NEVER GOODBYE (An Albany Boys Novel) Read Online Free

fluent beauty she demonstrated. I was in awe and, honestly, I think I could watch her forever — and then it was over, just like that. When the song finished, she stood in the center of the stage in the silence and the dim light and began to cry. Her shoulders shuddered and she made little sounds that broke what’s left of my goddamn heart.
    I wanted to climb down from the catwalk, get up on that stage and hold her. I wanted to know who she was. I wanted to know why she was crying, why she wasn’t in the production since she could obviously dance the other girl’s asses off and I wanted to know if she would dance for me again. But before I could do any of that, her cousin burst through the door. That’s when I learnt her name and found out she was coming to my own damn party.
    She isn’t dancing today and yet I’m mesmerized by her grace and those blue, wide, doe eyes that are boring into my very soul. Yep, there is definitely something different about Harper Kennedy.
    “Carter,” April begins, “this is my cousin Harper. Harper, Carter.”
    What the hell ? Am I invisible, April? Nope, I’m definitely here because Harper is finding it increasingly difficult to keep her eyes averted from me and that’s a good sign. I like that.
    Carter nodded, cocking that smile all the girls get wet for and I want to punch it.
    “Art class, right?” Carter asks pointing his beer at her while still filming. I can’t even remember when he started this video obsession but now he films everything. I want to grab it and throw it in the water, but I’ll probably beg for it later because he’s captured her on it.
    “Yeah,” she says all sweet like and I wish she would look at me again.
    “Thanks, April.” I cut in before I know what I’m doing, making Carter grin, and Harper fights against looking my way again. Silly girl, you’re only fighting the inevitable. “Am I not worthy of an introduction with your cousin, April?” I can’t take my eyes off her and I wish to God almighty, if he would ever listen to me or even exists, that she would meet my eye.
    “No,” she said flatly giving Harper whiplash for sure as she stared at her cousin in wonder. Oh, now she’s intrigued for sure and I want to kick myself because I really would’ve liked her to get to know me before April lets loose with the rundown of my past.
    I don’t know why, but I need Harper to get to know me, not the person everyone sees, the guy I let them see. I want her to know the real me, the new me, the man I want to be even when everything in the world is stacked up against me.
     

Harper
     
    I don’t know what is up with April, but suddenly I want to know what her and Vaun’s story is. I want to see his reaction to her boorishness and, if I was completely or even remotely honest with myself, I want an excuse to look at him again. Oh. My. God. I could look at him forever if I wasn’t tempted to lick him. Lick him? Really?
    As soon as my gaze meets his I realize what an astronomical, disastrous decision it is because now I’m locked in with the deepest brown eyes I’ve ever seen. I drop my gaze only to find his very tight chest and quickly look back up before I begin panting.
    He holds his hand out to me and says, “Harper.” Ohsweetbabyjesus. “I’m Vaun.” And I’m in trouble.
    I know instantly he is one of those boys who gets whatever and whoever he wants, which is not my type at all. Not that I can really have a type, now. Whoops, almost broke rule number three.
    “By any chance, did you have anything to do with my brother grabbing the girls before?” Vaun asks with a sly grin and I want to say no because I have a funny feeling that saying yes is like waving a red flag in front of this very nice, very hot bull and yet I’m blown away at his obvious disregard for tact.
    I can’t help the grin that spreads across my face despite my reserve and he laughs, shaking his head, followed by Carter who chuckles. April squeezes my arm; she’s