Page 110 of Beautiful Distraction

A liar spots a liar

A liar spots a liar

Behind this shell, shesets me free

As Kellan continues to sing the last line, the crowd chimesin. I don’t know when the song was released, but he must have sung it beforebecause people know the lyrics; they’re familiar with the rhythm. He stopssinging, but the guitarist continues to play.

The crowd starts to chant, “TAYLOR! TAYLOR! TAYLOR!”

But instead of turning to the crowd, he turns to me andcocks a sexy eyebrow.

A smile tugs at his lips. And then he leans forward andclasps my chin between his fingers as he kisses me on the lips in front of theaudience.

My breath hitches.

My head’s swirling.

My heart’s pounding.

At some point, the song ends. Kellan lets go of me and sayssomething into the microphone. But I can’t make out his words. It’s like theworld around us has dissolved into nothingness. From the periphery of my mind,I know that a security guy is ushering me back to my spot, while all I can dois focus on making it down the stage without taking a tumble.

I feel Mandy’s shock a moment before she whispers in my ear,“What the hell, Ava? Why didn’t you tell me?”

I open my mouth to explain that I had no idea, but the wordsremain trapped on my tongue.

I need to get away.

Numb from the shock, I take off, squeezing through thecrowd, until I’ve reached the back of the tent. I need the distance and forMandy to stop her questions.

The band continues their set. I get an hour of watching him.Of listening to his magnificent voice while he sings one song after another. Anhour during which my shock is slowly subsiding, making room for a throbbingsense of suspicion and anger.

Once or twice, I think I see his eyes roaming over thecrowd, probably in search of me, but I can’t be sure. I hide in the shadowsnonetheless, out of his view. I don’t want him to call me up there again.

A cowboy turned rock star!

I shake my head.

What. The. Hell.

And I was stupid enough to fall for him.

That was about the worst move I could have made in my life.

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CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

“Are you okay?” Mandy asks for the umpteenth time, herconcern growing with each second that passes. When I nod, she whispers, “Youdidn’t know, did you?”

I shake my head and follow Josh to his truck.

I don’t want to make a big fuss out of the fact thatKellan’s a rock star but—

Holy shit!

He’s a rock star.

I still can’t believe it.

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