Page 114 of Beautiful Distraction

I continue walking, mumbling, “Leave me alone.”

The truck speeds up, coming to a halt a few yards down theroad. Leaving the engine running, Kellan jumps out and slams the door shut. Itry to ignore him as he plants himself in front of me, until I have no choicebut to look up into his face.

“What are you doing? You cannot walk out here all alone.”His expression is a mixture of worry and anger.

“I’m an adult.”

“And I’m your host, and I say you can’t be here alone.”

I shrug. “Why not? You said it was safe. What changed yourmind?”

“I wasn’t talking about the people, Ava. We have wildanimals, and they can be dangerous.” He sighs. “Look. I know you’re pissed.”

“Pissed?” I scoff and stare at him, pointing to my face.“Does my face look pissed? I’m hurt, Kellan. Disappointed. You told me youwouldn’t return before the weekend. I thought that was our goodbye. A reallycrappy one, by the way. And then I find out that the sole reason I’m here isbecause you arranged for me to win tickets.” My anger’s choking me, but I don’tcare. I have so much to say to him. “The past week, I told you everything aboutmy life, and you barely fed me morsels of information about yours. You kept thefact that you’re a famous rock star to yourself. How is that fair?”

“I know how that sounds.”

“You do?” I ask, doubting it. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

He hesitates. “I wasn’t sure you’d understand.”

I shake my head. “Of course. What else?” I move past him toresume walking, when his hand grips my upper arm to stop me.

“I mean it,” Kellan says. “I thought you wouldn’tunderstand.”

“Why wouldn’t I understand? It’s not like you have to beembarrassed for your job.” I try to look up into his eyes, which isn’tpossible. He’s standing so close, I have to tilt my head back, and it hurts.“Fuck, everyone would want to be in your shoes.”

“Exactly. That’s why I kept it from you.”

“I don’t understand.” I frown at him. “You thought I’d bejealous? That I might want to be a rock star?”

The assumption is so ridiculous, I find myself laughing.

“No, Ava,” he says sharply, “I thought you would judge me.”

“Why would I judge you?”

“Are you kidding me?” He pauses, hesitating, as though whathe has to say is hard for him. “People change when they find out I’m K. Taylor.They go crazy, especially once they realize I have money. I can’t risk tellingsomeone I don’t trust who I am, out of fear that they might go to the papersand seek their own five minutes of fame. People think because they know my nameand read made-up stories about me, that they know me. They don’t.” He grimaces,and his expression contorts into one of disgust. From up close, in the brightlights of his truck, I can see every line on his face. The tiredness. Thefrustration. “You have absolutely no idea what fame does to people or how farthey’d go to get it. I’ve reached a point where I can’t trust anyone. It hasnothing to do with you. I just can’t trust people. Too many have betrayed mytrust and invaded my privacy. The only people I can trust are the ones I grewup with, and they are here in this town. My brothers. A few close friends.Sharon.”

That’s not a lot.

I’m sorry for him.

At last, I draw a deep breath and let it out slowly before Isay, “You still could have tried me. I would have understood.”

“Yeah.” He cringes. “Except you hate Mile High, and you’re ajournalist. That’s a great combination.”

“I don’t hate Mile High,” I protest weakly, ignoring the latterpart.

“You said you did. Do you want me to reiterate your exactwords?” He lets go off my arm. “You called us a boring, over the top, overrated,untalented bunch of idiots.”

I did?

I cringe at my choice of words. “I’m sorry. I might havesaid all of that, and I admit it’s horrible. The truth is, I think you have anamazing voice. I do. But I never really listened to any of your songs. Myparents made me biased toward the music business and anything commercial.Toward music in general. But just because I’m not a fan doesn’t mean I hate theband. I just didn’t care to give you guys a try. That’s all. And I’ll be honestwith you, just because you’re the lead singer doesn’t mean I’ll change my opinionabout what the music industry stands for.” The words are out before I can stopthem. I can feel the offense in the air, and I couldn’t blame him if he turnedaround and left without a look back.

I expect Kellan to unleash his annoyance with me, but hejust laughs.

“I know, and I would never expect you to,” he says. “Look,it’s hard for me, too.”

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