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)
I chuckled. “I don’t know if that would’ve happened if my parents had still been married. My father had firm roots in Iowa and wouldn’t have been okay with just leaving.”
“Where are your parents now?”
“They’re both back in Spirit Lake, the town where I grew up. When my career took off, and I was old enough to be on my own, my mother moved back home. My dad ended up having two more kids with his new wife. So I have a half-brother and half-sister.”
“Are you close with them?”
“I wish I could tell you yes. We’re cordial, but not too close. That’s partially because they were so young when I left home. I never really got a chance to know them. I visit them at holidays and stuff.”
“Wow. You really left everything behind, then.”
Everything.
And everything at that time had a name.
Cheyenne.
Thoughts of her invaded my mind. Back then, she was the one thing I’d left behind that mattered, the only thing I knew I’d miss.
Cheyenne would most definitely be a story for another day. But Emily wasn’t the only one who had regrets about their first love.
CHAPTER 13
EMILY
My phone rang while I was out running an errand during our stop in St. Louis.
When I saw it was my friend Leah from home, I picked up.
“The hiccup heard around the world…” were the first words out of her mouth.
“Where did you see that?” I asked.
“Are you kidding? It’s all over the Internet.”
Great. I’d been so busy that I hadn’t gone online much lately. But I should’ve known someone had captured that and posted it.
“I can’t believe he called you to the stage. That’s so cool.”
“Actually, I wish he hadn’t.”
“I would die if that man so much as walked by me, let alone brought me up onstage with him. I mean, I’m not Stacia with her freaking jar of hair, but Jesus...”
“I’m not starstruck when it comes to him.” Only mildly obsessed. I cleared my throat. “Tristan and I have actually gotten to know each other.”
“Are you serious? I guess I assumed you didn’t have that much contact with the band. You’ve been holding out on me.”
Not wanting to get into it, I downplayed things. “There’s not much to tell. The nature of my job means I interact with him from time to time. We’ve talked a bit. That’s all.”
Talked a bit. We’d had intimate conversations, I’d told him most of my secrets, and I felt like he could see through my soul. Talked a bit, yeah.
“What have you talked about?”
“All sorts of things. Life. He’s not as egotistical as you’d think someone with his level of fame might be. He said he appreciates me because I never treat him any differently because he’s famous.”
“Well, that’s cool. It would be disappointing to find out he’s an asshole.”
“He’s definitely not.”
“What about the other guys? Atticus and Ronan are so freaking hot. I swear, the three of them together…”
“I don’t really know them as much. Atticus and Ronan are the wild ones. They like to party more than Tristan. They work hard but play harder.”
“They’re a little younger than Tristan, right?”
“Yeah. Tristan is almost thirty-eight. Atticus and Ronan are in their early thirties, I believe.”
“What about the other guy?”
“The keyboardist? That’s Melvin. He’s nice but not really part of their close circle. Anders is the original one, but he’s in rehab, and they don’t know when he’s coming back.”
“They must get a ton of girls, huh?”
“They do,” I agreed, ignoring the knot in my stomach.
“Can’t say I blame them. I’d be dangerous in their shoes if I had a dick,” she joked.
“Wouldn’t we all.” I chuckled.
“I’m sorry I won’t get a chance to see you while you’re in town,” she said. “I can’t believe I’m away visiting Chase while you’ll be in Shady Hills.”
Leah had recently met a guy from out of state. But it worked out just as well that she wouldn’t be home while I was in town. I wouldn’t have much time to hang out with her since I mainly wanted to spend time with my mother.
“No worries. Enjoy your time with Chase.” I paused. “Anyway, I have to run. I’ve got to get down to the arena.”
“Wait, before you hang up. Do you mind if I repost the hiccupping video on social media and say you’re my friend?”
I rolled my eyes. “Go for it.”
Leah giggled. “It’ll be my fifteen seconds of fame.”
“Glad to help.”
***
Despite his better vocals at the last show in Chicago, the raspiness I’d noticed when Tristan wasn’t having a good night came back for the St. Louis performance this evening. It made me sad for him, especially since he’d thought he’d been turning a corner by resting his voice during the day. There was a second show planned here tomorrow night, so he wouldn’t even have a full day to rest it this time.