Page 98 of Ghost Note

“Oh, I…” I blushed instantly.

“It’s nothing to be embarrassed about.”

“No, but I’m not sure what I’m meant to do with that. It doesn’t change anything. His life is his now. Mine is here.”

“Do you want to know the best thing about falling in love with a rock star? There are no rules. Nothing is impossible. Your life can be wherever you want it to be. His, too. You guys just have to figure out whether it’s worth it. If it isn’t, let each other go once and for all. If it is…” he gestured to Jules and Corey, “go, chase the kind of shit I never thought was possible because once you have it, I swear to you, every bad day you’ve ever had will seem worth it in the end.”

I swallowed, trying to douse the fire in my chest that was growing. “For a guy covered in tattoos and a pierced nipple, you’re kind of charming and poetic, Rhett,” I said with a soft smirk of my own.

Rhett huffed out a laugh and rubbed his right pec. “Blame Jules for the piercing. She wanted to see what it looked like on me. Hurt like a bitch, too. The shit I do for that woman. As for the other stuff,” he shrugged, “it’s only the truth. I speak it, even if it lands me in trouble more often than not.”

“Trouble I have a feeling you don’t mind being in.”

“A life without a bit of shit thrown in it is a life I don’t wanna live. How are we gonna appreciate the good stuff without it?”

“I love your optimism.”

“It hasn’t always been this way. Do you want to know what it all comes down to though?”

“What’s that?”

“The truth matters. If more people were honest with themselves and said what they feel in their hearts, there’d be more happiness in this world than misery, and I don’t know how it got to this. I don’t know when we started teaching each other that living a lie is just the way it’s done—the way to get ahead.”

I glanced down into my lap and fiddled with my dress, just for something to do. “The truth often comes with a price some of us can’t afford.”

“And that’s the kind of bullshit we feed our minds to convince ourselves we aren’t fucking up.”

Looking up at him, I held his gaze. “Do you think I’m fucking up, Rhett?”

“Absolutely.” He smiled. “But it’s not too late to un-fuck this mess. Danny’s yours for the taking, Daisy. You don’t need me to tell you that. You’ve never needed anyone to. It’s as obvious as the day is long.” With a sigh, he nodded to my sandwich. “Now, eat up. The therapy was free. Danny would kill me if he thought I was leaving you hungry, too.”

“You’re sweeter than I imagined.”

“Me? Pft. I’m nothing but a sucker for a pretty face.”

Thirty-Three

“How did it go?” I asked Danny as I opened the fridge to see if there was anything for me to eat, wedging the phone between my ear and shoulder to lift a packet of cheese with one hand while my other tugged at a half-finishedCadbury’sFruit & Nut.

“It’s Gina. She pulled no punches.”

After closing the fridge, I peeled open the packet before snapping what was left of the bar in half. “She probably didn’t mean a lot of what she said. She’s not had anyone to lash out on before now. Apart from me, she’s been alone for a lot of it.”

“She definitely got a lot of shit off her chest. I’m exhausted.” I heard Danny start his car. “Switching you to handsfree. Hang on a second.”

I broke off a small square of chocolate and chewed while I waited for him to come back.

“You there?”

“Mmhmm,” I mumbled. “Just eating. Can’t seem to stop today. I’m starving.”

“You’ve burnt a lot of calories these last two nights.”

“Shut up.”

Danny laughed, and the sound of it was inspiring. “Can I come over?”

“You can, but I thought tonight might be a good night for us to go do the thing at your mum and dad’s house.”

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