Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 73930 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 370(@200wpm)___ 296(@250wpm)___ 246(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73930 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 370(@200wpm)___ 296(@250wpm)___ 246(@300wpm)
Trevor’s room. Duke’s house.
The day of my first public performance as a musician.
The butterflies in my belly all wake up at the same time and start fluttering around.
I’m happy, but also nervous, and all of the unsettled feelings of yesterday come rushing back too. It was kind of Duke to invite me to stay here, but I can’t stay long. Today, however, my priority needs to be about getting ready for the show. I’ll worry about everything else tomorrow.
There are indentations on the pillows on either side of me. Garrett and Trevor were here when I fell asleep, but how long did they stay, and what time is it? In my old room, I could judge the hour by the light coming in through the window, but I have no way to gauge that here, and it’s disorienting.
I don’t see anyone on my way to the bathroom or when I come out. Some of the bags with my clothes are in the guest room, the room that’s “mine” while I’m staying here, even though I didn’t sleep in it.
I pull out some wrinkly sweats and a t-shirt, and while I’m at it, search through the bags for something suitable to wear tonight. My guitar, of course, was what hurt the most, but I’m so pissed off at Lindsey for destroying my new clothes and trying to ruin this special night for me. All because Trevor and Adrian are hanging out with me and didn’t want to sleep with her? I’d known she could be petty, but she truly sank to new depths.
I finally find signs of life down in the kitchen, and when I get there it’s almost nine-thirty. Duke isn’t there, but the other three men are quietly talking while they drink their coffee. When they see me, they offer warm smiles and greetings.
“I wondered where you both went,” I tell Trevor and Garrett. “Why didn’t you wake me up when you got up?”
“We thought you needed more rest,” Garrett says.
“Oh. Well, thanks, but it would have been nice to wake up with you.”
“I’m not sure I could have trusted myself to stay in bed with you this morning,” Trevor says, arching a brow.
Adrian silently gestures an offer of coffee, and I nod my head before turning back to Trevor. “What does that mean?”
“Sometimes I wake up with wood. It might have been hard to control myself if you were awake in bed next to me.”
“Oh.” My eyes go wide, but I’m saved from having to respond by Adrian delivering the cup of coffee.
“Milk or sugar?” he asks.
“Lots of both, please.” The truth is that I don’t think I would have minded if Trevor had a hard time controlling himself. His finger has been inside me, after all. Going to the next stage doesn’t seem like that big of a step anymore, and maybe I’ve been making too big a deal of it. Or maybe those are rationalizations to justify the fact that I’m very, very tempted.
“Besides getting your car, what else do you need to get done today?” Garrett asks.
“Do you need to buy new clothes for tonight?” Adrian asks.
“No, I found something to wear.” What I don’t mention to them is that I would actually like to buy a new outfit for tonight, but I don’t want to spend money I don’t have, and I’m already indebted to Duke for the new guitar.
“Is there anything we can help with?” Trevor asks as I take the first sip of my creamy coffee.
“I don’t think so. You’re already helped so much. Today, I just need to find my music and spend time practicing. Would I be disturbing anyone if I played the guitar in my room?”
Adrian and Trevor shake their heads. “You can play wherever you’re comfortable,” Adrian says.
“What time is your show?” Trevor asks.
“Eight, and you don’t have to go.”
“Don’t be stupid,” he says, grinning at me and making a funny face.
Adrian had been leaning against the counter, but he straightens. “First you need to start your day with a good meal.” He lists several options, and I opt for the one that sounds the easiest, Greek yogurt and granola, because I don’t want him to feel like he has to cook for me.
“Is it all right if I get a shower?” Garrett asks.
“Yeah, I’ll get you a towel,” Trevor says.
The two of them head back upstairs, while Adrian gets out the breakfast items for me. “I was looking online for videos of you playing,” he says as he watches me spoon yogurt into the bowl he provided. “I couldn’t find anything anywhere. Do you go by a different name?”
I duck my head and grimace. “No, I’ve never posted anything.”
“What? You don’t have a channel or even a profile for your musical career?”
“Musical career?” I have to laugh at how he makes it sound like I’m famous.