The Pop Star Next Door by Aleah Barley

Author:Aleah Barley [Barley, Aleah]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2015-02-13T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

Trevor Bliss was a good man—and a better friend—but he had to go.

Anna waved goodbye from the porch. She was ready for a nap. Listening to Trevor tell her exactly what she was doing wrong—from her decision to take a month off to spend in Mill City, to the tiles she’d chosen for her bathroom, to adopting a giant dog who seemed more intent on finding the perfect place to nap than anything else—wasn’t exactly her idea of a relaxing afternoon.

“You really married that guy?” The question from the neighboring porch was loud, impatient. Nick’s arms were crossed in front of his chest.

From thirty feet away she couldn’t see the damage he’d endured earlier in the day, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t there. The punch had been solid, strong, and lightning fast. It had sent Nick flying. There was no way he could walk away without any serious damage.

“I really divorced him.” Anna shifted uncomfortably. Her marriage wasn’t something that she liked to discuss. “Where’s Adam?”

“A friend’s.”

“Want to come over?”

“You sure there’s enough room? It was pretty crowded this morning.”

“I sent all the guys back to their hotel.”

It had become necessary the second time Trevor tried to fire her workers. When she’d contradicted him, he’d put a fist through the nearest wall.

Everyone on the crew had signed confidentiality clauses before leaving Los Angeles, but there was a big difference between keeping quiet on a residential renovation and snapping a multi-million dollar picture of Trevor Bliss fighting with his ex-wife.

“We could get something to drink.” Her lips pulled upwards, baring her teeth. She concentrated, hard, relaxing her face. It was the same practiced smile that she gave to crowds of fans, wily paparazzi, and hardnosed studio executives.

Unfortunately, it didn’t seem to be having the expected response.

“I’ve already got something to drink.” Nick raised a glass that she hadn’t noticed before. A single ice cube rattling against the glass, floating in half a cup of liquid.

Lemonade. Anna sucked in a breath. The sun was still high overhead, the heat almost overwhelming. A glass of lemonade would go a long way toward fixing what ailed her.

She was off her porch before she could think twice, walking across the short strip of land between the two houses. Leroy was less than a foot behind her. The big dog must have gotten out sometime earlier. Given the skill that he’d displayed at sneaking out of the house all day, she’d be installing a fence next. Cutting off access between the two backyards. Unless she built a door.

“Can I have some?” The planks that made up his front steps were rough beneath her bare feet. If she didn’t watch out, she’d get a splinter.

Nick handed her the glass without saying a single word. Fine, if that was how he wanted to be about it. Anna took a hasty swig, wondering what had brought on his bad attitude.

The liquid burned her throat.

Not lemonade.

Fire ignited in her veins, her eyes squeezed shut. For a brief moment, the world was rough, angry, and then she felt a glow settle in her bones.

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