Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 78016 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78016 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Instead of going back to my room, I make my way downstairs, needing to get some air. I’m not really dressed for the Strip, but it doesn’t matter. Nobody will be paying attention to me anyway.
I step outside, and the pungent smell of smoke combined with the sound of loud music assaults my senses. I’m halfway down the sidewalk when I hear my name being called. I turn around and find Declan walking over to me.
“Hey, did you need something?”
He shakes his head. “Nah. I was having a drink at the bar and saw you. Thought I’d join you.”
We walk alongside each other for a few minutes before he finally speaks. “He still loves you.”
“He hates me.”
We keep walking until we’re in front of the famous Bellagio fountains. It’s in the middle of a show, so we stop and watch it in silence.
“He hates what you did,” Declan says softly but loud enough for me to hear over the show. “But he doesn’t hate you. Maybe you can fix it. It’s been six years. You made one bad choice, but you can make things right. I can see it in your eyes that you still love him.”
I smile sadly at Declan. He’s always been such a romantic. Every song he writes is sweet, filled with hearts and flowers. He doesn’t discuss his home life often, but I know it’s not a good one. Yet he still believes in love and happily ever afters.
“It’s too late,” I tell him truthfully. “I hurt him too badly.”
“I don’t believe that,” Declan says, pulling me into his side and kissing my temple. “It’s never too late for love.”
My alarm sounds promptly at seven o’clock, and I seriously consider turning it off, covering my head with my blanket, and remaining in bed. But I can’t do that because the guys have an interview this morning for a local radio station, then a soundcheck afterward, and a concert tonight, followed by a meet and greet the local radio station is hosting as a contest on their social media.
After taking a shower, blow-drying my blond hair straight, and getting dressed in a pair of black dress slacks and a blouse that’s just as black—because these days my life feels equivalent to attending my own funeral—dramatic, much? Maybe—I head over to the guys’ room. I have a key card, but I knock first before I enter.
I’m expecting the place to look like a porn studio—no, I’ve never seen one, but I can imagine—with naked bodies strewn about, but the place is clean. Since the suite has several bedrooms, I go to the first door I see and knock. Camden opens the door—fully dressed. “Morning.”
“Morning. We have to get going to the radio station.”
“All right, thanks,” he says with a slight frown marring his features.
“You okay?”
“Yeah, just missing the hell out of Layla and Felix.”
My heart swells, loving that my best friend found such an amazing man. After everything she’s been through, she deserves nothing less. “When are they meeting up with us again?”
“Back here, next week, for the Billboards, but only Layla. Felix is staying with her mom.”
I forgot about the upcoming award show. While the guys and I will be coming back here for the award show, Jill and the rest of the team will be heading to San Jose. After the show, we’ll be flying to meet up with them at the next tour stop. “Not too far off.”
“We agreed we wouldn’t go too long without seeing each other.” He shrugs. “They’re meeting us in Tampa after that. We’re going to take Felix to the theme parks there and in Orlando.”
“And that will lead up to the Fourth of July.” The guys took the week off for the holiday. I have no idea what I’ll be doing. Layla invited me to join them, but I’m not in the mood to play the third wheel to their love fest. The problem is, I’m kind of homeless until I find a place to live once we get back from the tour. Maybe I’ll rent a cheap room somewhere and spend the week relaxing. It’s been a while since I’ve done that.
“I can’t wait,” Camden says, a real smile stretching across his face. “The last leg of the trip will suck. Two weeks without seeing them, but then we’ll be home.”
“It’ll fly by,” I tell him, praying I’m right because we’re only on day five of the tour, and it feels like it’s going to last a lifetime.
“Morning,” Declan says, coming out of the room he must’ve shared with Camden and kissing my cheek. “Did you give any thought to what we talked about last night?”
I actually did think about it for hours until I finally fell asleep. I considered what he said—that deep down through the hurt, Braxton still loves me and I, him—and I’ve decided I’m going to talk to him about it when we have time. I’m not expecting us to be together again. I’m not Declan with his rose-colored glasses, but I do think if we talk—something we never got a chance to do—maybe we can find common ground and be friends... or at least be friendly with one another.