Jonny's Redemption (Gemini Group Book 7) Riley Edwards (ebook reader screen .TXT) 📖

“You should be prepared, Uncle Bryan. She will lash out.”

“Son, she already shattered my heart this afternoon the way she spoke to you. That is a side of my sister I never thought existed so there is nothing more she can say or do that would disgust me further. Though I did warn the others what we’re up against. No one is happy at the moment, they all wanted to reach out to you, but I did ask them to give you some time. You deserve some peace and quiet.”

Peace.

Bobby.

Yes, Jonny was on his way home where he would cross the threshold, close the door, and find his peace.

“Call me if you need anything.”

“I won’t call. As I said, from here on out, we’ve got this. You take care of that pretty girl. And when the time is right, you bring her up to New York to meet the family.”

Jonny finished his call with his uncle as he pulled into his driveway, caught sight of Bobby’s car, and that peace started to settle over him. Then as he made his way across the yard to the back deck he realized as shitty as that scene with his mother had been he was over it. There was nothing she could say that could penetrate the walls he’d built. The walls that Bobby’s love had fortified.

One day when Anita got sober he’d have to deal with the hurt, he’d have to forgive her. But that day was not right then. For now, he and Bobby were safely on the other side of his fortress. He’d take the time to convince his woman he was all good, then he was setting aside the bullshit and enjoying his evening.

And that night with Bobby’s head resting on his chest, her scent filling his senses, her fingers twined with his, Jonny fell asleep for the first time since he was a kid knowing unequivocally all was right in his world.

20

“This is rad!” Penny Cash exclaimed.

The girl was everything Evie had said she was and more. Seeing her excitement made the last ten days of busting my hump worth it. Sean and Bonnie Lovette had checked into their bed and breakfast and would be at the studio soon. Evie was already there and I was showing Penny and her boyfriend slash wannabe-manager my place.

We decided I’d stay with Jonny while Penny and Tony were in town. Well, we hadn’t decided as such, it was more of a given. I’d been staying with Jonny every night since we’d gotten home from the beach. At that point, I had more clothes at his place than I did in my closet, ditto with my makeup and hair products. Me basically moving in with Jonny hadn’t been discussed, it simply happened, and somewhere along the line, he’d stopped asking whose place we’d be sleeping at and I started to refer to his house as home. As in, “I’ll see you when I get home.” I’d found myself saying that a lot over the last week and a half and I’d heard it from Jonny just as much.

It was natural, it was us, we’d fallen into a routine. I woke up every morning with Jonny, went to work, sometimes we met for lunch if he had time, I met him at home, we ate dinner together, we had off-the-charts great sex, then I’d fall asleep exhausted next to him. We talked, we laughed, he teased me, I did the same. It was awesome. I knew Jonny was worried about his mom but he shut me down every time I asked about her. That part wasn’t awesome, it was frustrating, but I let it go because with everything else he was open. Not only with me but with the guys. He’d told Jameson, Chasin, Weston, Alec, and Holden everything and had filled Nixon in on the not-so-nice farewell his mother had treated him to.

So, I was giving him time—a month—then I was pushing him to deal with the hurt his mother had caused. The only thing Jonny did tell me was his mother was in treatment—a live-in facility and she had no contact with the outside world. I thought this was a good thing. Jonny agreed but he did so with a nod and anguish in his eyes. My man needed to talk to me before he exploded again.

With me unofficially living with Jonny, it made sense for Penny and Tony to stay here. It was empty and she’d be close to the studio and besides, my pad was nicer than the hotels in town. Evie had thought about putting them up in the same B and B the Lovettes were staying at but one look at Penny and I knew Evie had been right—Penny was not a B and B kinda girl. The girl oozed rock ’n’ roll. Stay at the Hyatt West Hollywood, get drunk, throw a TV out the window, cause mayhem, tear up the room rock ’n’ roll. She looked like she’d been born five decades too late, and she should’ve been rocking in the seventies.

“The fridge is stocked,” I told Penny, then turned to Tony. “There’s a full bar in the studio, I’ll show you when we go over there, but feel free to help yourself.”

“Thanks, Bobby,” he muttered but didn’t bother looking at me.

“Do you have any questions?”

“Are you sure this is okay? I don’t wanna put you out. Me and T can stay in a hotel.”

“Positive.” I waved off her concern. “Do you need time to settle in, or would you like to go meet Evie and see the studio?”

Penny turned from her study of the kitchen and hit me with a megawatt smile.

“You know I can’t believe I’m really here. I feel the need to pinch myself to make sure I’m not dreaming.”

“Penny,” Tony grunted.

“Don’t start with me, T. I’m not buying a used car. I don’t need to pretend I’m not excited,” she said to her boyfriend then back to me,