Total pages in book: 155
Estimated words: 144435 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 722(@200wpm)___ 578(@250wpm)___ 481(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 144435 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 722(@200wpm)___ 578(@250wpm)___ 481(@300wpm)
I barely make it two steps when my phone rings.
My heart instantly slams against my ribcage.
For a split second, I consider not answering. I don't know why! Panic pumps through my veins instead of blood and it seems like a reasonable thing to do. But then I remember how much I want this interview…and how much I liked it when he smiled at me. And I yank my phone out of my pocket like I'm in a race.
"Hello?"
"Ireland." My name rolls off his tongue like the notes of a seductive song. "Where are you, sweet girl?"
Sweet girl. Oh, he's good at this charming rockstar thing. Way too good.
"My hotel," I say. "Where are you?"
"Probably down the hall from you." The smile in his voice makes my stomach flutter. "Where do you want me? Your room or mine?"
Stretched naked across a bed, please.
I glance around my tiny room. My clothes are strewn over the back of the chair. My toiletries litter the top of the desk. An empty Starbucks cup sits beside the mini-fridge. It's a hot damn mess.
"Yours. Definitely yours," I hurry to say. There's no way he's stepping foot in here with it looking like a tornado blew through. My panties are out and everything! "You aren't allowed to see my room yet."
"Yet?"
"That's not what I said," I lie.
His wicked laugh rolls down the line, turning my nipples to hard points. "I'm going to let you pretend that isn't what you said for now," he chuckles. "Thirtieth floor, room 3811. See you in five."
"Wait. I—"
He disconnects before I can tell him I need to change.
I pull the phone away from my ear, huffing, "He's bossy." Except I say it with a smile so it doesn't sound nearly as annoyed as it should.
"Asher says he's always been that way." Brielle laughs quietly. "He says Crue means well. He just doesn't like not being in charge." Her laughter fades. "They didn't have any control for a long time."
"I know," I whisper, my heart pulsing with empathy for them. As a kid, I don't think I realized how much they went through. To me, they were just these incredibly talented guys who also happened to be gorgeous.
I don't think anyone really understood back then just what it was like to be a boy band or to be a worldwide phenomenon. But the curtain has been pulled back on the music industry over the years, and it's ugly behind the scenes. Especially for bands and artists that shoot to superstardom as teenagers. Everyone wants to profit. Very few want to protect.
I'm glad things are different for the guys this time around. They deserve to do it their own way at least once. They earned that much. And it's what the fans want for them, too.
Brielle crawls off my bed, stretching. "You better go before he comes looking for you. I'm going to find Asher."
Right. No time to change.
I spin in a circle, looking for my laptop bag. Brielle spots it before I do. She retrieves it from under the desk, holding it out to me. I run my fingers through my hair, trying to tame the unruly strands—not that it'll do much good. My hair does what it wants when it wants. And then I inhale a deep breath. "Wish me luck."
"I don't think you need it," Brielle says, blowing me a kiss as she ducks out of the door ahead of me. "But break a leg anyway."
"Don't say that," I groan, turning toward the bank of elevators at the opposite end of the hall. "I might actually break one."
Brielle's laughter floats after me as she heads down the hall toward her room…which is basically the room she's sharing with Asher at this point. I can't believe they're together! I mean, I can believe it because Brielle is amazing. Why wouldn't Asher fall for her? But I can't believe I missed it!
I didn't get to join the fun until this morning. Thanks to my internship, I've missed the first half of the tour. Shelby has been keeping me updated, but it's not the same. I missed all the good parts!
It's been a whirlwind for my sister and our friends, that's for sure.
Resa is glowing. Brielle is happier than she's ever been. Chastity has a permanent smile on her face. Shelby swears her relationship with Jameson is fake, but, well, I know my big sister better than anyone. She's lying to herself and has been since the beginning. Besides, New York kind of changed everything. As it turns out, even from half a continent away, I still know her better than she thinks I do.
Never in a million billion years did I think following Soul Obsession on their reunion tour would turn out like this for the people I love most, but I'm so freaking happy for them.