Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 86322 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 432(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86322 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 432(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
My shoulders fell, and she closed the gap, resting a comforting hand on my shoulder.
“It’s okay to be vulnerable when you care about someone. Yes, sometimes you’ll get hurt, but for the most part, it’s worth it.” Her hand slid down my arm to my hand and squeezed. “Did you call or message her?”
“No,” I mumbled.
“Jesus Christ.” She rolled her eyes. “Well, quit being a dumbass and reach out to her.”
“I will.”
“Now,” she demanded.
With her looming beside me, I pulled out my phone and sent a message. “Happy now?”
She smiled. “Yes. Now go home. I’m not allowing you to stay here and fuck any of your chances up with stupid pride.”
When I didn’t hear back from Aspen, I got mad all over again and made a second attempt to lose myself at The Berkshire—only to find Rose waiting for me, demanding I try again.
Another ignored message and phone call led to another attempt, and a waiting Rose. After that, I didn’t bother going back, but Rose still contacted me daily, checking in and bullying me into not giving up.
Eventually, I began spending more time at her offices than at mine, hoping to run into her. It was there that I overheard the employees discussing how surprised they were that she’d gone on vacation, since she’d never taken one before, but they didn’t mention where.
A few days later, I experienced a horribly uncomfortable conversation when a few of her coworkers asked me where my fiancée was and why I hadn’t gone with her. Thinking quickly on my feet, I offered a rakish grin and said that if she hadn’t told them, then neither would I. I’d claimed to be a good fiancé who kept his girl’s secrets. They’d swooned, and I’d made my escape, deciding not to return until I had to.
I’d avoided the Quinn Music Group offices until this meeting, which had been scheduled for last week. However, Aspen’s absence pushed it to today—leaving me to assume she was back in town, and I was moments from seeing her again.
“Good to see you again, Mr. Daire,” Parker Callahan, the lead singer for Haunted Obsession, greeted me.
I blinked from my daze and stood, reaching across the table to shake his hand. “Good to see you, too.”
The rest of the band entered behind him, and I shook their hands, wondering if I was imagining their glowers or if they always acted that way. I’d only met them a handful of times, but from what I remembered, Oren was a playful drummer who always had a ready smile, while Brogan was the guitarist whose large frame and tattooed arms alluded to a hard-ass personality, but usually played around as much as Oren. Now, Ash, I knew was the quiet one who wore a broody stare, but he watched me with a more intense glare, mixed with his aggressive handshake.
However, that might be in response to my own shadowy look and imposing grip. I hated that he’d been with Aspen and would probably take her up on any offer to go again.
I didn’t fucking think so. Aspen was mine.
We took our seats, and silence settled over the room.
Attempting to believe their hardened stares weren’t directed at me, I pushed to break the silence. “I’m sorry about the meeting being delayed. Miss Quinn went out of town unexpectedly. Thankfully, she is back, allowing us to reschedule.”
Ash slid his frosty gaze to me and scoffed before looking away. “No thanks to you,” he muttered.
My muscles clenched, and my eyes narrowed—I knew without a doubt these four men were pissed at me, and if those words had come from anyone other than the man who’d fucked Aspen, I would’ve swallowed it for the sake of professionalism. But because it was Ash, I couldn’t stop myself from meeting his challenge head-on.
“What was that?” I asked, my tone low and biting.
He faced me with his lip curled and leaned forward, resting both elbows on the table. “Maybe Miss Quinn wouldn’t have gone out of town if you hadn’t fucked up so royally that she felt the need to leave.”
“Our relationship is none of your business,” I declared icily.
“It kind of is when it affects our band,” Brogan added under his breath.
“Exactly,” Ash added, pointing to the large guitarist. “We were supposed to decide who we toured with last week and be practicing by now, but nooo, your shitty relationship skills have put us behind.”
I ground my jaw, clinging to the threads of my control. “I’m not the one who was unable to attend the original meeting.”
“No, but you’re the reason Aspen wasn’t here.”
“Again,” I bit out. “This is none of your business.”
“Well, she’s my friend. So, I’m making it my business.”
“And she’s my fiancée.”
He cocked a brow over a taunting glare. “Is she?”
“Ash,” Parker said softly, resting his hand on Ash’s arm.