Lakeshore Lyrics: The McAdams Sisters (By The Lake Series Book 5) Read online

  Cece couldn’t fall into Avery’s trap. Her heart couldn’t handle another heartbreak and she feared Avery’s would be the worst of all.

  “Get dressed. I will wait for you outside.” She collected all her strength, which was not holding her heavy body upwards, turned and walked away.

  “Should I pack my bags...” he called after her.

  It would have made her skin crawl if it was anyone else making the suggestion. But Avery...she could picture him strumming his guitar naked, on her bed.

  Cece sighed, climbing behind the wheel and cranked the air conditioning to high.

  Avery took her thoughts up mountains, down gulley’s and around bends without even trying, but every path led to a dead end. There was no future with him so why was she torturing herself?

  She flipped down the mirror to check the damage the heat was causing to her makeup. Thankfully it was more a nervous tick checking her makeup then that alternative, checking it for Avery.

  Cece worked her whole, successful career with bands and she knew what guys came with this gig: women-loving guys.

  If they weren’t already so full of themselves they needed to be tied down from floating away with arrogance, by the time they were in the spotlight, and the fans loved them, they’d hitched onto that balloon ride first class.

  Avery was the worst kind. He was in love with Ems and Ems was in his band. No matter who cheated on whom before that relationship failed, Cece caught both of them sizing the other one on a daily basis when they thought no one was looking. They had a connection. A connection she couldn’t compete with. A connection she didn’t want to compete with. If only she’d known that before she’d let him through her wall of security.

  Chapter Three

  AVERY TOOK A quick shower and then, after drying off, pulled on a pair of black pants, a white button-up with a plaid vest over top. He grabbed his grey fedora on the way and planted it on his head. He couldn’t help the grin on his face as he marched through the house.

  Why am I grinning like a little boy ready to dive into the brightly wrapped gifts under the Christmas tree?

  All morning he’d been sour and now he was grinning? It was because Cece drove to the house to fetch him. Fetch him.

  His grin got wider.

  She had maintained a stellar job avoiding him like the plague, and without any other alternative, she’d been forced to fetch him. Well, she did have a choice. She could have carried out the meeting without him. Maybe she wanted to come find him.

  Avery slid into the black leather passenger seat of Cece’s convertible. She threw the vehicle into reverse and started moving before he shut the door.

  “Are we in a hurry?” He snapped the seat belt around him as she revved down the road.

  She didn’t say anything. Instead she focused on her zippy driving, quick turns, swerves and rolling stop signs. She was in a hurry.

  “This is the first time we’ve been alone since the house party,” he noted out loud, enjoying the way her she sucked her lips together and her chest rose in a sudden deep breath. Her fingers tightened around the wheel and her foot grew heavier.

  “Maybe we should talk about what happened at the house party...”

  Talk about what? Cece had made it clear she was not interested in pursuing anything with him. What was there left to talk about?

  “Maybe we should talk about your tardiness,” she said instead.

  “Cece, you’ve been avoiding me...”

  “It’s called working, Avery. And I’ve been working my ass off.”

  With those words, as if the amazing manager she was had planned it, Inch Away’s hit single poured from the speakers. The radio DJ introduced the new song and said it was rising on music hit lists all over the world.

  Just like every time Avery heard his music play on the radio, time froze. He was enthralled with the song he’d written holding top place.

  This was his song, his voice, his band and it was on the radio. There was really no other better feeling...except maybe lovemaking with Cece.

  Whoa! Screech that guitar to a halt. How the hell had Cece come into his frozen in time moment?

  Avery savoured these moments. If he’d been behind the wheel, he would have pulled over and closed his eyes, dissolving into the amazement of his success. But now...now Cece and their one time lovemaking were honing in on his alone time.

  It must be the close quarters of the vehicle. Cece was only a foot away, her bare, silky arm maneuvering the vehicle with quick, jerky movements, nothing like the way she’d run her tender touch across his body. Then there was her smell. It was always the same: a soft, subtle designer perfume, nothing like the lavender and rose essential oils of his sisters.

  “Did you hear that?” she asked when the song ended. “That’s what I’ve been doing and you don’t even have the decency to show up at a meeting on time because it’s a beautiful day.”

  “So you don’t want to talk about us?”

  Us? What is wrong with your mouth today? You already know the answer.

  “There is nothing to talk about.”

  Exactly.

  “You slept with me to get the best manager. You got her. Congrats.”

  Whoa, back up. He didn’t sleep his way into nothing and was insulted she thought so little of him. “I did not sleep with you to get ahead in this industry.”

  “You don’t have to try and mend my feelings, Avery. You think you’re the first guy to pull this shit? You think you’ll be the last?”

  “That is not what happened−”

  Cece cut him off. “Oh please. Days before we ended up in the games room, Riley told you I’m the best artists manager.” She finally slanted him a look, with raised eyebrows. “Then we end up sleeping together. Did you think I didn’t know what you were doing?”

  Whoa, whoa, whoa! Wait a second. She slept with him thinking he was sleeping with her to get ahead in the industry? Boy that was a mouthful of confusion and he didn’t like it.

  “So you used me?” Avery asked, feeling like a recycled hand-me-down. No, that was too nice of a term. After spending weeks ignoring his growing feelings toward Cece, feelings so strong, now a more appropriate word for his feelings at the current moment was, pissed. Cece hadn’t been avoiding him the last couple months, she was used to sleeping with the artist for only the purpose of sex. He’d been her sex toy.

  “Who cares who used who? Let’s drop it and move on. We are going to be spending the week together so let’s keep it professional.”

  Professional? Professional! Did she even know what the definition of professional was? Because he sure as hell didn’t think sleeping with a potential client was very professional.

  “Does that fall into the bed tumbling category?” he snarled.

  Cece gasped. “No!”

  “Why do you sound so shocked? You’re used to sleeping around.”

  Her head whipped over to glare at him. “Watch yourself McAdams,” she warned.

  “I’m sorry did that insult you? Like me finding out you used me.”

  “Get over it already.” Her voice was hitching upwards.

  “Why don’t we just have sex right here? Pull over on the side of the road right now. Chill you the hell down.”

  “I am not your call girl!”

  “I am not your call guy!”

  “Well good because I’m not calling!”

  Cece flew through a stop sign.

  “Hey woman, you just ran a stop sign.” Luckily there were no cars coming from either direction because that would have made them very late for the meeting.

  “Now you’re going to tell me how to drive?”

  Avery heard a siren. A quick glance in the mirror at the flashing cop cruiser behind them told Avery he wasn’t the only one who noticed she had missed the stop sign.

  Chapter Four

  CECE AGREED TO have supper with Riley and Abby that evening knowing Avery planned drinks with the band to celebrate the festival and therefore wouldn’t be p
resent.

  Walking through the doors of Oakston Corner Grill, Cece caught sight of herself in a passing mirror. She slowed and took in the sleeveless, below the knee, black dress she’d purchased during her shopping spree to replace another pencil-line dress. She smiled, pleased with her appearance. It was a huge difference from this morning. She’d let her long hair fall around her shoulders like a shawl and in the warm, almost humid evening, it was perfect.

  The loud music slammed into her ears the moment she stepped inside. Riley had always loved this place. They used to eat here most weekends and listen to the indie bands. Bands like Avery’s, trying to break into the industry.

  Avery.

  Her day had included a speeding ticket, a meeting of excited band members, followed by an afternoon locked away in her office to avoid anymore run-ins with Avery and concluded with a challenging shopping spree not anywhere near Aubrey Avenue where high-end stores would call out her regular routine...and she was exhausted. She didn’t even want to come out tonight, her legs barely carried her.

  Cece had buried the conversation with Avery all day, but now as work lapsed from her mind, it left an opening and the questions began to flow.

  Why did Avery sleep with her if it wasn’t a means to up his career? Was it because Ems had been there with Drew and he was jealous? Was Cece the rebound girl?

  Cece cringed. She couldn’t decide which was worse: Avery using her as a rebound or Avery thinking she was the one who slept around?

  It was the furthest from the truth. But she’d panicked when she sensed his sorry speech coming on, feeling bad for little, lonely Cece. There was no way she wanted his pity. There was no way she should have wanted him to begin with. The absolute moment she found out he was a musician her body’s retaliating tactic should have kicked in and cut away any emotional attachment to him. Instead, whenever he was around, her heartbeat sped up, her stomach swirled and her good sense was kicked to the curb. Musicians were heartbreakers...well the one she’d hooked up with had been. For years she’d closed herself off after the failed relationship with Rusty Towns and now her heart was trying to ram her back into a musician’s path...with Avery. Avery was emotionally unavailable on top of being a musician. All the signs to protect her heart were there.

  Stop thinking about Avery and Rusty, focus on Avery’s unique sound, his quick hits climbing up the charts, and be proud you put him there. Better yet, forget all about Avery and Inch Away and give your head a break.

  Cece spotted Riley and Abby across the large, open restaurant sitting almost front row with Riley’s back to her, watching the band. Go figure. It was going to be a loud supper. Oakston Corner Grill was large and dark. Spotlights lit the stage, the dance floor, and the bistro tables that wrapped around the dance floor. Stained glass lights hung about the booths that lined the side walls and across the entire back of the joint was a long bar occupied with a row of bar stools.

  Abby waved, her wrist of metal bracelets shimmering under the spotlights above and she pulled at Riley’s arm with the other hand. Riley objected, wanting to watch the band. Abby pointed to an empty booth seat at the back of the place to meet them.

  Cece nodded, thankful to be away from music tonight. She needed a break. An Avery break and a break from bringing Rusty back into her thoughts.

  She hadn’t thought about Rusty Towns, and all the heartache that name brought to her, for a long time. But today, she needed the reminder of the way he had treated her. Especially with Avery tugging even harder at the emotions and desires that were all associated with letting another person into her life, into her heart. Reviewing her relationship with Rusty, and how hard it had been to move past that pain, would put a stop to thinking about Avery altogether.

  As Cece weaved her way around the bistro tables peppered here and there, a body appeared in front of her and she stopped abruptly, almost crashing right into it.

  “Sorry. Excuse me,” she said, as her eyes trailed up from the floor over a familiar chest and landed on the bluest eyes she’d ever seen in her whole life.

  Rusty? Rusty!

  What the hell?

  Her heart stopped, her breath caught in her throat and she couldn’t define the throbbing in her throat...was it her pulse or was she recreating the incident. The incident. The memory dipped deep down into her pit of emotions and began dragging them to the surface. Push it down. Push it down!

  Rusty. Shit. Rusty.

  You’re over this. You’re over this...you are not over this. Will I ever be over this?

  Her hand wanted to touch her throat, but she resisted, clenching fists at her side and digging her nails into her flesh to remind herself she was a strong woman.

  Cece stood taller, as if that were possible and curled her pink lips into her well cultured fake smile. She wouldn’t let him see how his presence still sent a little jolt of emotion through her. A huge jolt of emotion. This encounter was definitely going to be enough to keep her thoughts of Avery at bay.

  “Cece. Baby. I haven’t seen you in years.”

  There was so much wrong with that sentence her head could barely acknowledge it. His voice crawled under her already jumpy skin.

  Damned if he just called her baby. She wasn’t his baby. And to use that term just drilled anger into her stomach that mashed with sadness.

  Why the hell was he here anyway? Rusty knew this was Riley and Cece’s territory and she’d made it clear at the hospital she never wanted to see him again. Ever. He’d known his options and he chose to walk away. What was he doing here? Now?

  Rusty bent down and laid his thin lips on her cheek and she found solace that the action made her cringe in disgust. At one time a kiss would have her melting into his arms, but that was a long time ago and she was a different person then. A naive woman.

  “I’m surprised you’re here,” she said.

  Actually, I’m furious that you’ve got the nerve to show up...and today of all days with my head already spinning in every which direction.

  He shrugged like it was no big deal. It was a huge deal. “Oh, you know, just showing the little lady around the good old days.”

  Little lady? Her eyes couldn’t help scope out the wedding ring on his long, freckled finger. He was married? He was married!

  Rusty pulled a pretty little blonde against his side. She was a good foot shorter than Rusty, whereas Cece stood at eye level to him. His introduction of his wife didn’t steal Cece’s attention, it was her bulging pregnant stomach under a flowing floral dress.

  Tears sprang to Cece’s eyes and she was glad the dimly lit room gave her an opportunity to blink them away.

  “Cece, this is my wife Jess. Jess, this is Cece My first manager. Remember, I told you about her,” Rusty said.

  Cece was finding it hard to force her eyes away from Jess’s middle. When she finally did, she found Jess was checking Cece over with narrowed, blue, judgmental eyes. In a much different way than Cece had been looking at her.

  Finally their eyes met and Cece strained another artificial smile. “Nice to meet you.” She offered a hand, even though her insides were screaming, ignore and run away.

  That bastard was married and his wife was pregnant. Married with a pregnant wife! Cece was fighting her feelings of pity for Jess and pity for herself.

  “Nice to meet you,” Jess said back.

  Cece turned her eyes back to Rusty, ready to put a continent between them. “Good seeing you again Rusty...” Bullshit. “But, Riley’s waiting for me, so I’m going− ”

  “Riley’s here?” Rusty’s head spun in the direction Cece’s eyes trailed.

  Oh shit.

  “Let’s go say hi,” Rusty said to Jess.

  Oh shit.

  Rusty was dragging his little lady away before Cece could object. Rusty was pushy. Pushy, selfish rude, arrogant...and did she mention selfish?

  Please don’t stay. Please keep moving you and your little blonde lady away, she thought trailing behind with a sneer on her face.

 
Riley knew Rusty and Cece were no longer an item, but he didn’t know the details and Cece didn’t plan on telling him. Therefore, she couldn’t blame Riley for clasping hands and chatting about old times.

  Cece on the other hand, wasn’t interested in reliving any old times with that jerk.

  She didn’t follow. Instead she detoured to the bar and slipped onto a spinning bar stool.

  “Hey Cece. How’s it going tonight?” Marlow greeted her, already putting her cosmopolitan together. That little piece of pink heaven would help take the edge off.

  “Good. How’s the lineup tonight?” Work talk was exactly what she needed to disregard Rusty.

  Marlow shrugged his thick shoulders. He was a tough, brawny guy and quick to move around the bar when a problem arose in the house. “Not many new gigs tonight, but I still say give I’m Angry a go. They’re a good band and always fill the tables receiving the highest roar of applause.”

  Cece had heard them play and she’d also heard they were difficult to deal with...a little angry. She almost chuckled at her wit, but she still wasn’t over seeing Rusty to appreciate it fully.

  “I have my hands full with Inch Away,” she said, as he set the pink drink in front of her. Her hands couldn’t grab the glass stem quick enough. The smooth liquid was going to keep her sane tonight.

  “Hitting the charts like I’ve never seen,” Marlow observed with an approving nod. “Only Cece Boyd could pull that off,” he praised. “They were definitely missing you shifting position at the label.” Cece never discussed Riley’s departure from the label, but it wasn’t a secret either.

  “Back on board and I’m taking this one to the top.” She held her glass up and Marlow tapped with an empty and she drank to herself.

  Marlow congratulated her before moving on. She downed the rest of the drink and slid it across the counter for another one by the time he got back.

  Cece sipped the second drink, stealing a look across the room. Her nose turned upwards in disgust finding Rusty still standing there completely lost in shop talk with Riley, who was looking devilishly handsome today. His style had changed a bit since he’d returned. He used to be dressed to impress around the clock, but now there were a lot of days he’d trade his black dress pants for denim. They didn’t look grubby on him. He made them stylish, matching them up with a button up, jacket or vest.