Read Online All The Pretty Lights (The "A" List #1) by Tara Oakes - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Tara Oakes
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bouquet of flowers in my hand.
Please let her answer. Please let her answer.
I’m going to look like a jackass out here in front of all these people if she doesn’t let me in. Just as I’m picturing the worst, the door finally swings open. However, this is not Daphne.
“Um—hi.” It never occurred to me that someone else would answer for her. “I’m here for Daphne.”
The brunette standing opposite me with her awkward, megawatt smile booms loudly. “Of course you are, Colt! Please, come in!”
I’ve taken hundreds of acting classes. I’ve been in about a dozen feature films. In my early years, I’d done commercials and TV. Never, ever, before have I seen a worse actress.
This girl is hamming it up for the cameras, her body stiff even though she’s trying like hell to appear casual. She’s projecting her voice loud enough to be heard by the crowd. A breathy laugh escapes my tight lips. She’s eating this shit up.
I smile, playing along. Who knew I wouldn’t be the only one playing a little game, here? “Thanks.”
I notice her pause a second pushing her hair back over her shoulder dramatically as she poses for one last round of pictures while closing the door.
We leave Marcus outside to handle the paps, knowing that they’ll be desperate for some more shots. I wouldn’t put it past any of them to climb the tree outside to look in. But, I don’t have to worry about any of that. That’s why I have Marcus. That’s why I have the muscle.
“Colton Webb,” the wannabe actress finally drops her pretense and behaves like a star struck fan. “The. Colton. Webb.”
I widen my eyes and smile tightly. “And you are?”
“I’m Lori. Daph’s best friend. Like sisters, we’re so close. Almost as if we’re the same person. We share everything .”
Yeah. This isn’t getting awkward.
I focus on the nickname Lori’s used for Daphne. Daph. I like it. “Is Daph home?”
Lori nods, still staring at me like I’m a magic little elf. “Uh huh.”
Silence. More staring- her staring, not mine.
I nod. “Can I see her?”
“Uh huh,” she replies.
More staring.
I look up at the ceiling, to the side, at my shoes. I finally give up waiting. “Should I just go up?”
Lori looks like she’s just snapped out of a daze. “What? Oh—oh yeah, of course. Please, after you.”
She’s either being incredibly polite, or she wants to walk behind me to check out my ass. I’m betting on the latter of the two. Whatever. Might as well let her get her kicks. Thanks to Gunnar, my trainer, and the countless hours of work I put into it, I know I’ve got an ass worth looking at.
“Keep going?” I ask my tour guide even though she’s more concerned with my body than with giving me proper direction.
There’s a loud whishing sound as she leans in behind me and actually sniffs my shirt. “Um, no. This is it. Second door on your left.”
Thank God. I’m having flashbacks of this movie I did years ago about a crazy stalker. Following her instructions, I walk to the appropriate door and rasp my knuckles on the old wooden door.
There’s an old metal knocker on the front of the door that bounces when Daphne opens it.
We stare at each other, neither one of us saying anything. I can tell she’s just showered, her hair is up in some kind of a towel, twisted high. Her cheeks look flushed, and her skin naturally perfect with every bit of makeup scrubbed off. The smell of her shampoo mixes with the flowers in my hand and create a delicious aroma.
I—I don’t know what to say. I mean, I know what I had planned on saying, but seeing her now, her dark blue eyes with their thick lashes watching me and wondering what the hell I’m doing here, is enough to make me forget how to speak.
“So…” Lori, my new stalker, sneakily slides her way in between Daphne and I, looking back and forth between the two of us. “This is fun! Just the three of us. Hanging out in the hallway, just chillin’,”
Daphne gives her
Please let her answer. Please let her answer.
I’m going to look like a jackass out here in front of all these people if she doesn’t let me in. Just as I’m picturing the worst, the door finally swings open. However, this is not Daphne.
“Um—hi.” It never occurred to me that someone else would answer for her. “I’m here for Daphne.”
The brunette standing opposite me with her awkward, megawatt smile booms loudly. “Of course you are, Colt! Please, come in!”
I’ve taken hundreds of acting classes. I’ve been in about a dozen feature films. In my early years, I’d done commercials and TV. Never, ever, before have I seen a worse actress.
This girl is hamming it up for the cameras, her body stiff even though she’s trying like hell to appear casual. She’s projecting her voice loud enough to be heard by the crowd. A breathy laugh escapes my tight lips. She’s eating this shit up.
I smile, playing along. Who knew I wouldn’t be the only one playing a little game, here? “Thanks.”
I notice her pause a second pushing her hair back over her shoulder dramatically as she poses for one last round of pictures while closing the door.
We leave Marcus outside to handle the paps, knowing that they’ll be desperate for some more shots. I wouldn’t put it past any of them to climb the tree outside to look in. But, I don’t have to worry about any of that. That’s why I have Marcus. That’s why I have the muscle.
“Colton Webb,” the wannabe actress finally drops her pretense and behaves like a star struck fan. “The. Colton. Webb.”
I widen my eyes and smile tightly. “And you are?”
“I’m Lori. Daph’s best friend. Like sisters, we’re so close. Almost as if we’re the same person. We share everything .”
Yeah. This isn’t getting awkward.
I focus on the nickname Lori’s used for Daphne. Daph. I like it. “Is Daph home?”
Lori nods, still staring at me like I’m a magic little elf. “Uh huh.”
Silence. More staring- her staring, not mine.
I nod. “Can I see her?”
“Uh huh,” she replies.
More staring.
I look up at the ceiling, to the side, at my shoes. I finally give up waiting. “Should I just go up?”
Lori looks like she’s just snapped out of a daze. “What? Oh—oh yeah, of course. Please, after you.”
She’s either being incredibly polite, or she wants to walk behind me to check out my ass. I’m betting on the latter of the two. Whatever. Might as well let her get her kicks. Thanks to Gunnar, my trainer, and the countless hours of work I put into it, I know I’ve got an ass worth looking at.
“Keep going?” I ask my tour guide even though she’s more concerned with my body than with giving me proper direction.
There’s a loud whishing sound as she leans in behind me and actually sniffs my shirt. “Um, no. This is it. Second door on your left.”
Thank God. I’m having flashbacks of this movie I did years ago about a crazy stalker. Following her instructions, I walk to the appropriate door and rasp my knuckles on the old wooden door.
There’s an old metal knocker on the front of the door that bounces when Daphne opens it.
We stare at each other, neither one of us saying anything. I can tell she’s just showered, her hair is up in some kind of a towel, twisted high. Her cheeks look flushed, and her skin naturally perfect with every bit of makeup scrubbed off. The smell of her shampoo mixes with the flowers in my hand and create a delicious aroma.
I—I don’t know what to say. I mean, I know what I had planned on saying, but seeing her now, her dark blue eyes with their thick lashes watching me and wondering what the hell I’m doing here, is enough to make me forget how to speak.
“So…” Lori, my new stalker, sneakily slides her way in between Daphne and I, looking back and forth between the two of us. “This is fun! Just the three of us. Hanging out in the hallway, just chillin’,”
Daphne gives her
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