Home Sweet Home Read online

  “Good, G’ma,” Emma giggled, hugging Renee tight, smushing her face against hers.

  “Good,” Renee laughed and turned to Samantha. “How are you? Feeling ok?” she asked, eyeing her belly with a look of concern.

  Samantha smiled and rubbed her stomach. “Yep, feeling good--tired, but good.”

  “Come on in,” Renee said, holding the door open for Sam to come inside. They walked into her kitchen where she got Emma some crackers. Grandmas were always good for snacks. They settled down at the kitchen table while Emma ate.

  “How’s Lance?” Renee asked, reaching out to brush a piece of hair from Emma’s face.

  “He’s doing well,” she replied. “Haven’t you talked to him?”

  “I have,” she replied, “but I wanted to see what you thought. I talked to him this morning and he seemed different, upset or something. Did you two fight?”

  Samantha shook her head. “No, we’re good. Maybe he was tired. I miss him like crazy and we were supposed to talk on Skype the other night and I fell asleep. He understands how tired I am and it’s getting hard for me to stay up late between writing, Emma, and this pregnancy.”

  Renee nodded. “I’m sure it’s hard to not have Lance around. Although right now, I’m glad he’s not home.” She wiped some imaginary crumbs from the table and Sam’s heart dropped when she noticed Renee’s hands were shaking. Something must be serious for Renee to say that.

  “I have to tell you something, Samantha, and you can’t tell Lance, not yet,” she pleaded, looking Sam in the eye.

  Sam suddenly felt very uneasy. She didn’t keep secrets from Lance, especially about his mother. The fact that Renee was telling her and not Lance had her nervous.

  “I don’t know, Renee. Lance and I promised we wouldn’t keep secrets from each other,” she chided, playing with her wedding band nervously.

  “I know. I wouldn’t ask you if it wasn’t important,” Renee said, getting up to get Emma some milk before the little girl even asked. Her grandma instincts were good that way. She poured it into a sippy cup. While handing it to her, her eyes filled up with tears. “Samantha, I went to the doctor this week. I wasn’t feeling well and I’ve had this terrible pain in my back,” she murmured, her voice breaking.

  Sam got up and went to Renee, putting her arm around her shoulder. “How long has this been going on? Did Lance know? Why didn’t you say anything sooner?”

  “I really thought it was nothing, just old age. I didn’t want to worry you guys. You’re so busy,” Renee dismissed her with a wave of her hand.

  “Renee, we’re never too busy for you,” she scolded sternly, “especially if you aren’t feeling well.” She squeezed her shoulder. “What did the doctor say?”

  Renee shrugged. “They weren’t sure. They had to run some tests. I have to go this week to get the results.” She looked up at Sam. “Will you come with me please? They mentioned the ‘c’ word and I don’t want to be alone if that’s what it is,” Renee confessed, looking back down at her hands on the table, her lower lip trembling.

  “Of course I will!” Samantha exclaimed. “Tell me when and where and I’ll get someone to watch Emma. I’m here if you need me.”

  Renee sniffled. “Thank you,” she said, her shoulders relaxing. “Remember, you can’t tell Lance though.”

  “You know he’ll be furious, right?” she asked, sitting back down at the table “I’m really not crazy about keeping this from him.”

  “I know, but he can’t do anything on the road anyway and I don’t want to worry him needlessly. What if it’s nothing?” Renee shrugged.

  “Ok, but on one condition,” Sam agreed. “You have to tell him about it as soon as you find out the results, especially if it’s something serious.” She pointed to Renee. She wasn’t going let Renee get away with not telling her son something so important.

  Renee nodded. “Deal.” She grabbed a tissue to blow her nose. “Now how about you let me make you and my beautiful granddaughter some dinner and we talk about something happier? I want to hear all about your book and your tour.”

  Samantha laughed. “Ok, who am I to turn down a home cooked meal? We’ve been having a lot of take out at our house with Lance gone and me busy writing. Sounds perfect to me.”

  They didn’t mention Renee’s upcoming appointment the rest of the evening. They talked about Samantha’s ideas for her next book and all the cities her agent had her going to for her current book’s tour. They ended the night with Renee reading Emma some books and she eventually fell asleep on her lap.

  Renee told her to go check her email and get some work done while Emma slept. Sam had a feeling she wasn’t ready to give up her granddaughter so soon tonight. Her eyes filled with tears as she thought about Renee possibly having cancer. Lance would be crushed. She said a quick prayer it would be something else and she was worried for nothing.

  Her phone beeped with a text from Lance. She smiled and picked up the phone to read it.

  About to go on stage. How’s Mom?

  Samantha sighed. She hated lying to Lance. She typed a quick reply.

  Good. She made dinner. E’s asleep on her lap right now.

  He responded back.

  Nice. Miss you. Love you.

  Her eyes filled with tears. She could use one of his hugs right about now. They always made everything seem like it was going to be ok. Instead of getting emotional right now, she sent a simple reply.

  Love you too.

  She glanced back over to Renee and Emma. Renee had fallen asleep too. They looked so peaceful; Sam didn’t want to wake them yet. She went back to her laptop to get some more work done. There was no way she was going to disturb that moment. Who knew how many more of those they might have?

  ***

  Sam had just put Emma down for the night and was about to get back to her novel when she checked the news online. She glanced around the page, skimming headlines, when the name ‘Forbidden Gods’ caught her eye. Maybe it was news about their tour or their album that was coming out in a few weeks.

  She clicked on the link and almost fell out of her chair when she saw the picture of Rick the bassist and Nicole, Lance’s ex that had broken them up years ago. What the fuck was she doing with him? Her blood started to boil, thinking about Nicole being near Lance. Why hadn’t he told her he’d seen her?

  She grabbed her cell phone to call Lance. The phone rang and rang. He never answered but she was too mad to leave a message. She took a picture of the screen and sent it to him by text. Her only comment was “WTF?”

  She tried to turn her attention to her novel, but she was too wound up to write. She kept checking her phone for a response from Lance.

  Tears stung her eyes the more she thought about it. Why the fuck was Nicole with Rick? She slammed her laptop shut and went over to the couch. She flopped down and winced when she felt a twinge of pain in her belly. She took a deep breath and rubbed her stomach. She needed to stay calm. It was nothing. Lance was married to her now and she had nothing to worry about.

  Her phone rang and she snatched it up from the coffee table.

  “Hello.” She answered tersely.

  “Baby, I’m sorry, I know I should’ve told you,” Lance admitted.

  “What the fuck, Lance?” she asked, her eyes filling with tears again.

  “I don’t know, baby. One night she was on the bus and she’s been attached to Rick’s hip ever since.” He didn’t sound any happier than she was about the whole thing.

  “She’s been on the bus?” she almost yelled into the phone. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. “Lance, I don’t like this. It’s not right.”

  “Sam, I warned Rick about her, but he’s smitten. So far she’s barely talked to me.”

  “But how did she find you guys? And Rick? I don’t get it. This just seems strange to me,” she confessed, sitting up on the couch. “And why didn’t you tell me?”

  She heard him sigh on the other end of the phone and pictured him running
his hand through his hair. “I was going to. We’ve hardly had a chance to talk since I saw her. It’s been five minutes here and five minutes there. It’s not something that I wanted to just blurt out right away.”

  She took a deep breath. He was right. They’d both been so busy that they’d hardly had time to talk a whole lot. “Ok, you’re right, but I still don’t like it.”

  “I don’t either, Sam,” he sighed. “I told Rick that, but he’s not thinking clearly. He’s thinking with his dick, not his head. I can’t reason with that. Jason even warned him but he’s not listening to any of us.”

  She couldn’t help but giggle. “Just be careful around her.” She clenched her hand into a fist and pounded on the couch with frustation. “Dammit! I hate that I’m not with you.”

  “Me too, Sam, me too. I miss you. I sleep like shit without you next to me. I miss your warm sexy body. I miss Emma and her wet sloppy kisses and the way she wakes me up in the morning by jumping all over me, yelling ‘Daddy!’”

  She bit her lip, trying not to cry. “It’s been a long day. I need to go to bed.”

  Lance sighed. “Ok, Sam. I’m sorry about Nicole. I’ll talk to you tomorrow. I love you.”

  “Good night, Lance. I love you,” she whispered, hanging up before she lost it. She threw the phone onto the couch next to her and started sobbing. This whole thing was a lot harder than she had anticipated. Maybe it was just the pregnancy hormones. She was tired and sore, worried about Renee, and now Nicole.

  She calmed down and grabbed the blanket off the back of the couch. She would sleep here tonight. The thought of the empty bed she shared with Lance was too much. Who knows, maybe she’d sleep out here until he got back.

  And that couldn’t be soon enough.

  Chapter Five

  Lance walked out of his manger’s office in LA ready to hit something. The band had just met with him and the record label’s upper management about their new album. They had to change a few songs or the label was going to drop them. They didn’t like the old school rock and roll sound they had incorporated into a couple of the songs.

  “This is bullshit,” Lance exclaimed, wishing he hadn’t given up smoking when Samantha was pregnant. He sure could use a cigarette right now. Maybe it would calm him and he wouldn’t want to throttle their manager. He ran his hand through is hair. If Sam were here, she’d know what to say to smooth his frazzled nerves.

  “I know. It is.” Jason agreed as the band walked out of the building. “Our release is two weeks away and now they decide to change shit. This fuckin’ sucks.”

  “Let’s stop at a strip joint,” chimed their lead singer, Steve, as they all got into the car. “I could use a drink and some pussy.”

  Lance squeezed his eyes shut. Once upon a time, he would have eagerly agreed to go for drinks and a piece of ass, but that time was long gone. Now all he wanted to do was go back to the hotel and call Samantha.

  Jason looked over at him. “What do you say? Wanna go?” he asked, starting up the car.

  “Not especially,” Lance mumbled, squeezing the bridge of his nose with his fingers.

  “Come on, man, let’s go!” Rick urged from the back seat. “Let’s have some fun. I think we deserve it after that meeting.”

  Jason shrugged. “He has a point. I know I could use a drink. You can have a soda and watch some naked girls dance around.”

  “Whatever,” Lance agreed reluctantly. Who was he to ruin the other guys’ good time? He thought about calling Samantha on the way, but he really didn’t want the rest of the guys to hear his conversation, and he sure as hell didn’t want to tell her they were going to strip club. After the Nicole fiasco, the last thing she needed to hear was that he was in a bar with naked women.

  They found a local strip club and made their way inside without anyone recognizing them. Lance quickly found the bar and ordered a soda. He was dying for a beer, but he didn’t want to get into a habit of drinking while out in public. He already was breaking his promise to Sam that he wouldn’t drink by having a beer or two after a show.

  He sat down at the bar, watching the ball game on the TV in front of him. He should get a flight home and see his girls since their next show wasn’t for two days. He would be able to have one night with them. His cock stirred as he thought about making love to his pregnant wife. Fuck, he missed her.

  “Dude, you can’t sit back here all by yourself!” Jason exclaimed as he sat next to Lance. “You have to fucking quit pouting. You brood around missing Samantha and Emma; now you are grumpy about the album. You gotta lighten up, man. We are living our dream!” He grinned and took a drink of his beer.

  Lance didn’t say anything, taking a sip of his soda. Maybe Jason was right. Sure he missed his wife and daughter but in a few short months he would be back home with them. He was annoyed about their album, but was thankful he was able to do what he loved.

  “You’re right, as usual,” he sighed with a smile and a shake of his head.

  Jason grinned and smacked his shoulder. “Damn straight I’m right.” He stood up. “Now come join us by the stage. Don’t be so fucking lame.”

  He grabbed his soda and headed up by the stage where his band mates were sitting. Rick and Steve already had girls in their laps grinding on them. Lance laughed and shook his head. Hard to believe he would have been right there with them a few years ago.

  He sat down next to Jason who was holding out a twenty-dollar bill with a grin, enticing the busty blonde on stage to come over and get it. Jason was a happily married man too, but that didn’t mean he didn’t like to look a little. He’d married Lisa right out of high school and Lance knew for a fact he’d remained faithful to her all this time.

  A short brunette came out on stage and Lance’s cock jumped in his jeans. She had breasts about as big as Samantha’s, the nipples large and already erect. A flower tattoo covered her side and she was wearing silver high heels. He was a sucker for heels. He took a swallow of his soda and watched her start to move on stage. She caught his eye and winked at him. She seemed to be performing just for him.

  He couldn’t help but watch her. He was like a thirsty man that had just gotten out of the desert. After having sex with Sam at least once a day, all of these weeks of being celibate were killing him. Maybe he was so crabby because he wasn’t getting laid. He chuckled to himself and the brunette danced over to him.

  “What’s so funny, handsome?” she asked, thrusting her breasts into his face. He got out a ten-dollar bill and held it between his fingers for her.

  “Oh nothing,” he said, a small smile still on his lips.

  She took the money and slid it into his belt loop. She knelt between his legs slowly, rubbing her breasts against him. She looked up at him from between his legs and grinned. She leaned in and took the money with her teeth. His cock got rock hard and he was pretty sure she could feel it against her cheek as she pulled the money out.

  “Thank you,” she replied as she stood up. She leaned into him, her breasts hanging in his face. “I know who you are. If you want a private lap dance, I’m available in an hour.”

  Lance reached up and gently pushed her back. “Thanks, babe, but I’m not interested.” He held up his left hand, wiggling his ring finger. “I’m a married man--happily married.”

  She waved his hand away, a sly smile on her face. “I saw that, but you and I both know that doesn’t mean shit.”

  “Well, it does to me,” he said. The girl shook her head while she walked away, moving on to another customer.

  That was it; he was going back to the hotel. Strip clubs weren’t for him anymore now that he had Sam back at home. It sounded cliché, but she was all the woman he needed. He looked around for the rest of the guys. Steve and Rick had disappeared to the VIP rooms and Jason’s head was between some blonde’s tits.

  He walked back to the bar and asked the bartender to call him a cab. While he waited, he checked his phone. No calls or messages from Samantha. Things had gotten so busy for her t
hey seemed to talk less and less each day.

  He walked outside to wait for the cab. When he got back to the hotel, he was going to call Sam and talk dirty to her. He wanted to hear her come. He missed the soft whimpers she would make as her orgasm built and the way she would cry out his name when she came hard. He’d love to have his face buried between her legs right now. He missed the way she tasted and the way she felt wrapped around him.

  The cab pulled up and he got in. He was anxious the whole ride back to the hotel. He needed to hear Sam’s voice. He got back to his room, falling onto the bed while he dialed Sam’s number.

  “Hello,” she answered, finally, on the fourth ring.

  “Hey baby,” he said, unzipping his jeans and freeing his semi hard cock.

  “What’s up? It’s kinda late, isn’t it?” she asked, sounding tired. Shit, had he woken her?

  “I’m sorry, Sam. It’s only 9 here in LA. I wasn’t thinking about you being in bed already,” he admitted softly. “I just needed to hear your voice.”

  “It’s ok,” she yawned. “I’ve been really tired lately. I’ve been going to bed after putting Emma to bed some nights even. I can’t keep my eyes open much later.”

  He sat up straight in bed. “Are you ok?” He asked with concern.

  “I’m fine. Just normal pregnancy stuff. Don’t worry,” she chided, but he could hear it in her voice. She was weary.

  “Don’t overdo it, Sam,” he warned, standing up to button his jeans. He wasn’t going to be getting off tonight. Maybe he’d take a long shower when he got off the phone.

  She sighed on the other end of the phone. “It’s ok, Lance, really. How are things there?”

  He went over to the fridge in his room. He needed a beer. “Ok. We had a meeting with the record label. They want to change a few things. I’m not thrilled, but they’re the guys in charge, so what can we do?”