Songbird (Songbird, #1) Read Online Free PDF

staff only sign on it.
    Around the walls were framed posters of bands, concert T-shirts, and music memorabilia, some of which was signed. There was a framed electric-blue Fender guitar just next to where we were sitting that was particularly striking, and I strained to try to read the signature on the bottom of it. Marcus was obviously a music buff, and had spent a lot of time and money on his collection.
    “Take a photo of us, Jason,” Kelli said as she leaned in towards me. “Tara always has a camera with her.”
    Reaching into my bag, I pulled out my phone and handed it to Jason. I gave him a quick lesson on how it worked, and then he played photographer while Kelli and I pulled cheesy faces and pouted at the camera.
    “That’s it, girls, work it. The camera loves you, baby,” Jason instructed, playing his role to perfection.
    As the phone was finally handed back to me, it started to ring. I checked the number, still smiling at Jason, and then dropped it on the table and looked over at Kelli with dread, not wanting to answer it.
    Jason shook his head and then picked up the ringing phone and answered it cheerfully. “Hello, Tara’s phone.” He had a cheeky grin on his face, but as he listened to the voice on the other end of the line, the grin dropped and his face paled.
    He held out the phone to me as if it had suddenly become too hot to touch. “It’s for you.”
    Oh shit! My ex didn’t yet know he was my ex; he was expecting me to be at home alone, but instead my phone had been answered by a guy in a noisy bar. This was not going to end well.
    “Where are you?” The coldness in his voice was all too familiar.
    “I’m out with my friend, Kelli.”
    “That didn’t sound like Kelli. Who answered your phone?” he asked sharply.
    My face flushed as I searched for words. “Oh, that was a friend of Kelli’s. His name’s Jason, he’s a hairdresser.”
    I don’t know why I felt the need to tell Stephen that Jason was a hairdresser. I couldn’t think straight, and it just came out as if it were some important piece of information that Stephen needed to know.
    “I tried calling you at home … twice. You know I don’t like to chase you all over Melbourne. I expect that when I call, you will be there.”
    My mind was racing with incoherent thoughts. I was trying to piece together an intelligent response but it wasn’t working.
    “I’m not at home, I’m out with Kelli,” I said . Oh shit, I’ve already told him that. “We wanted to celebrate my new haircut.”
    Oh hell, why did I say that!?
    There was silence and I pinched the bridge of my nose, waiting for his retort.
    “You’ve cut your hair?”
    “Ah, yes. Just a trim, it looks really good.”
    Silence again.
    Then, “I will call you at home tomorrow, and we will talk about this.”
    By his forced calm, I could tell that he was seething.
    I took in a deep breath. “I won’t be home. I’m staying with Kelli … while you’re away, okay?”
    I looked up at Kelli. She was pulling a face at me as if to say “just tell him”, but I couldn’t tell him here, over the phone.
    “Very well, have your little bit of fun while I’m away, but when I return on Friday we will be discussing this.”
    Agreeing to his condition, I hung up.
    Exhaling, I slumped back in the chair. “I have to go back to the house,” I said resignedly.
    Kelli looked at me in amazement. “You’re joking. You can’t go back!”
    “I have to go back to the house … before Friday, and pack up the rest of my stuff,” I said, a sly smile widening over my face.
    Then I picked up my drink and drained the glass.

    It was time for karaoke to start, so Marcus stepped out from behind the bar and took his place at the sound desk. I wondered briefly who was manning the bar if Marcus was going to be in charge of the music, but the thought soon left me as several people raced up to Marcus to ask him for various songs to be played so they could sing.
    Leaning in to Kelli and Jason,