Read the first chapter of Her Rock Star Husband.
Zane Headley leafed through the stack of letters that had piled up while he was on tour. He half-listened as his manager, Brody Jackson, reviewed the agenda for the next few weeks.
“I thought I had some downtime?” It had been an eight-week tour and Zane was beyond exhausted.
“You will. I figured you could have one more press conference where you announced your plan to marry.”
“My plan to do what?” Zane’s eyes snapped to Brody’s.
“You’re twenty-eight—”
“I’m aware. What does my age have to do with anything?”
His response was frostier than normal. For the last year and a half, he’d been a part of too many conversations that made him feel or sound old.
“Zane,” Brody leveled him with a piercing stare, “you hired me to give you my honest opinion. You’re almost thirty. People love your music, but they’re beginning to wonder if something’s wrong with you.”
He shot Brody a withering glare. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You never date. There are never any rumors about your interest in anyone.”
“I’m a Christian recording artist. Is it not enough to exemplify a chaste lifestyle?
Can’t it be I’m focused on my career and don’t have time for relationships?”
A familiar twinge of pain twisted in his chest as he repeated his mantra for the last five years.
Brody sighed. “You’re right. No one will believe you’re getting married when they’ve never seen you date.”
Being a public figure came with an unbelievable lack of privacy. Some people seemed to believe they had a right to know everything about him simply because they’d listened to or bought one of his songs.
Brody rubbed his temples, frustration evident in his posture. “Alright. Maybe we could settle for you dating someone. Is there anyone you’re interested in?”
Zane returned to sifting through his correspondence. How could he tell Brody he didn’t date because the last woman he’d pursued had smashed his heart into tiny bits?
An envelope from Oliver Grimes Esquire caught his attention. Zane ran his nail under the flap and drew out an official-looking document.
His eyes flew across the page, stopping as the import of the document registered.
“Zane? Did you hear me?”
Brody’s aggravated voice cut through the ringing in Zane’s ears.
“No, what did you say?”
Brody huffed out a breath. “You and Ariana Duval have similar goals. You should ask her out.”
“No.” Zane ran a shaky hand over his face.
“Oh, come on, man. She’s pretty, a Christian, and supports similar causes. Give me one valid reason you won’t ask her out.”
“Because,” Zane looked Brody dead in the eyes, “I don’t think my wife would like that.”
“Meghann.” Zane used his most cajoling tone as he spoke with his younger sister. “Can you find out where Kara Sanders lives or works?”
Since the divorce papers came from an Orange Valley lawyer, he assumed she still lived there.
“Who’s Kara?” Meghann asked in confusion.
“You remember Kara.” Zane cut his eyes to Brody, who glowered at him across the limo.
Zane avoided Brody’s gaze, thankful his conversation with Meghann had silenced the man.
“Oh, Kara!” Meghann’s tone lilted up. “You mean the woman you were obsessed with the summer before you disappeared, only to resurface as a famous Christian rock star?”
That hadn’t been quite his experience, but he understood how it appeared to her. “Yes.”
“She works at Ruby’s. I think she’s a manager there.”
A burst of pride filled his chest that Kara was a step closer to her dream of owning a restaurant.
“Do you know where she lives?” Zane held his breath as he waited for the answer.
“Why would I? We’re not friends.”
His breath whooshed out in disappointment.
“Even more important, why do you want to know? Is there something going on between you and her?”
Zane stifled a groan. Why had he called his sister? She had been psychoanalyzing him long before she got her degree.
“Megs. Can you please find out and call me back? It’s urgent.”
“What—?”
“I promise to tell you everything as soon as I can.” After he figured out why Kara filing for divorce had put him in a tailspin.
The second Zane stopped talking, Brody scowled at him.
“Tell me about Kara. When did you get married and where has she been all this time?”
The leather seat of the limo creaked under Zane as he shifted, uncomfortable under Brody’s stern frown. He didn’t blame his friend for being angry.
“I met Kara the summer before I went on tour with Redeemed Melodies.” He braced himself as the memories washed over him. “You might say it was because of Kara I got the gig.”
They’d stolen away to marry. She’d claimed the trip to Silver Springs was their honeymoon.
“She wanted to sing karaoke and convinced me to join her onstage.”
Kara was a horrible singer, but her enthusiasm had the crowd cheering for her.
“None of us knew Peter Klein, the manager for Redeemed, was in the audience or that their opening act had been canceled because the members got food poisoning.”
“You were in the right place at the right time.”
“More like God orchestrated the fulfillment of my dream.”
Brody nodded to concede the point.
“Peter signed me to open for their summer tour. Kara was supposed to come with me, but the day before the bus left for Portsville, she got a call that her brother was ill and returned to Orange Valley. I haven’t seen her since.”
“How long has it been?”
“Five years.” Five interminable years that he filled with work and more work.
“Five years?” The words burst from Brody’s mouth. “And not once did you think this was something I needed to know?”
Zane hunched his shoulders. “There was never a good time to tell you.”
Besides, he’d spent the entire time trying to forget her.
“Why are we chasing after a woman you haven’t spoken to in five years?”
“She sent me divorce papers.”
“So?” Brody motioned. “Sign the papers and move on with your life. The last thing we need is for the press to uncover this.”
Zane was shaking his head before Brody finished his statement.
“Why not, man? It’s obvious she hasn’t gone to the press or your marriage would have made the news ages ago.”
“She wouldn’t do that.”
Kara was fiercely defensive of those she cared about. She’d taken on his dream of becoming a recording artist and made it her own. She’d been as ecstatic about his contract with Redeemed Melodies as he had.
“This doesn’t need to derail our plans. Sign the papers and we can work on your image by finding you a wife.” Brody gave him a disgruntled look. “One you won’t keep hidden in the shadows.”
“No.”
“Why not?” Brody was almost shouting, his voice echoing in the limo’s interior. “It’s like you’re determined to destroy your career.”
He couldn’t explain what he didn’t understand. Zane could have divorced Kara at any point in the past five years, but he hadn’t.
He kept hoping she’d reach out to him. That she’d initiate contact and he could finally ask what had plagued him for five years. Why hadn’t she followed him to Portsville like she was supposed to?
Her Rock Star Husband (Sweet Haven Book 1)
Table of Contents
In the fight for family, forgiveness is the greatest gift.
Kara never imagined her whirlwind romance would end in heartbreak.
Five years after a misunderstanding tore her marriage apart, she’s raising her four-year-old daughter alone, haunted by the sting of rejection. Now that her husband, Zane—an up-and-coming Christian rock star—has returned to Orange Valley, Kara is determined to finalize their divorce and protect her daughter from the pain she’s endured. But Zane wants something else: a second chance.
Zane can’t believe he missed out on four years of his daughter’s life.
When he discovers an inbox full of unread emails, revealing that Kara had been sending updates about their child all along, he’s desperate to right his wrongs. But earning Kara’s forgiveness won’t be easy—especially when his manager is convinced the child isn’t his.
As past hurts resurface, Kara’s fear of rejection clashes with Zane’s determination to reclaim his family.
Just as they begin to rebuild trust, Zane’s commitments to his rising career threaten to pull him away again. With everything on the line—Zane’s demanding schedule, Kara’s resolve to protect her heart, and their daughter’s future—can they find the courage to fight for the family they could have been?
Her Rock Star Husband is a Christian contemporary romance novella with strong faith themes.
Released November 12, 2024!