Page 5 of Combust (Everyday Heroes 2)
She’ll be eating them by the time we leave. I’ll make sure of it.
“So what brings you to Sunnyville?”
“Damon didn’t tell you?”
“Bits and pieces, but he’s a guy. We aren’t known for being real observant or forthcoming.”
“I needed a break.” Her eyes flit over my shoulder to where Bertha is chatting up the old-guy crew who come and occupy the counter every morning for a few hours. “Somewhere I could go and finish a project I’m working on.”
“Project?”
“Album. Songs. Whatever you want to call it.”
“I’m assuming having a studio helps. Wouldn’t it be easier to do that at home?”
Her eyes harden. “I wouldn’t be here if I thought so, now would I?” Ah, there’s the fight in her. “I can write lyrics anywhere. Besides, my place was kind of stifling my creativity.”
Hm. They must have lived together.
“Is ‘I needed a break’ code for ‘my boyfriend’s an asshole’?” Might as well lay the truth out there.
“Ex-boyfriend.”
“You or him?”
“Me but only because I was blindsided.”
I hiss. “Ouch. That sucks. What happened?”
“You don’t hold back, do you?”
“What’s the point? It’s going to come out sooner or later.” I shove another forkful of her pancakes in my mouth. “So?”
I get a glimpse of a smile as she shakes her head.
“It wasn’t working.”
“For him, right? It wasn’t working for him, but it was for you?”
“Something like that. Working together can make things tough at times.”
“Wait. Oh . . . do I know who he is?” Damon said she was big time, but he didn’t say who she worked with.
She shrugs. “Jett Kroger.”
Her eyes hold mine, waiting for recognition to fire, but hell, there’s no need to wait. Everyone knows who Jett fucking Kroger is. The bad boy of rock with an incredible voice, a killer instinct for trends, and who’s produced an endless stream of hits over the past few years. That and a reputation for being a hothead who causes trouble.
“You look too damn innocent to be with him.” The words are out there as I realize she’s the one behind the number one hits. She’s the lyrics to his beat.
She stutters a laugh. “I’m not sure if that’s an insult or a compliment.”
“I just—”
“I’ve heard it all, so just say it. At this point, I’ve learned to have tough skin. Nothing will offend me.” She laughs and finally gives me a genuine smile, but her eyes show the truth. She’s been hurt. “She’s trying too hard to fit into his crowd. She isn’t his type. Jett could do better, so much better. Don’t sleep with the hired help. And the list goes on—”
“Actually, that’s not what I was thinking.” I lean back in the booth and stare at her, immediately feeling the need to protect her from the snarky comments. No doubt the assholes were just jealous. “I was going to say his music is killer, but he comes off like a dick, and you deserve better than that.”
“Yeah, well . . . it didn’t stop me from loving him.”
