair, taking a deep breath. “I think it’s time for you to go.”

Lily grew silent for a moment then spoke. “Look Heather I’m sorry,  my hormones are crazy right now . “ she replied apologetically, though she knew Heather wouldn’t accept it , Ava didn’t need all this drama and not act like a school girl fighting over a football player.

“You don’t need to apologise,” Richie said quietly, still fuming.

Heather snorted, “Stay out of my life.” to Richie she directed, “I’ll be back for Ava in a few days. I’m gonna go say goodbye to her then I’m leaving.”

“Good.”

Lily watched her leave then turned to face Richie, “Yes I did I should have never said that . I took what you told me in private and threw it against her. “ she paused “ Though it did feel good when I said it because it still pisses me off for how she treated you. But it was still wrong and I have to think about how what I say will effect your daughter , that is her mother after all. “

Richie shook his head, taking a seat again though he’d lost his appetite. “I know, baby. And I appreciate that. But Heather has a problem with change.. especially when it involves things she doesn’t have anymore. I’m sorry she attacked you. Don’t take it to heart, okay?” He reached for her hand, watching her face.

“I was hoping for a happy ending , guess that was too much to ask for ? At least Ava was happy.” Lily answered with a slight smile.

“I’m pretty happy too,” Richie winked, leaning in for a sweet kiss.

Chapter 20

Lily stepped out of LAX to an awaiting car, shaking her head . “When will I ever get used to this .” she muttered to herself while climbing into the backseat of a Black Lincoln . Not exactly sure  how long of a drive it would be to Richie’s house, she reached in her purse and pressed speed dial to her friend.

While waiting for Claire to answer , she glanced out at the passing scenery.  Los Angeles always impressed her it was almost like New York but with a flare for the wild and crazy.

“Hey girly,” Claire said as she picked up the phone, “did you make it to LA alright?”

“Yea riding in a nice black spanking new Lincoln as we speak. “ Lily answered then grew serious. “Claire , I am so nervous . What if his family doesn’t like me ? What if his ex despises me ? “

“You’re telling me! I’m in the car on my way to meet Jon’s kids now!” Claire replied, rubbing her forehead, “Lil, you’re so lovable. Trust me, you’ll do just fine! And if Heather doesn’t like you, well you’ll just be added to a long-ass list honey. She seems like a diva to me. No biggie if she doesn’t!”

“I sure as hell hope you’re right . I am most worried about when they find about this baby. Especially with Ava , she’s been his princess for so long. “ Lily added while clinching her hands nervously in her lap.

Claire sighed, “Honey I’m sure it’ll be fine. If Richie feels comfortable introducing you, then he knows it will be too!”

The girls talked for a few moment’s longer , when the car pulled up in front of this massive gate. Lily’s eyes widened. “Holy Hannah! You should see this house Claire. “

Claire laughed, “Sneak a picture if you get a chance! I’ll let you go.. good luck!! Wish me luck too!!”

“Will do , Good luck girlfriend . “ Lily flipped her phone shut, stuffing it back into her purse. She sucked in a deep breath as the car pulled up to a stop in the driveway.

She waited til the driver opened the door  then stepped out.  Her hand went to her forehead shading her eyes from the bright glare of the sunlight then walked slowly beside the driver as he carried her bag to the front door.  “Well here goes everything . “ she muttered to herself, pressing the door bell.

Richie all but ran from one end of the house to the other when he heard the bell chime, sliding on his socks across the tile floor in the foyer and skidding to a stop just in front of the door. He ran a hand through his hair and plastered a grin on his face, then opened the door to his second-favorite lady in the whole world. “Hiya baby!”

“Hi there yourself. “ She gazed over him then chuckled. “Did I wake you ? “ then stepped inside the massive foyer , Lily fought the urge to gasp while her eyes took in the impressive layout of his house.

“Psh. No..” Richie winked at her as he closed the door. “Home sweet home, we’re glad to have ya. Welcome to Casa Sambora,” he said, taking her hand and leading her through the foyer and into the living room. On a regular day it would’ve looked great, but this time of year it was decorated for Christmas, and looked stunning with an enormous tree in the corner and garland strung just about everywhere.

“This is - “ Lily was speechless , as he took her on a quick tour of his house. “ Wow, okay that sounds so stupid . “ she laughed. “ I can’t ever imagine living in a house like this . “

Richie chuckled, “Yeah it took a while to get used to, though that was quite a long time ago,” he grinned, “I’m glad you like it though.”

“I do this is amazing, but one question why? If its just you why so big? “ Lily asked while he led her to through the sliding glass doors,  “Oh my this is gorgeous . You have a dock ! “

“Yeah if you ever wanna go out on the boat lemme know,” he winked, “I dunno really, regarding the size,” he added, thinking, “Maybe ‘cause a big dude like me needs a big place?” he chortled. “When we came into all that money so fast, back in the day,” he told her, “we just spent and spent and spent, we were so excited. I guess that’s what this is. Just proud of my accomplishments.”

Lily intertwined her fingers with his then smiled. “You should be not too many bands from the eighties are around anymore. “ She stepped out onto the little dock and gazed out into the bright blue lake that lay before here.

Richie smiled, watching this beautiful woman amidst the beautiful scenery. He was beyond excited to have her here, in his home, as well as to have her here for the holidays, and most of all, to meet his precious baby girl. Speaking of which... “I told you Heather was gonna bring Ava by shortly, right?” he asked.

Lily chewed on her bottom lip nervously ,  “Yea you did. Um- are you sure they are okay with me?” she glanced up into his beautiful puppy dog eyes , she had grown to love so much.

He nodded, sensing her change in tone, “Baby, everything is gonna be okay. Ava said this morning on the phone she was excited to meet you!” he told her sweetly.

“Really? “ Lily asked , a surprised look coated her face. “ I just thought it might be difficult for her. Having you all to herself for as long as she has now. “

Richie shrugged, “She’s growing up, finding herself with new interests, realizing that it’s not so cool to have Daddy as your best friend anymore,” he winked. “She knows she’s never gonna be left out or forgotten, by either me or her mother, and if she needs a good reminder then now is as good a time as any.”

“Does she know about the baby? “ Lily asked , she turned to face him , gripping his hands tightly in hers.  “And Heather how is she with all this ? “  She had heard things about Heather and hoped that they didn’t get off on the wrong foot.  For both Richie and Ava’s sake .

Richie took a deep breath, “I figured it wasn’t right to tell her about the baby over the phone,” he told her, watching her eyes. “And Heather,” he smiled softly, “Well you never really know what Heather is gonna do. But she’s usually very nice,” he added.

Before Lily could respond any more of her reservations , A young blonde bounced her way down to the dock.  “Daddy!“ she called out happily.

Richie’s eye’s lit up even more as he spotted his prize and he opened his arms, scooping her up as she reached him. “Hi baby!!” he told her, kissing her cheek then releasing her. He straightened then turned to Lily, “Lily this is my beautiful daughter Ava, the light of my life. Ava baby, this is the lovely Lily, my girlfriend.”

Lily smiled lovingly at the interaction, her hand went instinctively to her stomach, he really is a wonderful father, “Hi Ava very nice to meet you.“ she held her hand out for the young girl to shake it.

Ava gazed over this beautiful woman who had stolen her fathers heart. “Nice to meet you Lily, Dad’s told me so much about you. “ she smiled then hugged her. “No handshakes in this family. If my Dad likes you-- besides Gran has raved about you so that's good enough for me. “

Lily wrapped her arms around this lovely young woman , tears coated her eyes as she shot a look of relief to Richie. “ I like your Gran very much too , she reminds me of my mother. “

Richie grinned like a kid in a candy store as he watched the interaction between his two favorite girls. He had introduced Lily to his mother the last time they were in New York, Joan had come up to meet them for lunch one day and had fallen in love with Lily. He didn’t doubt that today would be any different.

Heather stood in the patio doorway, smiling softly as she watched her daughter meet the pretty redhead who stood on the dock with Richie. The woman’s smile was sincere and she even looked a little nervous. Heather chuckled, this definitely was a change from Richie’s usuals. [i]Could she be different?[/i] She decided to find out for herself and stepped down onto the patio, making her way towards the girls and her ex-husband.

Lily gazed up just in time to see Heather approach, her heart started to pound and her stomach twirled in knots as she released Ava and backed up a few steps.

Ava sensing her worry spoke , “Don’t worry about mom, as long as I like it you that's what matters right?“ she grinned sweetly.

Lily couldn’t help but laugh at the young girls logic , “She is so your daughter.” her eyes landed on a very amused Richie.

Richie chuckled, ruffling his daughters hair. “So true!” he looked up as Heather stepped onto the dock, “Thanks for dropping Ava off, I appreciate it.”

Heather nodded, “Of course, no problem,” she answered kindly then turned to Lily, holding out her hand. “I’m Heather, it’s really nice to meet you,” she said, smiling genuinely.

“Nice to meet you too. “ Lily smiled as she extended her hand and shook the older blonde’s hand.

Richie wanted to literally jump for joy as he watched the three ladies interact with genuine kindness. Just like when Lily had met his mom, a little something told him yet again that things were clicking into place just perfectly.

Chapter 19

Claire raised an eyebrow as she bit into her french fry, her nose wrinkling. “Um, eiw.” she said to nobody in particular, dropping the fry and taking a sip of her coke.

Jon glanced over with curiosity, “What is it baby? “ he asked while taking a bite of his burger, which by all accounts was cooked to perfection.

Lily frowned as she gazed down at her salad, “This isn’t Italian dressing ? “ She placed a tip of her finger into the white chunky dressing then crinkled her nose, “ Ugh Bleu Cheese, who the hell eats bleu cheese certainly not me. “

Richie’s brow furrowed as he watched both girls’ faces, then turned to his own food. His fries were steaming hot and his chicken sandwich looked to be the same. In a flash of realization he let out a bark of laughter, “Oh Lordy, you two pissed off the waitress big time!” he guffawed.

Claire looked up at him, “You’re shitting me! No fair!” she exclaimed frustratedly, taking a bite of her sandwich and finding that it was cold as well. “Dammit..” she swore again.

Jon reached over to her food, “You don’t mind do you ? “ he lightly touched her food and it was ice cold. He arched an eyebrow. “ Damn , what did you two do ? “ he slightly teased knowing full well what probably happened.

Lily tossed an evil glare to both men , “We didn’t do anything other than sit here with you . “ She replied, her voice coated with anger. Her hormones kicked up a notch because of uneatable food.

Richie pushed back his chair and stood, his full 6ft height towering over the restaurant, “Excuse moi, Mademoiselle?” he called out, looking around for the waitress. She literally jumped as she spun around on the other side of the room and slowly made her way towards the table. Richie sat, grinning, “Who wants to say something?” he asked nonchalantly.

Lily glanced up, willing herself to remain calm. “ This isn’t what I ordered, its bleu cheese I ordered Italian and my sandwich is not done. “ she removed the bun and split open the fish to show the raw fish. “ I am pregnant and this wouldn’t not be good for me much less anyone else. Her food is cold, Shall I go on ? “

Both Richie and Claire dissolved into giggles as the little woman chewed the waitress out, it was quite a sight. The waitress looked like she wanted the Earth to swallow her up, no questions asked. She grabbed both plates, mumbled an apology and all but ran back to the kitchen.

“Holy hell, girlfriend!!” Claire exclaimed, reaching across the table to offer Lily a high five.

Richie wrapped an arm around Lily, “That’s my girl,” he said proudly.

“Told you I was hungry , don’t mess with me and my food. “ Lily grinned as she returned her friend’s high five.

“Damn if you haven’t gotten yourself a spitfire there Dean. “ Jon chuckled, “ She handled it better than you or I  could. “

The stubbornness Lily had still shone, while though she heard him she didn’t respond or even bother to look Jon’s way.   She just cuddled up a bit closer to Richie and took a sip of her drink.

Claire let a giggle slip but quickly stopped as she reached under the table and took Jon’s hand. She didn’t dare say anything about Lily’s grudge-holding, but she did feel a little bad for Jon who was really making an effort. “Wonder if my fries will actually be hot this time? Anyone wanna make bets?” she asked as she spotted the waitress coming their way, plates in hand.

Jon let out a deep frustrated sigh,  “Lily , I’m sorry . Are you ever gonna forgive me ? “ he asked hopefully .

Lily stared at the napkin , then looked directly into his eyes . “ I’m not sure I can, You had no business telling him . If and that is a BIG if  I hadn’t then I have no right to judge you but you never gave me the time  to come to terms with this . I was in shock.. So no Jon I’m not sure if I can. “ she answered with all honesty.

Richie shot his brother a ‘I’d help but I really can’t’ look before tightening his grasp around Lily and taking a sip of his soda. He felt for his friend, really, but it was all up to Lily.

Jon gazed at his friend then back to Lily, “I’m sorry. I just didn’t think you would not from the way Claire had said you were acting.  So I felt Richie needed to know. “

Lily’s eyes grew dark as she  fought back the anger that was building within her, “ I was in shock! Wouldn’t you be if out of the blue your world is turned upside down. “ Her voice quivered for a moment then she continued. “ But oh no not you Mr I gotta fix everything right now , never happens to you does it ? “

Claire raised her eyebrows as the words came out of Lily’s mouth, harsh and cruel and full of hurt. She winced as Jon’s grip on her hand tightened but said nothing, eating her freshly hot fries in silence.

Lily stood up, tears welling in her eyes . “ Excuse me I have to go to the restroom . “ then darted off to the bathroom, hormones were running wild and it confused her. She had never even with Daniel gotten this emotional , all this was so foreign to her .

Richie shot to his feet and followed his girl, stopping short when the ladies’ room door swung shut in his face. He looked around, took a deep breath and went in anyway. Thankfully the room looked empty- only one stall door was shut, and he knew who was in it. He knocked softly, “Baby? You alright?”

Lily sniffed, grabbed a sheet of toilet paper then wiped her eyes.  “ I dunno , what’s wrong with me? Wait what are you doing in here? “ She slowly opened the door to find Richie all six foot of him standing right in the middle of the ladies restroom.

Richie shrugged, “Taking care of you. Baby, nothing is wrong with you, you’re angry, and that’s fine.” he stepped forward and pulled her into a hug, “What else is bothering you, other than just bein’ mad at Kidd?”

“I never say such things to anyone, and I am so-- I don’t know , one moment I wanna cry next I wanna throw something.  Is this normal I mean I must sound so stupid, being my age and not knowing what to expect . “

“Well the doc said somethin’ about mood swings, darlin’,” Richie reminded her, “don't you worry your pretty head about not knowing, ‘cause I don’t know either, remember? We’re gonna do this together, you and me.”

She leaned back , searching his eyes for assurance. “ You do really mean it don’t you ? “

He met her gaze, his eyes full of promise, “Yeah baby, I really mean it.”

She smiled then on her tip toes leaned in to kiss him , “ Thank you for everything. “

Just then an older woman walked in , letting out a piercing scream and darted out the door in a mad rush.

Lily laughed harder than she had ever laughed,  “ I think we better leave before we get kicked out and I am so starved. “

Richie guffawed, “That’s probably a good idea!” he took Lily’s hand and they went back to their table, where Jon and Claire sat waiting, worried looks on both of their faces. “You lovebirds wanna get outta here?” he asked.

Lily glanced up at him strangely, “But we just got our order fixed, We haven't gotten the chance to eat it yet. "

Richie looked around at the stares they were receiving, including from the waitress from her post. “Yeah, but this place is crampin’ my style,” he chuckled, “I bet we could find something better,” he winked.

Jon glanced around, “ What did you do Dean? But you know I think you’re right the service here sucks and I will be calling their corporate office in the morning. “ He stood , reached his hand out for Claire , then dug in his pocket threw a 20 dollar bill on the table . “That should cover the bill. “

Claire took her man’s hand and smiled at the people watching as the foursome made their way out of the restaurant, “You really gonna call corporate?” she asked incredulously, “You don’t think that’s a little much?”

“No I don’t , I expect when I go into a restaurant or any place of business with my friends or girlfriend for them to receive the same treatment as I do . “ He stated matter of factly, his words directed to the waitress.

Richie chuckled, “Claire Fitzpatrick, meet Jon Bon Jovi, His Royal Highness, Governor of New Jersey.”

Chapter 18

Lily sat in her seat, her hands lightly rested on her still flat stomach , her eyes fixated on Richie. He was so gorgeous and sweet , someone she could easily fall in love with.  These last few days were heavenly,  She almost could let herself believe he truly meant he would be there for her.

The doctor’s appointment confirmed what the test had shown , now she was officially carrying his child.  He was over the moon happy and assured her that he wanted and would be there for her and so far had kept his word on that .

Her eyes darted slightly to Claire , hurt and anger coated her eyes again as she thought how her friend had betrayed her.  Part of her wanted to forgive her but the stubborn part wouldn’t allow it.

Claire smiled softly as she watched her man rock the microphone, then shot a glance over at Lily, who was watching Richie. After a split moment’s thought, she stood and moved in Lily’s direction, choosing the seat next to her friend. “Hiya,” she said softly.

Lily’s eyes shot immediately to the floor, her heart pounded fast in her chest. God why am I so nervous ? “ Hi “ she answered back quietly.

“How ya been?” Claire prompted softly, unsure of Lily’s reaction.

“Okay. You? “ Lily answered again , her eyes slowly returned to Richie, who gave her a slight wink and a warm, loving smile.

Claire followed her gaze, then looked at Jon, and finally back to Lily, “Not bad. Have you,” she paused, “spoken to a doctor?”

“Yea, “ Lily pinched her eyes closed for a moment , refusing to show just how emotional she had become now. “ It’s official ‘ she added swallowing hard.

Claire nodded, “Wow. Congratulations, sweetie.”

“Yea, thanks “Lily paused for a moment. “Not sure what to think . It’s still just sinking in. “ She admitted. Her gaze landed on her hands that rested on her stomach.

“How has Richie been?” Claire asked, studying her friend’s movements.

“He’s been great. He even has held my hair when I puked . How romantic is that ? “ Lily snorted.

Claire giggled, “Aw, what a sweetie. You think he’s gonna stick around?”

“He says he is . I just - Look I’m sorry but still mad at your boyfriend though. I was gonna tell him I was really - I just got scared and it overwhelmed me. I don’t wanna trap him. “ Lily rambled.

Claire looked up at Jon, “Yeah, I know. And I know he’s sorry, and so am I. We were both just trying to help, but I guess we should have minded our own business. I seriously doubt Richie thinks you’re trapping him though,” she added, “he seems pretty smitten with you.” She nodded up at Richie, who was grinning ear to ear as he tried to play his solo but really kept getting distracted watching the girls talk.

Lily glance again towards Richie , “To be honest, I think I am too. This is just happening all to fast and I don’t want him to have any regrets. I know his first marriage ended horribly. “

Jon smirked as he slowly walked over to Richie. “Shit , would you look at that ? “ he said while watching the girls in a deep conversation. “You think all is forgiven or am I gonna get Lily’s version of the stink eye. “

Richie chuckled softly, “I honestly couldn’t tell ya bro, but I’m sure as hell glad they’re talking.”

“I think that's enough of rehearsal , why don’t we go get a bite to eat. “ Jon suggested as he placed his guitar back down.

Richie nodded, “Yeah, sounds good to me,” he replied, setting his own in its stand. “Ladies, whataya say? Are we hungry?” he asked, stepping down off the stage.

Lily stood and walked slowly over to Richie. “ Sounds good to me , we didn’t get a chance to eat before we came. “

Claire nodded, shooting a glance to Jon, “Sure, that’s fine,” she replied.

Jon slid his arm around Claire’s waist and lead the group out to the awaiting black SUV. “You girls know the drill. “ he winked as he slid in first then patted his lap for Claire to sit.

Lily stepped into the SUV and settled herself onto Richie’s lap.  “All set I guess , where we going?”  as her stomach rumbled eager to find the nearest restaurant.

Claire laughed at Jon’s hopeful expression, “Uh babe I don’t need to sit on your lap this is a big car-” she paused, rolling her eyes, “damn though you are just too cute,” she giggled, climbing in and situating herself in Jon’s arms.

Richie chortled, “It’s tradition now,” he shot a glance to Jon, “Uh I dunno, where should we eat?”

Jon grinned. “ Besides we have precious cargo now. “ He dared to cast a wink to Lily. “What is everyone hungry for? “

Lily’s stomach growled again in protest . “ Anything.“ she answered while snuggling in closer against Richie , still refusing to give Jon a passing glance.

Claire giggled at Jon’s reaction to being snubbed as she nudged him, “Let’s hit that place you took me for breakfast that one morning, I can’t remember what it was called..” she suggested.

Jon shot Richie a “How the fuck am I to fix this look” then responded “ That works they have some damned fine food there. “ He leaned up a bit to tell their driver the destination they wanted to go.

Lily  glanced out the window, yes maybe she should forgive Jon too , but damn he could have waited just a bit to see if she would tell Richie . The simple fact that he couldn’t is what pissed her off . He didn’t trust her enough to do the right thing . So right now he would get her infamous silent treatment.

Richie bit his lip, trying hard not to laugh and proud of his girl for making Jon feel inferior for a change. He wrapped his arms around her and placed his hands softly on her stomach, then leaned down and kissed her cheek. “Hungry?” he asked sweetly.

Her stomach grumbled as if to answer his  question and Lily  chuckled.. “Just slightly can’t ya tell . You’d think I hadn’t ate in days. “ she leaned back , damn if it didn’t feel right having his protective arms wrapped around her. He made her feel like she was the most important person in the world, and it been a damned long time since she felt like that. Even Daniel never made her feel this way.

Claire smiled softly as she watched the couple interact, sharing a knowing look with Jon. She was truly happy for her friend, and she had a feeling that this was something that was going to last a while.

Richie grinned as the car pulled to a stop outside the diner, “Well this here’s your lucky day ‘cause baby this place will give ya pretty much whatever you want,” he told her, helping her slide out.

Lily stepped out of the car and waited for the others to join her, she just prayed her stomach would behave and enjoy the food instead of rebelling against her.   One moment she was able to eat 2nd and 3rd portions then the very next moment it would  rebel against her. Thankfully the doctor gave her something to handle the nausea.

Jon quickly joined Claire ,  taking her hand in his and the couple’s walked into the diner and were quickly seated far back in a corner booth so they wouldn’t be disturbed.

The Waitress handed them all menus , holding back a giggle that caused both Claire and Lily to roll their eyes.  This was one thing both girls needed to get used too. “ What would you like to drink? “ Her eyes remained on the guys.

Claire snorted, “Can I have a Coke please?”

“A glass of water with lemon please ? “ Lily responded , as she watched the lady take their orders but with a slight glare directed their way and a nod. “ And you gentleman what would you like? “

“A coke for me too please . “ Jon answered unaware of the special treatment , he and Richie were receiving.

Richie also ordered casually then looked at Lily once the waitress was gone, “What?” he asked curiously, regarding both her and Claire’s facial expressions.

“You honestly don’t know? Didn’t you see the glare we got ? “ Lily asked as she looked at her friend. “ If looks could kill we would be toast. “

Jon answered. “She seemed sweet . “ then looked at Claire, his eyebrows furrowed. “Didn’t you think so? “

Claire snorted again, “After the time I’ve spent with you, I would have guessed you’d be a little more observant, sweetie.” she told him, winking. “But oh well, guess we gotta get used to it, being on the arms of world-known heartthrobs, eh Lil?” she asked.

Lily laughed and was about to answer when the waitress returned with their drinks . She watched the lady place the guy’s drinks on little paper coasters while leaving the girls as is. “ Are you ready to order? “ she asked dreamily.

Richie let out a bark of laughter as he realized the girls were right, then quickly stopped himself, covering his mouth as his shoulders shook and he squeezed his eyes shut. Then he looked up at the waitress. “You forgot two coasters.” he said solemnly.

The waitress eyes widened “Oh I’m so sorry. “ she reached in her apron and pulled out two coasters, placed the girl’s drinks on them.

Lily muttered quietly. “I’m sure. “ then spoke louder “ I would like fish sandwich with cheese, extra tarter and a baked potato with the works and a salad please with Italian dressing. “

Claire stopped giggling at Richie antics long enough for her jaw to drop. “Holy hell,” she said to Lily, “hungry?!”

“I am , I could have ordered the whole menu but thought I would leave something for you all to eat.”  Lily chortled.

Jon laughed. “ Damn she eats like you Dean. “ as he placed his order of a cheeseburger and fries.

Richie wrapped an arm around Lily’s waist and pulled her closer, “I like a girl with an appetite,” he winked, kissing the top of her head, thrilled that everything seemed to be working out alright again.

Chapter 17

Claire smiled as she took a seat in one of the audience chairs near the stage in the SNL studio. It was mid-morning, and she had just arrived with Jon, who was scheduled for rehearsal with the band. She watched Jon chat causally with a few cast members as he waited for the rest of the guys to show up, and she got comfy, knowing this could take a while. She was definitely excited though to see her man in action.

The last few days she had spent with Jon had been full of new experiences for her, and she had learned a lot about the behind-the-scenes stuff that he was involved in, both with Bon Jovi and his charity work. He’d also been quite the charmer, taking her out to see parts of New York City that she had missed on the last trip, and of course they’d made some memories at home too.

She sighed, glancing around and wondering when Lily was going to show up with Richie, if at all. She was nervous as to how that would play out, and wasn’t sure herself if she even wanted to talk to her friend.

Jon sauntered over to Claire after a few moments of talking with the cast. He glanced at his watch the rest of the guys should be arriving soon.  He noticed her soulful look and wondered where her mind had travelled off too. Lily, I bet he muttered to himself. In the few days they spent together neither of them had mentioned Lily and he wondered what was going to happen when Richie arrived with her.

He walked up quietly beside her, sliding his arm around her waist. “ Penny for your thoughts babe? “ he murmured in her ear.

Claire rested her head on Jon’s shoulder, “Just wondering.. what’s gonna happen if Lily did end up coming with Richie.”

Jon sighed “ Richie said she was at least when I talked to him last night . I think she probably has calmed down by now. “ he had hoped so anyway.

She nodded, “Yeah maybe. I guess we’ll just see.” She nodded towards the door as David, Hugh, Bobby and Tico strolled in, “You go work, don’t worry ‘bout me, babe.”

He flashed her a smile. “We got time . Besides can’t work til Dean gets here. Let me introduce you to the others while we wait. “ He grasped her hand and led her  to where the guys were standing.

David grinned as he cast a long glance over the girl who was walking with his best friend. “Was wondering if you were ever gonna introduce us or keep us in the dark. “ he teased.

Jon smirked. “ David , Teek, Hugh ,this is Claire . Claire this is David ,Tico ,Hugh and Bobby. They are the rest of Bon Jovi. “

Claire chuckled, then shook each man’s hand, “Tico I remember seeing at Memphis, and of course David wrote the music for Memphis, fabulous job by the way,” she grinned, “and Hugh, Bobby it’s nice to meet you too.”

“Oh yes you’re the girl , Jon’s speaking non stop of. “ David teased “Too bad I didn’t catcha after the show. So you liked it eh? “

Claire nodded and Tico grinned, “Good to see ya again, I wondered if I would or not after those boys made idiots of themselves at the show,” he chortled.

Claire laughed, winking at Jon, “Yeah he was kind of a giddy dork, wasn’t he? I guess I have a thing for goofballs..”

Jon rolled his eyes. “We didn’t make asses out of ourselves or she wouldn’t be standing here. “ he shot back good naturedly.

“Maybe if she felt sorry for you . “ David joked. “So where is Dean? I know he is late most of the time but this is even later for him. Thought he would  come with you ? “

Jon paused for a moment , debating exactly how much to tell him. “He is coming in from Charleston.”

Tico’s eyebrow shot up as Bobby and Hugh smirked and sauntered off to set up their equipment, “Oh, shackin’ up with his lady?” he joked.

“Yea , you’ll be meeting her too. “ He glanced at his watch. “ Pretty soon, I think. “

Claire took a deep breath as Jon spoke and she glanced up at the door to see Richie stroll in, followed closely by Lily. “Alrighty, the full ensemble has arrived,” she winked, smiling half-heartedly, “I’m gonna go sit down so you can work.” She turned and walked across the stage and stepped down, taking her seat again and placing her hands in her lap.

Jon let out an exasperated breath as he watched Claire walk away, “ Heya Rich, see you finally made it. “

David leaned in to whisper. “Something going on we should know about? “

“Not my story to tell bro , sorry “ Jon answered quietly.

Richie held Lily’s hand tightly as he gently nudged her towards the stage, “C’mon, I'll introduce ya to the rest of the knuckleheads,” he said softly. “Sorry Bossman, flight was delayed. We just came straight from the airport. Lily darlin’, this is David and Tico, and over there are Bobby and Hughie. You’ve officially met all of Bon Jovi,” he winked.

“Hi nice to meet you. “ Lily replied in a soft voice , holding out her hand to shake their hands. While her eyes darted over to Claire then quickly back to the men that stood in front of her.

Richie saw the quick glance towards Claire but said nothing as he watched each of his buddies shake Lily’s hand. “You wanna find a seat while we get to work baby?” he offered.

“Sure. “ Lily answered giving him a quick peck on the cheek and strolled over to the seats , settling in one furthest away from Claire.

Jon groaned inwardly. “ I take it she is still angry . “

Richie watched with concern then turned back to Jon, lowering his voice as David and Tico took the hint and strolled off to their posts, “Uh yeah you could say that..” he sighed, “but I think I’ve just about got her convinced that I wanna be there for her,” he added.

Jon arched an eyebrow. “Just about convinced. Jesus !  Richie, what does she want you to do marry her? “

Richie opened his mouth then closed it, stealing another glance at Lily. “Hell no, she hasn’t even mentioned it. I don’t think it’s even crossed her mind. Me on the other hand though,” he smiled softly, “gears are turnin’, if ya know what I mean.”

Jon turned to face Richie. “You can’t be fuckin’ serious. “ he asked incredulously.  “ I mean I like LIly and I might be having feelings for Claire but don’t you think that’s jumpin’ in too fast? “

Richie shrugged, “Hey now, I just said gears were turning. Nothing final, nothing planned, just thinking. Chill Kidd, ok? Don’t worry.”

“You would really want to do this again ? So soon? “ Jon asked more calmly. “What made you start thinking of marriage? “

Richie shrugged again, “I dunno Kidd, it just maybe seems like the right thing to do. I mean, I got her knocked up, I don’t plan on leaving anytime soon, and I’m falling for her, Jon.”

Jon watched his friend for a moment then cocked his head towards Lily. “How she  feel about you? If she is skittish about you staying because of the baby what is she gonna think about you bringing this up.  God damnt I wish they would talk again.  “

Richie sighed, “That’s my problem, I’m not entirely sure how she feels. She’s been so busy with this pregnancy stuff, she hasn’t really said too much regarding how she feels about me.” He whipped around and shot a quick glance at the girls, who were staring at their own laps. “Jeez, I hope they do soon. Lily’s gonna need Claire soon, especially once we leave.”

Jon slowly walked over with Richie to their equipment . “ Hell if I know what to do. Claire though she had fun these last few days has been miserable. “He picked up his acoustic and slid the strap over his neck. “ She should be mad at me not her. “

Richie chuckled as he grabbed his own guitar, “Notice she didn’t even look at ya, Kidd, she’s mad at both of ya.”

Jon softly chuckled. “Yea I did feel a cold chill radiating from her. I’m sorry but I’d do it again. You had a right to know bro. “

Richie nodded, “Yeah I know. Thanks again, bud.” and with that he strummed his six-string and they began their first song.

Chapter 16

Lily rested her head in Richie’s lap while he was speaking to Jon, from what she heard it sounded like Jon and Claire were leaving, Good I don’t ever wanna see her again , by all rights she should be just as angry at Jon , and part of her was but it was Claire that knew better, why did she have to tell ..

Richie’s words earlier replayed in her head, Did he really mean them ? He seemed sincere. I just hope he doesn’t live to regret it. Why did this have to happen now?

Richie disconnected from his phone call with Jon and smiled down at Lily, “You even wanna know what’s going on, or do ya still need time to cool down?”

“Let me guess, she is going with your friend “ Lily replied sarcastically “Good “ she turned on her side and gazed at the dark screen of her TV.

He sighed, brushing the hair out of Lily’s eyes, “Yeah, she’s gonna go to New York for a little while with Jon, and then we’ll meet up again on the 12th for Saturday Night Live. Do you wanna come with me then?”

“I dunno, do I have to speak to her ?“ Lily asked, the hurt and anger thickly coating each syllable.

“Well, that’s gonna be up to you, babe.” Richie replied, “Though, what are ya gonna do if she wants to talk to you?”

Lily sat up , staring straight ahead “Well she can talk all she wants , doesn’t mean I have to speak back “ she replied stubbornly.

“You’re really never gonna forgive her?” He asked, a sadness coming over him as he watched the emotions play out on Lily’s face, “Darlin’, she’s your best friend. I’m sure she had a good reason for this.”

“She betrayed me Rich , how can I forget that ? “ Lily turned to face him , tears started to coat her eyelids.

Richie pulled her into his arms, rocking her slowly, “I know, baby, I know. But, obviously she did it for a reason. I have a hard time believing she just decided to spill the beans to destroy your friendship and piss you off.”

“She just didn’t give me a chance, I mean yes I admit I did say I wasn’t gonna tell you but that was my first reaction, I didn’t have time to let it set in . I never expected this to happen at least right now. “

“But baby, you did tell Claire that you weren’t ever gonna tell me. And I think that’s why she felt someone needed to know,” Richie replied softly. “To be fair, you had her completely under the impression that you had already made your decision.”

“That’s 'cause I was scared! If I had more time to think, I still am trying to come to terms with it. We were careful and still . I never had this happen in the whole 11 years of marriage . Not even a close call “ Lily admitted sadly.

Richie kissed her passionately, his heart warming at the thought that he had done something for Lily that the garbage of an ex-husband had never been able to do for her. “Guess this is meant to be, then,” he said sweetly.

She returned his kiss, then pulled away searching his face “Are you sure this is ok? We have just known each other for six weeks . And we haven’t seen each other in how long? Its just- you have a family -what are they gonna think? “

He grinned, “I’m sure, baby. Don’t you worry, okay? I wanna do this. And as for family,” he continued, “all I really have left is my mom and my daughter. My mom will love you, trust me. And as for Ava?” He sighed lovingly, rolling his eyes. “Her mom’s dating a guy that she’s okay with. I’m sure she’ll be perfectly fine with me seeing someone too.”

“This isn’t the same though and you know it. “ Lily answered adamantly “There is another person involved now. How are they gonna respond to that fact ? I mean we just went from step 1 to the final step on just a few short weeks ? “

Richie smiled softly, “It’s gonna work, really. My mom, yeah she’s a little traditional, but she’s also had 25 plus years to get used to the fact that she’s the mother of a rockstar,” he chuckled, “I think she’s already psyched herself up for moments like this. And Ava, as long as she’s not forgotten, which she won’t be, she’ll be alright. She needs to learn that she doesn’t always have to be the center of attention anyways,” he winked.

Lily’s worry increased the moment he spoke of Ava “So she’s a daddy’s girl huh ? You really sure, cause if they think I want money , I got my own, not as rich as you of course“ she had to laugh a bit .

Richie chuckled, “Nah, mom’s not like that. She’s a strong, independent woman just like you are, and I think she’ll come to see that as soon as you meet.” He rubbed her shoulder, kissing her again. “See, baby? This is gonna work.”

Lily let out a defeated sigh “Okay I’m putting all my trust into that you’re right about this. Not even sure what my family will feel about this, they’re a traditional family too.”

He wagged his eyebrows, “I’m sure they’ll love me,” he winked.

“You a football fan? “ Lily asked , her body relaxing just a bit now they had talked.

“Uh, yeah,” Richie answered slowly, “why?”

“Then my dad will love you “ Lily smirked . Her fingers intertwined with his , then gently squeezed it.

Richie laughed deeply, “As long as he’s not a Dallas fan!” he winked, lifting her hand up and kissing the back softly.

“Oh no, Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons “ Lily answered “But definitely not a Cowboys fan “

“Phew,” Richie joked, “This could possibly work then, there’s hope,” he said, laughing again, his eyes bright with excitement.

“Yea it would be war if you mention the Cowboys. “ She laughed “Are you hungry? I can fix something to eat? “

Richie shrugged, “Only if you are, babe.” He smiled sweetly.

“You’re no help “ Lily shook her head then stood up and walked into the kitchen .  “What do you like? “ she winced , [i]Hell I didn’t even know what he liked to eat, how does he expect this to work? [/i] she kept silent though , because he would just be more insistant that it would.

Richie stood up and followed Lily into the kitchen, “Ah, see that’s where I’m easy,” he winked devilishly, “I’ll eat just about anything. The guys call me ‘Garbage Gut’.” he laughed, “What is it you’d like? You probably should eat something after you emptied your stomach,” he added.

Lily opened her fridge and glanced in  “Well its still fairly early, I think my stomach can handle breakfast - I think? “

“You could try,” Richie said slowly, truly uncertain as to how morning sickness worked. Again, he felt a sense of excitement as he imaged getting to go through all of this with Lily for really the first time.

She reached in and grabbed a few eggs and bacon, placed them on the counter, then whipped around for a frying pan . “Fried or scrambled ? “ she asked while she reached in the potato bin for a few potatoes .

“Mmm...” Richie replied, watching her make him breakfast was terribly sexy. “Don’t care,” he said softly, nuzzling her neck.

Lily pinched her eyes shut and a soft moan escaped her lips “Well it all burn if you keep that up.“ while she pealed then grated the potatoes in the hot skillet .

“Hmph,” he replied, backing off and hopping up to sit on the counter. “Speaking of burning,” he said slowly, watching her backside as she stood over the stove, “Baby you are smokin’” he chuckled at his lame line.

She whipped around, staring at him incredulously “You can’t be serious?! “ then returned her attention to the stove as she whipped the eggs into a light batter then poured them into the other skillet , stirring it with a fork until they were light and fluffy.  “Could you put the bread in the toaster please? “

Richie stood up and crossed the kitchen, grabbing the bread and plugging in the toaster, then he paused. “Uh, baby?” he blushed scarlet, Holy shit, how long has it been since I’ve made fuckin’ toast? “What, uh, little number thingy should I set it on?”

Lily bit back a snicker , “It’s all set to go, unless you want it darker ? Oh can you get me two plates please too - they're up in the top right cupboard."

He shrugged and placed the bread in the toaster, then pushed it down, hoping for the best. Then he grabbed the plates and set them on the counter next to Lily, watching her interestedly. “You’re good at this,” he grinned, kissing her neck again.

“I didn’t have cooks to do it  for me “ Lily teased while she emptied the eggs onto the two plates . A few moments later, she added the bacon and hashbrowns . “You think you can butter the toast? “ she asked her eyes twinkling with delight.

Richie opened his mouth to retort, then thought better of it and turned around to the toaster, which still hadn’t finished. “How long should this be tak- Shit!” he yelled as the toast popped up, scaring him. He laughed outright at himself, pulling the toast out and grabbing the butter from the fridge, then got down to the task at hand.

Lily watched him with amusement then carried the plates over near the toaster . “Stick with me and you’ll learn all sorts of things “

He raised an eyebrow, “Oh yeah?” he chuckled, “like what?”

“Like maybe wash a dish or two “ She winked while  carrying the plates to the table.

Richie snorted, “I know how to do that. Mama had me on full dish detail, eons ago,” he joked.

“Thats good then you can wash these when we’re done“ she grinned “Do you know how to wash your clothes? “ then sat down to her food, picking up her fork and digging into the fluffy eggs.

He grinned as he stuffed a bite of hashbrowns into his mouth, “Uh, I’m sure I could figure it out..” he winked.

“You know I’m just teasing , Shit I forgot our drinks , What would you like ? “ She asked while she scooted back then stood.

“There isn’t any coffee, is there?” Richie asked hopefully, watching as she stood up and wishing he could be more helpful.

“No but I can hurry and make some if you want? “ She asked while walking over to the coffee pot , filled the glass pot up with water , added the filter then poured the water in.

“That would be great babe, thanks,” he replied sweetly, “Coffee seems to be my new addiction these days,” he joked dryly.

She walked over, placed her arms around his neck giving him a slight hug “It’s mine too and doesn’t give you a hangover either . But I guess I’m gonna have to give this habit up too at least for awhile. It should be done, Could you pour you some while I figure out what I’m gonna have? “ While he had his back turned , she walked over to the fridge , opened it and tossed out the half empty bottle of wine into the trash.

Richie stood up and walked over to the coffee maker, pausing before picking up the pot and dumping the contents down the sink. “Sorry babe, I shoulda thought. I’m not gonna drink it in front of ya.” He peeked into the fridge, “Orange juice?” he suggested, kissing her cheek.

“You didn’t have to do that , I’m fine really “ Lily smiled then slipped her arms around his waist and hugged him. “But that was very sweet of you . Hell we don’t know for sure I am. I guess I should find a doctor. “

He wrapped his arms around her, kissing her softly, “I could find you a doctor, set up an appointment if you’d like? We’ve kind of got a whole list of private doctors, no sense calling someone brand new. I can find someone who will keep things private”

“I guess not used to all this private thing , your life is so foreign to me but yea I think I would like that . Not sure I would want this all for the world to see right now . Not til I can get used to the idea and everything is okay. I mean I am not young either . I really gave up hope of having any children to be honest “

Richie nodded, “And I gave up hope of having another.” He grinned, this is really happening! “Alright, I’ll make some calls, and we’ll get this confirmed. Sound good?”

“Thank you , but you know my business is here and I don’t want to leave it . “ Lily pointed out.

He smiled, “I figured. Don’t worry, I’ll either find someone close or have them fly in. You won’t have to leave your work.”

Lily pulled back a bit “Really? That doesn’t upset you ? That I wanna stay here ? “

“Of course not,” Richie replied, “I understand that you wanna stay. It’s what I would do, if I were rooted to one spot,” he winked, “You’ve built a life here. I’m not gonna pull you away from it.”

She gazed at him for a moment with wonder , “Are you really real?  Where have you been all my life? I mean Daniel even had me move when we first got married “

Richie laughed softly, poking himself and smacking his own face, “Yep, all real baby,” he grinned.

Lily laughed “You have to be, to be this silly. Now we better eat before our food gets cold. “

“What do you mean, silly?” He asked as they both sat down again at the table. He took a bite of bacon, grinning with his mouth full, “I’m a serious man, Lily.” He stated.

“You’re like a big kid aren’t you? “ she grinned while taking a sip of orange juice .

He shook his head, laughing, “Why do people keep asking me that?”

‘I dunno just seem like it and I watched some videos lately “ Lily smiled “Old and new, Youtube is a great place to research. “

“Oh, shit,” Richie replied, his eyes bright with laughter. “I don’t even wanna know.”

“Should I boot up my laptop and refresh your memory?“ Lily teased .

“Nooooo,” Richie grinned, “it’s okay, really. I believe you. No need to embarrass myself further,” he said, taking a bite of his eggs.

Lily was about to laugh at his reluctance to see himself on video, when her stomach started to rebel again “Oh for fuck’s sake “ she darted off to the bathroom once again.

Richie took off after her, “Oh baby, not again!” he said worriedly, though inwardly he was thanking his lucky stars for letting him be a part of this.

All Lily could do was nod until she once again emptied the contents of her stomach. Then stood and once again rinsed her mouth . “Yea I guess grease is not a good thing “

She slowly walked out back to the couch and lied down, “I sure hope this doesn’t last long “

Richie lifted her head for a moment, sitting down and letting her rest on his lap, “Me too baby, hate to see you suffer. Glad I’m here though,” he winked, stroking her hair.

Lily nibbled on her bottom lip “I’m glad you’re here too. Not sure if I could have done this without you now “ she admitted honestly.

“Hey, whataya know!” Richie said sweetly, leaning down and placing a kiss on Lily’s soft lips.

She slipped her arms around his neck, returned his kiss and though her doubts were still there, having him here right now  helped her more than he would ever know.

Chapter 15

Claire watched as Lily stormed out of her apartment and growled in frustration. “Gaah, why me?!” she asked, flopping herself back onto the bed and closing her eyes. “Damnit, it wasn’t supposed to go down this way!”

Jon slowly walked over to the bed, sat down beside and gently rubbed her arm. “I’m sorry but I felt he needed to know. I’m sure she’ll see that once Richie talks to her. “

“Oh, no,” Claire said, sitting up slowly and meeting Jon’s eyes, “Thank you for telling him. Really. I’m not mad at you at all. Just- gaah. Lily.” she spit out, groaning. “She's so stubborn! Can’t she just see we were trying to help? I guarantee you, she was NOT gonna tell him. She was just covering her ass in front of him. She was gonna wait till he faded into the sunset and pray he never found out.”

“She wouldn’t do that , Would she ? I mean she don’t seem like that type of person. “ Jon asked “I can see how scared she was . It’s not easy finding out your pregnant then we show up out of the blue , maybe it was just overwhelming for her? “ Jon hoped , He liked Lily and didn’t want to see his bro hurt and prayed she wouldn’t do that to him.  He had been through enough hell for one lifetime.

Claire sighed, “She’s not that kind of person, except when it comes to putting others before herself, which yes is a great quality but sometimes she takes it too far. Yeah, she was overwhelmed but if you hadn’t shown up, she wouldn’t have called at all. Wouldn’t want to burden him.”

Jon rolled his eyes. “ Oh hell this isn’t a burden to him , shit once it hits him . He is gonna be like a lil kid with a brand new toy. And the way this tour is set up , he will be able to be there for her more than he had been for Heather. We are all about family now. “ He climbed up beside her and tugged her closely to him, stroking her long auburn tresses .

She leaned into him, “Good, I’m glad to hear that. She’ll be okay.” Claire sighed, “As for me, I’m obviously not wanted at the moment. God, Jon, I dunno what to do. We’re neighbors, and she’s gonna need time before she even wants to look at me. Hell, I dunno if she’ll ever speak to me again.”

“Oh I’m sure she will , her hormones are a bit wacky right now. “ Jon chuckled a bit. “ Seriously why don’t you come back to NY with me for awhile. That will give her time. You know what they say absence makes the heart grow fonder. “

Claire giggled, “Well aren’t you the poet. I don’t know, Jon, that’s not exactly the most responsible thing to do..” she sat up, grabbing her planner from the nightstand and flipping through it. “I guess I could go for a few days..”

“Well sometimes its just fun to throw caution to the wind once and awhile. “ Jon laughed. “ And so you don’t worry about Lily , I’m sure Richie could stay with her. I doubt he would mind that at all..  The family Christmas Vacation isnt for another couple weeks yet. “

“That could work, I guess,” Claire said slowly, “wait, Mr. Workaholic, when have you ever skipped out?!” she laughed softly.

A deep hearty chuckle escaped him. “ You got me there , but maybe you can see what I do and even I need a distraction once and while. My kids tell me that all the time. “ he leaned down and dropped a kiss on her lips.

“Oh I’m good at distracting,” Claire replied, raising an eyebrow and kissing him back.

He slipped his arms around her.  “Yes you are . So you make the arrangements with your office and I’ll let Richie know he’s staying “ Jon suggested while placing kisses along the nape of her neck .

“Okay rockstar but you gotta stop kissing me or I won’t ever get anything done,” she giggled, attempting to pull out of his grasp.

Jon pulled away and with a deep disappointing sigh.“ A’right A’right “ , then climbed out of bed. “ But you’re mine later “ he waggled his eyebrows at her before heading out in the living room to get his phone.

Once he had his phone , he pressed speed dial for Richie, sure the hell hope this works and if it doesn’t hell I get more time with Claire , a win win situation , he smirked to himself.

“Hey bro, things calm down over there?” Richie asked, nodding to Lily on the couch next to him.

“Not exactly and that’s  the reason I’m calling . I’m gonna take Claire back with me to NY for a few days . Maybe that might help smooth things over. “

Richie nodded, “Sounds good, hold on a sec.” He covered the phone and spoke to Lily, “Hey baby, would you want me to stick around for a few extra days?” he asked sweetly.

“I don’t mind if you don’t have anything planned , What about your daughter ? “ Lily asked as she snuggled closer.

“Nope, she’s with mom this week,” Richie shook his head, “I’m all yours darlin’.” He picked the phone back up, “I’m gonna stay here with Lily, unless you’ve got more ass-busting for us to do in the city.” he joked.

“Other than the Saturday Night Live gig on the 12th nothing as far as I know but if that changes I can give you a call. “ Jon answered while he scrolled through his blackberry.

Richie chuckled, “How you got signed up for that damn Artist in Residence thing baffles me, Kidd. Maybe they’ll put you in another really embarrassing skit. Alright, I’ll talk to you later then. When ya leaving?”

“I dunno whenever she can get her calendar cleared . How’s things over that way ? “Jon asked as he tossed a glance towards Claire , who was busy talking on her phone .

“A little better I think,” Richie replied, “but don’t expect Lily to run lovingly into Claire’s arms anytime soon. A break from each other would be good I think.” He kissed Lily’s head, stroking her arm.

“That’s exactly what I thought too , Claire’s worried she won’t ever forgive her. Hell, she should be mad at me not Claire . I was the one that broke the confidence not Claire. “ Jon replied as he rubbed his forehead.

Richie shrugged, “Ah, well hopefully things will be fixed soon.”

“If this don’t work , hell I dont know what to do. “ Jon turned away from hearing range of Claire then whispered.

“I hear ya, bro.” Richie replied, not wanting to say too much in front of Lily. “I have a feeling that time apart might be good though.”

“I sure fuckin’ hope so , look better go . If you need anything , you know where We’ll be. “ Jon was about to hang up. “ Oh one more thing Congrats Bro , I know how much this means to you. “

Richie chuckled, more excited than he wanted Lily to know at the moment, “Thanks Jon, I’m sure you do.” He hung up and kissed Lily again, closing his eyes and imagining the future he was going to have with her.

Claire strolled back into the bedroom as Jon hung up the phone. “Everything work out okay with Richie?” She asked, tucking her iPhone back into her purse.

“Yea its good to go , he’s staying for a few days . We have a gig at Saturday Night Live on the 12th so he has to be back by then. “ Jon answered “ You get things settled ? “

She nodded, “Yep, I’m all set. A coworker is going to be able to take my patients for me for a few days. When were you wanting to leave?”

“As soon as you can pack, I can call my pilot and have him on stand by. “ Jon walked over slipped his arms around her waist , tugging her close to him..

Claire reached over and opened her dresser drawer, pulling out a pair of lacy panties and tossing them towards her purse, grinning devilishly. “Done.”

Jon arched an eyebrow “That’s all you’re taking , shit girl I never seen a woman take less than 4 bags with them and that was for a weekend getaway. “ He chortled.

She rolled her eyes. “Damn, you know us too well. Gimme ten minutes,” she huffed, pulling away and walking into her closet.

“I thought so “ Jon called out as he leaned against the door frame of her bedroom , watching her toss clothes into a carryon.

Claire turned and stuck her tongue out at him, “Huh, guess that means no sexy panties for you then..”

“Panties or not panties “ He grinned devilishly. “Doesn’t matter eventually they would  come off anyway. “

“Uh huh, if you say so..” she winked grabbing her toiletries out of the bathroom and zipping them into the top of her suitcase.

“Am I or am I not right ? Your panties landed I believe - “ he sauntered into the bedroom , picked up a pair purple lace panties then twirled them on his index finger. “ Over here. “

Claire blushed for a split second, “No hon, those were yours.” she replied, zipping up her bag and grabbing her purse, making sure everything she needed was in there.

“These aren’t mine , remember I go commando baby “ He snuck up behind her , snaked his arms around her ,then nibbled on the back of her neck.

“Just keep telling yourself that,” she taunted, turning around and meeting his soft lips with hers, “I watched MTV in the 80’s hon, I saw the pink and purple spandex. I know sometimes you like to be,” she paused, winking, “colorful. It’s okay though.” she patted his cheek.

“I am never gonna live that era down am I ? Better be careful or you might earn yourself a spanking. “ Jon warned as he bit back a grin.

Claire smirked, “Okay first of all, with me in tow, you’re never gonna forget the spandex. It’s just way too entertaining. And second,” she added, kissing along Jon’s jawline, then reaching down and grabbing his ass, “you better be careful or I’ll spank you first.” She spun out of his reach and carried her bags out to the living room.

“Don’t tease me like that “ Jon taunted as he followed her out to the living room, while he dialed his pilot then for a cab.  “You know was wondering how would you like to join the mile high club? “ he grinned devilishly .