Total pages in book: 44
Estimated words: 40635 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 203(@200wpm)___ 163(@250wpm)___ 135(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 40635 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 203(@200wpm)___ 163(@250wpm)___ 135(@300wpm)
"Hi," I murmur, smiling at the petite, curvy brunette standing at Riley's side. She's beautiful, but she looks as anxious to be here as I feel. "It's nice to meet you."
"Hi," Addison whispers, her voice barely audible over the roar of the crowd. She gives me a shy smile. "I'm glad you're here." Her eyes fly open wide, her cheeks turning red as if she just remembered why I'm in Nashville. "Oh! I didn't mean…"
"It's okay." I place a hand on her arm, trying to reassure her. "I knew what you meant. And I'm glad I'm here too." I laugh softly. "My daughter may shiv me when I get home, though."
Riley's eyes light up. "You have a daughter?"
"I do. Brinley is five." I roll my eyes. "Going on fifteen."
"She sounds like she'd get along excellently with my oldest daughter," Riley laughs. "Tia hates the word no. Her daddy is the only one who can do anything with her. Naturally, he's wrapped around her little finger."
The comment is innocent, but memories of Grayson are too close to the surface. It feels like a dagger stabbing me right in the heart. Brinley won't ever have Grayson wrapped around her finger. She'll never have him at all.
Something of my thoughts must show on my face because Riley reaches for my arm, her expression falling. "I said something, didn't I?"
"No, of course not," I whisper quickly, shaking my head. "I just…" I clear my throat. "Brinley's dad died before she was born."
"Oh, Mina." Riley's expression wells with empathy as she throws her arms around me in a fierce hug. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to bring up a painful subject for you on a fun night out." She hesitates, nibbling on her bottom lip. "Can I be honest with you?"
"Of course."
"I didn't start working with your dad until a couple of years ago," she admits softly. "I didn't even know you existed until the funeral. He never mentioned you. So I'm sorry in advance if I say the wrong thing. I don't mean any harm."
Of course he didn't mention me. Once upon a time, I was his pride and joy. And then I chose Grayson. I don't think he ever really forgave me for that. He had plans for my life, and none of them involved a foul-mouthed, tattooed guitarist he found living on the streets or a tiny little apartment. They didn't involve me getting married and pregnant at nineteen, either. Guess he stopped talking about me after I moved to San Diego. Why bother bringing up the widowed, single-mother daughter who hated him?
"We weren't on speaking terms," I say. "We hadn't been for most of the last six years." I exhale a quick breath, pasting a bright smile on my face. "So being back here is bringing up a lot of old memories. But please don't apologize. You don't know what you don't know."
Addison reaches for my hand, squeezing gently. "Memories are brutal sometimes, aren't they?"
I bob my head, grateful she seems to understand. "They're hell, honestly. But I don't want to think about that tonight. I'm here to have fun and meet everyone before I figure out what to do with this company." I force a laugh that falls flat to my own ears. "I'm pretty sure keeping a company because my five-year-old wants to marry Kasen Alexander in twenty years isn't a sound business decision."
Addison covers her mouth with her hand, fighting laughter when Riley groans loudly.
"What?" My brows furrow.
"Kasen," Riley mutters like she's announcing she has the plague, exasperation written all over her face. "That man is the bane of my freaking existence."
"Ah. Client?"
"Client. Problem child. Man I'd like to murder." She bounces her shoulders in a shrug. "Same difference, right?"
"They're practically siblings," Addison says, smiling.
I smile, bemused that I'm having this conversation right now. Two months ago, I was drinking cheap wine in the bathtub, listening to Kasen on the radio. That was the future I had all mapped out. Not…whatever this is.
Maybe I'm supposed to be grateful for this, but in this moment, I'm not. I feel like my entire world is spinning out of control because of my father again. Last time, I had to keep it together for Brinley. I was pregnant. I had to survive so she did. Maybe it's wrong to blame a dead man for feeling like I'm right back there again, teetering on the edge of hysteria, but I'm mad as hell that I'm being dragged right back to that place, being forced to face the same things, all because he decided to leave me his stupid company.
Maybe it's childish, but I don't care. I'm mad at him for dying and leaving me the company. I'm mad that Grayson is dead, and I'm alone. I'm just…sick and tired of my life being collateral damage because of my father. But I can't say that.