Free Starstruck (Fusion #1) by Adalynn Quinn Page B

overly
trusted John Keats. There had already been recent suggestive undertones before
this regarding someone else taking over the reins.
    “Me?”
    “Yes, you’re the only one qualified to lead.  Noah, Milo
and I are too tied up in record company obligations to run such a massive
organisation full time. But you’re the one with the business degree and
experience, so what is a few more companies on the side of the hotel?”
    When the Keats Family Trust Constitution had been updated by
their grandfather, only the direct descendants or their siblings of the current
chairman could take over.
    “I know that I could do it, but I’m scared,” she replied.
    “Scary is good. It keeps the heart pumping and makes you
feel alive. It will also keep you in good stead when making decisions, because
if you get too cocky that is when you’re likely to make costly off-the-cuff
mistakes.”
    “Wow, that was kind of deep! Who are you, and what have you
done with my brother?” Livvie joked.
    “Hey, I can be deep occasionally.  Why do you think I
write award-winning lyrics?”
    Livvie laughed. “Of course, how silly of me not to realise.”
    Noticing Indi standing by the patio doors trying to get his
attention, Xander placed his hand over the phone. “Sorry, finishing off now.”
    “Look, I’ve got to go, but there’s one more thing,” he added,
after double-checking that Indi was not in listening distance, “I won’t be contactable
for a few days as I’m heading off to Florence tomorrow evening.”
    “Are you taking this mystery woman I’ve heard about?”
    Xander rolled his eyes. “I guess David has been opening his
mouth?” The guy was head of the band’s security and his sister’s closest
friend.
    Livvie chuckled. “You know you can keep nothing secret from
David for long.  So what is she like?”
    “Beautiful, intelligent, caring…” Everything
Caitlin isn’t.
    “Just be careful. If Caitlin gets a whiff of this before you
can shut the agreement down, she’ll make your life hell before you’re ready.”
    “Liv, she makes me so happy. It has never been like this
with anyone, ever.”
    Xander had kept his emotions under a tight reserve for the
past twenty years, but just being with Indi for this short period had been like
the opening of a dam when it came to feelings he had never felt so strongly. 
She made him feel alive; the woman was quickly becoming the mere air that
helped him breathe. 
    “Just don’t rush into anything,” Livvie warned.
    Heading back in from the terrace, Xander found Indi pouring
him a large glass of the reserve-blend wine they had both enjoyed at the
vineyard. She left it by his laptop.  “You read my mind,” he said, taking
a sip as she disappeared into the kitchen. 
    “I opened it for purely selfish reasons,” she replied with a
laugh from the other room.  “Is everything okay back home? You seemed to
be on the phone longer than usual.”
    Xander pulled a face. “Just some family issues that I was
going through with Liv,” he answered after a moment’s hesitation, swallowing down
the bad taste at the back of his throat at not being able to tell the truth
about Caitlin, and all the drama surrounding her.
    Indi brought in two plates of food and placed them on the
table. “Liv, as in Livvie, your sister, right?” she asked.
    “Yes, she’s my only sibling who isn’t involved with the
band. She works with my father, hence the issues.”
    “I know we’ve danced around the subject of your animosity towards
your father a lot, but if you want to talk about it properly I’m a good
listener as my own parents are extremely dysfunctional as well.”
    Xander smiled, taking a bite of food. “I’ll share if you
will.”
    Indi tilted her head slightly as her brows furrowed at this request. 
“What do you want to know?” She took a sip of wine from her glass.
    “When I first approached you, that day over the wall, you
seemed so… edgy. What happened?”
    Indi looked