by Mia Kayla
Everything Has Changed
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Epilogue
Join my Newsletter
Keep in Touch
Marry Me for Money Excerpt
Acknowledgements
Copyright © 2015 by Mia Kayla
All rights reserved.
ISBN-13: 978-0-9863593-0-9
Visit my website at www.miakayla.blogspot.com
Cover Designer
Najla Qamber Designs
Developmental Editor
Meghan Hand
Copy Editor
Jovana Shirley, Unforeseen Editing
Proofreading
Alexis Durbin, Indie Girl Proofs
Interior Design and Formatting
Christine Borgford, Perfectly Publishable
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without the written permission of the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Present Day
MY MOTHER ALWAYS TAUGHT ME that it was what was on the inside that counted, that physical beauty would fade, and when you went to heaven, all that mattered was that you had been a good person with a clean soul.
I was never that girl who worried about how I looked, what I was wearing, or the latest trends in fashion. I was confident in my own skin—most of the time.
But while leaning against the bar at Viper Nightclub, watching Jimmy’s hungry eyes devour the blonde in front of him, my insides heated up with uncontrolled pure jealousy. For once, I wished I had a rack that bounced with every step.
Many times before, on many stars in the sky, I had wished.
I had wished he would once, just once, look at me that way.
“O-M to the G, is that Jim Brason?” Kelly sprang on her toes and reached for my arm.
She yanked me toward her so fast that I almost lost my footing.
Jimmy, I almost corrected her because that was what I always called him.
To me, he was not the star quarterback god, not the most eligible bachelor, not the finest man alive—as his fans and the media knew him. He was just plain old Jimmy.
Kelly tugged on my arm and pulled me toward the VIP area where the hot people had congregated. My eyes zoned in on the group of beefy guys sitting on the plush couches behind the red-roped area. Women who looked like they modeled for Sports Illustrated surrounded them.
Shoot, they probably do.
I dug my heels against the tiled floors, not wanting to move any farther. “I don’t know. Let’s go, Kelly.”
I pivoted in the opposite direction. I didn’t even know that Kelly watched football.
In a plain black T-shirt and faded jeans, she wasn’t the typical made-up, high-heeled twenty-three-year-old girl. That was probably why we had hit it off a couple of weeks ago. We both came from the group of awkward plain Janes.
“Seriously, Bliss, I just need a closer peek.” She repositioned her hand to get a better grip on my wrist, and she pulled me forward. “He’s so hot! He’s just…so hot!”
She stopped a foot from the red rope, and my blood ran cold as I saw the busty blonde sitting on Jimmy’s lap, whispering something into his ear.
Her thigh-high black tube dress clung to her body like Saran Wrap. When she wrapped her hands around his neck and licked from the side of his chin to the corner of his mouth, I turned away as if I’d been slapped. My cheeks were probably red, and my eyes stung from seeing them together. My chest tightened as I wondered how he knew her and if she was important to him.
A bright light flashed, catching my attention. My head whipped back, and I saw Kelly holding her camera phone out toward the roped area. I wanted to scream at her to put that thing away, but it was too late.
When I turned back around to look at him and his eyes caught mine, he squinted and sat up, causing the blonde to tumble from his lap.
Ripping my gaze away, I pleaded with Kelly, “Come on.” I grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the only light illuminating the dark club—the red exit sign.
I heard him call my name, but I just scurried faster, maneuvering through the crowd of people on the dance floor. When Kelly didn’t move fast enough, I released her.
“Bliss, where are you going?”
I ignored her question as my pulse quickened and hurried toward the door. My palms began to sweat as I eyed my destination.
When the stickiness of the Chicago summer night hit my skin, I released a silent sigh of relief. I was glad I was finally out of that stuffy club and away from Jimmy. I would just pretend I was never here. The club was dark, so I doubted he had recognized me anyway.
I thought I was in the clear until I heard the door bang open behind us, and he called my name.
“Bliss, wait up!”
I closed my eyes to compose myself, but I didn’t have time to muster up a hello before he pulled me into a bear hug from behind. Then, he flipped me around to face him.
“Hey,” he said, out of breath. “Didn’t you hear me calling you?” His eyes softened as he took in my face, his rough hands lightly rubbing my arms.
My skin prickled with goose bumps at his touch.
Having him right in front of me did things to me. I had no control, no self-preservation. My arms automatically wrapped around his waist, and I nestled against his chest, fitting into that perfect space between his shoulders. It was as if that particular spot was meant for me.
I inhaled the mix of scents—beer and his masculine Calvin Klein, the cologne he’d been wearing since high school—and released a silent sigh.
He squeezed me tighter, acting as though he hadn’t seen me in years when it had only been a few weeks. I reveled in his hold, breathing him in and allowing his scent to wash over me.
Releasing me, he held me at arm’s length, a dimple emerging on his boyish face. “What are you doing at a club?”
I stalled for time, stepping away and twisting my hands together, as I tried to think of a response. He knew I hated clubs. I always thought they were too loud, so you couldn’t hold a conversation. They were too dark, so you couldn’t see the person you came with. Mostly, I hated how men would ogle girls like they were pieces of juicy meat.
That was exactly why I’d shown up in jeans and a T-shirt. I didn’t want men eyeing me.
“My friend dragged me,” I finally said, dropping my hands to fiddle with the edge of my shirt. “She wanted a break from studying.” I turned to said friend whose mouth had slipped ajar. “Jimmy, this is Kelly. She goes to Doyle Law with me.”
I stifled a laugh at her starstruck look.
Kelly straightened her shirt and pushed her black-rimmed glasses up her nose. “Hi!” She didn’t even try to hide her cheeky grin as she held out her hand, her fingers twitching as though she were itching to have him touch it.
“Hey. Nice to me
et you,” he replied politely. He shook her hand and gave her his boyish smile that made every woman on earth swoon. The dimples set deep in his cheeks accentuated his panty-dropping smile.
“I’m glad Bliss is making friends.” He turned toward me, lifting an eyebrow. “What about you? You leaving already?”
For a brief moment, I saw disappointment in his eyes. It was the kind of disappointment that made me hope…hope for something more.
“Yeah, you know, not my scene.”
He nodded, silent for a second, before throwing his arm around my shoulder, blocking Kelly’s view. “Hey, I’ve been calling you. I wanted to let you know I’d be in Chicago,” he said, lowering his voice, as he studied my face.
He dropped his arm and turned me to face him. Warmth spread throughout my body at his touch, making an already humid summer night even hotter.
“I know. Life has been crazy—you know, with school and studying and stuff.” I averted my eyes, not wanting him to see the longing on my face that was clearly there.
A few catcalls sounded behind him, and I noticed a huge line of people forming against the wall, all waiting to get inside the club. Kelly pretended to play with her phone, but I knew she was totally checking him out as her eyes flickered discreetly in his direction.
His attention was solely focused on me. “Did I do something? I called you today to tell you that I was in town.”
He leaned in, forcing me to meet his stare. His nearness was unnerving, causing havoc on my pulse rate. All my senses were filled with his whole presence.
“Are you mad at me or something?”
No, quite the opposite.
We were so close that I could close the gap between us and kiss him, finally ending my torture.
But I didn’t.
I should have done it.
Should have. Would have. Could have.
I took a step back instead. I needed space because I couldn’t breathe with his proximity.
I couldn’t exactly tell him why I’d been avoiding his calls for over a week, why I’d only texted to tell him that I was busy, or why I’d left him messages when I knew he was out. This had been our longest stint of no communication in forever.
“No,” I told him. “Seriously, law school is just kicking my butt.” I forced an awkward smile, hoping he couldn’t detect the lie that I was spewing out.
He rubbed at his eyebrow before letting out a heavy sigh. From the look on his face, I knew that he didn’t believe me.
“Jimmy, it’s school—really.” I reached for his hand and squeezed it, trying to reassure him.
He continued to stare at me, his eyebrows pulling in. An awkward silence filled the air that made my stomach churn. I bit my lip as my free hand fidgeted with the edge of my shirt again.
“Jim Brason?” Two guys strolled toward us, breaking our connection. “Can we get an autograph?”
A frown formed on Jimmy’s face as he held my eyes before turning toward the boys. “Sure, bud.”
Reaching into my purse, I handed Jimmy a pen and backed up, giving him room to be with his fans. I was used to him getting this type of attention wherever we went. Ever since he’d turned all famous on me, I was always in his shadow.
“Hey, lady,” one of the guys called, “can you take our picture?”
Sure, just call me Pen Lady, Picture Lady, or Miss Invisible.
I was always invisible.
I sighed inwardly as one of them handed me his phone, and I snapped a picture of all three of them. In my peripheral vision, I noticed Kelly still had a starstruck dazed look. The cheesiest smile spread across her face, and I shook my head, again amused.
When they were just about done, I said, “Hey. We’re gonna go.” I pointed my thumb toward the car, ready to get out of there.
He waved at the two men. Then, he met my eyes and scratched the top of his sandy-brown head. “Uh…okay. You’re going to make time for me this weekend, right? I leave to go back to New York on Sunday.”
He tried to read my face, but my eyes flickered to the group of people walking past us.
“I have to go to my mom’s tonight, to check up on her.” He shifted from one foot to the other and ducked his head to get into my line of sight. “But I can sleep over tomorrow, right?”
He reached for my hand, and my eyes dropped to our connection. I had a strong awareness of my heartbeat drumming too loudly against my chest. I wondered if he could hear it.
I shied away and peered up at Kelly. Her eyes widened, her eyebrows shooting to the stars. I knew what she was thinking—Bliss Carrington and Jim Brason and a sleepover?
“Boo?” he prompted when I hadn’t answered right away.
Kelly cast me a funny look, stifling a laugh, most likely at his nickname for me. She wouldn’t get it. He’d been calling me Boo since we were seven. During sleepovers, I used to be his security blanket, the one he’d slept next to at night. I was the one that kept the monsters away by scaring them, hence my nickname.
He squeezed my hand, waiting for a reply. His eyebrows pulled together, and a tiny prickle of disappointment filtered through his eyes. I wondered if he thought that I’d say no.
“Yeah, Jimmy.” I nodded, reveling in the comfort of his touch. “Sure. Just call me.”
The smile I loved so much surfaced on his face, and he pulled me in for a hug, caging me within his arms. I breathed him in, squeezing him tighter and not wanting to let go.
“Don’t drive home drunk, okay?” I whispered against his neck. I was so close that I could taste him. And I wanted to.
“I won’t. I promise,” he said softly. His chest expanded as he inhaled deeply, taking in my scent.
He released me and extended his pinky. I wrapped my pinky around his, exhaling a sigh of relief, knowing he meant it. Once we made a promise sealed with a pinky swear, it would mean the promise could never be broken.
“Holy crap! You know Jim Brason? Like, as in, know, know him? You know NFL’s quarterback of the New York Cougars, Jim Brason?” Kelly bounced beside me, trying to keep my pace. Her eyes flickered back to the club door, watching as the famous quarterback signed a few more autographs.
I opened the door to my red Mini Cooper and climbed in as she jumped into the passenger seat beside me.
“So…you have to tell me how you know him.”
I peered up at her expectant green eyes and shrugged. “We grew up together. He’s been my best friend since I was six.” I put the key in the ignition, shifted the gear to drive, pressed on the gas, and got us the heck out of there.
No matter how hard I focused on the road, I couldn’t stop myself from thinking that so much had changed since I was a lonely six-year-old girl waiting for the school bus on her first day of school.
Past—Six Years Old
I stood at the bus stop, tapping my foot against the ground and playing with the front ruffles of my pink princess dress. My heart was beating so hard that I worried it would break like Grandpa’s had. Staring down at my silver shoes, I concentrated on the glitter sparkling against the sunlight as I squeezed Mommy’s hand, wishing she’d never let go.
“Can you talk?” someone said.
I glanced up, noticing the brown-eyed boy standing next to me. He had the same sandy-brown hair as one of my Barbie dolls.
“You haven’t moved your mouth the whole time we’ve been waiting for the bus.”
I squinted at him as the autumn sun flashed in my eyes.
He leaned in close. “So? Do you?” His breath smelled like mint toothpaste.
“I talk.” I peered up at Mommy, who was talking to the boy’s mommy.
“What’s your name?” he asked.
“Bliss,” I answered, staring at his teeth.
He was missing one of his middle teeth. I wondered how much the tooth fairy had given him for his missing tooth.
He made a face. “What kind of name is that? That’s not a name.”
Is, too, I wanted to say.
It was a pretty name.
Daddy had said so, and my Daddy was always right.
Instead, I stared back down at my glittery shoes. The boy didn’t ask me another question, and I was glad.
When the yellow school bus started coming down the street, I squeezed Mommy’s hand harder. Mommy had taught me at home, so going to a big-girl school with a bunch of kids was scary.
She bent down, meeting me at eye-level. “Baby, you’re going to have so much fun there. You’re going to love first grade. You’ll see.”
She brushed her hand against my cheek. I leaned into her hand and tried not to pout, but I failed.
I didn’t think I was going to love it. If so, then why did I feel like crying?
She stood up and rustled the little boy’s hair. “This is Jimmy. His mommy and I grew up together. So, see? Now, you know someone, Bliss.”
I glanced at the tall blonde lady standing next to the little boy called Jimmy. Her hair was bright yellow, and she looked like a princess.
“Yes, you guys will be best friends, too,” his mommy said, grinning like she just knew her words were true.
The little boy made what Daddy called a stink face.
“No, we’re not,” Jimmy said. “She doesn’t even talk.” He stomped his feet and crossed his arms over his chest.
The Cinderella-like mommy gave me a small smile before turning back to the boy. “James Charles Brason, you are going to be nice to Bliss and sit by her on the bus. Do you understand? She doesn’t know anyone here.” She gave Jimmy the look.
I knew that look. Mommy would give me the same look. You’d better listen to me—that was what that look said.
The little boy kept his arms crossed as he pouted while digging his shoe in the dirt.
When the yellow school bus finally pulled up to us, I squeezed Mommy’s waist and closed my eyes. I didn’t want to cry, not in front of him.
Mommy kissed the top of my hair. “You’ll be fine. I promise.” When she let me go, she put a hand on the little boy’s shoulder. “Jimmy here will take care of you.”
She gave the boy a little wink, but he still had his stink face on.
I stepped onto the bus and held the straps of my princess backpack. Maybe no one would see me if I sat all the way in the back. I was surprised when the little boy sat next to me.