Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 68247 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 341(@200wpm)___ 273(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68247 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 341(@200wpm)___ 273(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
She’d tried to put him out of her mind, not all that successfully. Now this band breakup notice stared back at her from the screen. Her finger hovered over the keyboard before she finally gave in and opened the e-mail alert and read the article in its entirety.
Grey Kingston has been sighted in and around Miami and South Beach over the last week while bassist Danny Bills has been settling into LA, adding fuel to the rumors that the band is going their separate ways.
So Grey was back in Miami and had been for a week. So much for his promise to contact her when he returned to town, she thought, her chest tightening not with her familiar anxiety but with true pain.
Though she knew she shouldn’t be all that surprised. It was just another letdown by another important man in her life. This one had once stolen her heart. Only recently had she come to realize she’d never truly gotten it back.
“Hey.” Ella, her roommate and best friend, stood in the doorway of Avery’s bedroom.
Avery pushed her chair back and forced a smile. She’d met Ella Shaw when they were both at Miami Children’s Hospital, donating bone marrow. Avery was nine; Ella had just turned ten. They’d bonded, shared summer and holiday visits, and claimed each other as best friends. When Avery’s sister, Olivia, had moved out and married Dylan Rhodes, Ella had moved in.
“You okay?” Ella asked.
“I am awesome,” Avery said, turning her back on the screen and alert, grateful a photo of Grey hadn’t accompanied the message. She didn’t need to see his handsome face on her screen. Bad enough he occupied so much of her thoughts.
Ella plopped down on Avery’s bed, curling her legs beneath her. Her damp, light-brown hair hung around her face in silky strands. “And I don’t believe you.” She pinned Avery with a knowing stare.
“Okay, I’m not awesome.” Avery had never been able to lie to Ella, not since the day they’d met.
On top of Avery being easy to read, Ella had an intuitive sense, in addition to her warm, giving personality, and Avery adored her. Meeting Ella was one of the good things that had come of that painful time in Avery’s life.
“I’m guessing Grey Kingston has something to do with you being distracted and not awesome?” Ella asked, making air quotes with her fingers.
Avery pursed her lips and nodded.
Though she hadn’t told her family what had happened when she’d gone to see Grey backstage, it was obvious to them all she’d been upset and not herself afterward. But she had confided in Ella. It wasn’t that Avery didn’t want to tell her sister, but the time had never been right. Olivia’s life had been in upheaval. First, Dylan’s old friend Meg had been in the hospital, and they’d been busy with her troubles. Afterward, Olivia’s life had fallen into place. She and Dylan were in love, and Avery hadn’t wanted to burden her sister with her own issues.
“Still no word from him?” Ella asked, bringing Avery back to thinking about Grey.
“No. And I shouldn’t care. I mean, I’m the one who told him to stop texting me and to focus on his tour.” Avery settled herself on the edge of her bed.
“And you only told him to leave you alone because you’re scared to start something with him again. Besides, it’s not like he listened to you.” She gestured to one of the many gifts he’d sent . . . and she’d placed around her room.
“But he did say he’d be in touch the next time he was in Miami.” Avery picked at a nonexistent piece of lint on her silk pants.
“And?” Ella pushed, never allowing Avery to escape into herself as she was prone to do.
She swallowed over the surprisingly painful lump in her throat. “I just read he’s been back in town for the last week or so.”
“And he still hasn’t been in touch.”
“No. And I shouldn’t care! I don’t want to care.”
“But you do.” Ella patted the space beside her.
Avery crawled up the mattress and curled against her pillows. “I’m being ridiculous. I should be relieved he’s forgotten about me. I saw him with those groupies, and I ran from everything his lifestyle represents, didn’t I?”
“You did,” Ella agreed.
“So why do I care that he decided I’m not worth it?”
“That’s not what he decided!” Ella exclaimed, shaking her head in frustration. “If I could wrap my hands around your father’s neck for all the insecurities he caused you, I would.”
Insecurities was probably an understatement, Avery thought. And truly, only her sister, mother, and brothers could completely relate to the belittlement they’d felt on discovering their father’s betrayal. They’d always believed their hotel magnate father, Robert Dare, was away from home, traveling extensively on business. And he’d always made up for what he didn’t provide in time and presence with gifts.