One More Moment Read online

  Also by Samantha Chase

  The Montgomery Brothers

  Wait for Me

  Trust in Me

  Stay with Me

  More of Me

  Return to You

  Meant for You

  I’ll Be There

  Until There Was Us

  The Shaughnessy Brothers

  Made for Us

  Love Walks In

  Always My Girl

  This Is Our Song

  A Sky Full of Stars

  Holiday Spice

  Shaughnessy Brothers: Band on the Run

  One More Kiss

  One More Promise

  One More Moment

  Holiday Romance

  The Christmas Cottage / Ever After

  Mistletoe Between Friends / The Snowflake Inn

  Holiday Spice

  Life, Love and Babies

  The Baby Arrangement

  Baby, I’m Yours

  Baby, Be Mine

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  Books. Change. Lives.

  Copyright © 2018 by Samantha Chase

  Cover and internal design © 2018 by Sourcebooks, Inc.

  Cover design by Dawn Adams/Sourcebooks, Inc.

  Cover image © mlhilomilovanovic/istock images

  Sourcebooks and the colophon are registered trademarks of Sourcebooks, Inc.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems—except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews—without permission in writing from its publisher, Sourcebooks, Inc.

  The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

  All brand names and product names used in this book are trademarks, registered trademarks, or trade names of their respective holders. Sourcebooks, Inc., is not associated with any product or vendor in this book.

  Published by Sourcebooks Casablanca, an imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc.

  P.O. Box 4410, Naperville, Illinois 60567-4410

  (630) 961-3900

  Fax: (630) 961-2168

  sourcebooks.com

  Contents

  Front Cover

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Epilogue

  A Sneak Peek at Suddenly Mine

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  About the Author

  Back Cover

  This book more than any other gave me an extensive and eclectic playlist that got me over many bouts of writer’s block. And with each song, not only did the words come, but so did the smiles. So many memories came to mind from a time so long ago and the friends I’ve been blessed to have. The summer of 1987 where “Slippery When Wet” played on a constant loop will always be one of the best.

  You all know who you are.

  This book is for them, and for the readers who have loved this series and the men of Shaughnessy. I hope I did them justice.

  Prologue

  On any given day, Julian Grayson considered himself to be a big fan of music. Any music.

  Not today.

  Right now, the strains of classical harp music were grating on his last nerve and it took every ounce of strength he had not to scream out to stop.

  He chuckled softly to himself at the image. After all, how would it look if the groom threw a fit while standing at the altar as he waited for his bride? The lighted garden of the Hotel Bel-Air was set up for their evening nuptials, and Julian felt it was only right that he refrain from doing anything to upset his guests or his bride.

  Another laugh—only this was mirthless.

  His bride. Right. Dena was many things, but his seemed the least fitting. It was an odd thing to be going through his mind on his wedding day, but there it was.

  Standing to his left were his four closest friends—bandmates Riley Shaughnessy, Matt Reed, Dylan Anders, and their manager, Mick Tyler. Julian had hit the jackpot where these guys were concerned. Not only were they a tight unit within their band, Shaughnessy, but he genuinely liked them and knew—no matter what—each of them would have his back.

  “You sure about this?” Riley asked from beside him. “It’s not too late to back out.”

  Julian’s back instantly stiffened. To any onlooker, they were five smiling men facing the front of the garden where the bride would appear at any moment. The road to the altar had been rocky, to say the least, and the guys all knew it. He wasn’t proud of it and he knew most people wouldn’t understand why he’d stuck it out for so long or put up with so much.

  Honestly, neither did he.

  “Jules,” Riley murmured without breaking his smile or turning his head. “I’m serious. Say the word and—”

  “I’m good,” Julian said quietly but firmly. He knew exactly what to say and how to say it to make sure people didn’t argue with him. Between the tone and his six-foot-two frame, people knew better.

  Looking around the garden, he had to admit he was impressed. It felt intimate, and yet there were two hundred and fifty people sitting and smiling at him.

  Dena had insisted on booking this space, and the staff had been beyond accommodating. No one had batted an eye at any of their requests—which came in the form of menu changes, lighting suggestions, and privacy clauses.

  And then there was today’s last-minute addition.

  Julian had to hide a satisfied smirk. He wasn’t a man who left anything to chance and he almost never did things on the spur of the moment.

  But today he had.

  And he couldn’t wait to see the look on Dena’s face when he surprised her.

  The ceremony was set to begin, and as the music changed to the “Wedding March,” Julian straightened and turned his head briefly to look at his buddies. They all thought he was crazy—had told him so on numerous occasions—and yet they all stood beside him to support him.

  Mick caught his eye and gave the barest of nods, and for some reason, that small gesture calmed Julian’s last-minute nerves.

  Everyone stood and turned to watch Dena float down the aisle on her father’s arm. She looked beautiful—like an angel in miles of white satin and lace. Her blond hair was long and curled, and even from where he was standing, Julian could see her signature pink-glossed lips. She caught his eye and gave him a beautiful smile, her blue eyes gleaming.

  She was everything.

  She was perfect.

  She was…he couldn’t find the words.

  Swallowing hard, Julian moved to
take her arm as she stepped up beside him. They waited for her father to take his seat before facing the minister, who smiled serenely at them.

  “Dearly beloved,” he began, “we are gathered here today to witness the union of Julian and Dena in holy matrimony, which is an honorable estate. It is not to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly, but reverently and soberly.” He paused and looked at Julian. “It is my understanding you have a special presentation for the bride that you would like to make before we begin, is that correct?”

  Julian forced himself not to turn and look at Dena even as he heard her soft gasp. She didn’t like surprises. She had orchestrated and planned every detail of this wedding down to the second, and was probably more annoyed than curious at his messing with her schedule.

  “That is correct,” Julian said.

  With a curt nod, the minister stepped to the side as a large projection screen was revealed behind him. For a minute, Julian was seriously impressed with how the staff had disguised it behind strategically placed greenery and flowers.

  “Julian,” Dena whispered with a hint of annoyance, but he simply removed her arm from his as he took a step to the side—close to Riley—and waited for the images to play on the screen.

  The sound came on first, and you could have heard a pin drop in the garden as the guests listened in stunned silence.

  Heavy breathing.

  “Oh, just like that.”

  “You like that, don’t you, babe?”

  “So much…you’re so good…so perfect…”

  “Better than Julian, right?”

  Female laughter.

  “So much better…always so much better.”

  An image finally appeared on the screen. It was a little dark, a little grainy, but not so much that you couldn’t see what was going on.

  A couple in bed.

  There wasn’t any chance of disputing who the woman was.

  And the much younger guy was a studio technician who had worked on the last three Shaughnessy albums.

  And was currently a guest at the wedding.

  “Why are you marrying him, babe?”

  She stopped moving and smiled at him, stroking his cheek. “Because he’s Julian Grayson and he’s rich,” she said simply. “And I want to be rich.”

  “I’m rich.”

  “No, your father is rich,” she corrected. “You’re just living off his name.”

  “Isn’t that what you’ll be doing with Grayson? And besides, money isn’t everything.”

  “Oh, please. Yes it is,” she snapped. “And don’t worry, you’ll be able to enjoy it too after I’m married. Julian gives me whatever I want no matter what I do.”

  “That’s just cold, Dena. Even for you.”

  She shrugged and went back to moving with her lover. “Agree to disagree. I want it all and I want Julian to give it to me.”

  The screen went black and Julian finally allowed himself to look at his bride. He forced a smile and willed himself not to fall for the shocked look on her face.

  How many times had her tears worn him down? How many times had he believed she was sorry for the things she’d done?

  “You want it all, sweetheart?” he asked as he took a menacing step closer. “I guess you’ll get it from your latest fling.”

  Turning, he looked at his buddies, who were all trying to hide their own shock and amusement. Only Mick looked serious. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled something out and tossed it to Julian. “Everything’s out front,” he said.

  Nodding, Julian grabbed the keys Mick had thrown and stalked up the aisle as chaos broke out in his wake.

  Chapter 1

  Dirty, dusty, and more than a little sweaty, Julian tossed his keys on the table and stood in the entryway of the home he hadn’t seen in three months. He’d say it was good to be home, but he wasn’t a liar.

  With a mixture of dread and curiosity, he forced himself to move. He’d been told what to expect, but if he’d learned anything over the last five years, it was that there were some things you just couldn’t prepare yourself for.

  Stepping into his massive living room, he froze. The place looked completely different—void of anything personal. It could have been a picture out of a decorating magazine, and as much as he hated it, he couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief.

  Every trace of Dena and their life together was gone.

  Good riddance.

  The entire room was white—the couches, the rug, the curtains. The back wall was made of windows, and with the sun shining through right now, it was almost blinding. Looking down at himself, he knew there was no way he could even walk further into the room—let alone touch anything.

  He kept waiting to feel something. Anything. But after three months of riding his motorcycle around the country, he supposed he had dealt with most of his feelings on just about everything.

  Maybe.

  After walking out on the wedding, Julian had found a car waiting in front of the hotel and a valet holding the door open as if he’d known exactly when Julian was going to need it. Then he had gone to Mick’s place and picked up the motorcycle he’d dropped there the previous day and the duffel bag that was already packed with things he’d need for however long he wanted.

  Amazing how when the band traveled on tour, he required half a dozen pieces of luggage, but for this particular trip he had managed to condense it down to one duffel bag. And he’d made it work. He’d looked like hammered shit most of the time, but it worked. It fit his mood, and really, the only one he’d been hanging out with was himself, so what difference did it make?

  There wasn’t a doubt in his mind that most people thought he was crazy for what he’d done. Not just taking off on his bike for three months, but the whole wedding thing. Looking back, he knew it was the only way for him to do it. For years, Dena had been playing him, and he’d been so blinded by love and loyalty that he kept taking whatever she threw at him. So many people had warned him and tried to talk him out of staying in the relationship, but Julian wouldn’t listen. Couldn’t. He’d been too determined to make things work.

  It wasn’t until a week before the wedding that he’d been confronted with the truth—some things were never going to work no matter how much you wanted them to. And some people weren’t worth wanting.

  It was easy to say, not so easy to make himself believe.

  Hence the three months on the road.

  Julian wasn’t stupid. Well, maybe he had been stupid, but after spending so much time in his head these last several months, he’d learned a lot about himself. For starters, he knew he’d stayed in a toxic relationship way too long. It didn’t matter how much counseling they had or how much they had talked through their problems, Dena had always found a way to make him feel like her behavior was somehow his fault. He worked too much, didn’t give her enough attention…on and on it had gone. And he’d believed her.

  When that video had surfaced—and he had thanked Mick and the private investigator he’d hired for it—Julian had been hit with the hard truth.

  It didn’t matter how much or how little he worked.

  It didn’t matter how much attention he gave her.

  Dena didn’t love him. Probably never had. He was a means to an end. She wanted fame and money and he was her ticket.

  Her words on the video had devastated him, but he couldn’t help but be thankful for them as well.

  Given his tendency to cave where Dena was concerned, Julian knew the only way he was going to stay strong was to put some major distance between the two of them and not let anyone know where he was. He’d periodically checked in with his family, along with Mick and the guys, but other than that, Julian had spent the better part of the last ninety days on the back of his motorcycle and sleeping in some of the crappiest motels he had ever seen. It made staying under the radar and not being re
cognized a whole lot easier.

  As if on cue, Julian’s phone rang. Pulling it from his pocket, he grinned and answered. “You adding ESP to your list of skills, Mick?”

  A low chuckle was the first response. “Nah, just know that you’re punctual if nothing else. You said you’d be at the house at two. I figured I’d give you ten minutes to get in the door and get your first look around.” He paused. “Everything okay?”

  “I made it as far as the living room.”

  “My decorator, Joanie, did a fantastic job, don’t you think?”

  Julian shrugged even though Mick couldn’t see him. “It’s very…white.”

  “White’s in. It’s classic. Trust me, in time you’ll love it.”

  “Maybe.” Not that it mattered. Now that Julian was back, he had no intention of keeping the house. He thought back to how Dylan had felt after completing his stint in rehab—the first thing to go had been his house.

  “My Realtor will be over to meet with you tomorrow,” Mick said with a sigh.

  Now it was Julian’s turn to chuckle. “How’d you know?”

  “Please. I know you better than you think. Just like I know Riley, Matt, and Dylan better than they think. Personally, I was surprised you didn’t want me to sell it before you got back.”

  “I thought about it, but I need to have my own closure.”

  “Makes sense.”

  They were silent for a moment and Julian almost willed his manager to tell him something—anything—even if it wasn’t what he wanted to hear.

  “She’s back in Phoenix,” Mick said solemnly.

  It was where Dena had been born and raised, so it wasn’t really a surprise. “And?”

  “And he’s no longer employed.”

  “You mean with the label? Encore?”

  “No. I mean anywhere,” Mick clarified. “Word spread pretty fast after…well, after. Let’s just say as of right now, he’s not welcome at any of the big labels. In time, I’m sure he’ll find work again, but for now, not so much.”

  The kicker was that Julian had actually liked the guy. He’d always been nice to everyone and was easy to work with, and even though they hadn’t had a lot of interaction, Julian couldn’t find a bad thing to say about his work.