Read Online Love and Learn (Voretti Family Book 2) by Ava Blackstone - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Ava Blackstone
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injury.”
“You know how she is.”
Sean clicked on the remote, effectively ending the conversation.
Ty sat down. He tried to concentrate on the game, but he wasn’t in the mood for baseball.
Sean must’ve sensed it, because half way through the seventh inning he muted the big-screen TV that served as the only form of decoration in his living room. “What’s with you?”
“I’m tired. It’s been a long time since I’ve had to study.”
“Can’t be harder than BUD/S training.”
He dug up a smile. “Yeah, well…it’s been a long time since I’ve done that too.”
Sean winced, and Ty gave himself a mental kick in the nuts as a whole lot of awkward flooded the room.
Sean examined the label on his beer bottle. “Look, Easy. I know what this is really about. You miss her.”
Goosebumps marched down Ty’s spine. How had Sean found out about Annabelle?
“It doesn’t have to be this way. Hardy told me she’s in Reno, waiting tables at some club called Vapor .”
Reno? Vapor?
Finally, Ty connected the dots—Sean was talking about Bri—and the goosebumps stood down. “No, man. It’s not like that.”
“Go after her. You know how to talk to women. Talk to her. Work your Tyler MacKinnon magic.”
“It’s over with Bri. I told you that.”
“It doesn’t have to be. If you lo—” Sean paused. He swallowed a couple of times, like trying to say the L word had made him nauseous.
Ty let Sean hang there for a minute, eyes bugging out, skin green, but eventually he had to take pity on his friend. “This isn’t about Bri.”
“You can’t give up because you hit a little bump.”
“It wasn’t a bump. It was the entire universe telling me—”
“You and your universe bullshit. Don’t be so damn stubborn. Maybe the universe wants you to get off your lazy ass and do a little work for once.”
“It’s not bullshit. It’s—” He broke off as Sean’s words finally penetrated his iron-plated skull. His friend was right.
Not about Bri, but about Annabelle. Maybe Ty hadn’t been wrong about the signs after all. Maybe the universe had specifically chosen him to help Annabelle because he cared about her. Because he wouldn’t give up at the first sign of trouble.
He stood up, turning his back on the TV even though the Padres had three men on base at the top of the ninth.
“Wait. Where are you—”
“Sorry, man.” He’d explain everything to Sean later. First, he needed to see Annabelle. “Gotta go.”
Sean pulled a scrap of paper out of his pocket. “Here’s the address.”
Ty was so busy composing his arguments for Annabelle that it took him a second to figure out what Sean was talking about. “I’m not going to Vapor .”
“Then where the hell are you going?”
“Wish me luck. I’ve got some work to do.
*
Annabelle had to admit, the bar was classy. Top Shelf Mixology , housed in the penthouse of the tallest downtown skyscraper, was the bar of choice for beautiful people who wielded serious power: supermodels, actors, CEOs, politicians. And even, if rumors could be believed, visiting royalty.
Their notoriously exclusive admissions policy had only made entrance more sought after. Annabelle surveyed the line, which wound half way around the block, and couldn’t stifle her sigh of relief. “Oh well. Back to vodka and tonic at your place.”
“No way.” Calli pulled her to the end of the line. “We came to find our perfect rebound men, and we’re not leaving until we do.”
“The line isn’t even moving.”
“We just got here. Have a little patience.”
Annabelle craned her neck, trying to see past a blonde in platform heels. Three men guarded the massive steel panels that served as entryway to the club. With their dark suits, earpieces, and serious expressions, they looked more like secret service agents protecting the president than bouncers deciding which beautiful people would get the privilege of taking the elevator up to Top Shelf
“You know how she is.”
Sean clicked on the remote, effectively ending the conversation.
Ty sat down. He tried to concentrate on the game, but he wasn’t in the mood for baseball.
Sean must’ve sensed it, because half way through the seventh inning he muted the big-screen TV that served as the only form of decoration in his living room. “What’s with you?”
“I’m tired. It’s been a long time since I’ve had to study.”
“Can’t be harder than BUD/S training.”
He dug up a smile. “Yeah, well…it’s been a long time since I’ve done that too.”
Sean winced, and Ty gave himself a mental kick in the nuts as a whole lot of awkward flooded the room.
Sean examined the label on his beer bottle. “Look, Easy. I know what this is really about. You miss her.”
Goosebumps marched down Ty’s spine. How had Sean found out about Annabelle?
“It doesn’t have to be this way. Hardy told me she’s in Reno, waiting tables at some club called Vapor .”
Reno? Vapor?
Finally, Ty connected the dots—Sean was talking about Bri—and the goosebumps stood down. “No, man. It’s not like that.”
“Go after her. You know how to talk to women. Talk to her. Work your Tyler MacKinnon magic.”
“It’s over with Bri. I told you that.”
“It doesn’t have to be. If you lo—” Sean paused. He swallowed a couple of times, like trying to say the L word had made him nauseous.
Ty let Sean hang there for a minute, eyes bugging out, skin green, but eventually he had to take pity on his friend. “This isn’t about Bri.”
“You can’t give up because you hit a little bump.”
“It wasn’t a bump. It was the entire universe telling me—”
“You and your universe bullshit. Don’t be so damn stubborn. Maybe the universe wants you to get off your lazy ass and do a little work for once.”
“It’s not bullshit. It’s—” He broke off as Sean’s words finally penetrated his iron-plated skull. His friend was right.
Not about Bri, but about Annabelle. Maybe Ty hadn’t been wrong about the signs after all. Maybe the universe had specifically chosen him to help Annabelle because he cared about her. Because he wouldn’t give up at the first sign of trouble.
He stood up, turning his back on the TV even though the Padres had three men on base at the top of the ninth.
“Wait. Where are you—”
“Sorry, man.” He’d explain everything to Sean later. First, he needed to see Annabelle. “Gotta go.”
Sean pulled a scrap of paper out of his pocket. “Here’s the address.”
Ty was so busy composing his arguments for Annabelle that it took him a second to figure out what Sean was talking about. “I’m not going to Vapor .”
“Then where the hell are you going?”
“Wish me luck. I’ve got some work to do.
*
Annabelle had to admit, the bar was classy. Top Shelf Mixology , housed in the penthouse of the tallest downtown skyscraper, was the bar of choice for beautiful people who wielded serious power: supermodels, actors, CEOs, politicians. And even, if rumors could be believed, visiting royalty.
Their notoriously exclusive admissions policy had only made entrance more sought after. Annabelle surveyed the line, which wound half way around the block, and couldn’t stifle her sigh of relief. “Oh well. Back to vodka and tonic at your place.”
“No way.” Calli pulled her to the end of the line. “We came to find our perfect rebound men, and we’re not leaving until we do.”
“The line isn’t even moving.”
“We just got here. Have a little patience.”
Annabelle craned her neck, trying to see past a blonde in platform heels. Three men guarded the massive steel panels that served as entryway to the club. With their dark suits, earpieces, and serious expressions, they looked more like secret service agents protecting the president than bouncers deciding which beautiful people would get the privilege of taking the elevator up to Top Shelf
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