True Loves (A Collection of Firsts) Read Free Page A

up as I blast past the people in the busy hallway. I’m so angry with myself. I can’t believe I let myself think this would be easy or that I’m even capable of facing Noel. The exit door flies open as I shove through. I gulp down the thick Texas air and push my hair back from my face. I’m not even sure how to find our rental car from this area of the parking lot, but I keep trudging forward. I need distance as much as I can get from Noel Falcon.
    “Damn, Lanie, would you wait up? These boots aren’t exactly made for running a marathon,” Aubrey complains.
    I sigh and stop in my tracks. “Aubrey, you just don’t—”
    “What?” she snaps. “Don’t understand? If you tell me that one more time after I’ve listened to you pine after him for four freakin’ years, then I’m going to murder you here and now. Capiche? I know what he meant to you and how much tonight hurt you, but now you know there’s nothing left for you with him. You can move on. Forget about Noel Falcon and focus on your career. That douche is the only thing standing between you and your dream job, so go back in there and face him. Get your answers.”
    She’s right. I can’t let my emotions get in the way of the biggest career opportunity I’ll ever have. “All right. Jeesh. You don’t have to go and get all mafia on me. I’ll think about it.”
    Aubrey tilts her head and pops out her bottom lip. “Please, Lanie. Please? I need you as my coworker.”
    I rub my aching forehead. She’s not going to let this go. Even though I know it’s a bad idea, I reluctantly tell her okay. She squeaks and grabs me up into a tight hug.
    She pulls back. “You’re doing the right thing.”
    I frown. Second thoughts plague me, and my gut twists into a knot. Maybe it isn’t such a good idea after all. When we return to the building, it seems even more crowded than before. We find ourselves weaving between people as though we’re in a packed night club. The red doors in the hallway remain shut, and I cringe when I think about what’s behind the last one.
    Aubrey stops me from bursting into his dressing room again. “Sure you don’t want to wait for him to come out? I can only imagine what’s going on in there now.”
    I shake my head. “No. If I wait, I’ll lose my nerve. We are getting what we came for. Do me a favor, though?”
    “Anything.”
    “When I toss the two hookerbots out, keep them out. I can’t fight both of them and get info from Noel at the same time.” I turn and shove through the door. “All right, everyone, get the—”
    Noel glances up from his guitar and glares at me. “Can I help you?”
    I shut the door, closing the two of us alone in the small room. “Where’d your sluts go?”
    Noel’s eyes narrow. “Why? You jealous or…maybe they’re more your type now.”
    “Fuck you.” It slips out before I remember I need to stay calm.
    He laughs and strums his guitar. “No thanks. For some reason, I’m not in the mood anymore.”
    I sigh and run my fingers through my hair. “Look, Noel, I didn’t come here to fight with you.”
    Noel raises a pierced eyebrow. “Really? Tell me, Lane, why did you come here?”
    “Lane.” I haven’t heard that in a long time. Noel is the only person alive who shortens my name. I shake the memories away. This isn’t the time to reminisce. It’s time to get down to business. “Well…” I clear my throat. “I’m an intern at Center Stage Marketing, and my boss, Diana Swagger, flew me down to discuss Black Falcon’s charity with you.”
    “You?” He shakes his head. “Out of all the people in the entire fucking world, they send you down here to talk to me. Did they think because we’ve fucked I wouldn’t fire you?”
    My hands ball into fists. “How can you say that? I’m not one of your groupie whores. What we had was real!”
    He lays down his guitar and stands in front of me—his six feet two frame towers over me. “Then why did you leave me, huh? If it was so