More of Us ( A Love You More Rock Star Romance #3) - Laura Pavlov Page 0,17

years to attend college and figure out what I wanted to do.”

“What about your mom?” I asked, sipping my coffee.

“My mom was a mess. I think my dad broke her heart. She spiraled pretty bad right around the time that I went into the fire department. She lives in Florida now with her latest boyfriend. She wasn’t around much when Jade was young, and after I lost Jaqueline, all of my attention went to Jade. So, I know what it’s like to have parents who don’t celebrate you. Or even show up for you. But it doesn’t mean you can’t accomplish what you set your mind to. That’s up to you.”

“What happened to your father?”

“He drank himself to death. He walked out on my mom when I was really young, so I didn’t really know him.”

I was surprised that Jack hadn’t had the perfect childhood. I guess everyone had their baggage.

“I’m sorry to hear that. But look what a good dad you turned out to be,” I said, surprised at where this conversation had taken us.

“It’s all part of the journey. If you get knocked down, you just need to get back up. Decide what you want and go after it.”

“I can do that.”

“I believe you are, son.”

I do too.

And I knew exactly what I wanted.

Now I just had to figure out how to get it.

Chapter Five

Jade

“You’re really going to make me wait until Friday?” Richard asked.

He sat in the aisle seat, Jessica was in the middle and I sat next to the window. Jessica kept turning around to talk to Dean who sat in the row behind us. I begged her to let me sit beside the window, claiming it would help my motion sickness. But the truth was—I needed space from Richard.

He was great—but relentless. He wanted to take me on an official date, and I’d spent the entire summer turning him down. I’d finally agreed to go to dinner with him on Friday because I had a goal that when I arrived home from Honduras, I would be more… I don’t know, over Cruz. I feared that as soon as I saw him, I would return to old habits. And it was too soon. He’d been sober for a few months, but he was still on tour with Exiled, and he needed time.

And so did I.

I had encouraged him to date. As much as it would hurt to see him with someone else, seeing it would force me to move on. And I needed to move on. I didn’t know if I could trust Cruz again. We hadn’t seen one another since the airport three months ago. We hadn’t even talked. We’d only texted once a week. Nothing too deep. I’d insisted we remain friends for now. But what did that even mean? I knew he’d seen my father a few times, and I was glad they’d had one another while I was gone. Dad was picking me up from the airport, and Cruz was on tour. I probably wouldn’t see him for a few weeks when he returned to Chicago.

It would be better for me to stay away from him. I was desperate to stop loving this boy, but it had proved impossible. The distance hadn’t made me love him any less. Because how do you cut off half of your heart? How do you shut out the other half of your soul? You don’t. But this was life or death for me. Loving Cruz Winslow nearly cost me everything. And I’d have to learn to function without him. Desperate times called for desperate measures. Keeping my distance, and forcing myself to move on, was my best chance at survival.

“We have a class together. I’ll see you before Friday.” I stared out the window as we prepared for landing. I thought about Ponch, and all the times I’d assisted him landing Cruz’s father’s plane.

I thought about Cruz.

And everything ached.

Three months later, and I still ached for him.

They say time heals, but my wounds—they were going to take even more time. Maybe a lifetime. I