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)
At that moment, the limo stops, and the door is opened. Everyone edges out, leaving Gage and me for last. I take a moment to calm myself before we get out and then put my arm through his, willing myself to make it through the night.
The rest of the evening goes smoothly. The guys win in almost every category they were nominated in, and their performance is on point. They’re so talented, and despite how much Braxton’s hurt me, I’m so proud of them. They’ve followed their passion, and it’s paid off. The guys are all smiles when they return to their seats after performing, and everyone around them congratulates them while I sit in my seat watching, feeling like an outsider as my thoughts go back to six years ago, before everything went to shit.
“Condo or mansion?”
I roll my eyes. “A regular-sized house.”
Braxton rolls onto his back, annoyed that I’m not playing along. “Mercedes or BMW?”
“I don’t know.” I laugh. “Something to tow our three kids around in.”
“You want three kids?” he asks, propping himself up on his hand and elbow.
“Yeah, I’m thinking two boys and a girl. The girl last so her brothers can protect her.”
“I like that. A little girl with blond hair and gray eyes like you.” He runs his fingers through my hair that’s splayed out around me. We’re lying on a blanket in the grass in the middle of Central Park. Today was senior skip day, but instead of going to the beach with everyone else, I packed us a picnic basket and took Braxton out on a surprise date.
“Beach house or ski cabin?”
I shake my head and push his chest playfully. “It doesn’t matter as long as I’m with you. I don’t care about what car I drive, or how big our house is, or where we vacation. I just want to be happy and be loved by you.”
“And you are,” he says, touching our tattoos together. “Forever. But our band is going to blow up, and when we do, I’m going to make sure you have everything you could ever want.”
“Just you,” I insist. “I just want you and me...and a home,” I add at the last second. “I want us to have a home that’s filled with love.”
Braxton nods in understanding, knowing how much I feel like an outsider in my own home, like I don’t belong there.
“We’ll have that,” he promises. “And more. It’s going to be fucking awesome. The guys and I will record our album, and then when it blows up, we’ll go on tour. You’ll come sometimes, right? Join me in different states.”
The solemn look in his eyes tells me that even though he’s been playing around, he’s also serious, so instead of rolling my eyes or laughing, I go along with it. “I will. When I don’t have classes, I’ll join you.”
This makes him smile. “I can’t wait.” He rolls onto his back again and tucks his arms under his head, staring up at the sky. “I was watching the Billboards the other night, and I just kept thinking, one day that’ll be us. The guys and I will be on that stage accepting our award, and you’ll be in the audience, cheering me on. And then...” He jumps up and hovers over me, his strong arms caging me in, not caring that we’re in a public place. “I’m gonna steal that award and put it next to us in bed while I make love to you in our expensive-ass suite that we’ll be able to afford because we’ll be rich.”
I can’t help but laugh at the picture he’s painted. “I can’t wait,” I tell him. “I’ve always wanted to have sex with a Billboard Award.”
I’ve made sure to watch every award show they’ve attended, and even though Braxton isn’t aware and wouldn’t care, I was cheering him on from wherever I was—so damn proud of him for accomplishing his dreams—and wishing I were there with him, wanting the life we talked about and hating myself for being the reason we’d never have it.
After the award show is over, the guys are interviewed, and then we head to the after-party. Gage finds some guys he knows and takes off somewhere I’m sure to get high—or in his case, keep it going. Not wanting to play the third wheel with Camden and Layla, I head out to the back of the monstrous mansion to check out the pool.
I’m turning the corner when I run straight into Sam York.
“Shit, I’m so—” His words are cut off when he realizes it’s me. “Well, well, well, if it isn’t my cock tease ex-publicist.” He smirks, eyeing me up and down. When his eyes meet mine, I can see he’s already blitzed out. The guy could seriously put Gage’s drug problem to shame.