Read A Bleu Streak Summer (The Bleu Series Book 3) for Free Online

through the night and headed inside. Once he secured the old guitar into its original case—the second guitar he had ever owned—him and the guitar headed out to meet the waiting limo outside.
    “Yo, Joe. What’s up?” Max said as he slid onto the buttery soft leather seat, placing the guitar and a black fedora he had swiped on the way out of the door on the bench seat in front of him.
    The driver glanced at him from the rearview mirror. “Hey, hey. Nothing’s up except hauling your spoiled behind around tonight,” he teased as he pulled the limo out of the gated drive.
    “That’s me, man. Totally spoiled. Thanks for putting up with me.” Max managed a cocky smile as he pressed his damp palms into the cool leather seat. Unfortunately, it offered him no comfort.
    “It’s my pleasure, kid.” Joe smiled as he focused on driving through the thick traffic. No matter how old Max and the others grew, Joe seemed to still view them as the naïve punks that hired him after signing up for their first tour, still teenagers at the time.
    Max knew Joe had to be getting close to wanting to retire and that only added to the pinch in his chest. He rubbed at it, begging for relief until they pulled up to the front entrance of the hotel. It was a posh establishment with lots of palm trees and thick foliage to shield it well from the outside world.
    “Joe, you mind sitting tight a few.” Max reached for the door handle. “I’m gonna—” Before he managed getting the door open or to finish his sentence, a stunning brunette angel began strolling toward the limo. The white goddess gown and gold stiletto sandals added to her ethereal appearance and completely stunned the guitarist.
    “Stop drooling and go get your girl,” Joe encouraged, chuckling at the awestruck man.
    Max stumbled out and met Mona on the sidewalk. Her eyes clear and colorful as aqua sea glass met him openly, but Max noticed that the subtle lines around her large eyes were carefully holding an edge of pain. The delicate heels on her feet brought Mona to eyelevel with his six foot stature. Not able to stop himself, his nervous hand reached out to delicately brush the long silky curl off her bare shoulder. For the first time in months, he felt he could breathe, yet equally like he was drowning.
    “I missed you,” he whispered while taking more than he deserved, wrapping Mona in his arms. Inhaling the familiar coconut notes of her perfume, Max felt a protective surge to just grab her up and run away from life altogether. But when her hushed sniffle reminded him she deserved better, Max reluctantly let go and helped her inside the back of the limo. He climbed in the same side after she scooted over as far as the seat would allow.
    “Good evening, Miss Mona,” Joe said, giving her a big smile before putting the limo in drive.
    She cleared her throat timidly. “Hi, Joe.”
    Her northern accent was so formal compared to the Bleu gang, but it had always been one of the unique parts of her Max found so appealing. He loved that he had rebelled against the group’s preference to blonde southern belles with petite frames and had landed himself a Yankee brunette bombshell strong enough to kick his butt if need be.
    Joe delivered Max a subtle nod of encouragement before he sent the privacy partition up between them, giving Max and Mona the moment they needed.
    Mona nervously twirled the flashy diamond ring around her finger as she kept her eyes trained out the window and away from Max. He was relieved she was still wearing it. His body instinctively demanded he reach over and pull her close, but the stifling tension warned him to stay put on his side of the limo.
    “You look beautiful,” he murmured. The gauzy skirt of the dress touched the top of her tanned knees. She wrapped her hands there as though she could sense his gaze zoned in on that area. “Stunning,” he reiterated, the rasp in his voice proving his sincerity.
    Mona finally glanced over and studied him.