Pearl's phone rang as she was walking into the hotel. "Erik,” She said, seeing his number light up on her phone. "Mmm nightingale" His sleepy voice was absolutely adorable. "Sorry I didn't answer the phone, some of us are still asleep at four am. I was hoping you were calling me to tell me you were in London and that you just couldn't stay away." Pearl smiled. "I am so sorry. I am going to have to get used to the time difference between us. I wanted you to know I plugged your charity on the tonight show. I was asked an awkward question about us and I was able to make it about the charity,” She said. "Awkward question?" He asked "Yes. He asked about me being spotted in Italy with a certain royal,” she said. She knew the questions would come and continue but she would try to handle them the best she could. "Why not tell them we are together?" Erik said. Silence. Pearl wasn't sure if he was joking or not. "Why would I say that?” Pearl asked. He had mentioned long distance but she
Pearl's phone rang as she was walking into the hotel. "Erik,"she said, seeing his number light up on her phone. "Mmm nightingale..." His sleepy voice was absolutely adorable. "Sorry I didn't answer the phone, some of us are still asleep at four am. I was hoping you were calling me to tell me you were in London and that you just couldn't stay away." Pearl smiled. "I am so sorry. I am going to have to get used to the time difference between us. I wanted you to know I plugged your charity on the tonight show. I was asked an awkward question about us and I was able to make it about the charity.""Awkward question?" She could tell he was smiling when he asked. "Yes. He asked about me being spotted in Italy with a certain royal," she said. She knew the questions would come and continue but she would try to handle them the best she could. "Why not tell them we are together?"Silence. Pearl wasn't sure if he was joking or not. "Why would I say that?" Pearl was confused and elated, but d
The flight home was short and Pearl was thankful. She was still exhausted from the jet lag. Her new attorney was meeting her the following day to discuss the company and the process with all the legalities with the transfer. Pearl knew she wasn't the person to run it and hoped she could handle it for the five years she needed to before she was able to sell it. Her and Dylan got back to the house and found a black Escalade parked in the driveway. "Who is that?" Pearl asked. "I have no idea." Dylan said. They got out of the car and the Escalade door opened. "Jim?" Jim what are you doing here?" Pearl asked. "I am your new driver and bodyguard. John hired me just this morning." He said. Pearl smiled and ran to him, hugging him. She missed him. "But what about Rhys? You've worked for him for years." Pearl asked. "I'd like to think that I protect people with integrity. I didn't give my life as a navy seal and special op to follow around a spoiled little movie star that enjoys treating
"Why are you so unhappy, Pearl? You've got a nice house. A good life. Nothing is ever good enough for you!" Her husband Paul yelled as he grabbed his suitcase and headed toward the door."Please don't go, Paul! Please. I know what you're up to. You're going to see HER!" Pearl cried. She wasn't stupid, she was desperate and lost."You don't know me at all. You always make me out to be the bad guy when you're a mess and can't even manage your own emotions. You're the problem. And you need to fix it. It's not always so dramatic, Pearl. You really need to get ahold of yourself." Paul said as he slammed the door behind him.Pearl fell to the floor in her foyer. She sobbed like a child for what felt like forever. Once she pulled herself together, she looked around. She
Pearl's first few weeks in her new place were a bit frantic. She had to notify Paul of her leaving and that went better than she had imagined it would. He was angry but seemed to be less bothered about her leaving than concerned with what she took. When she told him she left everything, he seemed to take the rest of it better. She told him she needed time and didn't plan on filing for divorce right away. He agreed to that and she knew his kindness had motive. He had a hefty 401k and they had money in the bank. She had printed their bank statement and grabbed his latest 401k summary the day she left, so if he tried to put the money elsewhere, there was proof. He didn't know that but she assumed his being nice was him hoping he could get her to agree to letting him keep that.So with having to deal with Paul, ordering things for the house and trying to stay focused on her job, things were a bit chaotic.She also had to get a vehicle. She was tired of borrowing Ja
Several months had gone by since Pearl had left her marriage and left her life behind. She had filed for divorce and was working hard at getting at least some kind of settlement. Her job was going well, and life had fallen into a nice routine for her. John had talked her into trying out the band idea and they had spent some time getting some guys together to form what they could be proud of. She was still embarrassed about being around Dylan and he was still incredibly difficult to read. She didn't remember much about the night he drove her home.m, only that she gave him directions and thanked him. The next morning she woke up on her couch, fully clothed, so she knew nothing had happened.Her divorce lawyer thought things should be finalized in the next week or two. She was so happy that was going to happen, finally. She decided to apply for a promotion at work a month or so ago and her boss seemed really pleased with her work for the company
Pearl woke up Saturday morning feeling refreshed. She fell asleep at 9 the previous night and had a full 12 hours of sleep. Needed. Meetings with her divorce lawyers, court, settling into her new place and juggling work and her band had really taken a toll. She was thankful she had finalized the divorce and was able to finally begin picking up the pieces. She had lost nearly everything. Her house, her furniture, her car. She could have fought for more but she wanted it over. She let him have everything. He was a controlling, awful man. He was her first love and all she had known, meeting him when she was only 20 and getting married at 23. It had been such a waste of her younger years. Living in that hell where everything was her fault. She was questioned constantly and isolated from friends and family. Nothing felt safe, always on edge. Not that her family was that great to begin with. She never had a real relationship with her mom and her dad was a tyrant, just like her husband was
Pearl looked at the book Frank held out to her. It was the Bukowski book Rhys had been looking though. She smiled and placed it in the bag with the other books and thanked Frank. She headed to her car, still smiling from the interaction and how amazing her day was turning out to be. She continued with her errands, grabbing a quick late lunch and stopping for a few things she needed. She made it to John's house at around 5 and he and the guys were already getting set up for practice. His basement wasn't the most glamorous but it worked perfectly for their rehearsal space. His wife Janie was incredibly understanding and supportive. She had met them both in college when Janie and John started dating and was so happy to see them still going strong. "Hey woman! Having a good day?" John asked. He and Janie had been her biggest supporters recently during her divorce and she was so grateful. "I'm good actually. Today is a good day so far and that's all I can ask for, one good day at a time, r