Total pages in book: 42
Estimated words: 38445 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 192(@200wpm)___ 154(@250wpm)___ 128(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 38445 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 192(@200wpm)___ 154(@250wpm)___ 128(@300wpm)
He says the most outrageous stuff to her. Most people would probably find it kind of cringe to know that their dad is completely obsessed with their mom, but I think it's adorable. Especially considering that they're country music superstars. Everyone knows my parents, Cami and Bentley Reynolds, by name. And everyone knows my dad is head over heels in love with my mom. He's never made a secret of the fact that he's crazy about her.
When I fall in love, I want the same thing. But I have no intention of falling anytime soon…which is precisely why I'm in Clearwater, Oregon. I'm tired of the whole world linking me with every man who crosses my path.
It's exhausting!
Just because I followed in my mom and dad's footsteps and signed a record deal right out of high school doesn't mean that I don't deserve a little privacy. But I can't even smile at a stranger on the street these days without someone splashing photos across the internet and declaring him my boyfriend. It's ridiculous, considering that I've never even been on a date! I've always been too afraid to date because the whole freaking world goes crazy every time I even say hi to a man.
So when my band finished our tour a few weeks ago, I asked my brother, Noah, to find me somewhere to hide out, far removed from the country music scene. He found Clearwater. It's perfect.
I've been here for a week and I'm already in love. The best part is that no one has recognized me yet. I'm not a rising country music star. I'm not Cami and Bentley's daughter. I'm just Sutton Reynolds, the new girl in town. Granted, I haven't ventured out much, but still. It's nice to be normal for once.
I intend to keep it that way for as long as humanly possible. Which means I need to learn to control my runaway mouth and avoid the hot, cranky plumber in my kitchen. I can't afford to get close to him when I can't even tell him who I am.
As soon as I do that, the paparazzi will descend, and my vacation turns into a nightmare. No, thank you. Been there, done that. You'd think I'd be used to it by now, but you never really get used to being followed around by nosy people with cameras. I thought I knew what I was getting myself into because they've always been part of my life…but it's different now that I'm a musician too. Without my mom and dad to protect me, it's a lot worse than it was when we were growing up.
They're freaking vultures! I live in fear of doing the wrong thing and ending up spread across the gossip pages, having my story told by people who don't even know it. That's what they've been doing so far. Just making it up. Saying what they want. None of it is even true, but half the world feels like they know me, and none of what they know is even accurate because it's based on lies someone else told about me. It's so frustrating!
"Woof," Koda says, nudging me with his fluffy little head.
"I hear you, buddy." I snuggle him against my chest, trying to keep him close so he doesn't cause problems in the kitchen. Knowing him, he'll be all up in Caleb's business if I let him go. He's a nosy little hellion.
A few minutes later, Caleb stomps out of the kitchen. "You need new pipes in the kitchen, Sunshine. They're rusted. But that's not where the water is coming from. Where's the crawlspace?"
"Closet." I point to it. This is the strangest house. I've never seen a crawlspace access inside before, but for some reason, this one has one.
He jerks his chin in a nod and heads that way, dragging the closet door open. A few seconds later, I hear a thump when he lifts the crawlspace door.
"Fuck me," he mutters. "You have a swimming pool under your house, baby."
I hop up from the couch and scurry over to look. I peer down into the hole, my stomach sinking. Water stands a good ten or twelve inches high.
"Oh my gosh," I whisper. "That's so much water."
"You haven't noticed water running out from under the house?"
I shake my head, dismayed. "No. I just moved in a week ago. Everything has been fine. The inspector said everything was fine, too."
"Yeah, well, it's not fine, Sunshine. That's a major fucking problem," Caleb growls, his lips compressed into a grim line. "I need to get down there and figure out where the problem is before it gets any higher."
"What can I do?" I ask, trying to contain Koda as he tries to jump from me to Caleb.
"Nothing, baby. Just hang tight and let me figure out what the problem is, and then we'll sort it out."