Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 57804 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 289(@200wpm)___ 231(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57804 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 289(@200wpm)___ 231(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
“Are you busy? I really need to talk to you,” I asked as I glanced behind me at the ranch house, making sure no one was around me.
“No, the guys are working. What’s up? Are you okay?” Emery replied, sounding concerned.
“I… don’t know,” I answered honestly. I was surrounded by charming, hot musicians, but I was starting to feel something more than what I should feel for them. “I’m back in Chalice Falls.”
“Wow, I thought you’d never go back there. Why are you there?” Emery asked.
“My label sent me here to work with a local band on a song. Ryder’s band,” I replied, being greeted with silence for a few moments.
“Are you serious? Like… the Ryder?” Emery gasped out.
“Yep, it’s him,” I sighed.
“Are you back together? Why did he leave you all those years ago?” Emery rolled off question after question.
I knew that she was expecting different answers than what I was going to tell her, but I was going to be honest because I needed her honest opinion on what I needed to do next.
“He has a girlfriend. He only left because he was afraid that I would turn down the label and stay in Chalice Falls for him,” I told her. “He cared that much.”
Emery released a long breath.
“That’s… a lot. From what you’ve told me, it’s obvious that he cared about you a lot. It just sucks he moved on,” she said.
I closed my eyes and shook my head.
“I want him to be happy, even if it kills me to know that he’s with someone else,” I murmured quietly. Those words felt like glass shards moving up my throat, but they were true. I wanted him to be happy no matter what.
“Are you guys at least getting along?” Emery asked.
“We almost kissed one night,” I admitted. “But he’s taken. There’s just so much tension, though, and my feelings for him aren’t even the only problem that I’m dealing with.”
“Really? What else is going on?” Emery replied, surprise lacing her tone.
“It’s the other band members. I’ve been getting to know them, and I don’t know… I think I’m starting to grow feelings for them. Deep feelings,” I told her as I turned to peer at the ranch house. I already wanted to be back with all of them, drinking a cold beer and watching some sort of comedic movie on the television. Even the little things hit me hard.
Emery laughed softly, but it wasn’t in a mocking manner. It was an understanding one.
“Well, I know all about falling in love with more than one man,” she told me. “The best advice that I can give you is to lean into your feelings. See where they take you and don’t overthink it too much. You’ll just stress yourself out.”
“I can’t be with all of them, right? That’s crazy. I don’t even know if they like me like that. Maybe they just like the sex,” I sighed as I pinched the bridge of my nose, my head aching as my thoughts spiraled once again.
The possibility that they all liked me was small, and even if they did, I doubted that they would be fine sharing me. It worked out in Emery’s case, but that had to be a one in a million chance. I couldn’t count on that happening for me, especially since one of them was taken.
That was a hard pill for me to swallow.
And even if he was single, could I trust him enough to be with him? What if he took it upon himself to make another relationship-ending decision without me again? I couldn’t have my heart shattered like that again, even if he only did it with my best interest in mind.
“I know it’s confusing, but do they make you happy? Has being with them taken your mind off that asshole producer?” Emery asked.
I didn’t even have to think about my answer.
“They’ve made me really happy,” I replied. “They actually make this place feel like a home, and I never thought that I’d find myself saying that.”
“Enjoy it. Maybe things will work out with all of them, or maybe they won’t, but at least you had the experience, right?” Emery told me.
I lowered my hand from my face as I took in her words. They made sense, especially coming from someone who had been in my position before. She fell in love with four guys, and they all ended up loving her back. That either worked out for me or it didn’t. I wouldn’t force anyone to love me or share me if they weren’t comfortable with it.
“Yeah, I’ll see what happens. The song is almost finished, so I’ll have to make a decision. Whatever that decision is.”
I muttered the last part. I didn’t even know what I would choose between. I doubted that they cared enough to want me to stay, and how could I stay in the place that I’d worked so hard to escape from?