Read Online Falling (Fading Series) by E.K. Blair - Free Book Online Page B

now . . . now I let it go.
    Before I hit the gym today, I need to stop by the bar to pick up a few files that I have to drop off to my accountant. It’s early in the morning, so when I get there, I’m surprised to see Mel’s car in the back lot. Walking in, it’s dark. None of the lights are on, and the sun hasn’t started to rise under the cloud-covered sky.
    When I walk out from the back, I see Mel sitting on top of the bar with her legs crossed, nursing a cup of coffee.
    “Hey,” I say softly as I approach her.
    She looks up and that’s when I see the tears streaming down her cheeks.
    “He’s gone,” is her only response, and I know she means her husband.
    Zane, back when he was her boyfriend, played gigs here every now and then. They would hang out here a lot, and when Mel needed a job, I brought her on.
    I sit on one of the stools in front of her, and when she looks down at me, she explains, “They signed the deal, and he left.”
    “Why aren’t you with him?”
    As she lets her head fall, she says, “Because he didn’t want me to be.”
    I clasp my hands together, not knowing what the hell is wrong with Zane. “I don’t understand.”
    She wipes the tears from her eyes and sits up a little straighter. “He said he was tired of hearing me bitch about something he’d been working towards for years. He knew I didn’t want to move to L.A. My life is here. My whole family is here. I didn’t want to leave all that, but it was pissing him off. He feels like I’m not supporting him.”
    “Do you support him?”
    “I don’t know, Ry. Honestly, between you and me, even though I don’t want to be alone, I’m kinda glad for the break. We haven’t been on the same page for a while.” After she says this, she hops down behind the bar and walks over to refill her cup of coffee. “Want some?” she asks.
    “Yeah.”
    She pours it black, like I always take it, and sets it in front of me as she stands on the opposite side of the bar top.
    Taking a slow sip, I then ask, “So, why are you here?”
    “I just had to get out of the house, and I knew nobody would be here. That is, until you decided to crash my pity party,” she jokes, laughing at herself. “What are you doing here at six a.m.?”
    “I’m on my way to the Athletic Club. I needed to pick up some paperwork to drop off to my accountant later today.”
    “You coming back?”
    “Nah. I’m gonna take the day off.”
    “That sucks,” she complains.
    “Why?”
    “‘Cause Michael is boring as hell, and he’s been in a shit-ass mood the past few days,” she tells me.
    “You know why?”
    “Not for sure, but I overheard him on his cell the other day.”
    “Eavesdropping?”
    She starts laughing, and says, “You know it! But anyway, from what I heard, I think . . . and don’t say shit about this, Ryan. Got it?” she warns.
    “Yeah, whatever. Just say it.”
    “I think his wife is having an affair.”
    “That fuckin’ sucks.”
    “I know. But you didn’t hear that from me, and I’m not saying it’s true. It’s just what I pieced together from what I heard,” she defends.
    “Well, for his sake, let’s hope you’re full of shit and your eavesdropping skills suck.”
    The ringing of my phone interrupts us. I look to see that it’s Gavin before I answer.
    “Hey, what’s up?” I say.
    “You at home?”
    “No. I’m at the bar.”
    “Even better. I wanted to drop off some tickets that I can’t use for a concert this Saturday.”
    “Dude, I’m not in the mood to hit up another club.”
    “No club, man. It’s a private concert over at Spines.”
    “The book store?” I ask.
    “Yeah. My boss gave me a few tickets, but I had another work thing come up, and I have to bail. You want ‘em? It’s for The xx. They’re in town for a couple days before their overseas tour,” he explains.
    “Yeah, definitely, man,” I respond. That’s one band I’ve been dying to see, but never had the chance before now.
    “Great.