Lucky Break (20 page)

How could she not have seen this before? How could she not have known?

“You can’t blame me for the choices you’ve made. Where is all this coming from?” Caterina truly sounded flabbergasted.

Sidney laughed. Her mom was right. She did this to herself. “I know that.” Another puzzle piece. “I always knew I was a burden to you…that I’m why you went away. I’ve been so scared of being a responsibility someone didn’t want that I ran away from the one person I want more than anything in the world!”

It all made so much sense. She didn’t know why she didn’t see it sooner. Why she’d never gotten it until now.

“You’re not making any sense, Sidney, and I have an appointment. I need to call you back—”

Sidney hung up the phone.

Finally, for the first time since being back in Los Angeles, she felt like she could breathe. The excitement she’d been searching for now pumped through her body.

Her fingers flew across the touch screen as she called Lydia.

“Sidney! I’m so proud of you. I told you something was coming our way.”

“I don’t want the role,” she blurted out, feeling like she could fly. Each word freed her.

“Excuse me?”

“I said I don’t want the role! I don’t want to act anymore. At all.” She was absolutely giddy.

“Wait. What’s going on here? Don’t make a decision like this so quickly. Let me come over. We’ll talk and regroup.”

For this, she felt bad. Lydia had always believed in and supported her. She’d put so much work into growing Sidney’s career. “I don’t need to talk. I’m so sorry, Lydia, but this is what I want. It’s what I need.”

Her friend and agent sighed. “Sid, are you sure you know what you’re doing? This is a small business. You don’t want to burn bridges with these directors. It’ll make things tough if you want to come back.”

She wouldn’t. She wanted to burn all the bridges down.

“I don’t need them. Thank you so much for everything. I really do appreciate it and we’ll talk soon.” She took a deep breath. “But I have a bar opening to make it to.”

Sidney’s leg bounced up and down as the cab driver crawled at a snail’s pace. She looked at her cell—one of the two things she’d taken the time to grab, the other being her purse before she jumped a plane for home.

Home. Shamrock Falls.

“I’m in a hurry here. Can you go any faster?” Lucky’s opened in fifteen minutes and they were at least a twenty- to twenty-five-minute ride away. She needed to be there for this opening. Should have never left him, even for a role.

“I’m going as fast as I can, lady,” the cabbie gritted out.

Sidney rummaged through her purse to see how much money she had. Her heart beat like crazy. Her hands shook so bad she could hardly open her wallet. “I’ll give you an extra hundred dollars if you can get there in fifteen minutes or less.”

She slammed backward in the seat as the cab driver stepped on the gas.

He took corners sharp, speeding his way toward Lucky’s. True, it wouldn’t do her any good to get in a car wreck before she got there, but she had to believe karma wasn’t that cruel. She held on for dear life. The second Lucky’s was in sight, she threw a handful of money at him.

The parking lot was so full, she had to get out on the road. Sidney started to run. She ignored the ache in her chest and kicked off her heels. All that mattered was seeing Kade stand up there to cut his ribbon. To get his dream.

The whole town had to be in the parking lot. Kade was in front, the ribbon she’d made tied perfectly at the entrance.

“I want to thank everyone for being here tonight,” Kade said to the crowd. “This town has always been my home and I can’t tell you how good it feels to be standing here.”

Everyone was completely silent as he spoke—the only noise being Sidney, pushing her way through the crowd. She tripped over people but kept going. Geez, she needed to exercise more. Her lungs burned from the jog.

“Shamrock Falls has given me so much. Both my mother and me. I love this place and the people here. I feel lucky to call Shamrock Falls home.” Just as Kade finished his words, Sidney pushed through to the opening of the crowd. She stumbled forward, not embarrassed at all, because none of it mattered. She stepped onto the small stage.

Kade stood in front of her, about two feet away, a podium and a microphone separating them.

“Not as lucky as we are to have you,” she said. Her voice carried out from the mic, but she didn’t care. She was dizzy, couldn’t breathe, and honestly, felt like she could have a heart attack at any moment.

Sidney scanned the parking lot. Holy cow, there were a lot of people out there. Standing up here was a lot different than being on set. Her mouth went dry and she could hardly speak.
Oh my God.
She had freaking
stage fright
!
Some actress she’d be.

Sidney made eye contact with Shakes, who stood right below the stage. He gave her a thumbs-up and a smile, missing teeth and all.

She didn’t allow herself time to think about anything but Kade. Didn’t let herself dissect the look he gave her as she turned back to him or the way his jaw clenched. Didn’t even consider she was too late, because she needed to get this out. For him. “I’ve spent my whole life chasing someone else’s dream. I thought it would make her love me…make me worthy or important. I let it blind me to what was important…that my dream was right in front of me.

“I ran to Los Angeles and auditioned, took jobs, working for the lucky break I thought I deserved. That I thought I wanted. You know what my lucky break was?” She took a step forward. “
Not
getting a good job for five years. Having my mom leave me and allowing me to grow up with you. It was having you by my side, Kade. It led to you giving me my first kiss, and taking me to my prom and making me laugh and teaching me to drive. Acting? Hollywood? Those aren’t my dreams. You are.”

“Peaches—”

Sidney held up her hand. “I’m not done yet. I spent my life so scared I wasn’t worthy, that I turned around and walked away from the most important person in my life. I was so scared you couldn’t really love me, that you just wanted to save me, that I didn’t let myself realize how I felt about you. I didn’t let myself see it wasn’t about you saving me. It was about us saving each other.”

Kade gave her a cocky grin. “What are you saying, Peaches?”

“Fishing for compliments?” she teased, her heart light all of a sudden.

“Maybe.”

“I’m saying I love you, Kade Mitchell. I’ve always loved you. I used to find something wrong with every girl you dated, and looked forward to seeing you every day. The five years I spent away from you were the worst of my life. And”—she took a deep breath—“I’m hoping you love me, too. That you can forgive me. I’m saying I want to be here with you and help you with Lucky’s and maybe make clothes and bags—but really the only thing that matters is us being together— Oh!”

Kade had grabbed her hand and pulled her to him. “You stole my thunder, Peaches. Right after Lucky’s opened I was coming to you. I didn’t fight for you five years ago. I didn’t fight for you when you left. But I damn sure planned on fighting for you this time.”

All the aches in her muscles, stress, and fear leaked out of her body. He wanted to fight for
her.
“What are you saying?” she threw back at him.

“I’m saying I love you, too, Peaches. I’ve always loved you.”

His mouth covered hers. Sidney opened up and let him inside. Finally, she let go completely. Blocked out the crowd cheering and whistling.

Kade loved her. She was home.

Acknowledgments

I have to say a huge thank you to my family. My daughters, who deal with me while I’m in writing mode. My husband who does the same, and my mom, who supports me in everything that I do.

To the three best critique partners in the world: Wendy Higgins, who shares my love of all things kissy. You are the sweetest person, with the biggest heart that I know. Jolene Perry, who has read all of my books more than once because I’m obsessive, and you’re an awesome friend like that. Kelley York, who challenges me, when I’m not even sure you know you’re doing it.

Jen, for reading on the fly. All my friends who have supported me over the years—who believed in me and always thought writing was more than just a hobby for me. You have no idea how much that means to me. How much it touches my heart when you ask about my characters or my writing journey.

To all the folks at Entangled Publishing for taking a chance on me. I am honored to write for such a fantastic house.

Last, but certainly not least, to my editor, Stacy Abrams, and her assistant, Alycia Tornetta. I don’t even know where to start. You saw something glimmer in my story and you helped me to make it shine. There will never be enough words to thank you. This book and my writing are better because of you.

About the Author

Kelley Vitollo
has been writing for as long as she can remember. She won her first writing contest in third grade for an essay she wrote, “Tomorrow’s Leaders on the Move.” Like dreams sometimes do, they fell to the background for a while. She married her best friend, worked full time, and started her family. In 2004 Kelley, her husband and their new baby girl made a move from Oregon to Southern California and that’s when everything changed. As a stay-at-home mom for the first time, her passion for writing flared to life again.

Things haven’t been the same since.

With two incredible daughters, an awesome husband and her days spent writing what she loves, Kelley considers herself the luckiest girl in the world. She still resides in sunny Southern California, where she loves spending time with her family and sneaking away to the bookstore with her laptop.

www.kelleyvitollo.com

www.twitter.com/kelleyvitollo

http://www.facebook.com/kelley.vitollo

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Vitollo/377170388965628

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