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Chapter 21
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2024-02-03 08:19:01Related chapters
Love, Life, and Other Stuff Chapter 22
“You will never believe what happened to me at work today,” Addy said when she walked in the door. Silence greeted her. She looked around at the empty apartment and sighed. “Hello?” she called out. “Anyone home?” The apartment remained silent. Shrugging, she kicked her shoes off and said, “I guess I’m talking to myself, then.” Picking up her shoes, she hobbled into her bedroom to change her clothes. She sat in the chair wearing her pajamas when Brooklyn came home from her shift at the coffee shop. Addy soaked her sore feet in a tub of warm, sudsy water, had cucumber slices over her eyes, and her earbuds in her ears. After taking her shoes and apron off, Brooklyn padded toward Addy and softly called out, “Can you hear me? Are you awake?” Addy didn’t stir at first, but when Brooklyn drew closer, she reached up and removed the cucumber slices from her eyes. Seeing her roommate, she tugged the earbuds from her ears and stepped out of the soaking tub onto the towel sh
Last Updated : 2024-02-10Love, Life, and Other Stuff Chapter 23
Brooklyn and Addy stared at Shea after telling them she’d spent the day playing soccer in the park with Troy. Brooklyn spoke first, shaking her head and asking, “Troy? The new guy downstairs? That Troy?” Shea grinned and nodded her head. “That shameless guy who flirted with all of us at the welcome party?” Addy asked, her nose wrinkled. “That Troy?” Shea nodded once more and said, “He’s really not that bad once you spend time with him and get to know him.” Addy shook her head and said, “I don’t know. He seemed pretty douchy to me.” Shea shook her head and said, “He was a perfect gentleman with me today. In fact, we made plans to go out to dinner next weekend.” Brooklyn looked at her with her eyebrows raised. “So, do we have another building romance, then?” she asked. Shea grinned and glanced away before she shrugged and said, “I don’t know right now.” “Speaking of building romances, I wonder how Kendall and Lewis are doing?” Addy mused. “That’s right!” Shea sa
Last Updated : 2024-02-10Love, Life, and Other Stuff Chapter 24
“May I speak to Lydia, please?” Addy asked into her phone nervously, bringing her finger to her mouth. Shaking her head, she put her hand down and frowned as she listened. “And who may I say is calling?” the receptionist asked. “Let her know it’s… Allison,” she said, closing her eyes. The receptionist placed her on hold to see if Lydia would take her call. Addy waited, pacing the floor of her bedroom. After what felt like forever, Addy finally heard, “This is Lydia. What do you want, Allison?” Clearing her throat, Addy took a deep breath before saying, “I want to talk to you about what you know about Barto attacking young women. I think you know a little something about that.” Addy heard silence on the other end for so long she thought Lydia had hung up. She was about to ask if Lydia was still on the line when she heard a sigh. “Meet me at the cafe around the corner from the studio at four,” Lydia told her. Then the line went dead. Addy pulled the phone away f
Last Updated : 2024-02-10Love, Life, and Other Stuff Chapter 25
“This club is jumping!” Addy said over the music. Nodding, Brooklyn said, looking around at the inside of the club and said, “The review looks promising.” “I’ll drink to that!” Shea said, holding up her drink. “Same!” Kendall called out, raising her glass. The four women clinked their glasses together before taking a drink. “Also, let’s toast to how fine we all look in our new outfits,” Shea said, stepping back from the table to pose. “Here, here!” Addy called out, raising her glass. They all took another drink. “I’d also like to propose a toast to getting the word out there about Barto,” Brooklyn said, leaning toward her friends to be heard. “Here, here!” Addy called out, raising her glass. After they had taken another drink, Addy put down her glass and said, “I’m happy that Lydia could get more witnesses for the article as well.” Brooklyn nodded and said, “When news of the article broke, more women contacted Bonnie to tell their stories. I don’t think he’l
Last Updated : 2024-02-17Love, Life, and Other Stuff Chapter 26
Brooklyn turned to Steve with wide eyes, and her mouth dropped open. “You have a girlfriend?” she asked. He shifted from side to side and reached up to rub the back of his head. “Well, we’re not really together right now,” he said. After a stunned pause, Brooklyn said, “Either you are, or you aren’t. There is no really not in this case.” When he didn’t respond, she shook her head. “You know what?” she asked. “I’m not playing that game tonight. I came here to have fun with my friends. Not get suckered by a guy who can’t keep it in his pants. Get lost, jerk.” “But Brooklyn, it’s not like that,” Steve said, trying to explain himself. Brooklyn shook her head and said, “No, I don’t want to hear anything more from you.” She turned around, putting her back to him. Picking up her drink, she drained the cup. Turning to him, she gave him the glass, saying, “Thanks for the drink.” He took the glass, then looked at her for a moment. She turned back to the table, staring
Last Updated : 2024-02-17Love, Life, and Other Stuff Chapter 27
Steel Gaze returned to the stage, warming up before continuing the concert. “Let’s go down and dance,” Shea said, moving to the music. Addy nodded and said, “Come on, ladies! Let’s get our groove on!” The four friends went down to the dance floor to dance to the music. Shea maneuvered her way forward until they stood in front of the stage, dancing. The singer noticed and grinned down at them. Everyone but Brooklyn grinned back at him. She glared at him, but he didn’t seem to notice. Turning to her friends, she ignored the band for the rest of the set. Once the band finished their last song, the singer said, “Thank you, everyone, for coming out tonight! It has been a great club opening, and we’re grateful for them to hire us to play for you all!” The crowd cheered, and he continued, “My name is Cort. On bass is Ells. On drums is Bryant. And Bradford is our one and only DJ.” After each introduction, the crowd cheered again. Each guy took a bow when Cort introduced t
Last Updated : 2024-02-17Love, Life, and Other Stuff Chapter 28
“You! You’re the one who ruined my life!” Brooklyn looked up in surprise from the counter where she’d been taking an inventory of the pastries. A familiar-looking, dark-haired guy was storming toward her. She stepped back from the counter, reaching into her apron pocket for her cellphone in case she needed to call for help. He stopped when he reached the counter and glared at her, his hands balled into fists at his sides. “What?” Brooklyn croaked out in a strangled voice. Clearing her throat, she asked again. “What are you talking about? I don’t think I’ve ever met you.” He stared at her, his nostrils flaring. Then he reached into the pocket of his jeans and pulled out his phone, typing furiously into it. Finding what he was looking for, he held the phone up for her to look at. “So, you’re telling me that this isn’t your article?” he asked, his dark eyes sparkling with anger. She took a small step forward to look at his phone and saw he had pulled up her article
Last Updated : 2024-02-24Love, Life, and Other Stuff Chapter 29
When Brooklyn walked out of her room in the morning, she stopped in her tracks at what she saw. Addy sat at the kitchen table, already working on her laptop. A half-eaten muffin sat on a plate next to her, and her coffee mug looked neglected. “Why are you up so early?” Brooklyn asked, walking toward the kitchen. Addy gasped as she jumped in her chair, her wide eyes turning in Brooklyn’s direction. “You startled me,” she said, lifting her hand to cover her heart. “I didn’t expect anyone to be up this early.” Brooklyn looked at the clock and shook her head, saying, “I’m up at my usual time.” Addy turned to look at the clock, surprised. Then she shook her head. “I can’t have spent all that time on the computer this morning,” she said, looking back at the screen. “Time sure flies when you’re busy.” Walking over to the coffeepot, Brooklyn poured herself a mug, then grabbed a muffin before heading to the table. “What are you working on?” she asked, sitting across from h
Last Updated : 2024-02-24
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Love, Life, and Other Stuff Chapter 64
“What do you want to do now?” Brooklyn asked after the club shut down for the night. “I’m too pumped to go home.” “There’s that all-night diner a couple of blocks over,” Cort suggested. “It doesn’t look like much, but the food is decent. We’ve been there a few times after gigs.” “Their hashbrowns are to die for,” Bradford said, putting his hand on his chest and rolling his eyes into the back of his head. “That seals the deal for me,” Shea said, linking her arm through Bradford’s. “If they have the best hashbrowns, I’m in.” “Same,” Addy said. “There’s something about good hashbrowns. You never forget them.” “That’s very true,” Brooklyn said. “If it’s the place I’ve read about, all their food is good.” “Did your paper write a review of the place?” Cort asked her. Brooklyn nodded and said, “Brian reviewed it, saying it was good and cheap.” “Then, that sounds like the perfect place to go right now,” Lewis said. “Because I don’t have much money on me, but I’m starving.”
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“What about you?” Brooklyn asked Cort. “Are you nervous about possibly playing at that club?” Cort shrugged and said, “It’s just another gig to me.” “That’s one way to look at it,” Brooklyn said, tilting her head to look at him. He looked at her and grinned. “If we decide to play there, will you be writing a review of the show?” he asked. She nudged him with her shoulder and said, “You know it.” Shea threaded her arm through Bradford’s and asked, “Do you think you and Cort will like the club enough to play there?” Bradford looked at her and shrugged. “I’ve not been, so I can’t tell you for sure that we’ll like it,” he told her before tapping the tip of her nose with his finger. “Besides, you’ll be there with me, so it won’t be a wasted trip if we decide not to book a gig there.” Shea smiled at him and said, “You say the sweetest things.” “Only to the sweetest girl,” he told her, kissing the tip of her nose. Shea giggled and brushed her lips over his. “You two are so s
Love, Life, and Other Stuff Chapter 62
Kendall rushed over to Lewis as he came near the table. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. “That was awesome!” she said. “Did you get it all recorded?” He nodded, grinning at her, and said, “I did! I can’t wait to get it back home and edit it so I can show the guys.” “I know they’re going to love it,” Kendall said, kissing him again. “Excuse me, but did you just say you filmed the band?” Lewis and Kendall turned to see one of the four women who had approached the table talking to them. “Yeah,” Lewis said as he nodded. “I’m their friend and a filmmaker-,” “An award-winning filmmaker,” Kendall broke in. Lewis grinned at her before looking at the other woman and continuing. “I filmed their performance, so they can view it later,” he said. “I’m sure it’s going to be amazing,” the woman said. “I’m Amber, by the way.” “Lewis,” he told her. “And this is Kendall.” Amber kept her eyes on Lewis as she said, “So nice to meet you.” Kendall frowned an
Love, Life, and Other Stuff Chapter 61
“You all were awesome up there!” Shea told Bradford when the guys rejoined them at the table. “I’ll say,” Addy said, looping her arm through Troy’s. “You did a wonderful job. I was so proud of you.” She leaned forward to brush her lips over his. “If it means more kisses from you, I’ll get back on that stage right now,” Troy said, grinning at her. Addy giggled and snuggled closer to him. “This is definitely getting a good write-up in my next article,” Brooklyn told them, slipping her phone back into her purse. Cort slipped his arms around her waist, and she leaned into his embrace. “That’ll be good publicity for the band,” he said. “Too bad Dex wasn’t here. Then we’d have the full band.” “You still sounded good without him,” Lewis said. “You can see for yourself once I get the video I took of you edited.” Cort, Troy, and Bradford looked at him with wide eyes. “You filmed us?” Cort asked. “I sure did,” Lewis said, grinning at his friend. “I thought you migh
Love, Life, and Other Stuff Chapter 60
“Let’s order some drinks,” Troy said. “I’ll stay here and watch the purses,” Bradford offered. “I want to check out this DJ more to see if I can add anything to my performance the next time we play.” “Sure thing, man,” Cort told him. “I’ll get you your usual.” “Thanks, my man,” Bradford said. Cort nodded before he joined Troy and Lewis as they headed toward the bar to order their drinks. Bradford kept an eye on the ladies’ purses as he watched the DJ spin the tunes. He nodded to the beat and grinned. The DJ noticed him and smiled at him before waving him onstage. Bradford looked around and saw the guys coming back with their drinks. He signaled to them that he was getting on the stage. Cort nodded and jerked his chin toward the DJ. Bradford grinned and climbed the stairs at the back of the stage to join the DJ. Cort put the drinks on the table and called out to Bradford. When he looked, Cort held up his fists, giving him two thumbs up. Bradford grinned and returned t
Love, Life, and Other Stuff Chapter 59
Kendall squeezed Lewis’s arm as his film began. Her eyes never left the screen as his movie played out. Lewis looked around at his friends and the rest of the audience while his film played. Their attention seemed focused on the screen. He smiled and nodded. Once his film finished, he whispered to Kendall, “I think everyone liked it.” She squeezed his arm as she grinned up at him. “I know they did,” she said. Addy leaned forward, reaching over Troy to pat Lewis on the arm. “That was amazing,” she said, grinning at him. Troy nodded, giving Lewis a thumbs up. Brooklyn looked up from her phone to nod at him with a grin while Cort nodded once. Shea and Bradford both gave him a thumbs up. He grinned at his friends and nodded before returning his attention to the screen. Two more films played before Lewis leaned over to Kendall and whispered, “Carl’s film is next.” Before Kendall could respond, Carl whispered, “Now, you’re going to see some real filmmaking.”
Love, Life, and Other Stuff Chapter 58
Lewis sighed and turned his head to look over his shoulder at Carl. “What do you want, Carl?” he asked. Carl glanced at the refreshment counter and said, “I just want something to drink. I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation, is all.” “Yeah, you made sure to get close enough to us to overhear and comment on it,” Lewis said with a scowl. Carl shrugged, his hands out to the side, and said, “It’s not my fault you talk so loud.” “But it is your fault you had to butt in on the conversation,” Lewis said, turning around to face the other man. Kendall put her hand on Lewis’ arm and frowned, saying, “Just ignore him, Lewis. He’s not worth it.” Shea bit her lip and glanced at Bradford while squeezing his arm. She winked at him before she slipped past Lewis and Kendall and smiled at Carl. “Is your movie in the next grouping, too?” she asked him, putting her hand on his arm and widening her eyes as she pulled him out of the line. He looked at her and smiled, putti
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“Ladies, gentlemen, and everyone in between,” the woman said. “My name is Denise, and I’ll be your host for our film festival this evening.” She looked over the audience and continued. “I see a lot of familiar faces here,” she said, smiling, “and some who are new.” Kendall nudged Lewis and smiled at him. He grinned at her and whispered, “But next year, I’ll be one of those familiar faces.” “That you will,” Kendall said before kissing him. On the stage, Denise continued. “We have quite a lot of films to enjoy this evening, so I’ll keep this brief,” she said. “After we have viewed the films, we’ll be handing out the awards, which I know is everyone’s favorite part of the night.” Everyone in the audience clapped and cheered, causing Denise to laugh. “I knew it!” she said with a grin. “You’re just here for the awards!” Laughter rang out across the room. “Well then, let’s just get those pesky films out of the way so we can get to the best part of the night,” she
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Everyone turned to see Carl Hornsbeck standing behind them, his arms around the shoulders of the two women he’d entered with. Smirking at Lewis, he said, “Our friend Lewis here doesn’t stand a chance once the judges see my movie.” His gaze drifted to Brooklyn, and he winked at her. “You should hang out with better people,” he told her. Beside Brooklyn, Cort tensed. She put her hand on his arm and sniffed at Carl. “I only hang with the best people,” she told him. “I’m not some sort of groupie just hanging on to someone hoping to get my fifteen minutes of fame by proxy.” She looked at the two women, who glared back at her. Carl glanced at them and chuckled. Before he could say anything, Shea pushed her way to the front and said, “I don’t believe we’ve been introduced.” She held out her hand and batted her eyes at him. Carl took her hand in his and brushed his lips over the back of her hand, causing her to giggle. He grinned at her and said, “I would have rem
