Irresistible Bachelors: Books 1-5 by Landish, Lauren (bts books to read TXT) 📕

“Bri, wait!”

I hang up the phone and let out a deep breath. I knew I shouldn't have called her. I always end up feeling bad. I just feel so vulnerable and in need of . . .

Gavin.

But Gavin is leaving tomorrow. I’ll never see him again. That letter I wrote to him made sure of that. The thought hurts, but I need to get used to it.

My phone rings, and I almost hit the hang up button to ignore Mom when my finger freezes. It’s Mindy. Talk about an angel.

“Hey,” I answer.

“Hey, chica, why’d you run off like that today?” Mindy asks, her voice concerned. “I was almost free.”

Please, girl, that line was as long as Gavin’s dick, I think inwardly.

“I got tired of waiting,” I lie through my teeth. “Plus, Vandenburgh was around tooting his horn. I didn’t want to see him.”

“Well, I’m on break now so I have time to talk. What was on your mind?”

I’m tight-lipped. “Nothing.”

“Yes, there was,” Mindy says, her lie detector at full strength even though it’s the phone. Damn. “You looked all sad and sullen.”

I sigh. “I’ve just been filling out these damn applications. I’m tired and stressed, that’s all.”

There’s a pause on the other end of the line. “I know it’s something more than that. Come on, Bri.”

I can’t bring myself to reply. It hurts too much.

“Gavin came lookin’ for you,” Mindy says suddenly.

The mention of his name catches my breath. “And?” I’m sitting on pins and needles waiting for her response.

“He was all banged up,” Mindy says, “and seemed pretty worried about you.”

My heart skips a beat. “All banged up? What’s that mean?”

I can almost hear her nod through the phone. “Yeah. He had a bandage wrapped around his head. Told me he fell and hit his head on set, but I already knew that before he told me. I was trying to tell you about it before you ran out on me.”

Pain pierces my chest. Now I feel terrible for not stopping and listening to Mindy. At the time, I was too wrapped up in my emotions and annoyed by all the people.

Gavin must feel terrible that I didn’t check on him. I know I would.

“But he seemed all right though?” I ask worriedly.

Mindy laughs. “Yeah, girl. I can tell you’re freaking out over it, but he’s fine.” Mindy pauses. “He was more concerned with seeing you, actually.”

A feeling of relief washes over me. At least it was nothing serious. I’m not sure what I would’ve done if it were. “Worried about me?”

I wonder if he found the note I left him before or after he talked to Mindy.

“Yeah,” Mindy replies. “I can tell he was really hurt. Probably because you hadn’t called to see how he was doing.” She pauses for a moment and I hear her suck in a deep breath. “Don’t bite my head off, but will you please tell me what happened between you two? You both have been acting like lost puppies. Is it just because he’s leaving tomorrow?”

That’s a major part of it.

I part my lips to reply but pause, a heavy feeling weighing down my chest. I want to tell her everything, but it’s hard because of the feelings it brings up.

Taking a deep breath, I tell her everything—about the sex, the dates, all of it.

Mindy pauses, processing it all. “I really think you should talk to him, Bri,” Mindy says. “I don’t think he meant anything by leaving you that money. And if he’s leaving, don’t let him go like this. You’ll both regret it.”

“What’s there to say?” I ask. “It’s just going to make everything harder. This was all a waste of time.”

“I don’t think it was,” Mindy argues. “You both had an experience and enjoyed each other. That counts for something.”

“Maybe he would come visit from time to time?” Mindy offers when I don’t reply. “Or maybe even stay?”

I snort in disbelief. “I won’t be some small-town booty call that he can stop in for. And he can’t stay. He has obligations.”

“Well, with how he was acting the other day and the way he looked today when he came in to ask about you . . . I wouldn’t be so quick to judge.”

I huff out a mirthless chuckle. “You’re more delusional than I was when I first started having feelings for him.”

“You don’t have to believe it,” Mindy tells me. “I just know what I saw.”

I go silent, biting my lower lip in thought.

“I just want you to be happy, Bri,” Mindy continues, her voice filled with concern.

That’s gonna be really fucking hard with Gavin gone.

I sigh. “I know, and I thank you, Mindy. But I need to go. I’m emotionally exhausted.”

Mindy’s voice is aching with emotion. “Okay. Please, just take care of yourself. I know you really liked Gavin, but you can't let this wind up ruining your life.”

I hang up the phone feeling even worse than I felt getting off the phone with Mom.Gavin

“Mr. Adams, what would you say about your first filming experience?” asks the reporter. He’s a tall, balding man dressed in a grey suit with a slight lisp. After five nonstop questions from him, it’s becoming irritating.

I put on a tight smile, doing my best to stay cool as repeated flashes go off in my face, the room filled with sounds of clicking cameras. “It was amazing,” I say with a cheer I don’t feel. “It was a great experience.”

“We heard about your injury,” says another reporter, a chubby man in jeans and a t-shirt, his Cowboys hat on backward. “Are you okay?”

A stab of pain lances between my eyes, and it’s an effort to maintain my smile. “I’m fine,” I reply, wiggling my eyebrows. “Just a little bump. Nothing a little Tylenol won’t fix.”

“Mr. Adams,” the first reporter says, “there are rumors that you started up an off-screen romance with your co-star, Leslie Hart. Is there anything you want to say to that?”

Now I have no problem faking my smile. The rumor