live, but you actually sound good.
You’re an effing star. Why haven’t I ever come to one of your
shows?”
“I’m going to have to move.”
“ Bunkum , you’re not going
anywhere.”
I snorted at
her chosen term of scorn. “Can you please
not say that? It just sounds all sorts of wrong.” I almost
preferred she just say bullshit in front of
Levy.
“ You’re the
pervert.”
Popping a
fresh DVD into the player , I pushed play
and sat Levy in front of the television, then began collecting the
crayons he dropped on the floor. Em pushed the laptop closed and
turned in her seat. I could tell by her expression that I wasn’t
going to win this argument.
“ You can’t
run forever, Cooper. You’d be stubborn to deny what a blessing this
is. Run with it. Bet the ranch. Make some real money. You’ll be
rich enough to hire a team of bodyguards, and a house with a big
metal gate. You’ll never have to be afraid again.”
“ Easy peasy
lemon squeezy.” A wriggle of my nose and
all my problems would go away. “I wish life was that
simple.”
“ It’s what
you make of it. And I promise you
this—you will regret it for the rest of your life if you let this
pass you by. You’ll never get an opportunity like
this again. This, right now,” she pointed to the floor as if it
held some palpable line, “is your second chance. Most of us don’t
even get a first. So don’t waste it.”
I perched on the windowsill, stared out the
window, watching the limbs of the white oak sway in the breeze. The
small wooden birdhouse bobbed on its branch, innocently
deceiving.
Normal people had picnics in their backyard;
I had thirty-five caliber birdhouses.
“ Just
because Carter posted that video doesn’t mean that an agent will
see it, and if they do, there’s no guarantee I’ll even get an
offer, let alone a contract. I could be a washout.”
“ Petty
fears, wouldn’t you say? I’m not telling you to quit your day job.
All I’m saying is give it a chance. See what happens.”
“ I can’t
place Levy in danger on a misguided whim.”
“ Misguided?”
Em snorted. “When have I ever steered you wrong?”
“ Yesterday
when you told me to sleep with Tate Watkins.” I gave her the stink eye, silently admonishing her for her
foolhardy advice.
“ I repeat,
when have I ever steered you wrong?” Grinning like the Cheshire
cat, Em squealed as she grabbed my shoulders as if she could shake
some sense into me. “Tate Watkins! Ha! I knew it! How was it? Tell
me everything. I mean it. Every little detail.”
Fighting my
own smile, I gave an apathetic shrug. “Meh.”
“ Liar liar
pants on fire. I could hear through the walls as if they were made
of paper, and you didn’t sound a bit disappointed.”
“ You could
not,” I choked, mortified.
“ Could too.
He’s not so quiet either. I love the way he swears right before he
comes. Though, you might want to break him of that.” She inclined
her head pointedly in Levy’s direction.
“ Oh
god.” She could hear.
“ Yep, that’s
what you said last night.” Dropping onto the sofa, Em laid on her
back, draping her legs over the upholstered arm. Her lacquered red
toes curled in delight. “Tell me everything, every orgasmic little
detail. Remember, I’m living through you.”
“ Bullshit!”
A few feet
away, Levy gasped . “Das a bad
wood!”
“ Sorry,
Lev.” I cut an accusing glare at Em. “Don’t even try and tell me
there’s nothing going on between you and M—Garrison. I saw him
climbing the stairs to your apartment last night when I was
leaving.”
“ There’s
not.” Em kept such a stolid expression, I couldn’t doubt her.
Almost. “He has no interest in me.”
“ What makes
you so sure?”
She gave
an indeterminate shrug and deflected the
subject back at me. “Enough about me. I want to hear about you and
Tate.”
“ According
to you, you heard everything already.”
“Don’t make me pry it out of you. What’s
You’re an effing star. Why haven’t I ever come to one of your
shows?”
“I’m going to have to move.”
“ Bunkum , you’re not going
anywhere.”
I snorted at
her chosen term of scorn. “Can you please
not say that? It just sounds all sorts of wrong.” I almost
preferred she just say bullshit in front of
Levy.
“ You’re the
pervert.”
Popping a
fresh DVD into the player , I pushed play
and sat Levy in front of the television, then began collecting the
crayons he dropped on the floor. Em pushed the laptop closed and
turned in her seat. I could tell by her expression that I wasn’t
going to win this argument.
“ You can’t
run forever, Cooper. You’d be stubborn to deny what a blessing this
is. Run with it. Bet the ranch. Make some real money. You’ll be
rich enough to hire a team of bodyguards, and a house with a big
metal gate. You’ll never have to be afraid again.”
“ Easy peasy
lemon squeezy.” A wriggle of my nose and
all my problems would go away. “I wish life was that
simple.”
“ It’s what
you make of it. And I promise you
this—you will regret it for the rest of your life if you let this
pass you by. You’ll never get an opportunity like
this again. This, right now,” she pointed to the floor as if it
held some palpable line, “is your second chance. Most of us don’t
even get a first. So don’t waste it.”
I perched on the windowsill, stared out the
window, watching the limbs of the white oak sway in the breeze. The
small wooden birdhouse bobbed on its branch, innocently
deceiving.
Normal people had picnics in their backyard;
I had thirty-five caliber birdhouses.
“ Just
because Carter posted that video doesn’t mean that an agent will
see it, and if they do, there’s no guarantee I’ll even get an
offer, let alone a contract. I could be a washout.”
“ Petty
fears, wouldn’t you say? I’m not telling you to quit your day job.
All I’m saying is give it a chance. See what happens.”
“ I can’t
place Levy in danger on a misguided whim.”
“ Misguided?”
Em snorted. “When have I ever steered you wrong?”
“ Yesterday
when you told me to sleep with Tate Watkins.” I gave her the stink eye, silently admonishing her for her
foolhardy advice.
“ I repeat,
when have I ever steered you wrong?” Grinning like the Cheshire
cat, Em squealed as she grabbed my shoulders as if she could shake
some sense into me. “Tate Watkins! Ha! I knew it! How was it? Tell
me everything. I mean it. Every little detail.”
Fighting my
own smile, I gave an apathetic shrug. “Meh.”
“ Liar liar
pants on fire. I could hear through the walls as if they were made
of paper, and you didn’t sound a bit disappointed.”
“ You could
not,” I choked, mortified.
“ Could too.
He’s not so quiet either. I love the way he swears right before he
comes. Though, you might want to break him of that.” She inclined
her head pointedly in Levy’s direction.
“ Oh
god.” She could hear.
“ Yep, that’s
what you said last night.” Dropping onto the sofa, Em laid on her
back, draping her legs over the upholstered arm. Her lacquered red
toes curled in delight. “Tell me everything, every orgasmic little
detail. Remember, I’m living through you.”
“ Bullshit!”
A few feet
away, Levy gasped . “Das a bad
wood!”
“ Sorry,
Lev.” I cut an accusing glare at Em. “Don’t even try and tell me
there’s nothing going on between you and M—Garrison. I saw him
climbing the stairs to your apartment last night when I was
leaving.”
“ There’s
not.” Em kept such a stolid expression, I couldn’t doubt her.
Almost. “He has no interest in me.”
“ What makes
you so sure?”
She gave
an indeterminate shrug and deflected the
subject back at me. “Enough about me. I want to hear about you and
Tate.”
“ According
to you, you heard everything already.”
“Don’t make me pry it out of you. What’s
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