Category: Romance / Contemporary
Publication date: Jul 10, 2014
ISBN (paper): 978-1-61213-252-5
ISBN (ebook): 978-1-61213-253-2
Summary
Public spectacles, private breakdowns, and terrible choices. How
can a beloved Hollywood star feel so unloved?
Twenty-four year old Adra Willows grew up in the spotlight, but
navigating the shark infested waters of show business doesn’t get easier with
age. Constantly comparing herself to others, Adra has experienced mild success
but nothing like the achievement of one of her best friends.
With her manager giving her questionable advice and her
relationship with a leading comedic actor on the rocks, Adra finds herself at
the crossroads of Virtue and Vice. She can either continue along the path of
taking roles that showcase her body instead of her acting skills or she can
forge ahead of her competition, ignore the wishes of her manager, and make her
own decisions.
The red carpet of life is lined with virtue and vice, but which
side will the actress choose to walk along?
Expert
“So what are we doing here? Hopefully you don’t think filming on
our day off would be the key to my heart.” I don’t know why I say it like that.
Peter’s not trying to get my heart. He’s got Shyla’s. He’s just being a friend,
and I don’t think I could handle him as anything more. No, I could. What I
couldn’t handle is losing him, and at this rate, I’d probably lose him.
“I’ve always known the key to your heart is something that has
nothing to do with filming and Hollywood stuff.”
A little knot in my stomach forms, and I press my free hand
against it as we walk around a small building. If I was truly a brave and
independent woman, I would squeeze his hand and tell him that I love him. I
would tell him that there is but one key to my heart, and he already has it. He
always has. Only, it takes more than a key to get to my heart. It’s not just
locked. There are purposefully placed walls and barbed wire surrounding it, and
even a worthy person who can crack through anything would find it difficult to
get in there to even use the key.
“I love you,” I whisper. Peter stops. His eyes are narrow and
his lips are still. His silence makes the knot in my belly grow bigger. Shit.
“I mean, you’re a great friend, Peter. I’m glad we could hang out today.” I
paste on a practiced grin and roll my eyes. “Even if I don’t know what the hell
we’re doing.”
The serious look on Peter’s face hasn’t faded. I look away.
“Adra,” he says in the softest voice I’ve ever heard come from him.
I’m not an independent woman. Who the hell am I kidding? I’m a
scared little kid, and I don’t think I can handle his rejection. I mean, he
won’t make fun of the fact that I just said I loved him, but he’ll take it
seriously, and then he’ll tell me about how he’s with someone else and how we
can’t ruin our friendship by taking it in a romantic direction. Or he’ll tell
me that while I’m his friend, I’m just not the right type of person to be his
girlfriend. I can’t deal with that, so I tug on his hand. “Come on, let’s go.”
He resists at first, but then lets me pull him into a steady
pace.
“Where are we going?” I laugh, and then let him take the lead.
This all feels unnatural. I hate my fake laugh, and I’m sure Peter can tell.
“Right here.” He raises both of our hands to point to an
administrative building. A golf cart is parked out front, but I already know
he’s not pointing at that. He’s pointing to the bike with a basket on the back.
“Seriously?” I ask.
“Yep.”
I walk to the bike and can hear him follow. “There’s only one.”
He places a hand on the handlebars and one on the seat. “I’ll be
careful with you. I promise.”
About the Author
N.K. Smith is the author of several books including the young
adult sensations The Old Wounds series and My Only.
Interested in a variety of genres and styles, she also penned Hollywood
Lies and Ghosts of Our Pasts. She lives in the Midwest.
Connect with N.K Smith:
Other books by N.K
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