Total pages in book: 198
Estimated words: 186242 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 931(@200wpm)___ 745(@250wpm)___ 621(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 186242 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 931(@200wpm)___ 745(@250wpm)___ 621(@300wpm)
I opened my mouth to tell them I’d explain in the car, even as a dull ache of shame filled my chest, but Rhodes beat me to it.
“Your ex’s name is Kaden?” he asked slowly, way too slowly. “Kaden . . . Jones?”
And before I could answer that, Amos’s mouth pressed together so tight, his lips went white and his eyebrows dropped into a confused and either hurt or angry expression.
Fucking hell. This was my fault, and yes, I could blame Simone and Arthur, but at the end of the day, it was my fault for putting Rhodes and Am into this position. There was nothing to do but tell them the truth. “Yeah. That’s him,” I answered weakly, that same wave of shame flowing over me.
Just one of the biggest fucking country artists of the decade.
Thanks to me partly.
“Your ex is the country guy on the insurance commercials? The one with the song for Thursday Night Football?” Rhodes asked in that ultra-serious voice I hadn’t heard in forever.
“You said . . .” Am started to say before shaking his head, his throat and cheeks turning pink.
I had no idea if he was mad or hurt, maybe it was both, and I suddenly felt terrible. Worse, honestly, than a year and a half ago when life as I’d known it had gotten pulled out from under me. Fisting my hands, I tried to get my thoughts together. “Yes, that’s him. I didn’t want to tell you who he was because—”
“You said you were married,” Amos muttered. “I know he’s not because Jackie used to talk about him all the time.”
“We were, technically. Common-law marriage. I could’ve taken him for half his things, I have the proof. I went to a lawyer. I had a case, but . . .”
It was Rhodes who opened his mouth and shook his head, the tendon along his neck rising out of nowhere. “You lied to us?”
“I didn’t lie to you!” I whispered. “I just . . . didn’t tell you. What was I supposed to say? ‘Hey, strangers, guess what? I wasted fourteen years of my life with one of the most famous people in the country? I wrote all of his music and let him take credit for it because I was dumb and naïve? He dumped me because his mom didn’t think I was good enough? Because he didn’t love me enough?’” That familiar shame seemed to squeeze down on my chest.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Simone and Arthur begin inching away with an “I’m sorry” that I didn’t care enough about to acknowledge.
“You wrote his music too?” Am genuinely whispered, using that same voice I hadn’t heard since the first time we’d met and his dad had busted us and his plan. “And didn’t tell me?”
“Yeah, Am, I did. That’s why they paid me off. I told you both I got money from our split. I just never told either of you his name . . . I was embarrassed.”
The teenager set his jaw. “You don’t think we deserved to know?”
I glanced at Rhodes and felt my heartbeat over my neck and face. “I was going to tell you at some point, but it just . . . I wanted you to like me for me. For who I am.”
He shook his head slowly, eyebrows knitting together. “You didn’t think it was important that you were married to some rich, famous guy? That you made us think you were some sad, divorced woman who had to start all over again?”
Anger and hurt suddenly punched me right in the chest. “I was sad, and I was technically divorced. He used to call me his wife in private. Around very close friends. He didn’t legally marry me because it would ruin his image. Because single men sold more records than married ones. And I did have nothing. The money doesn’t mean shit to me. Besides your Christmas presents and a little money here and there I’ve spent on things and other people, I haven’t spent it on anything. And I did have to start all over again, like I told you. He came home, said it was over, and the next day, his lawyer sent me a notice to leave the house. Everything was under his name. I had to move in with Yuki for a month before I had the strength to go back to Florida,” I explained, shaking my head. “All I left with were the same things I brought here.”
Rhodes lifted his head toward the sky and shook it. He was pissed. Which, fine, okay, if he had dated . . . Yuki, I would want to know. But I hadn’t lied. And I’d just been trying to protect what little pride I had left. Was that so wrong?