Read Online The Girl He Left Behind by Patricia Kay - Free Book Online Page A

“Just cancel the interview, okay?”
    â€œOkay? No, it’s not okay. You can’t cancel Rolling Stone. Not if you care about your career.”
    â€œLook, even they must understand that if a man’s mother has a heart attack, that’s a little bit more important than an interview.”
    â€œYour mom is fine now, Adam. Don’t pretend she isn’t.”
    â€œShe’s doing better, yes. But she’s not completely out of the woods.”
    â€œAustin told me she’s moving to rehab tomorrow. That her prognosis is very positive.”
    â€œWhen did you talk to Austin?”
    â€œLast night.”
    Adam frowned. Had Austin called her? Or vice versa?
    â€œI tried calling you, and when you didn’t pick up, I called him. I mean, I need to be kept in the loop! At least Austin understands that.”
    â€œI was planning to call you.”
    â€œWhen? Next week? Next month?”
    â€œYou know, Bethany, you don’t own me. Just because—”
    â€œWhen are you coming home?” she said, interrupting him.
    Although he wanted to lash out at her, Adam knew it was best to count to ten. This was not the time or the place for their overdue conversation. So he kept his voice even. “I don’t know yet. I want to see how my mother does in rehab. And then we have to find a good housekeeper/caretaker for her. None of us want her living on her own any longer.” He thought about saying he actually hoped to persuade his mother to come back to Nashville with him, then thought better of it.
    For a long moment, all he heard was Bethany breathing, and he knew she was probably counting to ten herself. The fair part of him acknowledged she had a right to be angry. When she finally spoke again, her voice was even, as well. “How about if I have the reporter from Rolling Stone come to Crandall Lake to see you?”
    â€œNo. Have him...or her...call me instead. We’ll set something up.”
    â€œBut—”
    â€œI don’t want anyone coming here. This is my home. It has nothing to do with my career.” The last thing he wanted was some reporter poking around in his past.
    â€œThat’s the most naive thing I’ve ever heard you say,” Bethany said. “Everything in your life has to do with your career!”
    â€œThat’s a sad commentary on celebrity today,” he muttered.
    â€œIt may be sad, but that doesn’t make it any less true.”
    Adam sighed. He could feel another headache coming on. Bethany seemed to have that effect on him more and more lately. “Just have him call me. We’ll work it out. Now I really have to go. We’ll talk tomorrow, after I get my mother settled.”
    He knew, as he disconnected the call, that he’d only postponed the inevitable. He couldn’t help thinking he should have listened to Austin six months ago, when he and Bethany had first started dating. Austin had warned him mixing business with his personal life wasn’t a good idea, but Adam hadn’t paid attention. His brother had been right. Breaking it off with a girlfriend was hard enough. Breaking it off with a girlfriend who was also your publicist was a nightmare. Would he have to get rid of Bethany altogether? Or could they continue to work together? He guessed he wouldn’t know until they actually talked.
    And the sooner, the better.

Chapter Five
    B ill brought the twins home at six o’clock. “Perfect timing,” Eve told him. “Just finished writing my blog and sending it off.”
    Turning to the children, she said, “Did you guys have fun?”
    â€œYes, yes,” they chimed together.
    â€œIt was a great weekend,” Bill said. “What’s on the agenda for them this week?”
    Although Eve disliked the proprietary way he seemed to think he had any say in how she handled her weeks of custody, she understood why he’d asked the question, because school was now