This Is Forever

The one woman Winter Tulane loved and lost is back, and he is determined to have her again, gracing his bed, filling his days and owning his heart. A joint tour with both 13 Shades of Red and her band, Strange Angels, is not the most optimal way to get her back, what with the actual working and pitfalls of the road to contend with, but Winter is determined to show her that what they had was good… and could be again.

Lola Cavendish harbors a secret she is desperate to keep from the one man she still wants and needs in her life. True, the joint tour with his band was her idea, but having an issue such as she does is not conducive to rekindling an affair. Taking drastic measures to ensure a reunion is the only way she can be certain she achieves her end game.

But the lives they both lead could stop a reunion before it starts. When past mistakes surface, it will take more than forgiveness to bring them together.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

THIS IS FOREVER: 13 shades of red Novel

Copyright© 2012 Stella & Audra Price, S. A. Price

Editor:
Amanda Bonilla

Cover Artist: Stella Price

Cover photo: Jenn LeBlanc, The Illustrated Romance

Interior text design:
Stacee Virgona

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

“We love not wisely; we love not wisely but too well.”

~ Shelter

“There ain’t no free rides. Got no alibi’s. You gotta work for it this time.”

~River City High

Authors Note:

As with the other book in this series, THIS IS FOREVER is a realistic account of how relationships are for rock stars. In real life, rock stars do not and cannot date the everyday girl because they (the everyday girl) cannot handle the kind of lifestyle these guys lead.

Now I know you are going to say, “(insert rocker here) did it…”. Yeah they might have, but is said rocker still married to that person? Exactly. Relationships bust up regardless, but the mortality rate on rocker/ normal person relationships is all but 100%.

Have you ever noticed that rockers marry women that are in some sort of artistic business that’s in the public eye as well? There is a reason for that: These women understand the lifestyle. They understand the jealousy isn’t a viable emotion, and they understand that above all, careers come first.

Rock stars will not ever chase a “Jane Everygirl” because they don’t need to. A “Jane Everygirl” is a complication they don’t need in their overly complicated life.

Why do I bring this up?

Winter and Lola’s relationship went from normal every day person to Rock star quickly. Their first try at it didn’t work, because Winter hadn’t made it yet, and their other attempts were thwarted by the green eyed monster. This book is set at a time they are both responsible enough, and mature enough to understand what comes with life on the road, life in the public eye, and life as a commodity. Both of them have their secrets, and both of them have to figure out how to deal with them without fucking up the thing they have going.

One more thing I should mention: Just because this is a PNR, that doesn’t lead any less credibility to the relationship they have and develop. It’s a plot device, and helps to create a real, lasting bond between them. Take it from someone that knows for a fact: this is how they really act when the lights go down.

I hope you enjoy the journey Winter and Lola take together.

~S.A. Price, 2013

Acknowledgements

This book would not have been written of not for the tireless efforts of several people in our lives that push and push and push.

Jenn
LeBlanc and Studio Smexy rocked one hell of a Winter for you. Drool ladies, drool. And no, he’s mine and you can’t have him, right Jenn?

Melanie M for keeping me (somewhat) on the straight and narrow.
Or maybe I should be thanking HIM, but lord knows he will start screaming and cursing at me.

Kayse
for being a cheerleader for this series. Thank you for the continued support and passion for the characters.

Without you guys, this would still be sitting half finished. We love you.

Dedication

To the fans that understood GIVING UP THE GHOST and loved it enough to want a sequel. Thank you for accepting a realistic rock and roll world, even if it is paranormal romance.

Winter
is for those of you that love a lonely bad boy.

ONE

Winter Tulane watched as Solomon, the band’s new head roadie, took their new crew to task over shitty load in/ out procedure. The older guy was right, it was piss poor, and at the level they were all at, arena shows, they should have it all together without fucking up.

All of them, even the band.
Truth was this was 13 Shades of Red’s first arena tour and they were pretty green, but they were doing better than their new crew. And they were supposed to be veterans. Xxieda was going to be pissed.

“This looks tense.” Saffron, his best friend’s girlfriend and their tour manager said as she sat next to him.

“Understatement.” He said and popped a tootsie pop into his mouth. The raspberry goodness swirled thick flavor around his tongue as he moved the candy around. It was his third of the day. Always raspberry, always a tootsie. His obsession to deal with not dealing with his real obsession. It caught on his lip ring, one of his newest additions to his person, snagging it just enough to tug. Not that he minded, the feeling reminded him of times past, alone in the dark with her, and her penchant for nipping his bottom lip. Not that he needed the reminder, she was ever present in his mind.

“You ok?” She asked and made some notes on her clipboard. He eyed the horrible thing. Since they got this tour set up, she wasn’t far from the blasted thing, always making notes, checking off lists and scribbling. But she was the best, and if that damn clipboard was her sword and shield, who was he to take it away?

“Your turning into the group shrink you know that? Clipboard and everything.” He teased.

Saffron arched a brow at him. “And you didn’t answer my question.”

Winter sighed. What was he supposed to say again? “Yep. It’s what’s best for the band right? Open all the doors and everything…”

“Yeah I know the right answer too
Winter. Now the real one?”

Winter
cut his eyes at her. “Super green.” He winked and quoted his favorite movie. “So when are we heading out? Cuz these assholes have no idea what they are doing and there’s not a shot in hell I’ll let them touch my rig. For this we can do it all ourselves, and it’s not like we don’t have it down to a science.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Fuck. I told you this Arena tour was going to fuck shit up. Saff, if they break Betty…”

Saffron put a hand on his shoulder.
“Chill. I know this is going to be a fucker for you, but trust me when I tell you nothing is going to happen to Betty, or Nyx’s gear or even Rhys’ mic. Solomon is a fucking drill sergeant over there. Between us no band has a better support crew.”

“Even Strange Angels?”

Saffron smirked and then looked at him. “I’m amazed how far they have gotten with the incompetence that goes on behind the scenes. They might have gotten a bigger contract then you guys, but in the long run your better off. The blunders I am hearing about from Xxieda are pretty fucking severe.”

“So they have issues.”

Saffron flipped through pages on her clipboard. “Internal. Yes. Been through seven sets of support staff in three years.”

Winter
frowned. “Why? What did they become assholes all of a sudden?”

Saffron shook her head. “Irreconcilable differences mostly. Oh and one of the most recent managers swears the devil plagues the band.”

Winter stopped sucking on his tootsie pop. “Excuse me?”

She shrugged. “Don’t ask me, that’s just the party line. Look we have the tour dinner tonight at Sally’s with SA. You g
oing to make it or should we make excuses?”

Winter
smirked. “Oh no, I’ll be there. With bells on.”

“As long as that’s not the only thing you’re wearing. I believe they have a policy on no pants.”

Winter smirked. “Where is your lover boy anyway?”

Saffron smiled. “Skype interview remember? You declined participation.”

He waved it off. “They don’t wanna see me. They wanna see Rhys and talk about the new direction,” he made air quotes; “the song writing is taking. Apparently you are bad for business petal.”

Saffron stuck a tongue out at him.
“My ass. Once they hear the new songs they are going to go apeshit. Growing as a band is a good thing.”

He nodded. Hell he agreed. They would still play the old shit, but the direction they were going now that his lead singer wasn’t throwing his life away on his dead fiancée, who happened to be
Winter’s twin sister, was a good one. The music was still emotional, and heavy and driving, which Winter loved, but it was also evolving into something more. Rhys in love and happy was good for the band. The fans would follow, he hoped.

That’s why this tour was important. New album on the horizon, MTV 4 finally picked up their two videos, they were playing on several other channels in Canada, and the UK, which was wild, but they didn’t break yet. The way to do that was to engage the fans. And even though it was an arena tour, the plans for fan interaction were huge.

Each stop had an Ethereal Carnival atmosphere to it, to compliment the new Strange Angels album, and they had meet and greets, contests to deal with and tons of interviews with everyone from the big guys down to the newest zines. It might be bigger shows but they were as accessible as ever.

“Have they figured out all the interactive shit yet?”

Saffron nodded. “Thankfully the Carnival has competent people running it.” She rolled her shoulders and then jumped with a slight giggle and dug her cell outta her pants pocket. She read it and smiled.

“Rhys. Says it’s over and they are ge
tting ‘presentable’ for this dinner. Said if I was with you to tell you to wash your ass and get moving.”

Winter
gave her the finger. She smirked. “I’ll relay your felicitations.”

“You do that.”

She stood up and yawned. “You ready for this? I mean you haven’t seen her since Voodoo and…”

Winter
nodded. Oh he was ready. It had been almost eight months since that fateful night, and while he was nervous, he was ready. And he had a plan, and Lola Cavendish has no clue that he was in the market for forever with her. He and Rhys had talked and it took some time but he did believe his best friend that nothing had happened with her. It was the last piece to the puzzle that was their relationship and he intended on proceeding with wooing her all over again. After all, Rhys wasn’t the only one meant to be happy.

“I’ll meet you at the limo.” He said and stood, taking the
lolli outta his mouth. “And yes mom, I will be presentable.”

She laughed. “Whatever. Just don’t go swimming
Drakkar ok? That’s the last thing we all need.”

He frowned
, “A revisit from the ghost of decades past?”

She chuckled.
“No, the headache from the foul stench of that shit.”

***

Seeing Lola after eight months was a fucking kick in the teeth. She had changed her hair, it was purple with black streaks, and she was wearing one fucker of an outfit.
Platform Mary Jane’s, her signature, purple torn fishnet thigh highs with garters that ended in bows with skulls on them, micro mini in black satin with a lace trim. She had tripled up on her belts, her little baby tee molding to her torso like a second skin. It was razor cut in places, showing skin and the purple of her lace bra. Her arms warmers were knitted with little skulls on them. He was pretty sure she wasn’t wearing underwear also, the girl just loved to shock. Dare he think it was for his benefit? He wasn’t sure he even saw her, thinking he was dreaming the perfection before him.

But dreams don’t blow you off… at least his didn’t.
His dreams, her especially, blew him. When dreams blew you
off,
those were called nightmares, and those sucked. Sucked like life was sucking right now. She had walked in with the rest of her band, greeted everyone but him, her gaze lingering a little too long on Colin, Rhys’ little brother, but then moved on as she kissed cheeks and hugged people.

He had to adjust his groin, discreetly of course, when she and Saffron hugged and snuggled. Apparently over the past several months Saffron and Lola had become quite the BFF, with Lola staying at Saffron’s place in New York when she had to go in for several shoots and such. Rhys had teased him about getting
face timed and seeing both of them in little booty shorts and white tank tops… but he didn’t think they were
that
close.

And worse, he didn’t think seeing her all snuggly with
Saffron would illicit the images rolling through his head. Not that Saffron wasn’t hot, but he just didn’t dig his best friend’s girl like that. He grabbed a tootsie pop and unwrapped it, sticking the thick ball into his mouth. He watched her move from person to person, but never to him.

What.
The. Fuck.

When everyone sat down, she sat at the other end, didn’t even bother to look at him. He went through dinner in a blur, his anger getting to him more and more. What the fuck was going on? He was beginning to feel like he was invisible. Maybe it
was
a nightmare?

When she got up and went to the bathroom, he followed, after exchanging a meaningful look with Rhys.

“So you’re just not going to say anything to me?” he said as he caught her coming out of the bathroom.

She looked at him and then sighed. “I didn’t want a public thing to happen.”

Public thing?

He cocked his head
and scowled. “And what the fuck does that mean?”

She looked him up and down. “I don’t know if I’m ready to say hi like I want to.”

Winter rolled his eyes. “So you can wrap yourself around Saffron, eye Colin up like he’s a steak, which by the way he’s not even eighteen yet, eww,” he ticked off on his fingers, “Yet you can’t even just turn and wave at me?”

Lola shook her head. “It’s not what I wanted. And Colin is going to be very popular…”

“You just didn’t wanna talk to me at all?” he asked, thoroughly confused. She was the one that pushed for the tour, and by all accounts she didn’t have issue with their past. It was what gave him hope.

She moved closer and shook her head. “That’s not it.”

“Then what’s it?” he bit out, his hands clenched at his sides. Gods, only she could infuriate him like this. Fuck she smelled good. All honey and warm clover… no one smelled like Lola.

Her voice lowered. “Do you like my outfit
Winter?”

He growled. Fuck yes he liked her outfit.
Loved. Wanted it crumpled on the floor of his bedroom. Wanted to peel it from her slowly, kissing every inch of skin he exposed.

She reached for him, her fingers tugging him closer by the belt loops of his jeans. “Good. You’re supposed to. You don’t get anything from me
Winter Tulane. No greeting, no, little wave, no explanation. Eat your heart out baby.”

She got closer, her lips just against his
, a slight almost imperceptible move of the hoop through the middle of his lip and then she was gone, back towards the party, her ass shaking with a sashay that had blood rushing from every place in his body to his cock. Fuck. What the hell was going on?

“Hey Lo,” he called after her. She gave him the finger and kept walking.

Game on. Game fucking on.
He thought as he followed her back into the room. Confusion didn’t even convey how he was feeling about what happened, but holy fuck the signals she was throwing off were so convoluted he didn’t know if he should fist pump for getting her so close to him or brood over her words.