Read Online Haunted by Cheryl Douglas - Free Book Online Page A

“It was the greatest high I’d ever had, seeing the tears in my old
man’s eyes when I handed him the keys. They say money can’t buy happiness, but
it sure as hell bought me happiness that day.”
    Elle nestled deeper into his arms. Tears
sprung to her eyes as she imagined the scene. “They must have been so
grateful.”
    “They were overwhelmed.” He set down his
empty glass so he could wrap both arms around her. “They didn’t want to accept
it. They said it was way too much, but once they realized I wasn’t backing down
and they didn’t have a choice, they were like little kids, running around the
house oohing and aahing over every little feature. They never imagined they’d
live in a house like that, and the fact that I was able to do that for them
made every long day and night worth it.”
    “I wish I had someone to spoil,” she said,
pinching her lips together. “It must be wonderful to share your success with
the people you love.”
    He kissed her cheek. “You’re an amazing
woman, Elle. If your parents can’t see that, it’s their loss.”
    She closed her eyes. “It still hurts
sometimes. I do miss them.” She thought of all the birthdays and Christmases
they’d spent as a family, all the dinners around the table. Even though they’d
rarely asked about her day, she still felt a sense of security. “We had some
good times. I try to remember those.”
    “You’ll have your own family someday,
right? You’ll make your own memories.”
    Elle wondered what kind of man would be
able to tolerate her crazy schedule or how she could raise a child when she
spent half the year on the road. “I don’t know. I guess for now, I just have to
focus on my career and let the future take care of itself.”
    “But you do want a family someday?”
    “Sure,” she said, curling her hand around
his forearm. “Someday.”
    “When you find the right man?”
    Elle’s heart beat double time. She wondered
if he was asking if she could see a future with him. It was easy to imagine
falling asleep next to Caleb every night or running into his arms at the
airport after a long stint on the road, but it wouldn’t be fair to ask him to
sacrifice a life of normalcy just so she could live out her dream.
    “I don’t know if there’s a man alive who
could love me enough to be a part of my world. It isn’t easy dealing with the
paparazzi, tour schedule, public appearances, and long hours in the studio.”
She sighed. She was probably pushing him away when that was the last thing she
wanted to do. “The truth is that music is my life, at least for now. There’s
not much time for anything else.”
    “That doesn’t sound healthy. What happened
to a life-work balance?”
    She scoffed. “Whoever coined that phrase
clearly wasn’t a musician. For us, there’s no such thing.”
    “What about all of the musicians who do
have spouses and kids? They seem to find a way to make it work.”
    Caleb’s nature was to be optimistic, but
Elle didn’t want him to harbor unrealistic expectations. “Ever wondered why
celebrity marriages never seem to last and the kids are always raised by
nannies? There’s a reason for it.”
    “I don’t think that’s the way it is for all
celebrity couples and parents. Some seem to have found a way to make it work
and remain sane.”
    “They must know some secret I don’t,
because I can’t imagine ‘normal’ ever being a word I’d use to describe my life.
There’s nothing normal about sleeping in a different bed every night or
traveling to multiple cities in one day.” She smiled when the rush she felt
stepping on a stage swept through her mind and reminded her why she made the
sacrifices she did. “I know it sounds crazy, but I don’t want to do anything
else. I love what I do. I love my fans. I love making music, and in spite of
the whining, I realize how lucky I am to be living my dream.” She also realized
that proving herself was an ongoing chore. No matter how many hit