Iris
Iwas no longer a dog mom.While I mourned the loss of my chubby, furry companion, Daisy forsook me the second she laid eyes on her owners.
I threw my arms out as I walked into Claire and Dominic Cantrell’s apartment, and Daisy charged straight into Dominic’s arms. Granted, Dom was a hot, silver fox rocker, so the appeal was obvious, even for a dog, I guess.
“I promise I fed and loved on her.”
Claire wrapped me in a hug. “Don’t take it personally. Daisy dumps me for Dominic every time he comes home.”
The Seasons Change opened on Dominic’s tour two years ago when we were newly signed and basically baby rockers. Claire had been on the tour, doing Dominic’s PR. Adam had fallen in love with her at first sight—as the sucker was wont to do—but Claire and Dom only had eyes for each other, despite a pretty damn big age gap. Even bigger than Ronan and me.
Okay, I wasnotcomparing Ronan and me to Claire and Dom. Where the hell had that come from? No wonder the man had to have a talk with me about professional boundaries. My lord, one fine Irishman in a suit and I had lost my fucking marbles.
“Well, at least you’ve got baby Georgia. She probably likes you best,” I said.
Claire laughed, and I watched as Dominic’s eyes lasered in on her, like he couldn’t stand to miss a second of it. If a person ever looked at me that way—and I didn’t mean a fan who’d eat my underwear and suck on my tampons, because those existed—I wouldn’t know what to do with myself.
“That’s because I have the milk. Let’s talk when I stop nursing. That’ll be the true test,” Claire said.
“Can I peek at Baby G? I don’t hear screaming, so I assume the angel is sleeping.”
Claire rolled her eyes. “I blame her dad for the screams.”
Dom grinned and rubbed Daisy’s belly, who was sprawled out on the floor like one of Jack’s French girls. “Tiny girl, big lungs. We’re gonna make a rocker out of her.” Pride filled each and every one of his words.
“A girl rocker? Let me know if that little honey bunny needs a mentor, because I am here for it.” I mimed writing a note on my hand. “I’ve got her penciled in for weekly lessons in fifteen years.”
I instantly felt ridiculous for the joke since Dominic Cantrell was literally one of the pillars of rock. His career had almost been as long as my lifetime. When TSC got the gig opening for him on his tour, I had sobbed for a solid fifteen minutes. The very idea of me mentoring his child was laughable when he was available to teach her more than I could ever know.
His mouth twitched into a small grin, which was big for Dom. “Hell yes. I can’t think of another woman I’d want showing GiGi the way to rock.”
I waved him off like he was being silly. “Don’t flatter me, Dominic. I’ll blush and it’ll be a whole thing.”
Claire laughed again. “You know my husband doesn’t go out of his way to flatter people. Take the compliment while he’s offering it.”
I snagged his words from the air and tucked them in my pocket. “Got it. Now, where’s the wailing angel?”
Claire hooked her arm in mine, pulling me with her to the nursery in the back of the apartment. She cracked open the door and motioned for me to go inside. Baby G was asleep in her crib, flat on her back, her limbs splayed. Her delicious cheeks were rosy and her perfect, miniature lips were parted, like a heart with a hole in the center. Dark hair curled around her head like a halo, and long lashes fanned her cheeks. I happened to know this girl had the most perfect set of chocolate brown eyes and her thighs had rolls for days.
I wasn’t a baby person, but Baby G was an exception. I’d caught myself babbling to her in that high-pitched tone that would drive me crazy if I heard anyone else do it. Rodrigo had recorded me doing it and played it any time my head got too big. Babies were truly humbling.
We left the nursery even though I’d only gotten the barest of fixes and headed back to the living room. Dominic had gotten up from the floor and was in the kitchen washing his hands, while Daisy stood at his feet, claiming him as her own.
“Want something to drink?” Claire asked. She slid her hand along Dominic’s back as she passed him on the way to the fridge.
“I’ll take whatever. I’m in no rush, as long as you don’t mind me being here.”
Claire handed me a beer, then gave one to Dominic. “I don’t mind you being here as long asyoudon’t mind me doing nothing but vegging on my couch.”
I held my beer to my lips and cocked a brow. “Long tour?”
She puffed out a breath and rolled her shoulders forward. “Three weeks is a long time to be on the road with a baby who prefers screaming to sleeping.”
Dominic curled his arm around her waist and kissed the top of her head. “Again, my fault. My mom informed me I didn’t sleep for six months.”
I hit my forehead. “I need sleep. Remind me of that fact when my ute starts trying to trick me with all the baby hormones.”
We collapsed on their sectional, the two of them snuggled together on one side, me on the other. I tucked my feet under me, checking the message on my buzzing phone.