Fast (Not Like the Movies #2) Page 10

  “I ... I made a huge mistake today. I’m so sorry.” I shake my head. “You didn’t do anything wrong, but when those photos got leaked, I lost my mind and I needed someone to be angry at.”

  “Shantel seems a logical choice,” Liam mutters, but there’s amusement in his golden-brown eyes.

  “I know. But I’ve been doing a lot of thinking tonight, and something Mum said really struck home. I’ve been sabotaging myself. I’ve been trying to punish myself for what happened back then, to not let myself love, to feel, because Braden can’t do that anymore. But you know what?”

  Liam nods, Go on.

  “He would want nothing but the best for me, Li. He wouldn’t want me to suffer just because he did. And I deserve that.” I step closer to Liam, reaching for his hand. “I deserve you.”

  He smiles, lacing his fingers with mine. “I’m so pleased to hear you say that.”

  I bring our joined hands up to the side of my lips. Separating his fingers from mine, I let him trace that scar that once signified all I’d lost, but now speaks volumes about what I’ve overcome. What challenges I’ve faced and come out fighting from.

  His hand shakes as he runs his finger over the skin. It feels as if he’s not really touching me, and I suppress the urge to shudder.

  When he reaches the corner of my mouth, he doesn’t stop. His fingers spiral out over the side of my face, his thumb roughly running over my bottom lip, and an entirely different feeling, one of carnal desire, takes place of any self-consciousness I had.

  Liam’s lips replace his hands. It’s heat and passion and hello all at once. It’s the promise of something new and exciting for both of us—a beginning unburdened with the weight of past baggage.

  I know things will be hard. I know that at times I’ll break down and I won’t know how to deal.

  But I’ll get through it. I’ll move forward.

  And I won’t forget.

  Moving forward doesn’t have to mean letting go.

  Liam pulls back and those stunning eyes stare into mine.

  For the first time in a long time, I take a leap. I jump even though Braden isn’t there to catch me. “I love you, Li.”

  His lips smile. His eyes smile. His whole face is a beacon of joy when he opens his mouth to say “I love you, too.”

  Epilogue

  I sink into the mustard wing-backed chair outside the boardroom, my hands clasped over the edge of the folder containing my résumé. To my surprise, Madison had replied to my text message asking to see her within minutes, even though it was a weekend.

  Now, first thing Monday morning, the manila folder is leaving faint creases in the palms of my hands as I clutch it with fierce desperation.

  “But you have to believe me! She sent it,” a voice from inside the room protests, and I frown. Is that ... Shantel?

  A quiet murmur answers, words a low hum with no tell as to what they contain.

  “This is bullshit!” Shantel yells. “I did nothing wrong. And besides, my work is impeccable. Flawless.”

  “It’s not the quality of your work I’m worried about,” Madison snaps, clearly losing her cool. I try not to look too interested, but it’s hard. Even the receptionist flicks her eyes to the door every few seconds, no doubt as on edge as I am.

  “Then why won’t you hire me?”

  “Your personal ethics leave a lot to be desired. Sabotaging another intern—”

  “I told you, I didn’t—”

  “Sleeping with Alessandro.”

  Silence.

  My eyes bug.

  So do the receptionist’s.

  “When you started here, I told you not to touch the models, Alessandro specifically.” Madison’s voice levels out.

  “I ... I ...” Shantel’s voice breaks on a sob. A chair scrapes over the tiled floor and the door handle scratches against its bearings. I jerk back, trying to appear disinterested, but Shantel catches my eye as she races past. For once I find myself almost feeling sorry for her. No one likes having their dirty secrets aired in public.

  “I just wanted it so badly.”

  I turn, frowning.

  She wipes one finger under her eyes, stopping the mascara trail from making its way farther down her cheeks. “I’m never good enough. My father, he ... he’s not going to be pleased when he finds out about this.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that.” I straighten my spine, roll back my shoulders. “But tearing someone down is never going to build you back up.”

  “Quinn? Please come through.” Madison gestures to the room with the long white table behind her, and I push to my well-heeled feet.

  I turn back to my nemesis waiting for the lift. “Good luck.”

  Shantel sniffs and I slip into the room, my fingers loosening their hold on my résumé as soon as the door clicks closed.

  “Sorry about that.” Madison slides into a chair opposite me. “She showed up at reception an hour ago, demanding to speak to me.”

  “It’s fine.”

  “It’s not fine, Quinn. I have a lot of patience, but one thing I have no time for is bullying. Or sleeping around. And she happens to have done both.” She reaches for a notepad in the centre of the table. “Before you start, I want to talk to you about the entry-level position we have available. I’m presuming it’s why you’re here—and you should be. You have a great eye for detail in copy, and your assignment—the real one—it blew me away.”

  Heat flushes my cheeks. I emailed it to her Saturday morning, along with my meeting request, but I didn’t know if she’d had a chance to read it yet. “Thank you.”

  “No. Thank you. It sounds like your past has truly helped shape you into an amazing woman.” Madison’s lips round in an aha moment. “That’s what I wanted to ask you! Who took those photographs? They were truly beautiful. The ones of the ocean—and the ones of you.”

  “His name is Liam Smith. He’s incredibly talented. His pictures have so much emotion and soul and—” I stop rambling at the twinkle in Madison’s eye.

  “You don’t need to tell me twice.” She pauses. “I’d love to get his details from you. I’ll see if I can sling some freelance work his way.”

  “Really?” My palms dig into the manila folder again. “That would be amazing!”

  “No.” Madison extends her hand, indicating the folder in mine. “What would be amazing is if you tell me there’s a résumé in there and that you’re applying for this position.”

  I take a deep breath. Am I? Am I ready to commit, to try and make this life in Sydney work with a company and a man who both mean a lot to me, who both hold the power to break me? Am I ready to jump without a safety net?

  I look down at the résumé in my hands, then back into the crystal blue eyes of the woman in front of me. There’s only one way to reply.

  “Yes.”

  ***

  To: braden.hamilton@email.com.au19:01pm 29/07/2017

  From: quinn.hamilton@email.com.au

  Re: Missing you but living fast

  Dear Braden,

  You would be so damn proud of me. Today, Madison called saying I got the job. I got the freaking job! I start next Monday, and while it’s only part-time, there’s potential for the role to expand if my performance is strong.

  I haven’t stopped smiling since I found out. Liam thinks the grin is permanently tattooed on my face ... and honestly, I feel as if it might be.

  I know I’ll still be sad. I know there’ll be times when I miss you so much it hurts to breathe, when I can’t find you anywhere I look, but I’ll get through it. That’s what we do as humans. We keep on keeping on.

  I’m moving away from the house we grew up in, where my strongest memories of you were once kept—but they don’t live there anymore. Now, when I need to feel close to you, I look somewhere else—inside of me. That’s where my strongest memories live, and it’s okay if they fade over time. A snapshot of a memory isn’t a video replay, but it’s still mine, and it doesn’t dampen the way I feel about you, t
he way I smile when I think of your smile, the way I laugh when I think of your laugh.

  Confession?

  I miss you, bro.

  But moving on doesn’t mean letting go.

  Love,

  Quinn xx

  Acknowledgements

  Thank you so much for taking the time to read Fast. If you enjoyed this book, I’d love it if you signed up for my e-newsletter here, or joined my reader group on Facebook so I can let you know about the latest with my books and keep you in the loop about any great competitions or new releases I have going on.

  A huge thank you goes to my fabulous team of beta readers. Jenn, you nailed it. Thank you for always being there when I need you. Stace, as usual, you managed to see the little things I couldn’t. Thanks so much for making this manuscript shine. Kristine, thank you so much for taking time out of a really busy schedule and helping me get the nitty-gritty right. I really appreciate it. Donna, your feedback was fantastic and truly helped me nail those last-minute details, and Andrea, you helped give me the confidence to hit publish. Thank you so much!

  Of course, this book wouldn’t have made it to publication if it hadn’t been edited, and I feel stoked you managed to turn this book around, Becky. I love working with you. Thanks so much for everything you do.

  Kylie and the GMB team, big hugs! You ladies rock, and I am so glad I get to trust my promotion to your brilliance.

  Kim, no one designs a cover like you, my friend. Thanks for once again getting it right and creating a look that suits this book down to the ground, and for helping me with my endless quest for the right image.

  I wrote this book whenever I could while raising a newborn. This was only possible thanks to the support of my fabulous husband. Pete, you are truly amazing. Thank you for everything. I also want to thank the rest of my family, including Mum, Dad, Kristy, Lance, Andrew, Marg, Jeff, Paul, Lisa, Scott, Chloe, Hayden and Airlie. I feel so lucky to have you all.

  Finally, thanks so much again to you, the reader. Without you, this wouldn't be possible. If you’d like to leave a review on Amazon, Goodreads or iBooks, I would so appreciate it. Thanks for making my dream come true.

  Want more of FAST?

  Check out book one in the Not Like The Movies series, FAME, available now.

  She’s supposed to cover the stories.

  Not be one.

  Madison Winters has life in the bag. Gorgeous fiancé? Check. Promotion to become deputy editor of the country’s hottest fashion magazine? Check. Limited edition pair of Manolo Blahniks? Checkity-check.

  Catching her fiancé with his pants down isn’t something she expects. In the space of twenty-four hours, Madison loses it all—not even her shoes will be saved.

  Swapping sass & bide for sweatpants and Dior for the downward dog is going to be hell. The last thing Madison’s broken heart needs is a run-in with America’s newest playboy. Can she ever recover from this?

  Tate Masters has it all—Hollywood’s latest golden boy has washboard abs, a killer smile, and a leading role in the next A-list movie.

  Until a secret from his past is splashed all over the headlines, and that ‘good boy’ image fast-tracks to the gutter.

  Now the media hunt is on, and they’re baying for Tate’s blood. One night of wild behaviour sees him wake up next to a gorgeous Aussie brunette—and she’s everything Tate’s afraid of.

  Keeping secrets has never been this hard.

  And stay tuned for book two in the Not Like The Movies series, FORTUNE, coming soon ...

  Grace Storey can’t wait to escape her small-town hell and head for the big city for three main reasons: Work. Better cell-phone service. And the prospect of meeting her very own Prince Charming. After all, when the guy you crushed on since high school turns out to be a psychopath, and the only viable alternative is Creepy Keith, you need to take drastic measures to ensure a life as a crazy cat lady is not in your future.

  What she doesn't need is a bad-boy musician with a penchant for getting under her skin. Sex, drugs and rock ’n’ roll are the last things on her mind.

  Darcy Fortune has three things on his mind: Sex. Drugs. And rock ’n’ roll (in that order). It’s how it has to be to keep the pain from his past at bay. After all, when you’ve lost someone you love, it’s easier to numb the hurt to keep on surviving. Easier to turn off your feelings than face the cold, harsh truth.

  What he doesn’t expect is the sassy reporter with so much soul in her eyes. Could this woman be the one who breaks him?

  Playing it safe has never been as dangerous as this.

  If FORTUNE sounds like your cup of tea (or your glass of wine, because who am I to judge?) check out The Vine, a part of the Bindarra Creek Romance series, to see just what it is that inspires Grace to make her big move to the city.

  And stay tuned for more of these characters in book three of the Not Like The Movies series, FAIL.

  About the Author

  Lauren K. McKellar is the writer of contemporary romance reads that make you feel. With a passion for all things fiction, she is a hybrid-published best-selling Australian author.

  Lauren lives by the beach in Australia with her husband, her infant son, and their two dogs. Most of the time, all four of them are well behaved.

  Website: www.laurenkmckellar.com

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

  Instagram & Twitter: @LaurenKMcKellar

  Books by

  Lauren K. McKellar

  CRAZY IN LOVE

  #1 The Problem With Crazy

  #2 Eleven Weeks

  #3 The Problem With Heartache

  EMERALD COVE

  #1 How To Save A Life

  #2 The Twenty-One

  NOT LIKE THE MOVIES

  #0.5 FAST

  #1 FAME

  #2 FORTUNE (coming very soon)

  #3 FAIL (coming soon)

  A BINDARRA CREEK ROMANCE

  The Vine

  SURFERS WAY

  Seeking Faith

  Standalone:

  FINDING HOME