Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 57804 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 289(@200wpm)___ 231(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57804 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 289(@200wpm)___ 231(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
“That’s good, right?” I asked her.
Delilah nodded.
“Yeah, I’d change some things, but the rest is pretty good right now,” she replied.
I tilted my head at her curiously.
“What would you change?” I asked her.
Delilah laughed awkwardly, like she didn’t expect me to ask.
“Probably some of my choices in boyfriends,” she admitted.
“I’m with you there,” I chuckled before nudging her shoulder with mine. “What asshole do you regret giving a chance to?”
Delilah sighed softly and shrugged.
“Well, there’s this one guy. He’s this big time producer that’s worked with more stars in the music industry than I can count. I dated him for a little while before coming here,” she murmured before grimacing at herself. “I was so stupid… so naïve for getting with him.”
I frowned and gently stroked her arm. It sounded like this guy had major accomplishments. Meanwhile, our band was still pushing to spread our music outside of the state at least. Often, I wondered why she chose to work with a small town group instead of some award-nominated band.
“You’re not stupid because someone else hurt you,” I told her. I had to tell myself that over and over again after what happened with my ex-girlfriend.
A grateful look crossed Delilah’s face as she nodded.
“He promised me so much and made me feel like such a star,” she admitted. “I really thought he liked me for me, but he just saw me as a business opportunity.”
I moved my hand around to the back of her shoulder, bringing her close to my side. I could hear the pain and embarrassment radiating in her voice, and I hated that some jerk made her feel that way. Why was it so easy for people to use others like that?
“He took advantage of you being new to the industry. That says more about him than you,” I promised her, not wanting her to think that she was at fault in any way. He probably tricked quite a few women who were just trying to find their places in the music world.
“I didn’t say anything about it to anyone because I just felt… pathetic. I should’ve known that he was trying to use me,” Delilah told me. “But I know you get what it’s like to be discarded like nothing.”
I breathed in deeply through my nose before nodding. Memories flashed through my mind like a film reel, but I closed my eyes for a second to push them away.
“Yeah, I do. We didn’t deserve that,” I said before turning to face her, gently brushing her hair away from her face. “And me… and the others… we would never hurt you like that.”
Delilah’s eyes grew wide for a second, and I feared that I said the wrong thing. However, her face softened, and she leaned up to kiss me instead.
I cupped the back of her head and let my lips naturally glide along hers, my breathing ceasing. All I could do was kiss her with everything I had. That was easy.
Delilah lifted up on her toes as she wrapped her arms around my neck, her body pressing against mine. She delved into the kiss for a few more seconds before drawing back with a smile.
“There’s our high school kiss,” she said.
I chuckled as I rubbed her back, keeping her pinned against me.
“Honestly, this is better than any kiss we could’ve had back then,” I told her. We came together exactly when we should’ve, and that was all that mattered.
Delilah brushed her fingers through my hair and nodded.
“Timing is everything,” she murmured.
Something told me that there was more to those words than I could tell just from hearing them, but I didn’t push her to reveal more than she already had.
“Ready to go back to the ranch?” I asked her. “Aren’t you still friends with Brianna?”
“We’re still close, even if she goes all over the world with her husband and I moved to New York,” Delilah replied, shaking her head fondly.
“Do you miss New York?” I asked her, feeling my chest tighten in anticipation. I knew what answer I wanted to hear, but I couldn’t help but think that was selfish of me to hope for.
Delilah stayed quiet for a few seconds before replying.
“I don’t know,” she admitted. “I should, but my biggest connection to New York was music because I couldn’t find that here. Now, I think I can.”
I wanted to tell her to stay, to leave New York behind, but I remembered how happy she was when the label offered her a deal and agreed to set her up in the big city. I couldn’t ever convince that once-happy eighteen-year-old girl that she needed to give up that vibrant life and move back here.
Plus, Ryder would be pissed.
“Well, we’re always here if you want to make music. Or just hang out. We like having you around,” I told her, figuring that I could at least say that for now.