London Calling Read Online Free PDF Page B

across one eye before she tucked it
behind her ear.
    “Sure. But would you mind a quick stop at my place? I’d like
to change.”
    She hesitated, surveying him up and down. “Okay.”
    They turned the corner onto his street. “How long have you
worked for Natalie?”
    “Since I came to the city, six years ago.”
    “That’s a long time.”
    “It is. I was only eighteen when I got here. I was enrolled
at NYU but I had a falling out with my father and he stopped payment on my
tuition. I couldn’t earn that much on my own, but I did manage to make enough
to stay here, so I did.”
    “You’ve been on your own ever since?”
    She nodded. “My dad and I don’t see eye to eye on some
pretty major issues. Right after I moved to New York my brother, Ethan, came
out. My dad went totally caveman. ‘No son of mine is gonna be a…’” Her voice
trailed off and for a second he thought she might cry. “He disowned Ethan and
threw him out. He was only sixteen. I told my dad if Ethan wasn’t his son
anymore then I wasn’t his daughter either. He said if he didn’t have a daughter
there was no sense paying NYU all that money.”
    “That’s awful. Do you think he expected you’d come back?”
    “Probably. He’s used to people doing exactly what he wants
them to do. He’s the president of a very successful record label. Most people
kiss his ass all day.”
    “Well, I can see why you didn’t. What happened with your
brother?”
    Jenna sighed, wrapping her arms around herself. “He
disappeared, but a few years ago he tracked me down. He’s living in Miami with
a serious boyfriend. They run a guest house together.”
    “Do you get to see him?”
    “Not often. We both work a lot and Miami’s pretty far away.
I’m just glad he’s happy.”
    “Sounds like you both made the right decision to leave
home.” He stopped at the steps to his building. “I just need a minute. You want
to come up?”
    She squinted at him and he could tell she was still
struggling with trusting him.
    “I haven’t eaten quite all of the Pretzel M&M’s yet. You
could have some while you wait.”
    Her lips tugged into a smile.
    He held the door for her when they got up to his flat. She
walked in and slowly turned, her eyes scanning the kitchen. “This is a nice
place. Is it a lot like your apartment in London?”
    “Not really. Same overall size but I’ve got a lot more books
and far fewer kitchen gadgets.”
    “Don’t cook much?”
    “Never had the need. Gavin’s a chef and my mum and sisters
cook up a storm, someone’s always trying to feed me. I’m totally incompetent in
a kitchen. I don’t even know what half these things do.”
    Jenna giggled. “Like what?”
    “Well I couldn’t figure out the coffeemaker, for one.” He
pointed to the elaborate stainless steel espresso machine.
    “Ahh, so that’s why you frequent the coffee shop.”
    “That was why initially. Now I stop by to check on the cute
counter girl.”

Chapter Three
     
    Five minutes later, Jenna’s cheeks were still flushed. The
cute counter girl. He thinks I’m cute. Tim’s face had lit up when he first
saw her reaction to the comment and that had made her blush even more.
    Now he was in the bathroom changing clothes. He yelled to
her through the door. “Don’t go eating all of my M&M’s while I’m in here.”
    She shook her head and smiled. “Don’t you have some hair
styling to do?”
    “Oh, right. Forgot that. Need another minute.”
    Jenna wandered around the apartment, although there wasn’t
far to go. In the corner of the living room sat his guitar case, propped
against the wall. She was amazed that she’d mentioned that her dad was a bigwig
at a major record label and he didn’t even flinch. Every other musician she’d
dated had tried his best to take advantage of the connection. One guy literally
pulled a demo CD out of his back pocket and asked her to mail it to her dad
while they waited for the waiter to bring their appetizers. It