Total pages in book: 29
Estimated words: 26941 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 135(@200wpm)___ 108(@250wpm)___ 90(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26941 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 135(@200wpm)___ 108(@250wpm)___ 90(@300wpm)
Tara wrinkles her nose in thought. “I did my hair but … I love the wind. I’ll survive,” she says with a smile.
“Down it is.”
Thanks to the breeze as we drive, there isn’t much in the way of deep conversation, and I save that for our dinner. It’s early in the Hamptons summer season, and I chose a restaurant with a view of the water. At sunset, it’s still cool at night, especially on the water, so we take a table inside.
I wait until we’re seated, we’ve ordered and are served a bottle of Chardonnay, and the waiter has disappeared for a while, leaving us alone, to start a conversation.
“Is this where you usually go on a date?” Tara asks, beating me to the first question of the evening.
I can’t stop my grin from forming. “Well, my last date ended with a pup cup so…”
She laughs, breaking the tension between us.
Her hand is on the table, and I reach out, placing my palm over her soft skin. Her gaze darts to our now joined hands, but she doesn’t break our connection.
“I gotta tell you, I haven’t been on a real date since moving east.”
Her eyes widen. “When was that?”
I think back. “Right before last summer, so it’s been about a year. I flew out to talk to Dash Kingston after Caged Chaos imploded, and I liked him. I hit it off with the other guys in the band. Cassidy was already living here, and I thought moving to New York would be a good change of pace.”
“And do you like it here?” With her free hand, she picks up her wine and takes a long sip.
“It can get a little quiet and lonely in the winter,” I say honestly. “But I’m getting used to it. Dash and Xander have apartments in the city, and I was thinking that’s not a bad idea.” I shrug, knowing I’m still undecided. About a lot of things. “I guess I need to figure out where I want to live. I’m renting right now, and since the band is here permanently, I need to buy something for when we’re not on the road.”
She slides her hand from beneath mine and looks away, taking me off guard. Hmm. I’ll have to figure out her reaction later.
Meanwhile… “You’ve done a nice job keeping the conversation about me, but I asked you out to learn more about the woman you are now.”
She squirms in her seat, looking relieved when the waiter walks over.
“Have you folks decided?” he asks.
I shake my head. “We haven’t looked at the menu. Can you give us a few more minutes?”
“Of course.” The man strides over to another table, and I turn my focus back to Tara.
“Tell me about your time on the road,” she says before I have a chance to gather my thoughts.
I blink. “Okay.” She obviously needs to hear about my life, so I dive in. “I guess I should start at the beginning. I left our small town and moved to LA with the band I played with throughout high school.”
I take a drink of wine, which isn’t my thing, but first impressions are everything, so I ordered for Tara and opted to share the bottle.
She studies me, her gaze on mine as she takes a sip from her glass, obviously waiting to hear more.
“A guy I knew from some gigs I’d done let me crash on his couch while we performed in small bars at night. I waited tables during the day to make money to cover rent and the basics.” I shrug. “Eventually it paid off, and the Caged Chaos guys heard us play.”
“That’s what you’d been waiting for,” she murmurs.
I nod. “The band I’d been playing with was rocky at best. The guys weren’t serious about a future in music, so when Caged Chaos offered me a spot, I jumped at it.”
“I wish I’d been there to celebrate with you,” she says with a smile that lights up her eyes. “I’m so happy you achieved your dream, though I’m not surprised. Not with how talented you are.”
I grin. “I always was good with my hands.”
She rolls her eyes and laughs.
“Okay, your turn. How did you get to where you are today?” I see the moment her expression changes, her smile dims, and the sparkle in her eyes goes out.
I wish I hadn’t asked, but if I want to get to know her again, I need to hear everything, including learning what happened after her dad passed away.
CHAPTER FOUR
Tara
I hate talking about that time in my life when everything fell apart. But I’m sitting across the table from the man who once knew me better than anyone, who heard all my hopes, my dreams, and my future plans. He deserves to know.
I rest my elbows on the table and lean forward. “I was planning to go to college. Mom and I were buying all the necessities when Dad died of a heart attack.” I swallow over the painful lump in my throat, one that never fails to go away, even over a decade later. His receptionist found him on the floor in the back room of his practice, already gone.