More of Us ( A Love You More Rock Star Romance #3) - Laura Pavlov Page 0,29

connection to someone, doesn’t necessarily mean they’re good for you. Take it from me. I learned the hard way.”

“So, what happened with you and your girlfriend?” I asked, setting my glass down and scanning the room. The dim lighting gave the place an elegant feel. There were white tablecloths and candles on every table. I’d never been to this particular steakhouse, but I was glad I came. Today had been a good day.

“Well, let’s see. We dated all through high school. So, we had a history. Our families were very close. I was pretty certain she was the girl, you know?”

“Oh wow. It was very serious then.”

“Yep.”

“And she cheated on you? Had there been other problems in the relationship?”

“I guess. Hindsight is twenty-twenty, right? I thought we were happy. I mean, I loved her. I thought that’s what mattered most. But Demi didn’t think I gave her enough time or attention. You know, our major requires a lot out of us. She just couldn’t understand how much time I had to commit to my studies. So, we argued occasionally over that kind of stuff,” he said, popping a piece of bread in his mouth and I laughed at how casually he said it.

“I guess you’re okay with everything now?”

He smiled and nodded. “It took me a good year. Time has a way of healing. But I was pissed for a long time. Hell, I lost the two closest people in my life. It still stings when I think about it. But I’d rather know now, then find out later who they really are.”

“Wow. That’s brutal. Did you walk in on them?”

“Nope. Demi isn’t an evil person. She made a mistake. She owned up to it. She told me that she and Owen had gotten really drunk and he’d confessed that he’d been in love with her for years. So yeah, there’s that…he and I never got past it. She and I tried to, but the trust was gone, you know?”

I thought about Cruz. He didn’t cheat on me, but he’d broken my trust in a different way. He’d been nearly unconscious after he’d promised me that he’d stopped taking pills. I’d needed him. I’d been terrified. And he was right there, but he couldn’t help me.

“That’s so tough. She must have felt terrible for what she did to you. Owen too.”

“Yeah. That’s the shitty thing. It was all for nothing. It’s not like they ended up dating after. They didn’t. She was guilt ridden, and he tucked tail and ran.”

“Are your families still close?” I asked as the waiter set our plates down. I hadn’t had a steak in months, and it smelled delicious.

“Yes and no. I mean, they had us married off in their heads, so it caused a bit of tension. But we’re definitely all friendly. There aren’t any hard feelings anymore. At least not from me. My mom’s a different story.” He laughed and took a sip of wine.

“Ah, a mama’s boy, huh?”

“Yeah. She’s pretty awesome. She went into mama bear mode when it first happened.”

“That’s sweet.”

“Yep. So, I know breakups are tough. It took me a long time to get back out there. Well, I’m lying. I banged everything that moved for the first couple weeks.” He chuckled. “But you’re the first girl I actually wanted to take out.”

I studied him. “Well, banging me isn’t really an option.”

“You’ve made that very clear. Can’t say I’m not disappointed.”

I choked a bit on my wine as it tried to make its way down my throat and set my glass down. “Well, that was honest.”

“I like you. It’s no secret. And I know you’re hung up on your ex. Trust me, I get it. But just because you love him, doesn’t mean he’s the best guy for you. So, all I’m asking, is that you keep an open mind.”

When he called Cruz my ‘ex’ it was like a knife to the heart. But wasn’t he my ex? We weren’t together, per my insistence, yet hearing those words cut me deep. This was all part of trying to