“I love the heck out of this book! It’s super fresh and hysterical.” — Helena Hunting, New York Times bestselling author

Butterface, a hot romantic comedy from USA Today bestselling author Avery Flynn, is AVAILABLE NOW!

Synopsis

Looks aren’t everything.

It’s true. I’m not what most people would call “pretty” and, well, high school was rough. Fast forward ten years and life is good…

Until a bunch of jerks think it’s hilarious to put the “butterface” (AKA me) on a wedding Kiss Cam with the hottest guy ever—and that old humiliation hits hard.

I recognize him immediately. The hottest cop in Waterbury and totally out of my league.
But then he kisses me.
And we totally forget the room, the crowd, everything.
Then he tells everyone we’ve been dating for months.

Soon everything starts to feel too real, from adorable fights over “necessary” tools to fix my broken porch to surviving a free-for-all dinner with his six siblings to picking up where our last kiss left off.

But there’s something he’s not telling me about why he’s really hanging around, and I’m pretty sure it has to do with my mob-connected brothers.

Because this is not a makeover story, and Cinderella is only a fairy tale…

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 4 Stars

This story is for every one of the awkward girls who dreamed about being with the hot guy. Except in this story, the hot guy happens to be the black sheep of his family, so he know all about not fitting in.

The circumstances that bring Gina and Ford together are quite the comedy of errors — and a bit of a cruel prank. A would-be one-night-stand leads to them being roommates because she needs a fake boyfriend to keep her doofus loan-shark brothers at arms length, and he needs an “in” to the crime family her brothers are a low-level part of. But while Gina is clear about why she’s agreed to the terms of their faux romance, Ford hides his true intentions from her — so things get really messy when feelings get involved.

I loved how real Gina is. She’s so relatable as a character, and I was just cheering for her from the first kiss on the Kiss Cam. Ford was kind of like a bumbling fool when it came to his feelings for Gina, and that made him rather endearing. Their chemistry is hot, their banter is witty, and their mutual awkwardness made me absolutely fall in love with them. They both have crazy families, which just adds a whole lot of laughs to this story.

Overall, Butterface is a great series starter and I can’t wait to see what comes next for the Hartigan family! I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

Download Your Copy Today!
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Excerpt:

“Do not disrespect the Kiss Cam, Hartigan!” someone bellowed out as the chanting crowd grew more restless. And louder.

“One quick kiss,” he said, his tone grim with a thread of something more vulnerable underneath. “Then, they’ll leave us alone.”

That’s when Gina’s gaze moved from her own face, blotchy with embarrassment on the screen, over to him. The tips of his ears were scarlet, and he was tapping the tips of his middle finger and thumb together like he was keeping rhythm for a ska band.

He was hiding it better, but the reality was he wasn’t enjoying this anymore than she was.

Glancing from the screen to the actual man himself, her lungs tightened. He was a big guy, and she wasn’t just talking about his broad shoulders that filled out his tux to a mouthwatering degree. He had to have at least four inches on her own five foot ten.

He glanced down, making eye contact, and for a second they weren’t the hottie and the nottie. They were two people stuck in a completely socially awkward situation that they had no control over.

She nibbled the inside of her cheek and considered her options before deciding that Ford was right. A quick peck would get the videographer out of their faces and divert the boisterous crowd’s attention to another couple happier to indulge in this bit of insanity. Then, she could finish up the last of her duties and go home to her peaceful, if totally messy, mid-renovation Victorian.

She let out a shaky breath, not sure she was making the right decision. “Fine. A kiss. Whatever.”

Gina had barely gotten the words out when his large hands cupped her face, sending electric shock waves through her that made her lips part slightly with surprise. He dipped his head down—and he kissed her.

The roar of approval from the crowd faded to almost nothing when he seemed to groan involuntarily. Her body approved and made an answering sound of its own. At her encouragement, his tongue slicked across her bottom lip, and her mind lost all reasonable thought. Teasing her senses and sending her heartbeat into overdrive, she softened against him, practically melting against his hard, muscular chest. Somewhere in the back of her mind she registered that people were cheering. She just couldn’t for the life of her care. The world turned electric as the air practically vibrated against her skin as he deepened the kiss. His tongue swept against hers in a brief but oh-so-potent move that had her clutching his lapel before she’d even realized she’d lifted her hands.

Then, almost as soon as it began, he lifted his head and stepped back, breaking the connection.

Dazed, she released his tuxedo jacket and looked around, catching sight of herself on the giant screen. Her face was flushed and her eyes hazy. She pressed her fingers to her still-tingling lips. She looked like a woman who’d been kissed senseless, which made sense because that was exactly what had just happened.

About Avery
USA Today bestselling romance author Avery Flynn has three slightly-wild children, loves a hockey-addicted husband and is desperately hoping someone invents the coffee IV drip.

She fell in love with romance while reading Johanna Lindsey’s Mallory books. It wasn’t long before Avery had read through all the romance offerings at her local library. Needing a romance fix, she turned to Harlequin’s four books a month home delivery service to ease the withdrawal symptoms. That worked for a short time, but it wasn’t long before the local book stores’ staffs knew her by name.

Avery was a reader before she was a writer and hopes to always be both. She loves to write about smartass alpha heroes who are as good with a quip as they are with their *ahem* other God-given talents. Her heroines are feisty, fierce and fantastic. Brainy and brave, these ladies know how to stand on their own two feet and knock the bad guys off theirs.

Connect with Avery
Website: http://averyflynn.com
Bookbub:  https://www.bookbub.com/authors/avery-flynn
Mailing List:  http://averyflynn.com/newsletter/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AveryFlynnAuthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/averyflynn
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http://averyflynn.com

 

Closer, the next stunning standalone in the Taint Series from USA Today bestselling author Carmen Jenner is coming August 21st!

Title: CLOSER

Author: Carmen Jenner

Genre: Rock star romance/contemporary

Cover Design: Ben Ellis, Be Designs

Release Date: August 21, 2018

Levi Quinn has it all—money, groupies, a panty-melting smile, and a really big d*ck.

At least, he had it all. Until an angry redhead joined the Taint world tour and turned his life upside-down. Levi fell in love with her. His bandmate did too. It did not end well.

Brielle Kagawa doesn’t keep company with rock stars, but when this gifted cellist finds herself kicked out of the Orchestre de Parisan all-expenses-paid gig in the south of France seems too good to be true.

Because it is.

The man footing the bill might be a disorderly drunk, but he has an offer she can’t refuse—stay in his chateau and play for the month. No strings attached.

Yeah right.

The truth about rock stars is that they’re awfully good players, but Levi isn’t the only one who knows how to master a set of strings.

He’s broken-hearted.

She doesn’t have a heart to break.

Pre-order your copy today!

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2v8CTtx

Amazon Universal: http://mybook.to/CloserCJ

Add to GoodReads: https://bit.ly/2lLE7Wx

Start the series of standalones today!

Revelry

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Paperback: https://amzn.to/2v7473B

Add to GoodReads: https://bit.ly/2v8AGOL

About Carmen:

Carmen Jenner is a thirty-something, USA Today and international bestselling author.

Her dark romance, KICK (Savage Saints MC #1), won Best Dark Romance Read in the Reader’s Choice Awards at RWDU, 2015.

A tattoo enthusiast, hardcore makeup addict and zombie fangirl, Carmen lives on the sunny North Coast of New South Wales, Australia, where she spends her time indoors wrangling her two wildling children, a dog named Pikelet, and her very own man-child.

A romantic at heart, Carmen strives to give her characters the HEA they deserve, but not before ruining their lives completely first … because what’s a happily ever after without a little torture?

Connect with Carmen:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CarmenJennerAuthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CarmenJAuthor

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/carmenjenner/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carmenjennerauthor/

SnapChat: https://www.snapchat.com/add/TheCarmenJenner

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2BKhcoL

Stay up to date with Carmen by joining her mailing list here:

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http://www.carmenjenner.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today we have the blog tour of  DRY SPELL by Mia London & Susan Sheehey! Check it out and grab your copy today!!

Title: Dry Spell

Genre: Contemporary Romance

About Dry Spell:
She believes in success. He believes in a carefree lifestyle.

 

Driven and work-obsessed, Samantha Callahan’s specialty is conquering a man’s world. With her next promotion within grasp, the one thing she lacks may be the very thing that gives her the edge she needs. A well-deserved vacation with her best friends may be overdue, but nothing will stand in the way of her success. Not even the gorgeous, unambitious surfer boy next door.

 

Beach hottie Chase Bradshaw ditched corporate America to follow his dreams of the stress-free salt life. When Sam walks onto his beach, he can practically see the uptight personality oozing from her pores. The woman desperately needs something other than work to keep her up at night. He’s just the man to coax the vixen out of her.

 

Lucky for her, Chase just happens to surf as well as he sizzles in the bedroom.

 

 

Get Your Copy Today!

Amazon: US | UK | DE | FR | ES | IT | NL | JP | BR | IN | MEX | AUS | CAN

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EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT:

“You’ve burnt the burgers.” Liddy scowled over Jordan’s shoulder as she cooked the meat on the grill.

“No, I didn’t. They’re well-done.”

“More like hockey pucks.” Sam set the plates of potato salad and fruit on the patio table. “Please, tell me that wasn’t all the beef we bought.”

“No,” she replied as she lifted one on her spatula. “This one here is okay.”

Sam peered over Jordan’s arm. The third burger she referenced wasn’t quite as black as the other two. But still not acceptable by her standards.

“How many patties do we have left? We need to start over.”

Jordan huffed, and switched off the burners. “Fine. Don’t touch anything, and I’ll fix this.” She sprinted over, and knocked on Chase’s back door.

Sam stared at the burned beef. Eat overcooked burgers, or face him again?

Before she had time to process her preference, Jordan returned with Chase in tow. Freshly showered from his morning yard work, and dressed in a pair of cargo shorts and a gray T-shirt, not to mention that delectable smile.

“Jordan tells me you need help with some meat.”

Liddy snorted. Jordan giggled.

Sam met his smirk head on. “Jordan doesn’t know how to handle prime beef.”

That made his grin widen, and even brought a small blush to his cheeks. “What a shame. Mind if I . . . ?”

“Only if you agree to stay for lunch.” Jordan gave Sam a discreet smile.

“How can I refuse an invitation from three women in distress?”

 

 

Sweet Escape Series:

Three best friends find love, laughter, and lots of trouble during their annual girls’ trips. On these getaways, all-inclusive takes on a new, steamy meaning.

The new Sweet Escape series by co-authors Mia London & Susan Sheehey is the perfect beach read! Super steamy paradise in three, hilarious romance adventures.

 

Pre-Order HOT SPELL,  releasing September 5^th!

 

Amazon: US | UK | DE | FR | ES | IT | NL | JP | BR | IN | MEX | AUS | CAN

 

iTunes | B&N | Kobo

 

Pre-Order COLD SPELL, releasing October 3^rd!

Amazon: US | UK | DE | FR | ES | IT | NL | JP | BR | IN | MEX | AUS | CAN

iTunes | Kobo | B&N

 

About the Authors:

About Susan:

Susan Sheehey writes contemporary romance, romantic suspense and women’s fiction. The Knights of Texas series (contemporary romance novellas) is available on Kindle. The Royals of Solana series (romantic suspense & adventure) is available on all e-retailers and in paperback, along with her contemporary romance standalone, Audrey’s Promise. Water plays a crucial element in all of her novels, and she’s a strong advocate for Autism Awareness. She tried to give up Diet Coke, and it didn’t take. When not writing, she’s chasing after her two children, and being pampered by her husband in Texas.

Follow her at www.SusanSheehey.com or on Facebook, Twitter @SusieWriter, Amazon, and BookBub. Join her monthly newsletter for goodies and sneak peaks.

https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/p5b0i9

 

Website | Facebook | Twitter | BookBub | Newsletter

 

About Mia:

Mia loves to write!

She’s been reading fiction for years and finally decided that the images and scenes floating around in her head needed to make it to paper.

She’s a huge fan of romance, highly optimistic, and wildly faithful to the HEA (happily ever after). She’s inspired by most anything around her. And her biggest obstacle is not having enough time to get it all down on paper (or my computer, as the case may be).

Her goal is create a fantasy you will enjoy with characters you could love.

She lives in Texas with her attentive, loving, super-model husband, and her perfectly behaved, brilliant children. Her produce never wilts, there are no weeds in her flowerbeds, and chocolate is her favorite food group.
And then she wakes up.

 

Website | Email | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon

 

 

Enter Mia & Susan’s Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

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Summer Heat by Rachel Van Dyken
Series: Cruel Summer #1
Publication Date: August 2, 2018
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Synopsis: Spoiled Princess is what he used to call me.

We were an inferno of hate and passion wound up with a dash of chaos.

For four years I watched him mow my lawn.

For four years I watched my friends make fun of him.

For four years I hated myself for wanting him, but even more for the way I treated him.

And then I had him.

For one night, we put all labels away and I spent the best night of my life in his arms.

Then the next day, with my secret night under lock and key, I looked the other way while my friends shamed him.

But now the jokes on me, because the scrawny lawn boy who I secretly loved from afar is now the director of Hollywood’s most exclusive summer camp.

And I’m on his staff.

Now it’s his turn to punish me.

His turn to make me pay.

His turn to take his revenge after years of humiliation.

He’s no longer a boy you can ridicule.

But a college graduate who can have any woman he wants.

I want him to look at me the way he did that one night we had together, but right now

the look in his eyes tells me he’s going to enjoy having me under him for two straight months.

I don’t know where his hatred ends, his passion begins.

All I know is he wants revenge.

And I’m his lucky target.

Read Today!
Exclusively on iBooks

Summer Heat
iBooks: https://goo.gl/chcnKy
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Pre-Order Today!
Summer Seduction:
iBooks: https://goo.gl/3H47Cm

Summer Nights
iBooks: https://goo.gl/RySbbj

Meet the Author:

Rachel Van Dyken is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of regency and contemporary romances. When she’s not writing you can find her drinking coffee at Starbucks and plotting her next book while watching The Bachelor.

She keeps her home in Idaho with her Husband, adorable son, and two snoring boxers! She loves to hear from readers!

Connect with the Author:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RachelVanDyken
Website: http://rachelvandykenauthor.com
Newsletter: http://bit.ly/RVDNewsletter
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachvd
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RachVD
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2cNVwL9
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Rachel’s Rockin’ Readers: http://bit.ly/RachelsRockinReaders

 

Today we have J. Lum stopping by with the release blitz for FOREVER LOVE! Check it out and be sure to grab your copy today!

 

Title: Forever Love

Author: J Lum

Genre: Contemporary Romance

 

About Forever Love:

To appreciate the sun, you have to withstand the storm.

Free-spirited, poetic Casey Loughlin has had her fair share of rain, and she always manages to see the silver lining. During her teenage years, when she met Toby Cardona, she learned everything she ever needed to learn about love and loss—all in one year.

When Toby lost Casey, everything changed for him. The once caring and endearing boy, with dreams and hopes of his own, became the cold, broken, money-hungry man he swore he’d never be. Now, with Casey back in his life, it’s up to her to show Toby that the second time around, love can still hurt, but it’s worth every painful prick. Will Toby weather the storm, and embrace a second chance, with the woman he’s always loved?

 

Get Your Copy Today:

Amazon | Kobo | Nook | iBooks | Other

 

Exclusive Excerpt:

“Have you thought about what we talked about? Yer beach house won’t be open forever.”

“Gran I … It’s not my home anymore—”

“Casey Jo Loughlin, yer momma did not raise a fool, and right now, you’re bein’ one!” she shouts into the phone, like she’s at the Kentucky Derby. I knew anything but a yes would get her upset. My last visit, she’d been pretty insistent that I take her up on her offer. Everyone has been handling my parents’ death with kid gloves on. Eventually they’d stop; I just didn’t think they’d wait so long. So here we were.

“Jesus, Gran. Just calm down, please—”

“Now, don’t you take that tone with me, girl. I would give you a good lickin’ if I were there, so you won’t be disrespectin’ me by taking the Lord’s name in vain, you ’ear?”

“Yes, ma’am. I’m sorry, Gran. I just … It’s just too hard,” I spit out.

“Life’s hard, Babygirl, but you got to be brave. Take life by the balls, because I won’t lie, you got some big ones swingin’ right in front of you. I don’t want you goin’ through the rest of yer life regrettin’ you didn’t grab ’em. We all know, Danny and I know, you’ve been dodgin’ ’em.” She goes quiet for a moment, giving me a nice reprieve because all I can see are big hairy balls flying in front of my face, now that she’s brought them up.

“Balls are nice, grab ’em, Babygirl. Not for me or yer parents, God bless ’em, but for yerself. I want you back, and enough is enough,” she says resolutely.

“Can we stop talking about balls, please, I just—”

“What?” she says innocently. “Babygirl, I ain’t gettin’ younger. If you’re afraid of balls, maybe …”

“Nope, stop. Please, just stop.” Big hairy balls are now flashing through my mind, and I wince as I hear my gran whispering something about big balls being nice. Leaning back, I take a few breaths as I stare at the ceiling. I make a mental note that I need find a way to wipe the corners of the dust bunnies collecting.
“Babygirl, you there?”
“Yes Gran, I’m still here.”

“I mean it, you can’t keep doing this to yourself. They wouldn’t want that.”
“But Da—”

“William was a wonderful father, and I know what yer gonna say, but I will tell you, he wouldn’t want this from you.” She pauses, taking several breaths, as if she were running a marathon. I shouldn’t be arguing with her. “Babygirl, he wanted the best for you, but most of all, he wanted you to be happy. Yer father was strict, and I hate talkin’ about people who don’t really know, but he didn’t know better. He loved yer momma and you. Sometimes it came off like he was restrained but, by golly, Babygirl, he wouldn’t want you to hold onto some illusion of perfection. Holdin’ on to the very worst memories you have of ’em.”

Dropping the phone in my lap, I furiously try to wipe away the tears that seem to be falling freely down my face. I can hear my gran’s voice through the phone. She’s going to be upset at herself that she brought up stuff that I don’t want to talk about. She’s my anchor. They all were. I grab the phone, taking a few deep breaths to compose myself. “Gran …”
“Are you okay?” she asks worriedly.

“I’m sorry, I just—”
“I know, Babygirl. I know.” She sighs. We don’t have to say much; she knows me well enough to understand how this all works.

“Just go to the house. I rented it for you, I talked to Avey, and she agrees this is the best time to go. She said something about students gonna want a place to study soon.”

“Yeah, finals.”

“I rented the house for you, everything has been taken care of. And if anything, this will be a little vacation, plus maybe some closure you need. You were never at fault, sweetie. You owe it to yerself to take a break. I’m so proud of you. I wish I could’ve been there for the openin’,” she says quietly.

 

 

Get Your Free Copy of SUMMER LOVE Today:

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About J Lum:

J. Lum resides in the Northern Virginia area. While she calls Virginia home, she is constantly on the go. She’s got a constant case of #Wanderlust; most of the time, you can find her traveling around the world to see her book besties, or checking off her bucket list places. Her second home away from home is Hawaii, where her family is from. The love for the ocean runs through her veins. She also has a love of pugs, unicorns, and anything chocolate. She and coffee have been having a love affair for many years. And, if you don’t find her wandering around the world, she’s more than likely hanging with her pug, Lani.

 

Connect with J Lum:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorjlum
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorjlum
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/authorjlum
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/j-lum
Book + Main: @jlum

Enter J. Lum’s Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

 

Break My Fall by M. Mabie
Publication Date: August 28, 2018
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Cover Designer: Jay Aheer, Simply Defined Art
Photographer: Wander Aguiar Photography
Model: Jamie Walker

 

Synopsis: “The first time I returned to Lancaster was for my brother’s funeral.
The second time was for Myra.”

For twelve years, I lived alone in my cabin, building a life with my two bare hands. I was free from their rules, their policies, and their lies.
They are a cult.
My father is their leader.
To protect my brother’s widow, I’m making her my wife. It’s her only way out.
But drawn to the purity in her deep blue eyes and the innocence of her gentle voice, I wonder if I’m not the biggest monster of them all. I have to save her from them and myself. Because every second I spend with this timid woman, I fight the urge to claim her.
Own her.
Make her truly mine.
And I know it’s wrong.
I will break her fall—if I don’t break her first.

Pre-Order Today!

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2O15F6l
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2KjOoD4
iBooks: https://goo.gl/bLG3sA
Nook: https://goo.gl/gKJPxu
Kobo: https://goo.gl/5TDZWA
Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2LCTU9z

Meet The Author:

1. Mabie lives in Illinois with her husband. She writes everything from steamy romantic comedies to angst-filled, pull your hair out drama. She enjoys it all. With her unconventional love stories, she tries to embody “real-life romance.”

She cares about politics, but will not discuss them in public. She uses the same fork at every meal, watches Wayne’s World while cleaning, and lets her dog sleep on her head. She has always been a writer. In fact, she was born with a pen in her hand, which almost never happens. Almost.

1. Mabie usually doesn’t speak in third-person. She promises.

Connect with M. Mabie:
Facebook: http://bit.ly/2vo6mPA
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2AsYGRQ
Instagram: http://bit.ly/2v5F9Sl
Join her Reader Group: http://bit.ly/2KbjblC
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Website: http://bit.ly/2LWUuOy
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Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2voZj93

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jude

“You know she’s way too good for you, right?” Lo says, rocking Ellie on her hip as she stands in my kitchen.
“Yep.”
“Like … way.” She laughs through her nose, studying my outfit. “It’s weird seeing you like this.”
“Like what?”
Lo rolls her eyes. “You know. No ripped jeans or vintage Ramones t-shirts. Hair actually combed for once.”
I know I look like a schmuck with my pressed slacks and cashmere sweater and shiny Italian loafers and hair parted on the side and slicked with brill cream, but this is all part of Hunter’s master plan.
“If you want to hook Love, you have to use the right bait,” he’d said, comparing his ex-wife to a fucking fish.
“God, this place is amazing,” Lo says, carrying Ellie from the kitchen to the living room, where she hones in on the kind of view we only ever dreamed of.
“Sure beats our fourth floor walk-up.”
She smirks. “Yeah. Just a little.”
“I Venmo’d you the rent money this morning,” I said. “Next six months are covered. There’s some extra for food and Piper’s meds.”
Lo turns to me, her smart-ass expression fading. She’s tough as rocks, but I swear I see a hint of tears brimming in her eyes. She doesn’t have to say a word. I know what this means to her. After her deadbeat ex was hauled off to prison a couple years back for running drugs (unbeknownst to all of us), she found herself a twenty-three-year-old single mother with a toddler and a newborn, no job, and no way to feed them.
At the time, I’d been out of the Army for a few years, had just finished my plumbing apprenticeship, and landed a decent job at Premier Plumb and Supply in Brooklyn. As soon as Lo finally admitted to me that she was struggling and about to become evicted, I found a hole-in-the-wall two-bedroom above a pizza shop and moved them in, vowing to help her get on her feet.
Now, during the day, Lo stays home with the girls. At night she waits tables at some exclusive restaurant on 67th Street, heading into the city shortly after the girls go down for the night. Tips are decent and the hours are shit, but she doesn’t complain because this has always been temporary.
The plan was for her to start nursing school at Touro, and she was going to start this summer. But I lost my job a few months back due to cutbacks, and one of us had to make sure the rent was still being paid.
“You sure you want to do this?” Lo asks, biting her lower lip as Ellie runs her chubby fingers through her hair.
Piper is seated in the cognac chair across from the TV, messing with a remote that I’m pretty sure belongs to the fireplace.
“What choice do I have?” I’d spent the last three months applying for jobs, but all the ones I could find had shitty pay, zero benefits, or shady reputations. I booked every music gig I could find, playing at any bar that would so much as take me for an hour or two at night, but it didn’t make up for the lost wages, and most of it went toward Piper’s meds anyway.
“We could always move,” she says.
“It costs money to move, Lo. And we don’t have that right now.” My tone is short and I don’t mean to come at her that way, but I don’t need to be reminded that what I’m doing is nothing less than heartless. “As soon as this is over, we can look into moving somewhere cheap and safe. With good people and even better schools. All this stress, this bullshit? It’s about to end.”
Taking a seat at a kitchen bar stool, I slump my elbow on the counter and exhale.
“She seems really nice,” Lo says. “Sweet.”
“I know.”
“And she just went through a divorce,” she adds. “She’s probably already heartbroken. And you’re just going to come in and—”
Fuck. “I know.”
Lo doesn’t manage our finances. She doesn’t see that we’re one rough month away from being out on the street, one unexpected bill away from Piper not having her EpiPen or inhaler when she needs it.
A million dollars and a record deal.
That’s what this deal is worth to Hunter LeGrand, that’s what he laid on the table. And before I had a chance to so much as think it over, he was elaborating on the fact that he’s “well connected” and he can “make shit happen” and he has no qualms about “blacklisting people like you” should they deserve it. He also felt the need to remind me that singer-songwriters like me were on every street corner in Manhattan, that I could always make a living busking in the subways or singing covers on YouTube if this deal didn’t pan out because he’d personally see to it that my name would never be in lights.
“The girls are probably hungry,” I say to Lo, checking my watch. “Let’s grab something.”
My sister moves Ellie to her other hip, her eyes snapping to the floor. “It’s okay. We should get going so we can catch the five.”
“I thought I was taking you guys out for lunch … made us reservations at Serendipity III.”
“I’m sorry, Jude. After seeing her … it just doesn’t feel right spending your blood money on frozen hot chocolate.”
My sister can be so fucking dramatic sometimes.
“It’s not blood money, Lo,” I say, half-chuckling. “No one’s getting offed.”
“You know what I mean.” She speaks quickly and her gaze moves to mine. “Come on, Pipes. Let’s go.”
Piper places the fireplace remote on the table where she found it and slides off the leather chair, dashing across the living room toward her mother, her dark pigtails bouncing.
A second later, the three of them head to the door, only before they leave, Lo turns to me. “The place is great and all, Jude, but don’t get too comfortable in case this whole thing blows up in your face. Because it will. And when it does, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
They leave before I have a chance to respond, and I’m left with my kid sister’s words echoing in my head, resonating off the deepest fragments of my conscience and all the parts of me that wish I never walked into Blue Stream Records that random Tuesday in May, flash drive demo in hand, and crossed paths with the CEO himself in the elevator lobby.
I should’ve known when Hunter said, “I don’t normally take unsolicited demos, but you seem like exactly the kind of act I’m looking for right now,” that he wasn’t talking about music.
Not at all.

 

 

 

 

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