Page 13 of The Temptation of Truth

The old nickname turns the corners of my mouth up and succeeds in relieving some of the tension that’s collected in my muscles.

“Young compared to you, maybe.”

He narrows his eyes, but he doesn’t comment on my teasing.

“Mistake or not, you’re here now. Take a deep breath, square your shoulders, and get on that jet, Aurora Jade. You have a job to do.”

“Did you just middle name me?”

My uncle gives me a ghost of a smirk, and then his face softens, taking on an expression that makes my brows jump. He looks so much like my father in this moment, and I hold my breath, prepping myself for something I know I won’t like.

“She’d be proud of you. They both?—”

“Don’t.”

I cut him off, my voice calm despite the screaming growing louder in my head. I move my eyes back to the jet and breathe through the ache his words conjured. Emotions I prefer to keep buried stir in my chest. I curl my toes in my flats and push my heels into the ground. My fingers twitch to reach for my necklace, but I tighten my grip on my planter instead.

“Just don’t.”

He’s silent for only a few seconds before his stern, professional demeanor returns, and all traces of the loving uncle and grieving brother are gone. He checks his watch, and without another word, brushes past me. I keep my attention on his back as he walks up the jet stairs and disappears into the cabin, leaving me standing alone on the tarmac.

I close my eyes again and force myself back into the present, keeping the past in the past, where it belongs. Where it needs to stay.

“You’re here now, Aurora,” I whisper to myself. “Shoulders back. Chin up. On the jet we go.”

I adjust the planter, take one last deep breath, then force my ballet flats to move until I’m stepping into the luxury interior of the private jet.

I do a visual sweep of the passengers inside. Each new yet familiar face spikes my pulse until I’m worried I’ll pass out, and I avert my eyes quickly.

So much for the calm I’d cultivated.

I’m in a small, confined space with some of the most famous people in the world, and I’m a nervous wreck. When Sav Loveless, the lead singer of The Hometown Heartless, stands and approaches me, I have to bite the inside of my cheek so I don’t gawk.

“Hi, Aurora. I’m Savannah. We spoke on the phone.”

She sticks out her hand to shake mine as if this is just any normal introduction. As if she’s just any normal person.Imight be, but Sav Loveless certainly isn’t. I’m still reeling from our phone call, but standing in front of her? It’s surreal enough that all I can do is blink at her—for one breath, then two, then three—before I’m able to shake myself out of my trance.

Thankfully, she doesn’t even blink at how I momentarily short-circuited. I’m sure she gets it all the time. I release my hold on my planter and mimic her gesture, forcing my hand out so I can take hers in a formal greeting. Her hand is small, but her grip is firm, and I don’t miss the guitar string calluses on her fingers.

“Hi.” I clear my throat. “Thanks for having me.”

“Thank you for coming. You’re really helping us out by being here, and we appreciate it. Let me introduce you to everyone before we have to strap in for takeoff.”

“Sure. Thank you.”

Sav turns to face the group, and when I do the same, I find all eyes on us. I want to shrink behind her, but I don’t. I hug my planter to my chest and remind myself not to lock my knees.

“Guys, this is Aurora. She’ll be tutoring Boss for a while. She just graduated college and has never traveled before, so help her out when you can. You know how overwhelming this whole thing can be.”

“Wrap it up, Savannah, we’ve got to get in the air.”

Sav arches a brow in the direction of my uncle, then gives him a saccharine smile and gestures in his direction with a sweeping palm.

“Aurora, you already know King Ham.”

She curtsies, and I’m surprised by the urge to laugh. I have to hold my breath to keep it from slipping out. I recognize the way my uncle’s eyebrow twitches. He’s amused but trying to hide it. I was on the receiving end of that expression many times as a kid.

When Sav turns back to the rest of the cabin, Uncle Wade winks at me and makes his way to his seat. He knows I hate being the center of attention, so he’s hurrying Sav along for my benefit, and I love him more for it.