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 couldn’t agree more,” I said.
Terry smiled, lightening the mood. “I still can’t believe Tristan Daltrey is sitting in my kitchen.”
I felt my face burning. I really wanted her mother to like me. Because I liked Emily. But once again, I reminded myself that messing around with Emily wasn’t an option. She deserved stability, and that wasn’t something I’d ever be able to give her.
I stood and took my plate over to the dishwasher, then returned to retrieve Emily’s. “I don’t want to intrude on your mother-daughter time. I saw you have a nice yard. It looks like a beautiful day out, and I brought a notebook with me. I’m gonna head out back and write some lyrics.” I looked over at Emily. “I trust you approve since that doesn’t include talking?”
Grinning, she nodded. “You’ve already far exceeded your speaking limit today.”
That afternoon, Emily and her mom went to get their nails done together.
While they were gone, I sat in the yard to clear my mind, unfortunately not feeling creative today. Not much songwriting got done, but it was still nice to sit in peace, ignoring the phone calls and texts that came in from the guys. I’d owe them a massive explanation when I got back to the bus tonight, but I needed this mental break, and that meant putting my phone on mute and silencing all notifications. I’d never realized how healthy unplugging was for the soul. The stress felt like it was melting away with each second I stayed away from my phone.
Later, I was back inside on the living room couch when Emily returned. I was surprised to find she was alone.
“Hey.” I stood. “Where’s your mom?”
“She had to go straight to her job.”
“Where does she work?”
“She works the dinner shift at a local diner, three to eleven. She wasn’t able to get tonight off.”
“Ah, I see.”
“We have a few hours, though. Are you hungry?”
“Yeah.” I nodded. “I could eat.”
Emily and I ended up ordering food to be delivered and had a relaxing meal outside on the back deck. After we ate, we went back inside and hung out in the living room. We had about an hour before we needed to call a car to return to the tour.
“I’m sure your mother gave you the third degree today,” I said, hoping I sounded casual.
“What makes you think that?”
“She had to have asked what the hell you were doing hanging out with me…”
Emily shrugged. “She wasn’t mad, but she did wonder if there was anything going on between us.”
My pulse began to race. “Did you tell her there wasn’t?”
“I did.” She stared into my eyes. “That’s the truth, right?”
“Right.” But as the seconds passed, I gave in to the urge to confess. “I need to be honest with you about something.”
She shifted in her seat. “Okay…”
“When you told your mother this morning that you trust me, that meant a lot. But I shouldn’t be fully trusted. Because I’ve been lying to you.”
Concern crossed her face. “About what?”
“I’ve lied in the past when I said I didn’t like you that way.” I let out a shaky breath. “I like you every way. Even the ways I shouldn’t. But I have no business crossing any lines with you, and I don’t intend to. As you already know, I’m a lot older, and my lifestyle is all wrong for you. So, basically…my intentions are pure, but my desires aren’t. I just thought you should know. Maybe you won’t trust me as much.”
She swallowed hard, her eyes falling to my lips. “Doesn’t sound like you trust yourself…”
“I definitely don’t fully trust myself around you anymore. Especially when you look at me the way you do sometimes…like you’re looking at me right now.”
She drew in a shaky breath. “You’ve never been with anyone as young as me?”
“I didn’t say that. But you’re not a one-night kind of girl. I like you, more than I’ve liked anyone in a very long time. I don’t want to mess with your heart. A girl like you needs someone nice to settle down with, not some self-absorbed asshole musician who’s always on the road and can’t even go anywhere without security. I don’t want that for you. I want better.”
Emily turned her nose up. “Well, lucky for you, I’m not interested in you romantically.” Her face was red as a beet. I couldn’t tell if she was lying or if I’d just made her really uncomfortable.
“Good.” I nodded. “Smart girl,” I added, barely audible. My eyes never left hers as we sat in silence, the soft hum of the furnace the only sound. The air felt charged with electricity, every moment and every breath amplified. Despite my applauding her supposed lack of interest in me, I wanted nothing more than to taste her lips right now. It was like nothing I’d just said mattered. Because if she’d been interested and willing, I would’ve kissed the hell out of her.