Total pages in book: 160
Estimated words: 149137 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 746(@200wpm)___ 597(@250wpm)___ 497(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 149137 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 746(@200wpm)___ 597(@250wpm)___ 497(@300wpm)
There was something comforting about acceptance.
“You look beautiful. Mujer hermosa,” Hector said as he approached her. “Josh must be proud to have you at his side.”
But she wasn’t at his side. He was across the room, talking to some lovely woman who would likely be donating a ton of money to his charity. He smiled at the lady, though Kay knew that was his rich-donor smile and not the one he used when he was truly happy.
He was going to let her go. He was going to stand back and let them break, and there was nothing she could do. She wasn’t his love. It hurt her. It fucking broke her, but she wasn’t the woman who would heal Joshua Hunt. She was somewhere out there. Kayla prayed she was because Josh deserved her. That was love. Wanting more for someone even when she couldn’t be the one to give it.
Oh, how she wanted her dads. She wasn’t going to be stoic this time. That London flight was taking a big old stop in Santa Barbara, where she intended to cry on her dads’ shoulders and let them take care of her. Her dad would talk to her about love and life and try to give her sage advice. Her papa would make never-ending rounds of comfort food and swear to put the whammy on Josh the next time he went to see Miss Maybelle, his psychic. The dog would growl and try to lick her mouth. She would revel in their love. She would let them help her plan a future without Josh because they were her fathers and that was their job.
“Thank you for saying so.” She smiled Hector’s way, letting the grief she felt sink back into her subconscious. She had a job to do. There was time to pine for what she couldn’t have later. “I’m simply happy to be here. It was kind of you to open your home to us.”
To me, especially, because I’m bringing your house of cards down all around you, asshole.
Hector Morales was a stout man. With a barrel chest and strong limbs, he was somewhere between dad bod and fit, that odd place a lot of vain, almost middle-aged men fell. He took care of himself somewhat, but she could also tell he likely sampled his own product from time to time. There was something about his florid face that spoke of hard nights. “I adore Joshua. Such an amazing young man. I have admired him for years. I love the survivors.”
“Survivors?”
His skin flushed, but he didn’t miss a beat. “You know, Hollywood is a rough business and Josh rather grew up on screen. That’s not an easy task. He wasn’t as good in the beginning, but now he is the foremost of all the actors in America. I’m very proud of him.”
Awesome. He was proud the kid he’d forced into prostitution had made something of himself. It was funny, but when she looked at Hector, she could already see the bullet hole in between his brows. Boomer was getting so many tacos. “I am, too. You know I forgot to ask earlier, but exactly how did you meet Josh?”
A secret smile flashed on Morales’s face and then was gone in an instant. “I was always a fan, but then I was in Los Angeles and met his agent. Not the one he has now, but the one who got him his start in the business. I might have strong-armed my way into one of Joshua’s charity receptions. He had just started his children’s foundation. We met and struck up a friendship. We both have strong feelings about children. They must be protected. They are the future.”
He’d certainly built a business on their suffering. “I’m surprised you don’t have any children of your own.”
He waved that off. “I’ve spent the last several years working on building my business. I have only a few more professional issues to get out of the way and then I’ll be announcing my plans to marry.”
She’d heard nothing about a girlfriend. “Very nice. I’m sure you’ll throw an incredible wedding. Is your future fiancée here tonight?”
“She’s around, but she can be a bit shy,” he admitted. “She’s very involved in my business, you see. You would like her. I think you would find you have a lot in common. Perhaps I’ll introduce you if all goes well and I can tempt her out.”
More information for the Agency. “I would love to meet her.”
Morales nodded as the band started playing. “Excuse me, dear. I have a full dance card. Please enjoy yourself.”
She thanked him and watched as he walked up to a woman she thought she recognized from a telenovela. The woman was lovely and older than she would have suspected Hector liked his women, but then she wouldn’t have thought he would marry a business associate either.