Page 13 of A Way Out (Rock Star #2)

Chapter Twelve

I t was after eight o’clock in the evening by the time they were driving through the Ozarks, heading toward the lodge Holly and Sam had rented for their wedding guests.

Maria was exhausted from traveling all day, but not so much so that she could not enjoy the southern Missouri scenery as it flew past her window.

“It’s so different,” she said, her gaze glued to the mountains and the glimpses of the lake she caught in between ridges.

“Sam says that all the time,” Oz said. “Even though they’re both mountains, the ones in LA are very different from the ones here.”

“Add to that the mountains I see every day in Washington. Those are green, practically all the time. And it’s overcast so often. In LA, they’re brown. Plus, the sun shines constantly. And then this…I can’t even describe it. Other to say it’s gorgeous.”

“When I was a kid I lived in Texas,” Travis said from next to Maria in the backseat, “and we used to vacation in the Ozarks in Oklahoma. I’ve never been to this part before. It is pretty stunning.”

“I lived in Little Rock for a time,” Cash offered up. “I’ve vacationed here too. Felt like paradise when I was a kid.”

Maria had no idea that the entire band had a connection to this place.

“It’s kind of funny that our first single is about getting out of here,” Oz said as he followed the GPS map to their destination.

“Really?” Maria asked. She’d thought Oz wrote that song.

He nodded. “Parker wrote it about his fear of never getting out of the town he grew up in.”

“Guess he and Lacey aren’t planning to move back anytime soon, like Holly and Sam are, huh?”

Oz shrugged. “Maybe his perspective is different now that he has gotten out.”

“I don’t know,” Travis said. “I left Texas over ten years ago, and I still have zero desire to ever go back.”

How did Maria feel about going back to Washington? She’d shown up on her sister’s doorstep last weekend with no clue how long she’d stay, but she supposed she’d always expected she’d return home at some point.

But did she want to?

No, she really didn’t.

She didn’t have a plan. No idea where she might settle if she didn’t go back. Plus, as uninvolved as Vic was, he was still Riley’s father, and Maria would prefer they have some sort of relationship.

She rubbed her forehead. Life was so complicated sometimes.

“You okay?” Oz asked.

She glanced up and caught his eye in the rearview mirror. Of course he would notice that small action. He noticed everything. It was unnerving and also flattering and sent butterflies fluttering in her belly. Every time.

“I am,” she said, tossing him a reassuring smile.

He looked doubtful, but he let it drop and turned his focus back to the road.

Finally, they arrived at a rustic lodge perched on hilly terrain, with triple decks overlooking a stream that cut through the rock and undergrowth.

Holly and Sam had rented this place for the family, they had said, but really it was the two bands and Maria.

Although she supposed the bands were family, both literally and figuratively.

Holly hadn’t invited their parents—they wouldn’t have come anyway—but she had invited their other sister, Ava. Was she here? Maria’s eyes felt hot. Of course, they’d all been together for Maria’s wedding, but that had been different.

That hadn’t been her wedding; it had been her mother’s. She’d simply stood in as the bride. And Ava had flown in from New York, attended all the obligatory events, and left halfway through the reception, claiming she needed to catch a red-eye flight because she had to work the next day.

On Sunday.

Holly’s presence hadn’t been much better. She’d hardly spoken to anyone, even Maria, and then her date had cheated on her and broken up with her at the end of the night.

Lord, please don’t let Holly’s wedding be anything like mine was .

Truth be told, Maria didn’t believe she even had to send up that prayer. Holly and Sam were so very obviously in love, even if something did go wrong at their wedding, it wouldn’t matter. And Maria knew without a doubt that they’d still be together ten years from now.

Happily together.

She, Oz, Cash, and Travis piled out of the rental car, Maria unbuckled Riley from her car seat, and headed inside.

“You made it,” Holly shouted a scant moment before she practically tackled Maria, hugging her until she squeaked.

Riley giggled, and when the two sisters separated, Riley was in Holly’s arms.

“I’m so glad you are here,” Holly said warmly.

“Come on, I’ll show you your room so you can drop off your luggage.

Then we’ll come back down and I’ll introduce you to everyone.

Are you hungry? We didn’t really do a full meal tonight, but there are enough appetizers to feed an army.

Plus wine. All the wine.” Holly laughed and burbled on, and Maria didn’t interrupt.

It was nice to just follow along and let her sister guide the way.

Maria’s room was on the second floor. There was a king-sized bed and glass doors leading out to a deck that ran the length of the house. Rocking chairs sat in clusters out there, with side tables in between. Perfect for sipping morning coffee or decompressing at the end of the day.

Holly pointed at a closed door. “That’s the bathroom. You have to share it with whoever claims the bedroom on the other side.”

What were the odds? Maria strode over and pulled the door open. At almost the exact same moment, the door directly across from her opened, and Oz stood on the threshold.

At least he was dressed this time.

She slapped a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing. He just shook his head.

“Do you want to freshen up before we go back downstairs?” Holly asked.

“Yes, give me a minute.” Maria stepped into the bathroom and closed the door behind her. “This feels sort of like destiny,” she whispered to Oz, still standing in the doorway to his bedroom.

“Not really. I chose this room deliberately. Figured you and I were already comfortable sharing a bathroom, and you don’t really know anyone else here, except your sister, who is staying in a suite at the end of the hall.”

“Oh. Um, well, thank you. That was considerate.”

He nodded and then backed into his bedroom, pulling the door closed behind him. She turned to the vanity and pressed her hands to the marble countertop, staring at her reflection in the mirror.

Her cheeks were hot, and her hair was still tussled from sleeping on the plane. If her lips were swollen, she’d resemble a woman who had recently been ravished.

If only.

Once she composed herself and ran a brush through her hair and powdered her nose, she returned to her bedroom, where Holly was helping Riley into a frilly white dress.

“Riley agreed to be my flower girl,” Holly announced. “And look, I guessed her size correctly.”

Indeed, she had. Riley was utterly adorable in the little girl’s version of a wedding dress.

“I also brought a dress for you,” Holly said, waving at the bed, where a champagne-colored satin dress lay. “I sort of hoped you’d agree to be my maid of honor.”

Maria’s gaze flew to her sister’s. “Are you serious?”

“Of course I am.” Holly flung her arms around her and pulled her into a tight hug. “I cannot tell you how happy it makes me that we are now friends.”

Maria would have agreed, but her throat was momentarily clogged. Probably with those tears that were also stinging her eyes. She sniffled and nodded, and Holly gave a shriek that nearly shattered Maria’s eardrums.

“Try it on,” Holly demanded.

Maria stripped out of her travel clothes and slipped the dress over her head. It was smooth against her skin, with a crisscross design over her chest, and hugged her curves in all the right ways.

“Wow,” she said, staring at herself in the full-length mirror attached to the back of the closet door.

“No kidding,” Holly said. “You’re going to one-up the bride.”

Maria snorted. “Not even close.”

“Okay, you’re right,” Holly said with a giggle. “Roxanne at the dress shop in Roma picked out all of our dresses, so you know my wedding dress is stunning.”

Before Maria could argue that it wasn’t the dress that would make Holly look stunning on her wedding day, there was a knock on the door.

"Come in,” Holly called.

Oz stepped into the room. His eyes went comically wide and his mouth fell open.

Holly snickered. “That dress definitely works for you.”

Maria felt her face heat. Again.

Oz shook his head like he was trying to shake himself out of a stupor. “You, uh, look amazing.”

“Thanks.” She smoothed her hand over the front of the dress. Oz’s gaze tracked the motion.

“My sister agreed to be my maid of honor,” Holly announced, clearly oblivious to the eye-fucking Oz was currently giving Maria.

Holy crap, did the term eye-fucking really just go through her head?

“That’s great,” he said, his voice a croak. He cleared his throat. “I, uh, was going to offer to take Riley down with me. Figured you two would want a minute to catch up.”

This man .

“She needs to change out of her dress first,” Maria managed to get out. “So we’ll keep her here with us. Thank you, though.”

Oz seemed to notice Riley for the first time. His eyes went comically wide again, only this time it was obviously deliberate. “Are you getting married?” he asked.

Riley giggled. “I’m a flower girl!”

“You are the most beautiful flower girl I’ve ever seen,” Oz said solemnly.

Riley clutched her skirt and twirled. “Aunt Holly says I get to throw flowers at people.”

All three adults laughed. “You’re going to toss them onto the ground while you walk up the aisle,” Holly explained.

“I want to toss them at people,” Riley said.

“You can toss some at me,” Oz said. “And then toss the rest on the aisle. How does that sound?”

Riley glanced at the ceiling, like she was contemplating his question, and then nodded succinctly. “Okay.”

He strode over and thrust out his hand, and Riley shook it. “It’s a deal.” He moved back to the door. “I’ll see you all downstairs then.”

His hot gaze licked over Maria one more time before he finally closed the door behind him.

“Holy shi—wow, I am flushed.” Holly flapped her hand in front of her face.

“What are you talking about?” Maria said, unzipping Riley’s dress.

“I’m talking about the way that man looked at you. Is there something going on between you two?”

“No, of course not.” Maria’s denial sounded way too fast and way too guilty to her own ears.

“Do you want something to be going on?” Holly pressed.

Maria helped her daughter back into her clothes. “I don’t know. I mean, it doesn’t matter. I don’t think he’s interested like that.”

“Oh, he is definitely interested like that. He might as well have said it out loud, the way he was looking at you. I mean, I’m all hot and bothered right now and that searing look wasn’t even for me.”

“Okay, can we stop talking about this in front of my child? And can you unzip me so I can get out of this dress?”

“Fine.” Holly unzipped her. “But we’re discussing this in more depth after Riley goes to bed.”

Luckily, courtesy of the time zone difference, it would be at least another hour before that would happen, and hopefully, Holly will have forgotten about this conversation by then.

Because Maria wasn’t ready to admit to her sister that yes, she’d love to hook up with Oz.