Page 17 of Busted Dreams

“Sneaking up on me there, pretty girl?”

I stopped the video right there, before the phone started shaking from my wildly beating heart. A smug grin took over my face as I re-watched the short clip.

This. This was what I had been trying to capture. Naked talent coupled with devilish charm, all wrapped up in a bad boy package. It was who Beck was to a T.

“Astrid,” Beck called, waiting patiently for me to bring my unfocused attention back to him. When I did, I walked right up to him and caught him in the tightest embrace I’d ever bestowed on another human being.

“It’s done.”

“What’s done? You finally got the shot you wanted?” He slid his hand gently down the back of my head, his calloused hands snagging on a few strands of dark hair.

“The first official video of @theofficialbeckhamwhite has been uploaded. But don’t worry, I turned off my notifications so I won’t spend my day checking every five seconds.”

He blinked, then blinked again.

“That’s it. You got a video you like and boom. Uploaded it?”

“Yep.”

“That feels oddly liberating. And slightly surreal.” He shook his head and smiled wryly.

“You don’t have to manage anything, just let me worry about that. Even if nothing comes of it, I’ll enjoy spreading awareness of your talent.” I jotted down the user name and password for him on the back of an old napkin, just in case he wanted to follow it too.

My phone beeped where I’d shoved it into the back pocket of my boyfriend jeans. Letting go of Beck with one hand, I checked the screen to see a notification from Thatcher.

Thatcher: Give me a few before you come over. Having trouble.

Oh hell. My first thought was Trinity, but I didn’t think he’d keep me away if she was upset about last night. In fact, by the time we’d left, she was reserved but didn’t seem to be holding onto any anger.

“Everything ok?” Beck dropped his forehead to the top of my head.

“Yeah… He just said to give him a little bit. But he’s my ride to Rhys’ game.” I had already stayed with Beck too long. If I delayed too much longer, I’d miss the beginning of the game.

“Weird. If he doesn’t give you the all clear, then just go without him.” Then almost begrudgingly, he said, “I know Jonah wanted to go. He’d ride with you. That would make me feel better, in case you broke down or something.”

“Yeah, maybe,” I said distractedly as I watched three moving dots appear, then stop, only to appear again.

My good morning was slowly slipping away to be replaced by a hard knot of dread settling in my stomach. It was probably nothing, but suddenly, I wasn’t so excited for the rest of the day.

Slamming through the doorway to the small shop off of Colfax, I winced as the doorknob nearly went through the wall. After this last week, any calming strength I had was slowly diminishing. I wished there was a clear reason why, but there was none. Outside of Trinity being a nuisance, my life was finally taking a turn for the better after eating shit for the last several years.

“Damn, kid. You’ll lose your discount if you damage any of my property,” Mollie groused as she went back to cleaning the skin above the upper lip on a girl who couldn’t have been seventeen. Most likely fourteen or fifteen if I’d had to guess.

“Sorry, M. I’m struggling today. Can you fit me in?” Scrubbing my hands along the worn fabric of my jeans actually went a little ways to calm the anxiety that was spiraling out of control.

“Not really. I’m booked solid today. The only way I’d be able to fit you in would be if I had a cancellation. Or maybe in between my four and five o’clock appointments. Would that work?” She lifted her head from her work, and her dark brown gaze swept over me knowingly.

Damn.

That was during Rhys’ game, and I already said I’d go. Rhys wouldn’t care, but after the way they all stood behind me while Beck and I dealt with Devil’s Hands, how could I not be the best friend I could be? Not that anybody really handles the club. No, it was pure luck it had ended the way it did.

At least Reaper wouldn’t ever be an issue anymore. He had been forcibly convinced Silver Ranch was not the place for him anymore.

That was if I believed what Angel had texted me.

Even Jare had no idea where he went. When I’d gone back for my stuff—because there was no way I could stay there anymore with or without Reaper—she’d railed and raged, tossing mugs at my head and my clothes in the yard, sure I’d been the reason Reaper had ghosted her.

And in a way, I had. So I gathered my things as quickly as I could and joined Beck in his car. He carried only a slight sense of pity before he wiped it from his face completely. That was what I’d come to love about Beck, the brother I’d never known existed.

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