My heart was numb.

Standing in the middle of the Page Break Bookshop, I couldn’t help my wandering mind when it settled on Sebastian. Things had fallen apart so easily, and it wasn’t until he was gone I’d realised just how deeply he’d dug into my life. Those stormy eyes had been a category five hurricane, smashing through everything I was and ever would be. Sebastian Hale had left a wound so deep, I wasn’t sure it’d ever heal.

He’d only been in my life for three weeks. Three fucking weeks. I was my mother’s daughter, through and through.

“This is a prime position,” Helena Hopkins said, scribbling something on her clipboard with her fancy silver biro. “Main road, heritage façade, two-story, facing the ocean, residential and commercial overlay.”

Helena was one of the local real estate agents, and I watched her wander around the Page Break Bookshop with a sick feeling in my stomach. Behind me, I felt Vanessa glare at me through the window.

“So you think I could get a good price?” I bit my bottom lip, anxious to hear the results of the evaluation.

Helena smoothed down her black blazer and tugged at her black, white, and gold silk scarf—the colours of the agency—with her free hand and smiled.

“I think we can get you a good price, Miss Rowe. A very good price.”

“I’ve known you most of my life, Mrs. Hopkins,” I said, my hopes rising slightly. “Please, call me Juniper.”

“Juniper.” She smiled. “Are you sure you want to sell? This place has been in your family for over twenty years.”

She was right, I was considering selling what was basically my childhood home, but I wasn’t sure I had any other option. I couldn’t afford to keep running the Page Break at a loss, even though I owned the building. Council rates and all of the other things that went with being a responsible homeowner ate almost everything I was able to bring in, even with the summer trade.

Glancing out the window, I didn’t have it in me to return Vanessa’s glare. Hugo’s family owned the pizza place and the fish ‘n’ ship shop, so she could afford to hang out with me all day and not get paid. I knew she wanted me to keep the Page Break, but I wasn’t sure she fully understood.

Turning back to Mrs. Hopkins, I noted she didn’t ask me to call her Helena. “I’m weighing my options. Business isn’t what it used to be.”

“That’s the way of the world, I’m afraid. Progress in the big city squashes towns like ours.” She clucked her tongue and wrote something on the form clipped on her clipboard. “I’ll have some figures drawn up for you as soon as possible. For sale and lease. Give you some options to think over.” And of course, she’d be glad to handle both.

“Thank you, Mrs. Hopkins.”

“I can’t believe you’ve got the gall to come back here!” Vanessa’s raised voice echoed from outside, and Mrs. Hopkins and I turned to find her shouting at someone who was standing just out of view of the windows.

A pang of I don’t know what tore through my chest and I glanced at Mrs. Hopkins.

“As I was saying,” she said, clearing her throat, “you have options, Juniper. You could rent the shop and apartment separately. There’s a lot of money to be made in short-term holiday leases.”

“I don’t want to hear it!” Vanessa was still jabbing her finger at someone down the footpath. “That fucking woman is pure, and you accuse her of selling you out? You piece of shit!”

Ziggy started to bark, pulling on his lead.

“She’s in there talking about selling the Page Break!” Vanessa went on. “She doesn’t want the stinking tabloid’s money! She never did!”

Oh fuck. Sebastian was out there.

Mrs. Hopkins blinked, dazed by the commotion outside. “Uh, I can help you get started if that’s what you want to do...”

“Thank you, Mrs. Hopkins,” I said ushering her towards the door. “I’ll have a look at the figures when they’re ready and we can talk about it then. I just need to know my options first.”

“Okay. I’ll give you a call in a day or two.” She fussed with her clipboard and I knew she’d go straight back to the real estate office and tell Marg—Vanessa’s gossipy rival—all about what happened here today, and my private business would be all over town before dinner.

I opened the door and the commotion instantly ceased. Mrs. Hopkins glanced at Vanessa, then towards the spot I supposed Sebastian was standing, before striding down the footpath, her heels clicking on the concrete.

I couldn’t even bring myself to look at him. If I did, I wasn’t sure what would happen.

Staring at Ziggy—who sat and watched me with his little brown eyes—I began dreaming of the dog’s life yet again—sleeping, eating, and bodysurfing. It sounded better than my current predicament, which was shoved between a rock and a hard place.

“Do you mind?” I snapped. “You’re shouting my business down the fucking street.”

“Juniper, can I—”

“No,” Vanessa snapped at him. “You can’t anything with her. You might be a rock star fuckwit, but that doesn’t mean you can treat my best friend like crap. She’s got enough to worry about without you breaking her heart.”

“Vanessa,” I said, my shoulders sagging.

“No, he needs to hear it, Juni. You’re the best person I know. I’m going to protect you. So is Ziggy.” She glared at Sebastian. “I’ve been teaching him how to go for the crotch.”

“He’s a smart dog,” he drawled. “I’m sure he’d like a bit of sausage.”

I snorted and rubbed my eyes, still not strong enough to look at the man who’d stolen my heart. Was this how Mum felt when she met Dad all those years ago at the Bluesfest? I wished she was around to ask.

“Juniper, I came back to apologise,” Sebastian said. “I was wrong.”

“A man admitting he was wrong? Witchcraft,” Vanessa scoffed and pointed at Sebastian. “Ziggy. Go for the cock. Go for the cock.” The little Jack Russell stared up at her and tilted his head back and forth, listening to her commands but not following. “You’re hopeless.”

“I haven’t done this before,” Sebastian began.

“What? Grovel?” I rolled my eyes. Could you get eye strain from doing that? Sure felt like it.

He took a step towards me. “Juniper, look at me.” I couldn’t. “I know you didn’t tip of the paparazzi. Robbo did.”

“Robbo?” Vanessa exclaimed.

I slapped my palm against my forehead. Great.

“Juniper, I need to explain a few things to you,” he went on. “But not on the street. Can we go inside?”

“No!” Vanessa shouted, still trying to protect my virtue.

“Stop,” I said, holding up my hand.

Gathering my courage, I looked at Sebastian for the first time since he’d shown up. He looked strung-out and on edge, his eyes full of desperation. My fingers ached, and I curled my hands into tight fists, my nails biting into my skin.

I knew who he was now and tasted him on my tongue, but the way I gravitated towards him simply by looking at the man was terrifying. It was magnetic. Could I walk away from it, knowing how rare that kind of feeling was? People went their whole lives and never found serenity, let alone love.

“Come in,” I said much to Vanessa’s disapproval.

Sebastian stepped into the Page Break and I shot her a look. She pouted and stuck her nose into the air before dragging Ziggy down the footpath.

Sighing, I turned and closed the door, shutting out the cold. Sebastian’s aura filled the space, drawing me ever closer.

“You’re selling?” He glanced at me and I shrugged.

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Fair enough. I wouldn’t want to talk to me about it, either.”

I bit my bottom lips and glanced at the poster behind the counter. The one my mum had saved from the first ever Byron Bay Bluesfest. The same festival where she’d met my dad. I had to believe the things I’d told Sebastian. We weren’t our parents. I wasn’t my mother, and he wasn’t the reincarnation of my bloody father, either.

“Why did you say those things?” I asked, my chest bursting. “I was real the entire time. I was honest about things. I came to you about that tabloid because I was worried they’d find you and the shit would hit the fan. I never thought about the money. Not really.”

“I know,” he whispered.

He knew, but what had I done wrong?

“What did I do?” I asked.

“Nothing.”

My knees wobbled, and I leaned against the counter to steady myself.

“I overreacted,” Sebastian said. “I jumped to conclusions and lashed out at you.”

“Why did you even bother coming back?” Tears misted my eyes, but my anger was hotter than my broken heart. “If I was just another throw away fuck, then I shouldn’t matter. It isn’t like your reputation can’t handle another angry woman.”

“Because, up until that moment, I told you the truth,” he said, closing the gap between us. “Everything I told you was real. Everything I feel for you is real. I was just... I saw that guy with his fucking camera and I let my fear overrule my heart.”

I wanted to believe him, but there were still doubts in my mind. Our lives were just too different and at some point, something had to give.

“Juniper, you terrify me.”

I froze. “What?”

“Everything about you—about the things we’re doing—it terrifies me. I’ve never had this.” His fingers grazed mine. “I don’t know what to do.”

“You think I do?” I scoffed and snatched my hand away. “It took a lot for me to let you in. It isn’t a rock-star-specific problem, you know.”

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I don’t know how else to show it to you. Right now, both our lives are...”

He didn’t seem to know how to finish his thought, so I punctuated it for him. “Fucked?”

Sebastian snorted and raked his fingers through his hair. “Something like that.”

“So what do we do, Sebastian?” I looked at him for an answer I knew he didn’t have. “Do we end this, or—”

“No,” he interrupted. “You forgive me for being a twat, then we try again.”

“Try? How about starting with telling me why you disappeared in the first place. A little honesty might help.”

“And maybe you should tell me about your financial problems,” he fired back.

I grimaced and lowered my gaze. “I didn’t... I didn’t want to get my hopes up.”

“About?”

“You and me. I know how these things work, but for a moment, I forgot about all my problems,” I murmured, my cheeks heating. “I want to be special. I...” I was floundering and sounded like a clingy crackpot.

“You are special, Juniper.”

“I’m a nobody.”

“You’re a somebody to me.”

Sebastian pulled me into his arms and this time, I didn’t swat him away. I melted into his embrace and breathed in his scent, clinging to the lapels of his jacket.

“Vix,” he began. “She’s Beneath’s road manager. She found me.”

“Oh...” So he had to go back. It was inevitable, but it didn’t stop it from stinging. The more we talked, the more confused I became. “Did you want to fix things before you left or something?”

“Yes and no,” he replied, his fingers caressing through my hair. “I have a contract. If I break it, they can destroy me.”

“So you have to go.”

“There’s a concert in Melbourne in two weeks,” he went on. “If I’m not there—”

“You don’t sound thrilled about it,” I muttered.

“You want to know why I cut out?” He pulled back. “I knew the label had been doing dodgy shit behind out backs, but it wasn’t until recently I knew how much was staged. They’d been pulling our strings all these years, and I didn’t even know it. They’ve manipulated all of us from day one. It’s gotten to the point I don’t even know who I am anymore. Problem is, I’m the only one who gives a shit.”

“You’re famous now,” I said. “Fight back.”

“I don’t have an army of lawyers on retainer.”

I didn’t know what he wanted me to say.

“Rock ‘n’ roll will save your life... but the fame will kill you.”

Was it really that bad? I stared at him, puzzling out his words, trying to see through all the smoke and mirrors. The shell wasn’t the man inside. Maybe I’d caught glimpses, but not even Sebastian seemed to know who he was.

“Juniper,” he swallowed hard, his gaze falling to my lips, “please forgive me. My life is a fucking hurricane, but you... you’re the eye of the storm. With you I can be still while the world rages around us. For a moment, I caught a glimpse of the man I could be, the man I want to be. You showed him to me.”

He pressed his forehead against mine, his stormy eyes searching mine for an answer. Even after the things he’d said to me, I was powerless to resist. I’d become entangled with this enigmatic man, consequences be damned.

I brushed my lips over his and it was all it took to spark him to life. He speared his fingers into my hair and took my mouth in a hungry kiss, sweeping his tongue against mine. His taste was heady and his closeness was almost too much to bare. My nipples ached and my clit throbbed as we entwined.

“Seb...” My palms scratched over his stubble, and his hands moved down my back and cupped my arse, holding me tight.

“The more I think about it, the more I think you’re the link, Juni.” He called me Juni…

“God, is this what it’s going to be like?” I asked through a moan.

“Which part?” His lips moved to the soft skin underneath my ear.

“All of it.”

“Some of it, yeah.” He kissed me softly. “The other parts of it, I hope not.”

“What do we do?” I whispered, cupping the back of his neck. “I’ve gone through life having to look after everyone else, but I don’t know how to look after myself.”

“We’ve got a little time,” he replied returning his gaze to mine. “We can hang out here and do the getting to know you part. You tell me your favourite things and your life story, and I’ll tell you mine. Nothing’s off limits.”

“You want to know all my hopes and dreams?” I raised my eyebrows. It was so not a bad boy rock star thing to say.

“Yeah.”

“In two weeks?” I couldn’t fathom it, but then again, I’d fallen hard for the guy in the space of two seconds flat. Maybe it wasn’t such a crazy notion.

“Yeah,” he said again.

“Last time we were together, we didn’t get out of bed for three days.”

“I know.” Sebastian smirked and tightened his grip on my arse.

“I’m still sore.”

“I can give you a massage.”

“Sebastian.”

He chuckled softly, his hands moving to my lower back. “Does this mean you forgive me?”

I nodded. He had me hook, line, and fucked up sinker. “Shit, yes.”

I pressed my palm against his chest before he could catch me in another kiss. “Be careful, Sebastian,” I warned. “If you screw up again, you’ll have Ziggy to contend with.”

He threw his head back and let out a deep laugh that shook his chest. “I’ll keep that in mind.”