Breaking Through the Wall (Guarded Hearts Book 2) (20 page)

“Yea, I live about ten minutes away. I’m guessing you are just here on a visit?”

I laugh. “Yea, what gave it away?”

“You haven’t tried to hit on me yet. Guys around here can be very forward and most of the time it is with really obnoxious pickup lines.”

I am at my car now, hooking up the cables and laughing to myself because I was just about to hit on her. “So, is there a reason you turn them down? A boyfriend?”

“No, no boyfriend. I just want better than to get stuck here like most of the girls I went to high school with are doing.”

I could tell right away that there was something different about this girl. She wasn’t the normal groupie I would pick up and discard a couple hours later. There was something drawing me to her. I sit down in the car and start the engine, then get out to disconnect the cables. After I shut her hood, she turns off the car, and looks up at me.

“Well
, thank you for the jump, I really appreciate it.”

“No problem.”

She starts to walk away and I know then I need to find out more about her. “Rebecca!” She stops walking and turns around. “You know the least I could do is maybe take you out for dinner tomorrow night, considering you saved my life and everything.”

She laughs at me and then shakes her head no. “It’s no big deal
, Luke, you don’t owe me anything.”

She turns
, but I grab her hand to stop her. As soon as I touch her I feel a jolt of electricity run through me. What the hell was that? “Maybe saying thank you isn’t the only reason I want to take you to dinner. Please? It’s just one meal.”

She bites her bottom lip like she is thinking about it, and I have to force myself not to press my lips to her so I could bite it myself. “I um…I guess we could go to dinner. I thought you were just visiting though.”

I was planning on flying back to LA tomorrow to spend my week off there. I wouldn’t mind hanging around for a little bit, though. There was something about this girl and I wanted to spend some more time with her. “I’ll be in town for a week, I’m staying at the Four Seasons in town.” I grabbed her phone out of her hand and snapped my picture with it imputing my name and number too. Then I called myself from her number so I would have it. “I will text you tomorrow, okay?”

“Ok
ay, sounds good.” She smiles at me and then disappears into the store.

I hope I wasn’t making a mistake, I never did stuff like this. Usually my relationships were sex and that was it, I didn’t take girls on dates and I definitely didn’t give them my phone number. As I’m driving away the only thing I can think is that I am hoping I don’t regret this decision.

When I get to Citizen’s Bank Park I pull around back, and since the windows are tinted all of the people lined up outside have no idea it’s me. I call security and they open the gates for me to drive in and park my car in the underground lot. I get out and go find my dressing room, shaking hands and smiling at various people on the way.

When I get there Mike is sitting on the couch eat out of a bowl of red skittles. He has the whole list of my food preferences when in reality I don’t eat any of this shit. He and the band put their favorite stuff on there and just say I want it so it gets done. I wonder whose job it is pick out only red skittles. He looks up when he hears me come in.

“Where were you, Luke?”

“My car battery died, I was just about to call you
, but I got a jump.”

“Al
l right, well, I just wanted to make sure that you were okay, I’ll leave you alone to get ready.” He gets up and leaves taking his red skittles with him.

Unlike most stars today I don’t need to be babysat, I don’t do drugs, I drink but I’m not an alcoholic, and I have no intention to make a rehab trip anytime soon. It
can be lonely doing what I do, but I love it and I’m not willing to sacrifice it for drugs or anything else. Aside from my numerous one-night stands the media gets bored of me, because I am pretty straight laced and that doesn’t make for a good story.

As I am getting into my outfit for tonight all I keep picturing are those innocent ocean blue eyes.

Rebecca

I am driving home with this stupid smile plastered across my face all because I got asked out by some random guy in the parking lot. I mean, sure he was gorgeous, but I never get like this. He kind of creeped me out when he had his hat on, but once he took it off I was shocked by what was underneath. He had this brown hair that was just long enough to run your fingers through, and these penetrating green eyes that seemed to see right through me. He had that movie star chiseled jaw and two adorable dimples, and even though he had a T-shirt and jeans on, I could tell he had a great body.

I can’t believe that I actually agreed to go out with him. It was like I temporarily lost my sanity or something
. I guess it isn’t that big of a deal, though, because it’s not like he will be here for long anyway. I don’t attach myself to anyone because my life is complicated enough without extra drama. Except of course for my best friend Jen, we have been friends since grade school. I pull up to my house when my phone starts to ring, I see that it’s Jen and answer it.

“OH MY GOD!!!!!!” I pull the phone away from my ear because I think she may have caused permanent damage. I push the speaker button to save my ears the
torture. “I just won two tickets to the concert tonight!!!!!!”

She may have been expecting me to scream
, but I had no idea who was even in town. I work two jobs just to afford school, buy my little car, and have a working cell phone. I don’t have any time to keep up with all the celebrities and I really have no desire to. I will listen to music sometimes with Jen, but other than that I prefer books. I love the stories where the girl meets her prince charming that sweeps her away from her normal life. I always dream I am one of those girls, but then I wake up and I’m still me. Dreams are such a tease.

“Whose concert
, Jen?”

“Ugh! You need to keep up with current events
, girl!” Our ideas of current events were very different. “Lucas Masterson is in town! Only the sexiest singer in the friggin’ world!”

“Congrats then! I hope you enjoy him and all of his hotness.”

“Oh, hell no! I have two tickets and you, miss thing, are coming with me!”

I
s she serious? I don’t even know who the guy is and I have never been to a concert before. I’m sure there is someone else that she can take that would be better. “Jen, I don’t—”

“No! I am not taking no for an answer
, Becca. I will be there to get you at seven.”

“Jen
, that’s in a half hour!”

“Yes
, and I will see you then!” She hung up before I could protest anymore and I knew it was no use. Jen was always trying to take me out of my comfort zone, and in all reality I loved her for it.

I got out of my car carrying the bottle of wild turkey that I had picked up earlier. When I walked in
, my mom was in her chair, staring at the TV like always. She hardly ever moved except to go to the bathroom or get another drink. I hated that she was like this, but by now I was used to it. The day my dad left her, she shattered and was never able to put herself back together. I was only seven at the time, so I couldn’t do it for her either.

Part of the reason I always avoided friends and dates was because I didn’t want anyone to ever have that power over me. I refuse
d to give someone the means to destroy me. Jen was the only one who I trusted, but she had been my friend before my dad left. Growing up when your mother was like this was no treat either.

I was constantly bullied because I didn’t have a lot of clothes, and sometimes our water would get shut off and I couldn’t shower. I took advantage of the free lunches from school because it was usually the only good meal I got to eat. My mom was on disability for “back problems” that she said she had gotten in a car accident. She was fine
, but it allotted her the lifestyle she has now and gave her the chance to never have to work again, so she took it. Unfortunately with that being our only income and her being basically catatonic that left me to figure out bills, groceries, and still have money for her alcohol in the budget.

My phone beeped
, telling me I had a text message, when I looked down I smiled.

Luke: Anywhere you want to go tomorrow?

Me: It doesn’t matter. The diner down the street from me is pretty good.

Luke: Diner? No way, I am taking you somewhere nicer than that. It will just have to be a surprise then.

Someplace nicer? I wonder what Luke did for a living I never asked him. I’m sure it’s something pretty good if he wants to take me somewhere nice, or maybe he just has money. That would be nice, to come from money and not have to worry about rationing portions of mac and cheese because you don’t have any more money for groceries.

Just then I heard a horn honk outside and realized that Jen must be here. I walk out to meet her and smile, I can hear the music blasting from her car and she is swinging her hands around dancing like she is in the club. I wish I could be half as confident as she is.

When I open the door she screams and throws her arms around me. “I’m so excited, Becca!” She pulls away and turns the music up even louder. The guy that is singing has a really sexy voice, I think he could be singing about grocery shopping and it would still sound hot.

When we park and start making our way into the concert I start to get excited. I can’t believe that I am here, and I love Jen for taking me. We find our seats and I can’t believe that they are so close to the stage. Jen won second row tickets from the radio station
. She was bummed because the first row tickets came with meet and greet passes, but this was good enough for me.

The opening act comes on and it’s a gorgeous girl with a body to die for. She moves around the stage with so much sex appeal and I watch her wishing I could do something like that. I have an ok body I’m curvy but definitely not fat, however that girl is beautiful. After she leaves the stage Jen tells me she is going to the bathroom and I opt to wait here. Crowds are really not my thing I am not that comfortable with people I don’t know and most of the time I prefer to just stay in my room at home. My phone beeps from a message again and I see it’s Luke.

Luke: I made us a reservation at six for tomorrow. Is that good?

Me: Sure, do you want me to meet you there?

Luke: No I’ll pick you up.

Me: Ok
ay.

He wanted to pick me up? Maybe I could meet him on the curb or something, I did not want him going into the house. This is why I never say yes to dates there is too much involved.

When Jen gets back, she has her hands behind her back and a huge smile on her face. “What’s up?”

“I decided to get you something to remember your first concert by.” She pulls a
T-shirt out from behind her back and my heart stops when I see the face on it.

It’s Luke.

My name is Alexis Noelle and
I live in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with my husband, two kids, and two dogs. On top of starting a writing career, I am a full-time student and a full-time mom. I love spending time with my kids, although I have to hide the computer from them when I am writing! I love being active and being outdoors.

I have always been passionate about writing
, and wrote this book in about three months.
I love reading romance books! I feel like being able to lose yourself in a book is one of the more exciting aspects. The books I love to read and write will be ones that make you feel for the characters. You should have an opinion on every character in a book whether you love them, hate them, or think they are up to something.

I have always thought
that the most important critic is your reader, so I would love to hear from you. If you read the book and loved it or hated it, tell me. As long as it is in a constructive way, I will always answer and interact with you. I want fans to feel free to tell me what they want for the characters in the story, and what they want to see happen.

I hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!

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