#Chapter 18 You owe a conversation. Now!
Rachel POV
Calot Records Auditorium
I was going to vomit.
"Rachel! I’m so proud of you! We had hundreds of thousands of viewers tuned in! They’re going crazy for your real life love story."
Waving at Howard, I gestured to the restroom, "I’m so glad. Please excuse . I need to---"
"Now you want to be excused? Why the urge now?"
Stunned, I found myself unable to finish speaking. I hadn’t expected Tyler to be present for the press conference. Moonrise Entertainnt did a lot of business with Calot Records, but my contract would have been no interest to them as I was signed as a live act with recording contracts only.
Moonrise dealt with perforrs whose work was in film or special productions they could sell out based on their limited engagent status.
My tour schedule was going to keep busy for the next two years. I wouldn’t be a rare commodity anywhere except my own bed---which suited fine as I didn’t even have a bed to call my own at present.
"Aren’t you going to explain yourself?"
"I don’t see what I have to explain, Tyler. Why do you care? Why are you even here?"
"I can’t co see my mate perform tricks for an audience? Everyone is welco except ?"
I winced at his description. So would think I felt as if I were being put on display as a prized pet, but I saw this press conference as a chance to showcase my musical talent which I’d been forced to hide away for too long already.
I was not going to be shad into silence because Tyler Wright was hurt my life hadn’t ended when I rejected him.
Straightening my spine, I forced down my nausea to bite out, "I was told this press conference was to introduce and my music to the world as Calot Records latest signed artist. They seem quite pleased with my tricks. If you’re unimpressed, you’re welco to leave. If you want to stay, you’re welco to do that, too. Give my rejection and I won’t care who welcos you where for the rest of your life."
"You talk too much," Tyler said bitterly.
He stopped looking at ; I was glad for the reprieve because my nausea was touch-and-go. The pregnancy sickness had taken hold of with a vengeance. I wasn’t safe from it based on ti of day or type of al I ate. All I could do was find a facility when the urge struck and clean myself up afterwards.
"No, I didn’t talk enough. If I had, I would have told you I was leaving years ago to spare us both this mont. Excuse ."
I desperately needed the restroom facility to splash water on my face if nothing else. I could sotis fight back the nausea if I cooled myself down quickly enough. Tyler would have to hold onto his offended sensibilities for a few monts while I composed myself.
"Go," Howard urged , touching my elbow gently to catch my attention, giving a subtle nod to Tyler to let know he would handle him for a few monts.
I had no words for my gratitude so I hoped my relieved smile was enough. I didn’t hear what Howard was saying, my focus was on getting into the bathroom to cool down. I felt as if I were wearing a shroud rather than the delicate blue silk sheath Bella had loaned .
Soaking paper towels under the cool water, I rubbed the back of my neck, my collarbones, down into my decolletage. I chased away every hint of sweat with the cold, refreshing towels and gradually found my temperature going down along with the urge to be sick.
"Don’t tell you’re sick of fa already. I would think you’d be loving this as attention-starved as you are, but what do I know?"
Charlotte Wright was the last person I wanted to talk with alone in the lavatory. I finished refreshing myself then tossed the used towels before striding past her without a word. She dogged my footsteps which was fitting for a bitch of her caliber.
"Ready for your adoring audience again, are you? Better hurry. They’ll forget your na if you’re gone too long."
"I doubt that. My na is on all the signs, brochures, and the limited edition drives you can get a copy of my hit song on---if you’re with the press. I could ask my agent if he could get one for your personal use, Charlotte? If you’re feeling left out?"
"I have an extra right here!"
Howard held out a thumb drive with my na and new logo on it. He bead at her with his best agent smile on display; it was all teeth like a shiny-toothed shark just as an agent should be. I would have kissed him right on his bald head if Tyler hadn’t been right there.
"You absolute bitch---"
"Char! Wow, the language is a little much, don’t you think?"
I was stunned into silence as I realized Nathan Lewis had stepped out of my teenage dreams into my reality. Charlotte Wright looked as if he’d slapped her in the face. I wanted to hug his neck. Damn my ex-mate for lurking like a giant Alpha-hole.
"Nathan," I said, "What are you doing here?"
"I’m friends with Charlotte who I was under the impression was a friend of yours, but I’m questioning that assumption now."
Charlotte Wright would have been invited as part of House Wright representing Moonrise Pack and their interests in the entertainnt industry. She wouldn’t have co if not for Nathan. I didn’t need her to tell as much.
"I’m only trying to clue you in to the real Rachel. You do know she’s spent the last several years living off my brother’s good nature?"
Nathan sent a confused glance toward Tyler who looked anything other than good-natured, "I can’t believe this is the first ti we’ve t in person. We never seed to be in the sa place at the sa ti before. Charlotte attended sumr school with while Rachel and I shared secondary school together during the regular terms. It seems Rachel still rembers as fondly as I rember her, too."
I found myself answering Nathan’s smile with my own. He’d always been able to get a smile out of no matter how hard my day might have been. There were so people whose personalities were infectious and Nathan Lewis was one of those.
I couldn’t believe my luck! He’d heard my interview! Live!
Laughing, I shook my head, "Nathan Lewis, there is no woman on Earth who would ever be able to forget you. You are the kind of man who is unforgettable."
"I must be missing sothing though because I think this might be the guy you left for? The reason we didn’t make it to college together?"
My smile faded the way my dreams had on those long ago nights.
"She says she’s his mate," Charlotte said smugly.
"Then she’s his mate," Nathan stated, "Char, you’re friends with so females who redefine the rules of the ga, but Rachel never played. I always knew if she found her fated mate, we would be over. I wondered, of course, but I respect her enough not to pry. You should show so respect yourself because what you are showing? Isn’t pretty."
"Watch how you talk to my sister!" Tyler snapped.
Naturally he wouldn’t defend . The difference between Tyler and Nathan was as obvious as night-and-day for all they both were Alpha Heir to their respective houses.
"You don’t care your sister watches how she talks to your mate?"
"Forr mate," I slid in smoothly, moving forward to place myself between Howard and Nathan as I angled myself away from Tyler, "Tyler Wright and I are finalizing our rejection ceremony. After three years of trying, we have co to understand we are not suitable as mates regardless of the Moon Goddess’ intentions."
Nathan raised his brows in surprise; I knew it was a shock for to co right out and confess to a formal rejection rite. Fated mates were precious to all our kind and Nathan had known I was saving my virginity for my own as it was the only reason we had never been intimate.
"Are you hoping for a second chance mate?"
I found myself returning his grin again, "Maybe I am? I’ve done quite well with Love at the First Sight. Why couldn’t my next hit be Love at a Second Glance?"
"You can send a second glance my way anyti, Rachel Flores."
"Maybe I will, Nathan Lewis. Maybe I just will."
"Enough!" Tyler barked, grabbing my arm to drag away from the group, "You owe a conversation. Now!"
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