Page 107 of Her Dark Angel

I wish I knew more about her. He never answered my question at the award show about her, and I haven’t brought up the topic again since we agreed our parents were off-limits.

But I can’t help but wonder about her and what she would be like if she were still alive. Would she be supportive of her son? Would she allow him to stand in the spotlight while she stood back and watched him shine with a smile on her face?

I guess I’ll never know. Besides, I don’t want to bring her up again to avoid upsetting Nash, considering how well things are going between us. The last thing I want to do is ruin that. But if he were to ever mention her himself, I would listen with open ears.

The more I know about Nash’s past and his family, the more I can understand what he was like as a child.

But if I learn about his childhood, I would need to share mine as well. The thought alone is terrifying.

My thoughts are interrupted by my phone’s ringtone blasting across the backyard, scaring the birds in the trees at the edge of the yard.

Sighing, I look over at the device and wish I had left it inside. I could always ignore the call, but then it would eat at me for the rest of the night, wondering if it was important or not.

With a huff, I place the mug on the table beside me and lift the device to my ear. “Hello?”

“Kin, it’s me.” I smile at the sound of Sadie’s cheerful voice. “I was just calling to check in with you and make sure you’re all good after the scandal.”

Thinking back to the drive-in with Nash, images of us together in his car make my cheeks flare with heat. I don’t know what the hell is going on between us, but I can’t seem to keep him at arm’s length like I know I should. He told me not to fall in love with him the first night we met and I fear I’m not doing a very good job at keeping my word.

I clear my throat, ignoring how fast my heart is racing in my chest. “Ye-yeah, everything is good. Nash and I went out to a drive-in last week, making sure to get our photos taken. Ever since then, it seems the scandal has been forgotten about.”

“Yeah, I read the statements both agencies released about the photos of Nash with that woman. It seems they’re going for the crazy fan route.”

“It’s probably for the best,” I say. I hadn’t expected them to spin the story that way, but I’m grateful for it because now everyone seems to have dismissed the images and is no longer talking about them. This is good for our deal, but now it has me worried other Dark Angel fans might try to do the same thing. “Either way, it’s done with now and we can focus on moving forward. We’re only halfway through the deal, so we need to continue to make the relationship appear believable.”

Sadie is quiet for a moment before she asks, “Are you happy, Kin? Like, really happy?”

I ponder her question for a beat. Am I happy? When I’m with Nash, that is an easy question to answer.

Yes, I am happy.

But when I’m alone with my thoughts, I still struggle with the demons of my past and have to constantly fend them off enough to get through the day unscathed.

Whenever I’m with Nash… I forget about the demons altogether. And that’s never happened to me before. I’ve always been aware of them lurking in the shadows, but somehow, his presence is enough for them to cower in fear long enough that I don’t think about them.

In all my years of casually dating, a man has never been able to do that to me.

So, what is it about Nash that makes him different and sets him apart from the rest? I’m still trying to figure that one out. But I do know I’m happy.

I smile. “Believe it or not, yeah, I am happy. For the first time in a long time, it feels like nothing bad can touch me. Like I’m invincible. I just hope that feeling doesn’t go away any time soon.”

“I’m so glad to hear that,” Sadie squeals. Nothing but joy coats her words, and it makes me smile. “Continue to ride the high, okay? You deserve it. I also want to hear all the juicy details about you and Nash.”

I playfully roll my eyes and hug my knees closer to my chest. “I promise I’ll tell you once I know what the hell is going on myself.”

Sadie chuckles, the sound soft and airy as it floats down the line. “Deal. Don’t keep me waiting too long, okay? I fear I may explode if I have to wait any longer.”

Now I’m laughing at her dramatics. Before I get the chance to answer, Sadie tells me she has to run to get dinner with a work friend, but we promise to catch up again soon for drinks with Matt.

After the call ends, I barely take a sip of my lukewarm tea before my phone rings again. With a huff, I answer it. “Hello?”

“Kinsley, I have some good news I want to share with you.”

I lower my legs to the ground at the sound of Adam’s voice. “About what?”

“Well,” he begins, “I know you said you wanted to take a short break after the last project before I started booking your auditions, but something landed on my desk this afternoon that I couldn’t pass up.”

With a frown, I tilt my head as I watch a flock of birds fly by. The storm clouds are approaching fast, consuming the painting the sky had created. “What are you talking about, Adam?”

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