Read Online Reluctantly Famous by Heather Leigh - Free Book Online Page B

articles.
    “ What do you mean? Did you
go back to work yet?”
    “ Yes. Yesterday. I-I don’t
think I can stay there.”
    “ What, like quit your
job?” I’m sure I sound appropriately horrified when I probably
should have tried to sound more supportive. But damn, quit because
of an article?
    “ Quit, yes. It’s too…
weird at work. All day the only thing I did was fend off questions
about Drew. It’s exhausting.”
    “ But eventually everyone
will get over it, right?”
    “ No Dex, it doesn’t work
that way. It didn’t in college and it won’t at the hospital. I
can’t go through that again.”
    Allie sounds as if she’s on the brink of
tears, so I change the subject.
    “ Hey, I wanted to let you
know that can come to your brother’s charity event on the
fourth.”
    “ Really?” That turned her
bad mood around quickly.
    I know this charity is really important to
her. In the U.K. we spent hours talking about why Drew set up the
foundation that sends teachers into hospitals to help kids stay in
school while they’re sick. Her mom is one of the volunteer teachers
and family friends run the charity.
    “ Yep. I even got my plane
ticket. I’ll be back in L.A. by then, so I’ll fly into Logan from
there.”
    I think about being back in my depressing
hotel rental by myself instead of with Allie every night. It makes
me shudder.
    “ I’m so excited, Dex! You
have no idea. Ryker told you that he’s going with Leah, right?
They’re driving up from New York.”
    I let Allie talk about the night and all of
the events they have planned, content to sit back and savor her
happiness.
    It seems as if somehow, over the course of
the last week and a half, Allie Forrester’s happiness has become my
top priority. I never thought I would put someone else’s needs
above my own, especially after my parents made me feel like shit
for doing just that.
     
     
     
     
     
    Declan – then
     
    “ Declan, yer ma and I just
don’t get it. You spent yer whole life tryin’ to get a good job and
a college degree. Now you’ve got it, and yer trowin’ it
away!”
    My dad’s Irish lilt sounds harsher than
normal when he’s angry. Twenty-five years in the U.S. and he still
has the same accent as the day he got here.
    “ Dad! I’m not throwing it
away! I can make more money this way, help you guys out. Then I can
get a job with my degree after that, in a year or two.”
    I sit helplessly at my parents’ chipped
Formica table in their tiny row house in a very Irish section of
Philadelphia. My dad is pacing the small room, glaring at me
angrily while my mom sits across from me, wringing her hands. It
smells just like it has since I was a kid. A mix of Pine Sol, the
sausages my dad eats every morning, and that damn floral candle Ma
insists on burning.
    “ We don’ understand, son.”
My mom reaches across the table for my hand. “You finally got what
yer wanted and yer suddenly movin’ to New York to be what… a
model?”
    My younger brother, Garrett covers his mouth
and giggles. I turn and scowl at him. “Is there a reason you’re
here, Garrett? Don’t you have video games to play?” My voice is
dripping with contempt. If he’s not going to back me up, then he
can get the fuck out of here.
    He leans back in his chair, balancing it
precariously until the front legs are off of the tattered linoleum.
“Nah, this is way better than Madden. Watching Mr. Perfect get his
ass handed to him is more entertaining than anything I could be
doing.”
    A hand whips out lightning fast and cracks
the back of Garrett’s head. Shocked, he slumps forward until all
four legs of the chair clatter back to the floor.
    “ Ma! What’d you do that
for?” Garrett’s blue eyes are wide as he rubs the spot where she
got him.
    “ Don’ curse in front ev
me, Garrett!” My mom narrows her eyes at my brother, giving him a
taste of the cold hostility I’ve been served since I walked in the
door and told them about the Abercrombie