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)
Not one part of the man’s statement was true. Grey’s head throbbed, and the desire to rip Simon’s head off for what he’d said about Avery was strong, but so was his sense of self-preservation. A lawsuit was the last thing he needed, and Simon wouldn’t hesitate to cause him trouble if he could.
“Get. Out,” Grey said, his jaw clenched as hard as his fists at his sides. To emphasize his point, he headed out of the kitchen and into the living area and straight for the front door.
Simon’s heavy footsteps followed. He picked up his jacket, his movements jerky, his anger palpable. “You wouldn’t be anywhere if it weren’t for me, Kingston. And you won’t get anywhere either.”
“My life, my choice,” Grey reminded the other man.
“A choice you’ll regret,” Simon said before storming out, passing Lola on the way.
“Simon?” she called after him.
“Let him go, Lo,” Grey said.
Lola stepped inside, and he shut the door behind her. She had bags in her hands, and he grabbed them from her, and they made their way to the kitchen. “What was that all about?” she asked.
“I fired him, and it was a long time coming,” he muttered. “If he works for you, that’s great, but as far as I’m concerned, he’s a pain in the ass. He doesn’t care what I want. He blames me for the band breaking up, and worse, he blames Avery. He’s rude and insufferable, and I’ve had enough.”
Lola stepped up and hugged him tight. “I get it,” she said before easing back.
“He never lost his shit when you got together with Rep. What the hell is his problem?”
“You’re his golden boy. Where you go, we go, and he knows it.”
Grey shook his head. “You’re keeping him around, right?”
Lola met his gaze. “If he can’t stand by you or a relationship that makes you happy, then no. I’m through with him too.”
Grey blinked, stunned at her statement and loyalty. “You don’t need to go that far.”
“I do. If he’s capable of acting that way with you, who’s to say he won’t turn on me next? I always told you, even if we’re not together professionally, we make a good team. I trust your judgment, Grey. In all things.”
His throat grew tight. He was fully aware that this was her way of apologizing for how she’d treated Avery. “She’s important to me,” he said.
Lola nodded. “I know. And I want you to tell me why. Over dumplings and Chinese food,” she said, turning to the bags she’d brought.
Grey grinned as she began to place the containers on his kitchen table, making herself at home. She bounced around his kitchen in her tight leather pants and cropped top, chatting away about Rep’s recent hamstring injury. After dealing with pain-in-the-ass Simon, she was a breath of fresh air, and he was glad she’d showed up when she had.
A little while later, his mouth burning from the spicy food, his stomach full, Lola met his gaze across the table.
“I have a question.”
He cocked an eyebrow. “Shoot.” They’d always been honest with each other, and he wasn’t about to stop the flow now.
Lola leaned forward, elbows on the table, empty Chinese food boxes surrounding them. “Why Avery? I mean, let’s face it. You had more than your share of women over the years, right? What is it about her that makes you want to give up everything and settle down?”
Grey eyed her, wondering who she was really talking about here. “Is this more about you and Rep than me and Avery?”
“What do you mean?”
He shrugged. “I could ask you the same thing.”
She ducked her head, then said, “Okay, fine. I know how I feel about him, but when I think about forever, I wonder how you know. I mean, I do, but I kinda want to hear what you think too.”
He nodded. “First, I have to say she’s not making me want to give up everything. Or anything. The need to come home, to settle down, quit traveling . . . that’s all me. Without Avery, I’d be here. Although I admit, probably not as happily.”
Lola laughed. “Okay, that helps to know. I mean, I wouldn’t want you to give up a life you loved because the woman in your life couldn’t handle it.”
Grey rubbed his chest at her mention of Avery not being able to deal. “I’m not going to lie and say I’m not worried about that end of it. I’ll always be Grey Kingston from Tangled Royal. If things don’t settle around me, I have to hope she can get past her issues.”
“One thing at a time. Answer the why, and we’ll talk about making it work.” Lola began stacking the food boxes, one inside the other.
Grey breathed out hard. “That’s the easy thing to answer. From the day we met, she saw me. My father saw a disappointment, my mother . . . she had to love me,” he said wryly. “It was always tough to make friends because I’d rather be playing my guitar than be with people.”