Liv & Cash (The IT Girls Book 3) Page 7

  “Liv…” he says slowly.

  I swallow hard. My hand is clenched so hard around my cell that my knuckles turn white. My breathing has become shallow and rapid, but I keep plowing on.

  “I think about you all the time, Cash, and I wanted you to know that. Since I met you, you’ve infiltrated my thoughts and dreams in a way no one else has. I think you’re amazing. I think you’re sweet. I think you’re a talented vet and I’m so glad you got to check out Chanel for me when she was struggling. Cash, I think I’m falling for—”

  “Liv!” Cash sucks in a short breath. “Stop!”

  The command smacks into me like a tidal wave. I stagger back, eyes blinking frantically, as his urgent tone seeps into my heart and crushes it. As I’d thought, he doesn’t feel the same way about me that I feel about him.

  One of the tears welling in my eyes trickles down my face. I exhale shakily before answering in what I hope is a calm voice.

  “I know someone as adventurous and wild as you could never be interested in someone as timid as me,” I say. “I also know that I had to speak my mind today regardless of how you feel. I’m sorry. Thanks for hearing me out.”

  My legs shake hard as I lower my phone. Cash’s husky voice resounds faintly from the phone, but the wind is billowing too much for me to make out what he’s saying and I’ve heard enough anyway. I thumb the button, ending the call.

  Despite everything, I’m proud of what I’ve done and said today.

  My heart might ache right now, but it still feels lighter than it has in a long, long time. I don’t regret my time with Cash, or the big crush I have on him. I’m lucky to have met him because he pushed me to become a bolder, braver version of myself.

  I wipe the tears from my face with trembling fingers and turn toward my car just as the sound of a familiar motorcycle engine roars closer. I look over my shoulder in time to see Cash speed into the parking lot. His bike skids to a stop and he jumps off, yanking his helmet over his head and letting it fall to the ground as he rushes toward me. His emerald eyes blaze with emotion.

  “Wh—what are you doing here?” I stutter haltingly.

  I can hardly believe my eyes. Have I blacked out right in Franco’s beach side parking lot? Is this a hallucination?

  “This is why I asked you to stop for a second, Liv,” he answers. He towers over me, shading my face from the sun, and grabs my hands in his. Are his fingers shaking? Is it the result of holding onto the handlebars of his motorcycle? Or something else? “I needed to be able to look you in the eyes. Fresno can wait.”

  “Fresno?” I echo in shock. “You’re only going to Fresno? That isn’t far at all!”

  He laughs and squeezes my hands tighter. “I never said it was. Maybe I should’ve been clearer about where I’m going. There’s a veterinary conference being held there and I’m headed over for the week to meet with some of the top vets in the field and take in some training lectures. Then I’ll be right back here in LA.”

  My jaw drops so low it could scrape the ground. Cash grins.

  “I can’t believe you said all that stuff to me, Liv,” he murmurs, gently clutching my hands to his chest. I can feel his heart beating like crazy against his ribs through his tee. It’s beating just as fast as mine. “I didn't think I was your type at all. I had to beg my old man to let me keep handling the business deal between G&G and him because I couldn’t get enough of you after meeting you that first time, but I never thought you’d reciprocate my interest in you.”

  I blink. “You begged Franco to be our liaison?”

  When he nods bashfully, fresh tears well in my eyes. This whole time, we were each falling for one another and neither of us had any idea.

  “You said someone like me couldn’t care for someone like you, Liv, but you’re wrong. Someone like you is beautiful, inside and out. Someone like you is warm and gracious. Someone like you is brave, even if you don’t realize it at first. You’re exactly the type of woman I want. You’re the type of woman I’ve always wanted.”

  I gaze up at Cash through the brimming tears of joy in my eyes. He eases closer, releasing my hands to cup my face. I melt into his chest, clutching his faux leather jacket, as his lips descend to mine. Even though I’m learning the importance of voicing my feelings, sometimes even words don’t express everything.

  When our mouths collide, Cash lets out a soft groan and pulls me closer. My arms loop around his neck as my fingers rake through his silky hair. After what feels like years and seconds all at once, Cash slowly lifts his head, though he keeps me tight in his embrace. Around us, the crowd of people at Franco’s starts cheering. Franco stands in the restaurant’s open doorway, lightly brushing happy tears of his own from the corners of his eyes.

  “Come to Fresno with me,” Cash says. “I’m not ready to say goodbye for even a week. Let’s make this a getaway for just the two of us.”

  My heart leaps into my throat. I’ve never been spontaneous, but I’ve also never wanted to go anywhere as badly as I want to go on a mini-vacation with the man of my dreams.

  “But Chanel and the rest of the pets…” I say. “The girls are gone for the next few days, too. I’m not sure I can board them at our vet on such short notice.”

  “I’ll watch them,” Franco offers. “Cash is always getting me to foster pets from his clinic that he’s taken in. I’m a pro critter sitter.”

  Cash grins down at me. “What do you say, Liv?”

  My heart is hammering against my ribs, but I know there’s no way I’m turning this opportunity down. “I say let me on the back of your bike and let’s hit the road!”

  He laughs, sweeping me into his strong arms and planting me on the motorcycle. He slides his helmet down over my hair and Franco tosses him a spare one for himself before he glides in front of me. I lean against his strong back, arms circling his waist.

  With one loud rev of the engine, we soar down the road together. I laugh with delight, head thrown back as wind whips around us.

  Cash has opened my eyes to the excitement of embracing my voice and my feelings. Wherever the road ahead of us might lead next, I know he and I will take the journey together.

  EPILOGUE

  “Faster, Cash!” I shout at the top of my lungs, laughing as the motorcycle beneath us rumbles and speeds down the road.

  I cling to him, squeezing my eyes shut for a moment so I can concentrate on the feeling of the tires spinning against the tarmac, his strong, muscular back against my chest, and the wind rippling over the faux leather jacket Cash had given me as a gift on our one year anniversary last week.

  We round one more street and the bike rockets down a hill. Before us, the great blue ocean sparkles endlessly. I rest my chin on Cash’s broad shoulder, enraptured by the sight ahead of us and the warmth of his body pressed close to mine.

  When we pull up to the beach front house where my BFF’s and I still live, Cash slows the bike to a stop. He climbs off and helps me hop down to the ground before we set our helmets on the bike seats.

  He grins at me, gently brushing my auburn hair back from my face, and then pulls me close.

  “My little speed demon,” he teases.

  I melt into him and giggle under my breath.

  I still can’t believe it’s been more than a year since the day that Cash and I stood in front of Franco’s and I told him everything that had been weighing so heavily on my heart. In that time, I’ve continued pushing myself to be more open with my feelings and thoughts. I’ve also made a much bigger effort to be present in the G&G posts and videos, something our fans have responded enthusiastically to. Because of all of our efforts, Glossed & Glammed has continued to flourish.

  In fact, we’re having a party at the beach house tonight to celebrate our latest Instagram milestone—ten million followers.

  It seems like just yesterday that my besties and I were excited about having two million followers. We had no idea then that we would continue to skyrocket farther and farther up the ladder of social med
ia fame. Every day, we continue to add more Glammers to our beauty and lifestyle squad and we welcome them like family. These days, we’re still working on launching more fashion lines with other collaborators, continuing to take on high-profile sponsorships and even some deluxe makeup palettes.

  G&G is rocking the world, and so are Kali, Sutton, and I.

  “Everyone’s waiting for us. We’d better get inside,” I murmur, though I linger in Cash’s arms long enough to run my fingers through his hair.

  When I start to step away, however, he lightly tugs me back into his arms.

  “Wait a minute, Liv,” he says, fingers dancing down my back and leaving my whole body pleasantly warm and shivering. “I have to tell you something.”

  A familiar blush colors my face as his emerald eyes pour into mine. “What?”

  He chuckles and bends his head to brush the tip of his nose against mine before kissing me tenderly. Each time we kiss, it always leaves me breathless, and this is no exception. When he pulls back, he’s smiling.

  “I love you, Liv,” he says softly, his voice a little husky. “This past year has been the happiest of my life. I used to love solo rides on my motorcycle, but now I can’t imagine riding anywhere without you on my bike with me. You’re amazing and I intend on making sure you know that every single day.”

  Cash has never been stingy with words, but I can’t help feeling a little embarrassed when he so affectionately lavishes them upon me. I tug him a little closer so I can steal one more kiss. Then I tip my head up so that I can gaze into his mesmerizing eyes.

  “I love you, too, Cash,” I say, thinking that maybe I have since that day he sat across from me in that booth in Franco’s. “If I’d never met you, I don’t know if I would’ve been able to realize how important it is for me to speak up for myself and go after what I want. You’ve brought me closer to my friends and to our G&G followers, and you’ve helped me see myself in a whole new light, too.”

  Cash gazes at me for a long moment, then kisses me again. We’re still locked in each other’s arms when the front door of the beach house opens and Kali, Sutton, Grayson, and Boone all come outside to playfully interrupt us.

  Laughing, they usher Cash and me into the house where Chanel, George, and Coco excitedly hurry over to greet us.

  I lean into Cash’s side, grinning from ear to ear as the house is filled with laughter, chatter, food, clinking glasses, and affection. It’s impossible not to think about how much all of our lives have changed over the past year. My best friends and I have met the loves of our lives and we’ve built a sturdy foundation for the career of our dreams.

  Surrounded by the people and animals that I cherish the most, I’m more certain than ever that even with how happy we all are right now, that our best days are yet to come. Something tells me that the love my besties and I have for each other, our boyfriends, and our pets has strong, deep roots that will bloom into something magical and unforgettable forever.

  * * * * *

  I hope you had as much fun reading Liv and Cash’s story as I had writing it!

  Liv’s besties and fellow “IT” Girls, Kali and Sutton, each have their own story to tell, and I can’t wait for you to read them!

  Kali and Grayson

  Fortune and fame come with a price… But is it more than she’s willing to pay?

  Kali Lang’s life couldn’t get much better. Her internet company Glossed & Glammed is practically an overnight sensation, and she is the “It” girl of makeup and fashion tutorials, with over two million followers. The flip side of that? She can’t go out in public without being mobbed by fans, and there’s no place except home where she can just be plain Kali. And that makes it hard to meet guys. When was the last time she had a date?

  When a chance meeting literally has her falling into the arms of Grayson Hill—the most gorgeous man she’s ever seen—Kali realizes that while she might ‘have it all’, she’s still missing something very important in her life: Love. But what man wants to be called arm-candy and put up with the constant social media scrutiny that is Kali’s life? Unfortunately, not Grayson, and she can’t blame him. Even though they are quickly falling for each other, he’s not sure living life under the media’s microscope is something he can do.

  Can a straight-laced lawyer and a trendy fashion influencer find a way to compromise, or is their love an epic fail?

  My heart beats faster in my chest as Grayson gazes inquisitively at me. He continues sipping his coffee, which looks to be an Americano.

  He’s waiting for me to open up and tell him about myself, and I love the fact that he’s looking at me like I’m merely some regular girl. I mean, in lots of ways, I am a regular girl. I love to have fun. I love to flip through magazines. I love to stay up late watching Netflix and chowing down on popcorn and wine. I love hanging out with my besties. I just so happen to be a regular girl with millions of people hanging on my every word. I don’t want Grayson to feel like he’s competing with that attention any more than I want him to feel like there’s nothing I crave more than that attention.

  Right now, he’s simply a guy and I’m simply a girl and we’re trying to have a simple conversation. I want to keep it that way.

  “I do makeup for a living,” I answer as nonchalantly as possible.

  His brows lift, but then he nods. “That’s awesome. It makes sense, actually. You look beautiful.”

  This time, my face really does burn bright red. Hopefully, it’s concealed by the dim lighting of the café and my flawlessly applied foundation.

  “What about you?” I ask, eager to turn the conversation back on him.

  He clears his throat, eyes shifting away briefly. “I’m a lawyer. I’m a junior associate at my firm.”

  Wow. I did not expect that.

  I choke on my latte and hardly manage to painfully swallow down a mouthful of hot, but deliciously smooth coffee. “That’s incredible! You’re so young, too. Making junior associate so fast must’ve been tough.”

  “Really tough,” he murmurs quietly before clearing his throat. “Let’s just say I had a lot of motivation to work hard.”

  Silence briefly falls over the table as we sip our drinks and gaze at one another. Surprisingly, it isn’t an uncomfortable silence. In fact, it’s kind of nice. When I’m with my girls, there isn’t a moment of quiet. Sutton or Liv or I are always going a mile a minute. There’s always something to do and something to say. This—whatever it is right here between Grayson and me—feels really nice.

  Is this what it feels like to be normal? Right now, there’s no pressure to be perfect or flawless. I can simply be me.

  “Tough things make us resilient,” I offer quietly.

  Even though I desperately want to, I don’t press him for details about his career. I can see something simmering in his eyes, something he isn’t quite ready to talk about. I understand that completely. We all have our secrets, don’t we?

  He lifts his chin and his eyes again meet mine. He nods and a slow, small smile curves his delicious looking lips.

  Lips I suddenly want to kiss.

  I hastily take another sip of coffee—which isn’t nearly as hot so I don’t burn my mouth—and then ask, “Where’d you study law, Grayson?”

  I’ve got to keep this conversation going. One, if I don’t speak then he’s going to start asking questions about me, and I’m not exactly a very good liar. Actually, I’m a dreadful liar. Which means I’m only going to be able to play it coy for a limited time. And two, I really do want to know as much as I can about Grayson. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about him since our first meeting, and I want to know every detail possible before we go our separate ways again.

  The idea bums me out more than I care to admit.

  But he’s a lawyer and I’m a beauty influencer. We both have full schedules. Could it be that after this cup of coffee, we’re both going to walk right out the door in opposite directions and that will be that? The thought makes my heart twist in my chest, but
I resolve to take this conversation one word at a time.

  “Stanford Law,” he answers.

  I wince. “Sounds expensive.”

  Laughing softly, Grayson nods. “Definitely. Funding my tuition felt nearly impossible most of the time, but I managed somehow.”

  “And now here you are, ready to take on the world one court case at a time.”

  “Cheers to that.”

  He gently presses his paper coffee cup against mine and we sip on our drinks again.

  Outside, the clouds shift. Warm sunlight dances in through the café window, illuminating golden flecks in Grayson’s chestnut eyes and the strong profile of his handsome nose. Every time I blink, I swear he gets more and more good looking.

  “What about you?” Grayson asks curiously. “Did you study makeup somewhere?”

  “I studied art, actually, and eventually business, too. I wound up with a dual degree from USC two years ago. Believe me when I say I know how hard it is to fund education. I was lucky to land a scholarship.”

  His eyes go a little wide. “That’s impressive.”

  The raw sincerity of his tone is enough to catch me off guard. He doesn’t even know me, but he sounds so proud. It’s heartwarming and makes me think his soul just may be as gorgeous as the rest of him.

  I feel a twinge of guilt as he grins at me. I almost feel bad for being furtive about my real career because it’s obvious that Grayson is genuine to the core.

  For just a little while longer, though, I want things to stay this easy.

  “I haven’t sat down and talked like this with someone in a really long time,” he continues. “It’s really nice. I’m usually at the office or trying to wade through piles and piles of paperwork that the senior attorneys pass down. I know it’s worth it, though, if I’m going to prove that I’m every bit of a good lawyer as anyone else.”