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Authors: Tamara Lee

BOOK: Behind Closed Doors

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I nodded my head and turned to my parents.

“We’ll wait in the car,” my father said, as he dragged my mother away.

I looked up into Jayce’s eyes, but I didn’t say anything.

“I was just wondering if you’re free for a date?” Jayce asked, as he flung his hands into his pockets.

“Now?” I questioned.

“Yes. Now.” He smiled slightly.

“I don’t understand,” I answered. I thought he wanted nothing more to do with me.

“Please let me explain everything over a meal?” he asked, a hopeful glint in his eye.

“Jayce, I don’t-”

“Please, Kyla,” he insisted.

I looked toward my parents’ car and then back to Jayce. The choice was mine. Either go with Jayce and hear him out or say goodbye to him, now and most likely forever. Two choices. Two different outcomes. And one gorgeous man standing before me, awaiting my answer.

Chapter 29

Head or heart, head or heart, head or heart
. I weighed up my options, but sometimes it wasn’t as simple as that. Sometimes you have to venture into the unknown and trust you will come out a better and stronger person.

“I will tell my parents to leave without me.” I finally announced after a long internal debate with my subconscious.

I wasn’t sure if it was the right decision, but only time would tell.

Jayce pulled the SUV into a free car space and killed the ignition. We had travelled to a part of town that I didn’t recognize. It was the first time I’d been in his car since the afternoon of our first meeting. So much had happened since then and despite everything, I was thankful that I gave him a chance to get to know me. He opened his door without saying a word and walked around the car, opening my door and lifting me out of my seat.

“This is our first real date,” he looked at me and a smile graced his lips.

His hands tightened around my waist as he dipped his head and kissed my lips. I scanned the parking lot to see if anyone was watching.

“You worried people will see?” he asked, an amused expression on his face.

I shrugged my shoulders timidly.

“I hope the world sees us walking through this parking lot.” He stated as he took my hand in his and we approached the door of a cute little diner.

Once inside, the host looked at us expectantly. I think she recognized Jayce. The flirty smile and toss of her hair was a dead giveaway. Jayce didn’t seem to notice as he politely asked to be seated in a booth, while still firmly grasping my hand. There were whispers around the diner as we were shown to our table, everyone openly staring at Jayce and then at me, as an afterthought. I sat in the booth and instead of sitting on the opposite side, Jayce sat on the bench seat next to me.

“I know you love pancakes,” he said as the waitress placed two menus in front of us. I looked at the menu and noticed the name of the diner on the cover page,
The Pancake Kitchen
.

“It’s never too late in the day for pancakes.” I said, scanning the menu. My stomach growled at the vast selection and I realized I hadn’t eaten all day.

The waitress took our order, her face turning red when Jayce spoke to her. I couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride that I was the girl sitting next to him. We sat in silence for a few moments before Jayce finally spoke.

“So,” he drew out. “Today was brutal, huh?”

“Something I’ll never forget,” I answered, averting my gaze.

“It surprised me. Despite everything, you were still the best singer out there. You would have won if I didn’t fuck it up for you.”

He placed his hand on my knee, the contact caused my skin to heat all over. His touch was something I thought I would never feel again.

“The producers…” he cleared his throat, “they made me promise not to speak to you until the last show was over. They thought us being in contact would jeopardize your chances of winning, so I agreed. I didn’t realize how hard it would be not answering your calls or texts.”

My heart began to thump in my chest.

“I know I should have told you, but I thought I was doing the right thing.”

“I thought you hated me,” I whispered.

“Honestly, Kyla, I wanted you to hate me.”

“Why?”

“I wanted you to sing today, not for me, not for anyone else, but for yourself.” He paused for a moment. “And I believe that’s what you did.”

He brushed his fingers over my cheek and I leaned into his touch.

“Is it true that they fired you?”

“Yes.” He answered simply.

“I’m so, so sorry,” I started, but he put a finger to my lips to shush me.

“Hey, it’s a good thing. How was I ever going to coach anyone after you? You set the bar too high.”

I blushed as the waitress placed our drinks in front of us.

“You seemed pissed at me that morning, when we were in the damage control meeting.” I said.

“Not at you, at the way they handled it,” he softened his eyes. “I hated that you were brought in there as if you were being summoned to the principals office at school. They could have handled it better.”

“But you couldn’t even look at me,” my voice quivered.

“I couldn’t look at you mainly because it would have undone me. There was no way I was going to lose it in that room full of vultures.”

I thought back to that morning and how stressful the last forty-eight hours had been. Sitting in that booth, next to Jayce was the first time I allowed myself to relax since I found out about the photos.

“So, what now, back to law for you?”

“I don’t think so,” I answered. I honestly hadn’t thought about it, but I knew I couldn’t return to how things were before the show.

“Maybe we can release an album together?” he suggested and I laughed. “A romantic compilation of songs by Kyla and Jayce,” he continued and I screwed up my nose.

“I’ll take that as a no,” he commented.

He cleared his throat and then his face turned serious. “You didn’t answer your phone the other night, after the event.” It was a statement, not a question.

“I was tired,” I answered, a poor attempt at an excuse.

“And the text you sent was a result of you being tired?” he questioned. The text where I stated our relationship was over.

“I was upset and confused-”

“It’s okay,” he smiled. “I get it.”

“I’m sorry,” I said, still feeling the need to apologize.

“I didn’t stay at the hotel with Sam,” he continued. “I told her I wanted a divorce that night. I called you to tell you that I wanted to be with you.”

I felt a pang of guilt as I remembered hitting the decline button when his name appeared on my screen.

“To be honest, I was ringing to tell you that I loved you.”

My mouth fell open as I studied Jayce’s face. He was serious, his green eyes sparkling as his eyes watered.

“I love you.” He said, more convincingly this time, in present tense.

I tilted my head and kissed his cheek gently, breathing in his scent as I snuggled into his side.

“I love you too,” I finally said. “Even over the past few days when I didn’t want to, I still couldn’t help but love you,” I admitted.

He lifted my chin with his fingers and kissed my lips. A stray tear ran down my cheek and he wiped it away.

“That’s how this whole thing started,” I laughed. “With me crying and you brushing my tears away.”

He shook his head, no. “It started way before that. For me anyway.”

The waitress brought our food, again ogling Jayce, but he didn’t notice. He grabbed a fork and cut into my stack, feeding it to me.

“Mmmm, it’s good.”

“What did you think of the photos?” he asked and I almost choked on my mouthful. That wasn’t a question I expected.

“What did I think of them?” I repeated, confirming that I heard him right.

“Yeah, I mean, I thought they were hot!” he smiled. “I even saved one as my wallpaper.” He said and I hit his shoulder in response.

“It’s true,” he said, reaching into his pocket for his cell. He pulled it out and showed me his screen. This picture from the pool, of both of us looking out to the Miami Beach was saved as his wallpaper.

“I’m sure you could find a better picture than that.”

“I don’t have any others of us together,” he said. “Here,” he held the phone in front of us and I snuggled into his side as the flash blinded me.

“Perfect,” he said, instantly saving the picture as his background.

It was ironic how the day had panned out. What had been the most humbling day of my life, turned into the best first date I’d ever had.

We sat in that diner, talking, eating and laughing until the sun set, the sky turned black and the moon surfaced. It was our first date. Our first time in public together and it couldn’t have been more perfect.

Epilogue

As it turns out, my mother was right, life
is
a series of choices. Some fail us and we are left disappointed, but with a lesson learned. Others provide us with opportunities that we never imagined possible.

We make these choices driven by our desires and swayed by our fears. My choices had always been that of a good girl, trying to please everyone around me. When I dared to live my life ruled by my heart and not my head, it brought me something special. A love that I never knew existed.

It didn’t matter how much money I had in my bank account or what brand of purse I carried on my arm, it was about the people around me. The friends I loved, the family I took for granted and the lovers that shaped who I had become.

Life happens to all of us, just in different ways, steered by different choices. Life will surprise you, if you let it. My choices had led me down the most magical path. And this time, I wasn’t looking back.

Acknowledgements

I’d like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all the beta readers who helped me during this crazy process. You know who you are.

A big thank you to the bloggers who posted the cover reveal for
Behind Closed Doors
. I have a great respect for bloggers who spend countless hours ensuring authors meet their target audience. You’re amazing!

And thanks to B, who empowers me to write, while selflessly supporting my coffee addiction.

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