Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 88218 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88218 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
He’s there waiting for me and stands to hug me as I approach. He’s in his early fifties, but after two and a half years of not seeing him, he looks a hell of a lot older than I remember.
“What was so important I had to put on a clean shirt for?” I take a seat across from him and slide off my poor disguise.
It usually works so long as you’re not in one place for very long, but after our little come find us stunt, everyone’s on the lookout for any of us.
The hashtag was trending before we’d even got home from the club. Photos were posted all over Instagram and Twitter, and I have to admit, as a publicity stunt, it worked amazingly well even though that wasn’t our intention.
Someone recognized me as soon as I parked my truck and had their phone in my face. I took a quick photo with them so I could get to this “very important business meeting I can’t miss.”
“You’re back,” Cameron says.
“I am.”
“You didn’t tell me.”
“To be fair, I didn’t tell anyone. The only reason anyone but Denver found out was because of stupid paparazzi.”
“All right, then.” He nods to my menu. “Choose what you want for lunch. My treat.”
It would have to be his treat. This is the kind of place where they don’t have prices on the menu. If you have to ask, you can’t afford it.
I order a steak, Cameron orders his usual duck, and once the orders are in, he starts in on me.
“When are we getting you in a recording studio?”
I hold up my hand. “Whoa, slow down there. I’m … testing things out. I filmed a couple of days for Denver’s reality show, and I’m writing some, but I don’t want to jump in headfirst like when Eleven first got together.”
“Have you met with Harley yet to see what he has to offer?”
“From the millions of voicemails, I know what he wants, but …”
“You’re hesitant. I understand that after your solo album.” Cameron sighs. “I wish you’d come to me when all that went down.”
In hindsight, I should have asked his opinion before releasing my album. He would’ve told me like it is. “I wanted to prove I could do it myself, and I didn’t need you to hold my hand anymore. You were there for me when I needed.”
“I don’t like to see any of my boys fail.”
“I know.” Yet, the word failure still cuts me. Probably even more so when it’s said out loud. By someone else.
“Not all is lost,” Cameron says. “It’s no secret I want Eleven back together, but if you want to try the solo thing again, I’m here for you. We can find a label who’ll run a comeback tour and album.”
I take a sip from my water glass. “Aren’t I too young for a comeback tour?” I want to cringe just at the words.
“A redo? We can call it The Album It Should Have Been.”
“Catchy,” I say dryly.
Cameron leans in. “Just promise me something.”
Cameron’s the only person in this world I could say this too without questions first. “Anything … wait, unless it’s to sign something right now.”
He laughs. “I wouldn’t do that to you. Just, whatever you decide, fill me in? If you have questions, reservations, anything, I’m here, okay? You did the hard part already.”
“What was the hard part?”
“You showed your face in a town that was an asshole to you. After that, the rest should be easy.”
“Hmm, maybe.”
Until Hollywood turns its back on me again.
“I’m happy you found your way back and you’re enjoying your time there,” Mom says into the phone.
“Me too.”
After lunch with Cameron, I realized he wasn’t the only one I haven’t updated about what’s going on, and I called her as soon as I got home.
I haven’t gone into details about what’s been happening with Denver, just that we’re working on rebuilding what was lost, and it’s going well.
Really well. I don’t emphasize that, though.
I doubt Mom would have an issue with me being with a man—especially not Denver because she loves him—but I do know she will worry about us in the same way she worried about the label shaping us into manufactured pod people for seven years.
There will be hate comments. There will be the same ignorant comments there have been when rumors of Ryder and Harley were going around like I so hope they’re not gay! What a waste!
Every single reason Ryder and Harley have chosen to stay closeted now applies to us, which is hard to comprehend. They have had to worry about this their whole careers, and maybe that’s why they’re so strong in remaining silent, but for me, absolutely nothing has changed between me and Denver except for the sex. The mind-blowing, amazing sex. And even Hollywood doesn’t ask for specifics on that kind of thing. The world is fascinated by who celebrities sleep with for whatever fucked-up reason, but no interviewer anywhere is going to ask, “So who’s the hot dog and who’s the bun, so to speak.”