Page 61 of Sky Full of Stars

“Okay, erm… A couple of the guys from the gym are fighting in a competition tomorrow night. We’re all going to support them. I’ve never been to a fight before. I don’t know if I’m excited or nervous.”

“Who’s going with you?”

“Brooke,” she answers. “She’s hoping to hook up with some sexy MMA fighter. I keep trying to tell her they’re gonna be sweaty and blood stained with messed up faces. If she wants that to happen she needs to come in when they’re training for a fight, not while they’re in the middle of one, or for a few weeks after when they look like bruised fruit. I don’t think she knows what she is letting herself in for.”

“Sounds like an interesting night.”

“I’m sure it will be eventful. So, we’ve been talking in work about an author doing a European tour.”

“Wow, really? When?”

“Not sure yet but I was thinking…”

“Thinking what?”

“I’m the one who will schedule the stops.”

“I like where this is going.”

“You could send me your schedule.”

“I’m emailing it now,” I laugh, I’m actually getting excited. “Seriously though you think you could make it so we’re in the same place at the same time?”

“That was what I was thinking.”

“That would be fucking awesome, Jenna. You could come to a gig. I’d love for you to come see us. I’d get you backstage passes, the whole VIP package.”

“All of us?” she asks.

“Who are we talking about here?”

“Elle, and…Kevin.”

“Fuck no, douche boy can wait outside till the show is over. That guy is not invited.” She gives me a throaty laugh. Then she yawns. It’s late on the east coast. “You should go to bed, I’m excited about this Europe thing though.”

“Me too,” she says. “You gonna ask?”

I smile. “Will you come to LA?” It’s the same every time we speak or text and every time, she says she needs to think about it.

“Maybe. Night Adam.”

“That’s better than you’ll think about it, right?”

“Ask me again tomorrow.”

“You know I will. You gonna go straight to sleep, or…”

“Goodnight, Adam.”

“Okay, dream about me.”

She’s laughing when she hangs up. For the first time in days, I feel better. Then I get an alert on my phone and open the news app and my mouth drops open, I jump up and knock my beer bottle over. “What the fuck?”

“Is there any chance it’s true?”

“Are you fucking kidding me, Bianca?” I snap.

“You were linked with her, Aidan.”

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