Blame it on the Tequila by Fiona Cole (the reading strategies book txt) 📕

off to the side had my heart skipping a beat, but then I took in the too-shiny locks and unnatural red. Not Nova. My body deflated and hated everything.

Five minutes in the New Year, and I sat there in a mess of my own making.

No, not my own making.

I didn’t do this.

Clenching my fists, I pulled my shoulders back and stormed through the guys, charging at the second culprit. Sonia and I talked enough for her to know how much I hated being a show pony. She knew I didn’t want to do this anymore. I asked her to think of other ways of finishing out our contract and still be beneficial. She fucking knew I was done and should have told Aspen no.

“What the hell did you think you were doing?” I growled.

Sonia whirled my way with wide eyes, but a moment later, being the perfect actress she was, her face morphed into a playful smile.

“Kissing you at midnight. Duh.”

“I never agreed to that.”

“Oh, come on, Parker. You know I never pass up a promo moment. We’re both single. I assumed you were just playing hard to get when you told me you didn’t want to do this anymore.”

“I don’t give a fuck about your assumptions, Sonia.”

“Parker.” Her smile held firmly in place, but her eyes flicked side-to-side, trying to determine if anyone noticed our disagreement. “You’re making a scene.”

“No, you made a scene with that damn kiss. And you fucked up my plans. It’s not always about you, Sonia. Get the fuck over it.”

“Parker,” Aspen snapped my name, and I met her hard gaze. “That’s enough. You need to get your shit and take pictures. Do. Your. Job,” she reminded me.

Taking a deep breath, I tried to calm the rage, finally backing away from Sonia with another glare, redirecting it back at Aspen.

“Where’s my phone?”

“I don’t know,” Aspen sneered. “You have more important things to worry about.”

“Where the fuck is my phone, Aspen?”

Her face went placid while her eyes filled with murder. Running a hand over my face, I tried for another deep breath and backtracked. I was pissed but didn’t want to piss off the boss’s daughter. “I’m sorry. I’m just…trying to fix something.”

She nodded but didn’t respond.

“Here’s your phone, bro,” Ash said, holding it out to me like a lifeline. “I’ll get your stuff. Go call her.”

With a pat on the back, I dashed off to sit in one of the cars that brought us over. With shaking hands, I found her number and hit send. On the fourth ring, the screen came to life, but it wasn’t Nova’s face I saw.

No, Raelynn’s glittery dark eyes glared back.

“Fuck off, fuck boy.”

I didn’t have time for her strong-girl act. “Let me talk to her,” I growled.

“You think because you’re some rock star, you can make demands? You think you’re such hot shit that you can lie and cheat without responsibility?”

“Dammit. Let. Me. Talk to her,” I tried again.

She narrowed her eyes to dangerous slits. “No.”

I snapped. “I don’t know who the hell you think you are—”

Her bark of laughter halted anything I planned on saying, and like a fucking sociopath, the laughter cut off, and she morphed into a woman with a death glare, all humor gone. “Who am I? I’m the fucking boss. I’m the dad with a shotgun. I’m the crazy-ass mom in a bathrobe with curlers chasing you out of the house with a frying pan. I’m your worst fucking nightmare.”

Gritting my teeth tighter and tighter with each explanation, I feared they’d crack. There was no way I would get anywhere with Raelynn. I looked around the bar behind her, trying to take in any features that’d let me know where they were at. I’d fucking chase her down all night if I had to.

“Oh, yeah, you see this bar.” Rae pulled the phone back for a moment showing me around too fast to pick up anything just to come back to her crazed face. “If you come close to here, I’ll nut punch you.”

I wasn’t getting anywhere with my frustration, so I went for another tactic. Taking a deep breath, I dug deep for a calm I was far from feeling. “Listen, Rae. Can I please talk—”

“No.”

And with that, she hung up.

I almost crushed the phone in my death grip, barely reminding myself it was my only connection to Nova before relaxing my fist.

Knocking on the window jolted my whole body, almost making my heart stop. It was already so overworked with anger, I didn’t need fear added on top of that.

Oren smiled and waved through the glass.

“You scared the fuck out of me,” I grumbled, getting out.

“I know. You jumped like a solid foot. Very impressive for a tight space.”

“What the fuck?” I asked.

“We have some shit to do, then we head off and enjoy our night.”

“Yeah,” I mumbled.

“Did you find Nova?”

“No.”

“Bummer, bro.” We walked two more steps. “I’m assuming she has reason to be upset about you kissing Sonia?”

“I didn’t kiss Sonia. She fucking bombarded me.”

“Yeah, she’s a little crazy. It’s kind of hot.”

“Not really.”

“You think if I let her know I’m into it, she’ll let me fuck her?”

A laugh broke free because Oren said the most random shit that always caught me off guard. I kind of loved it.

“Maybe, man,” I said, patting his back.

“Sweet. Let’s do this promo shit and then head out.”

By the time we finished, I’d figured out the bar Nova was at. I’d had to dig deep in my memories, but a weird-ass painting of a bearded lady caught my eye, and I knew just where they were. I didn’t have faith she’d be there, but I had to try. Taking security with me, I had them go in and look, only to come out with a rueful head shake.

Ten minutes after we left, another message came through.

Unknown: Nice try, fuck boy.

I didn’t recognize the number, but I wasn’t likely to forget the woman who gave me the nickname. I hit save and kept the name