Starstruck - Book Four by Gemma Brooks

But like Alec told me, people lie all the
time to get what they want.
     
    “If I really wanted to be with Ava, I would be with Ava,” he
added.
     
    “I know,” I said.
     
    We traveled past iconic streets, touristy areas, and
downtown scenes. Everyone was out having fun. Everyone was out living it up
except us. My stomach rumbled as we passed by restaurant after restaurant. We
couldn’t go to another nice place because everywhere required reservations, at
least for the more secluded tables. We couldn’t go to a McDonalds’ or a diner
either. It would cause too much of a scene. The night was a bust.
     
    “Ava is not your responsibility,” I told him as we walked
into his house. “From now on you need to ignore her. Let her go.”
     
    “Brynn,” he said. He closed his eyes. “It’s not that
simple.”
     
    “No, but it is!” I practically yelled. “It’s really that
simple.”
     
    “She needs help,” he said. “Serious mental help.”
     
    “Again, she’s not your responsibility,” I said. My mom
wasn’t his responsibility either. I felt like a hypocrite in that second and
the irony was not lost on me.
     
    He sat down on the bar stool that rested by the marble
island looking defeated. The poor guy was just trying to do the right thing,
yet he couldn’t win. He couldn’t win with Ava. He couldn’t win with me.
     
    “Hudson,” I said as I climbed onto his lap and wrapped my
arm around the back of his neck. “I am crazy about you. I want this to work.
But you’ve got to cut Ava loose. I really hate saying this, but it’s her or
me.”
     
    His eyes moved to meet mine and he looked as if he’d just
heard the words he dreaded the most. Fear coursed through my veins as I waited
for his reaction, but he said nothing. He gently pushed me off his lap and
headed down the hall to go to bed.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

CHAPTER 10
 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Saturday morning I sat quietly poolside, sipping some hot
English breakfast tea and noshing on some scrambled egg whites with spinach and
feta. The sound of the birds chirping in the trees and the smell of the lush
greenery that surrounded the backyard helped center me and gave me an
overwhelming sense of calm.
     
    I loved my new life. Every day felt like vacation in
paradise. I loved being with Hudson and I hated giving him an ultimatum, but I
was going to fight for what I wanted. I may have been just some country girl
from the Midwest, but that didn’t mean that Ava got to stomp all over me.
     
    “Hey,” I heard Hudson say as the sliding door opened behind
me.
     
    “Hi,” I said, cautiously, as I tried to gauge his mood. He
seemed to be in better spirits as he took a seat next to me with a steaming cup
of black coffee.
     
    “It’s nice out,” he said, making small talk.
     
    “Very,” I replied.
     
    I hated the tension between us, but I was beyond thrilled
that he was making an effort.
     
    “Have you given any more thought to what I said last night?”
I asked, addressing the elephant in the room.
     
    He took a sip from his mug and then pursed his lips before
staring deep into my eyes.
     
    “It’s you,” he said. “It’ll always be you.”
     
    My lips curled into the biggest smile as I leaned over and
kissed his coffee-flavored lips.
     
    “Thank you,” I cooed. I kissed him again. I couldn’t stop.
     
    Half of my problem was fixed, now I had to figure out a way
to get Ava out of our lives for good.
     
    “I’ll be right back,” Hudson said as he stood up. I couldn’t
help but notice he’d left his phone sitting right next to his mug on the table.
     
    With watchful eyes and a tiny bit of crazy in me, I grabbed
it the moment he was out of sight and searched for Ava’s number. I air-dropped
it to my phone and sat his phone down before he had time to come back and catch
me red handed. It was a little risky, and maybe a little irrational, but I was
going to call her. I wanted to meet with her,