Page 19 of The Promises We Make

“Mm-hmm,”Isay. “Howmany times have you cooked sinceI’vebeen gone?”

“Enoughtimes.”

“Dad.”Igive him my best no-nonsense tone.

“I’vecooked every day,” he says with a laugh.Thenhe clears his throat, and when he speaks again, his tone is more serious. “Don’tworry about me, honey.I’mfine.I’meating properly and exercising, and my doctor is happy with how things are going.Sostop thinking about me and concentrate on having fun with your friends.Asfar asI’mconcerned, you haven’t had anywhere near enough of that.”

“Idon’t care about having fun,Dad.Icare about you staying healthy.Youknow that.”

“Ido.Butmy health is my responsibility, not yours.You’reyoung.Youneed to go out and enjoy yourself.Live.”

“Iam.We’regoing to a nightclub opening tomorrow night, so that will be interesting.”

“Andby interesting, you mean a blast, right?”

Ican’t help but laugh. “Yes, that’s exactly whatImean.”

“Whatelse have you been up to?”

Ifill him in, hesitating for a moment before telling him whereDevontook me this morning.

“Doyou think you’d like to go to a school inLA?” he asks whenIfinish.

DoI? “Idon’t know.Idon’t know ifIeven want to go to art school anymore.MaybeIshould find a stable jobIenjoy and paint in my free time.”

He’ssilent for a moment. “Ithink you should ask yourself if that’s really what you want.Ifit is, then there’s nothing wrong with having a hobby you enjoy.Butif you’re saying that because you feel like you have other obligations, then that’s different.Youshouldn’t let anything, oranyone, get in the way of your dreams.”

Hethinks my reluctance is about him. “Lookingafter you isn’t an obligation,Dad.”

“Itshouldn’t be sinceIdon’t need looking after.It’stime to put yourself first, sweetheart.Atleast promise you’ll consider it while you’re there.And, for goodness’ sake, paint.Icould deck that damn ex of yours for stifling your creativity.”

Iblink.SoDadhad noticed.EvenafterIdid my best to keep what was going on withPhillipfrom him.

“Iknow what bad breakups can do,” he says.

Irelax, knowing he thinks it was the breakup that threw me.

“Iwill,Dad.I’llpaint, andI’llhave fun whileI’mhere.”

“Andpromise you’ll consider art school?”

Ismile. “Ipromise.”

Afterhanging up,Isit for a moment and replay our conversation.Ipromised himI’dconsider applying to art school again, andIwill.Butwhether it’s here or back home, the way my painting session went this afternoon all but confirmsIwon’t get in.

Witha frustrated groan,Iforce myself off the bed and get changed into my bikini.

Relaxingrooftop pool, hereIcome.

ChapterSeven

Shae

Ilean closerto the mirror and swipe a final coat of mascara over my lashes.ThenIstand back to take in the finished product.

Myhair tumbles over my shoulders, brushing the neckline of my emerald-green strapless top.I’vepainted my lips in a glossy neutral color, and against the smoky bronze of my eye shadow and black wing-tipped eyeliner, my eyes have taken on a warm golden hue.Ilook about as good asIcan.Whichis lucky, because tonightI’llbe hanging out with more rich, gorgeous people thanIcan shake a stick at.

I’maccompanyingDevonandBeauto the opening of a new rooftop nightclub located on top of a hotel onSunsetBoulevard.Theclub is owned by a consortium ofA-list celebrities, including a couple of recording artists fromHazardRecords, the labelCrossfireandFracturedare signed to.SoZacandCalebwill be there, as well as the rest of the guys fromFracturedand their partners.Notto mention a ton of other celebrities.Justthe thought of the sheer number of famous people in attendance makes me break into a sweat.I’vebeen out with the guys fromFracturedonce before, whenIvisited a couple of years ago.Iwas a nervous wreck then, too.Butthey were all so down to earth,I’dgotten over it quickly.

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