by KL Shandwick
Ready for Flynn
By
K.L. Shandwick
Copyright © 2016 K.L. Shandwick The author of the book
1st Edition
The author has asserted their moral right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as the author of this work.
All Rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, copied, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior written consent of the copyright holder, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
Editor: Amy Donnelly
Cover Design: by Russell Cleary
Photograph: Darren Birks Photography
Cover Models: Darren Birks and Jessica Avaline
Beta Readers: Tracie Podger, Elmarie Pieterse, Sarah Lintott, Emma Moorhead.
Disclaimer: This book has mature content and explicit reference to sexual situations it is intended for adult readers aged 18+.
This book is a work of fiction, Names, places, characters, band names and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or names are used within the fictitious setting. Any resemblance to actual person’s living or dead. Band names or locales are entirely coincidental unless quoted as artists.
Dedication
Since my first series, I’ve always strived to bring couples that have real life situations in a fictional setting. Some of the stories may seem far-fetched and too unbelievable at times to happen in real life, but for a minute minority of people life happens to them that way. Writing rock star romance gives me some poetic license to do just that because let’s face it, no one is born thinking they are going to be famous or have unbelievable things happen to them. Take me writing for instance… my English teachers would have fell about laughing at the thought. With my own experience in mind, if my stories bring pleasure and escapism to you, my readers, and that is all the only reward I need to continue. Alfie Black, Gibson Barclay, Jack Cunningham are some of the book boyfriends I’ve shared with you so far. I hope you will take Flynn Docherty to your hearts in the same way. Thank you to all of you for your constant support and kind words, reviews and for sharing my work. I appreciate every comment I receive.
Social media plays a huge role in spreading the word about KL Shandwick, and in my view, no one does that better than my team of dedicated followers. This book is therefore dedicated to a very special lady, Jacquie Dennison, who has been part of the team since day one. Jacquie has always there in Australia, shouting out my work, while I am asleep in the UK. We are like ships that pass in the night. An Aussie with a wonderful sense of humor, Jacquie is there offering sensible and sound judgements when I talk about book related things, but more than that she has become a good friend. Thank you Jacquie for choosing to read my work because I’d be lost without you and the rest of the team.
As for the rest of my team, as always, I am forever indebted to you for all the hard work you put in on my behalf. You are all very special ladies and I am truly thankful to each and every one of you. KLx
Some of the team are already mentioned in the beta readers, but everyone deserves to be here.
Ashley Appleby, Debra Hiltz, Samantha Harrington, Janet Boyd, Angela Wallace Kawauchi, Donna Salzano Trippi, Leigh Black, Isabel Adams, Ann Meemken, Tammy Ann Dove, Jennifer Pierson, Louise Husted, Ellie Aspill, Michelle Lov Engler, Lacey Smith and Nancy Pracht.
Table of Contents
Dedication
Chapter 1 ~ Going home
Chapter 2 ~ An extra mouth to feed
Chapter 3 ~ I wasn’t expecting that
Chapter 4 ~ Up close and personal
Chapter 5 ~ Crushed
Chapter 6 ~ You have no idea
Chapter 7 ~ Second warning
Chapter 8 ~ Instant rock star
Chapter 9 ~ Sweet talking guy
Chapter 10 ~ Feelings
Chapter 11 ~ Excited
Chapter 12 ~ No hope
Chapter 13 ~ Visitors
Chapter 14 ~ You have to eat
Chapter 15 ~ Airport run
Chapter 16 ~ Facing facts
Chapter 17 ~ Disrespect
Chapter 18 ~ Life through a lens
Chapter 19 ~ Still the smart ass
Chapter 20 ~ Absurdity
Chapter 21 ~ Making my own impression
Chapter 22 ~ Un-cuffed
Chapter 23 ~ Complicated
Chapter 24 ~ Getting even
Chapter 25 ~ Taking a chance
Chapter 26 ~ Chicago
Chapter 27 ~ Concerns
Chapter 28 ~ Legal
Chapter 29 ~ Old movie star
Chapter 30 ~ Burn
Chapter 31 ~ Scandal
Chapter 32 ~ First concert
Chapter 33 ~ Working it out
Chapter 34 ~ Funds
Other Titles by K.L. Shandwick
About K.L. Shandwick
Chapter 1 ~ Going home
Tearing down the stairs I was breathless by the time I reached Aunt Joan’s old melamine wall mounted phone in her kitchen.
“Valerie, it’s lovely to hear your voice sweetheart. You haven’t called for a week. Are you okay?”
“Oh, sure Mom. Sorry. I’ve been busy with Auntie Joan. We’ve been cleaning things out here. She felt it was time to sort through Uncle Terry’s things, and one thing led to another. You know how she is. It’s been great reminiscing about their lives, though. There is so much I never knew about them, both as a couple and the lives they had before they met each other.”
Uncle Terry met my Aunt Joan after his first wife died. They married in their forties, and neither had any children. My uncle was an only child, and all Auntie Joan had left was us.
“I was talking to her last night, Valerie. Didn’t she tell you she called?”
“She did? Is that so? She never mentioned you to me at all. I wonder why?”
“Seems you may have outstayed your welcome, honey.” Mom chuckled, and I knew she was only teasing. My aunt would have kept me forever if she’d had her way. I knew she’d worried about home-schooling me for a while, but to be honest, I’d really welcomed the opportunity to get out of town after the way Bradley my ex had treated me. Talk about humiliation. I was even more embarrassed by the number of well-wishers who stopped me daily to tell me how much of a shit he’d been and to condemn my slutty best friend, Heidi.
“Oh, well, I guess I’m coming home.” I said, pretending to feel hurt but I was really excited at the same time. I’d been missing everyone and it was only a few days before Thanksgiving and Martin was going to be home as well.
Martin, my second oldest brother was my best friend, and that’s how it had always been. He’d been in college for the past three years at St. Cloud’s in Minnesota, and I missed him every day. After he moved out we never saw him unless it was a holiday.
I realized I’d drifted off at the mention of Martin’s name and tuned back into my mom’s call.
“I think she just wants to try to put some normality back in her life. Or a new normal as it will be. It’s early on, but she seems okay; she’s practical about the next chapter of her life and wants us to help her with that. Has she told you she’s selling the house and moving closer to us or is that news to you also?”
Aunt Joan was much stronger than we gave her credit for, but she had recognized the benefits of having her family close by. Over the previous nine weeks, I’d seen her grow from a grieving widow to slowly regaining her sense of identity again. Selling her house and moving meant another period of adjustment, but I’d figured if anyone could move forward with their life after someth
ing like that, it would be her.
Uncle Terry’s passing hadn’t been totally unexpected. He’d been chronically ill for a long time, and I’d gotten used to the constant references about his health over the years. The initial daily conversation for the previous three months when my father returned from work each day had been to ask my mother if Uncle Terry was still with us.
When my mom suggested I go to Michigan and support Aunt Joan after his passing, I’d appeared pretty selfless by agreeing immediately. I’d had an ulterior motive for packing up and living with the drudgery of home-schooling for a while. I was running away.
Everything happens for a reason, or so I’d heard. My uncle’s timely death gave me the ideal excuse to step out of my life and look at it from the sidelines. Or in this case, Michigan. Brad’s crappy behavior had humiliated me and staying with Auntie Joan had given me the excuse not to face anyone.
That had been the only downside to going home and facing everyone at school again. Trying to hold my head high after Bradley hit a home run with Heidi and it going viral on the high-school intranet was pointless. After nine weeks away, I’d felt ready to tough out any comments, but at the same time, I’d hoped enough time had passed and everyone had moved on about that.
At least I’d sent a clear message to the boys that, at almost sixteen, I wasn’t ready to have a sexual relationship with any of them. Unlike Heidi, who lost her virginity only three days after her sixteenth birthday.
Mom talked for another ten minutes, and during that time I’d argued and won my case to travel home by bus. Auntie Joan wasn’t leaving until the day before Thanksgiving and Martin would be home on Monday. If I’d stayed and traveled with her, I’d only have had two full days to spend time with him before he flew back on the Saturday.
At six the Sunday before Thanksgiving, I was climbing on a Greyhound bus headed for home. An hour later I’d been questioning my sanity at my decision to take the bus.
Fat raindrops that splashed against the window were washed away in quick succession by others. My vision was disrupted by the constant stream of new strands from the relentless shower against the glass. The heavens had opened, and the sound of the wet storm battered down on the bus roof as it grew. The force behind it was deafening.
Staring at the tiny rivulets of water against the windowpane I allowed my mind to wander and I wondered what the holiday would be like. My lips curved into a smile when I saw Martin’s face in my mind’s eye and wondered if he’d had his hair cut shorter since the last time he’d been home. Dad had given him a pretty hard time about looking like a girl.
Martin had always been different. He was studying Theater Arts. He’d wanted to do stage design and production for large live events. My father said he thought he’d be better off learning to drive a truck than do any of that stuff, but he was secretly proud of his achievements so far. It had been almost three months since I’d seen him. He was upset he couldn’t make the memorial service for Uncle Terry due to a test he couldn’t miss at college.
During the journey, the rain gave way to a spectacular sunset, and I’d been enthralled by the iridescent sky as we traveled along the open highway. Glorious oranges, blues and yellows lit up the horizon. After a while they made way for purples, ruby red and violet hues until eventually darkness fell. I arrived at our hometown bus station and my heart leapt at the thought of seeing everyone again.
I saw my oldest brother, Kayden, before he saw me as I stepped off the bus. He was on his tiptoes, neck extended while his head moved left and right looking past some of the passengers in front of me. I smiled widely when he suddenly caught sight of me and pushed his way past people to reach me.
“Valerie!” Kayden called out. When we’d made eye contact, his face broke into an infectious smile. All the girls thought Kayden was adorable and his facial features looked so similar to Martin. They had the same eyes and mouth. However, Kayden’s hair was light like our dad’s while Martin and me were the only two siblings with dark hair and resembled my mom. All four of us had mom’s dimples. Reaching me, Kayden wrapped a strong arm around my waist and lifted me off my feet.
“Holy hell, sis, look at you. We’re going to have to lock you up now you’re back. You get more beautiful every time I see you. I’ll have to beat the boys back with a stick,” he chuckled.
I swatted his chest before hugging him tightly. Kayden’s warm embrace and the familiar smell of his shampoo, body wash and the faint smell of engine oil on his clothing was comforting. Kayden put my feet back down on the ground and picked up my bag. We waited around for my luggage to be unloaded that I had brought back with me. Kayden looked surprised I was traveling so light until I explained that Auntie Joan was bringing the rest.
While walking to Kayden’s car he filled me in on the town gossip, and I sensed he was avoiding the issue of Bradley and Heidi so I brought it up.
“They’re not together,” he said to reassure me.
“I’m over it. I just want everyone else to be over it as well, you know?”
Kayden nodded and glanced up, “She dumped him when she found out he’d filmed it, and no one else will go out with him. I’m proud of you, Valerie. If you’d have let that fucker into your panties, I’d—”
“Kayden! Stop. This isn’t the kind of conversation I want to have with my big brother and no one is getting into my panties. I’m fifteen, I want a life first, not a baby.”
Kayden chuckled and had the grace to look sheepishly back at me. “Sorry. I got carried away with the sick thought that someday some…”
“Enough, already,” I smirked as my cheeks flushed with color. I’d been given ‘the talk’ by Kayden and Martin several times in the past about saving myself. My number two brother and the one I had the most in common with were never off my back about that.
Of all of my siblings, Martin was the most like me, and we had this effortless bond between us. I was close to all of my brothers, and although I wasn’t supposed to have a favorite one, Martin and I had spent a lot of time together. Most of my friends thought it weird that we hung around together a lot. After a while, my girlfriends thought it was cool because they’d all had a crush on him.
Martin’s buddies used to get annoyed if I turned up and Martin didn’t let me tag along with them when they had something planned. I’d only hang out with him when they were sitting around in the park or when they came over to hang out in our yard. Martin saw no harm in my being there at those times. He told his friends that, although I was his little sister, we were also friends, and just because I was younger than them, it hadn’t made me any less interesting.
I was mature looking and most kids my age didn’t interest me. I wasn’t shy, but when I was with Martin, I felt relaxed and more like I could be myself. I’d been pretty sheltered compared to a lot of girls my age and I lacked confidence when I went out because most of my social life had taken place at home.
Hanging around a large group of adolescent boys meant I got to hear stuff I knew I shouldn’t have had any idea about. I was around twelve when I’d started hearing about my brothers’ and their buddies’ sexual encounters. I found out what a virgin was and listened to the boys talking about girls ‘putting out.’ Consequently, I’d known which girls in high school were easy and who was hot.
Just after one of those conversations, Martin, and my eldest brother, Kayden, taught me how a nice girl didn’t let boys into their panties. Afterward, what I took away from that conversation was that while it was okay for all boys to take a shot at a girl, it was my job to say no.
At fifteen, I had the body of a woman. I had obviously developed earlier than most girls my age. I’d never had that slender boyish-girl thing going on that a lot of teenage girls had when going through puberty. It felt like I’d gone to bed one night and had woken up the next day with a pair of 32DD breasts and curves in all the right places.
My brothers’ friends had made comments on what they’d thought about how I looked and that had made all of my brothers
nervous. Kayden had said I was the kind of girl that men looked at twice. A ‘head turner’ my dad called me. When I’d looked at myself in the mirror I thought they were biased because I couldn’t see what the fuss was about; I’d thought I looked quite plain.
One of my dad’s cousin’s once commented that my emerald green eyes with their flecks of hazel were, “bedroom eyes.” My dad flew off the handle and became irate at his statement. His cousin retorted by saying he was, “Just sayin’,” right before my dad threw him out of our house. I never saw his cousin at our house again after that.
Growing up the youngest and only girl in a four kid family had its benefits and disadvantages in equal parts. Living with three older boys on a daily basis was great training for how to take care of myself, but they were fiercely protective of me as well.
Being the only girl I’d learned to keep house from an early age and I was organized and capable. None of the males in my family did anything for themselves. All their chore allocations were to do with being outdoors; like stacking the woodpiles, mowing lawns or washing the cars. My parents both worked, so it fell to me to learn how to use the washer/dryer, the stove and my least favorite small appliance—the iron. Martin did what he could to help me when he wasn’t playing baseball, acting in the local theater or working his paper route. Martin was the most like me in many ways, apart from him being a boy.
Chapter 2 ~ An extra mouth to feed
Brittle leafless trees greeted us as we crossed the street to Kayden’s car. His old Ford Falcon was his pride and joy. From the age of thirteen, I’d seen more of Kayden’s legs than his face. He’d spent every waking moment underneath the damned thing up in the old barn behind the house where he kept it parked.
“Looking good, Kayden,” I commented as I patted the hood. Kayden’s face lit up as he flashed a wide smile showing off both of his dimples. He pulled his sleeve down grabbing the edge with his fingers before he huffed out a breath on the hood where I’d patted it and rubbed away an imaginary smudge that was there. The black metallic paint gleamed