Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 86706 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 434(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86706 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 434(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
“Not everything is about you, Atticus,” Ronan said. “Anyway, we’re just adjourning. I need to go have a smoke.” He headed out.
“I’ll join you,” Atticus said, following him.
Relief washed over me that Atticus didn’t pry. I panicked for a second, worrying that Ronan was going to tell him everything, but maybe that would be easier than having to rehash it. He’d said Atticus had noticed my voice anyway. The less talking I did about the situation—and the less talking in general—the better.
A few minutes after they left, Atticus’s nephew, Kieran, walked in. “Do you have a second, Tristan?”
“Yeah. Sure. I’ve got a little time.”
Apparently, my room was a revolving door this morning.
Kieran was Atticus’s sister’s son. Atticus was like a dad to him, since Kieran’s father had passed away. Kieran had been traveling with us. He was just out of college and looking for an adventure before having to enter the workforce, so Atticus had suggested he join the crew for both the US and European legs of our tour. Even if Atticus didn’t say it, I knew he loved having family around.
“What’s up?” I sat on the edge of my bed.
“I wanted your advice on something.”
“What can I help you with?”
“Well, basically you’re a baller. Women are obsessed with you. And I want to know if you have any secrets or tips for me.”
I chuckled. “Is something prompting this conversation?”
“There’s a girl I like. But I don’t know if she’s into me, and I want to figure out what I could be doing to make myself more appealing. Like, I know women are into you because you’re a star and all that, but I figure you have a lot of experience and might be able to guide me as to how I should act to give myself the best chance.”
I cleared my throat. “Well, first of all, you shouldn’t be acting at all. There’s no better way to be than your authentic self. Anything else is going to get you nowhere fast, because it’s hard to keep up a façade for long.”
I’m one to talk lately.
“What if my authentic self is pretty damn boring?” he countered.
“I think most people find themselves boring. Because we live in our own shoes twenty-four-seven. We get sick of ourselves. You know? And we’re our own toughest critics. But there are a few things you can do that might help capture someone’s attention.”
He sat down. “I’m all ears…”
“Okay, first, you never want to let her see you sweat. If a girl thinks you’re too into her, that’s going to be a turnoff. So, as much as you might like someone, you have to ease up on the attention, at least at first.”
I chuckled to myself, thinking about my bus visit last night. Do as I say, not as I do.
“So how do you know how much attention to pay to someone you like?” he asked.
“Subtly show you’re interested without getting in her face too much or constantly talking her ear off. No calling or texting her too much. That kind of thing. Basically, baby steps. Ease into things.”
“Okay…good advice.” He rubbed his hands together. “What else?”
“While you should always be yourself, little enhancements won’t hurt. Make sure you smell good. A little of the right cologne goes a long way. A good smell can be an aphrodisiac.”
“I don’t wear cologne.”
“Never too late to start.”
He eyed my bottle of Armani cologne, then walked over to the bureau and sprayed some on himself.
“That’s just a minor thing. Not a deal breaker,” I continued. “But you’re gonna want to exude confidence, and smelling good helps—especially when making a move. If she senses you’re not sure of yourself, it’s going to give her pause and make her wonder if there’s a reason she should be thinking twice about you.”
“What if you can’t help seeming nervous to ask her out?”
I waved my hand. “Don’t overthink it. Just pull the trigger and accept the consequences, good or bad. You’re not gonna be any less nervous if you sit there and think about it.”
“Okay.” He nodded. “Anything else?”
“Yeah. Enjoy being young. You have so many opportunities ahead of you. And if this girl you like doesn’t pan out, you have a lot of time to meet someone even better, because time is on your side.”
“I guess that’s true. Thanks.”
I nodded. “Who’s the lucky girl?”
“It’s Emily. She works on the tour.” He smiled. “You know her?”
CHAPTER 8
EMILY
Kieran placed his napkin in his lap. Our waiter had just brought two orders of the spaghetti carbonara at an Italian restaurant about a mile from our hotel.
“So, are you excited about the stop in St. Louis?” he asked.
Kieran knew our next stop after Chicago was only about an hour from my small hometown of Shady Hills, Missouri. I always had mixed feelings when I went home. But seeing my mother would for sure be a highlight, despite the painful memories there.