Embrace by Melissa Toppen Read Free Book Online Page A

wink before peeling myself off the couch.
                  Leaning down, I place a quick kiss to his forehead. “Have a good day at work.” I say, making my way around the couch towards my bedroom.
                  “Love you Gracie.” Carver calls from the couch just as I push my way inside of my room.
                  “Love you.” I say back, loud enough that I am sure he hears me, before closing the door.
                  I strip down into my underwear and throw on an old t-shirt before pulling back my covers and crawling into bed. My mattress feels like a cloud compared to the couch and I am very thankful that Carver woke me. I have no doubt that I would have felt like death had I slept there much longer.
                  As much as I would love to go back to sleep, considering it's just past seven in the morning, I am suddenly a little panicked that I'm not going to be able to find anyone to go to the show with me.
                  I briefly consider inviting Thad but then quickly decide against it. I'm sure he has a gig that night, considering his band always plays on the weekends.
                  Deciding to see if Alec can go, I peel myself back out of bed and dig my cell out of the pocket of my jeans that I discarded on the floor. I type a quick text and then lock the phone, collapsing back into my bed.
                  Closing my eyes, I do my best to relax but just as I feel myself dozing, my phone signals a new text message. I blindly feel around the bed for my phone and don't open my eyes until I am holding it right in front of my face.
    Sounds like fun.
                  Breathing a sigh of relief, I type out a quick response.
    Thank you! I was starting to think I was going to have to go alone :(
                  His reply is almost immediate.
    Not a chance. I'll meet you at the venue at seven.
                  I can't help but smile at my brothers thoughtfulness. Not only did he buy me the tickets but he's also agreeing to go with me. While he may not hate my choice of music quite as much as Emma, I know he doesn't exactly love it either.
    You're the best!
                  I hit send and then lock my phone, tossing it on my night stand before snuggling deeper into the covers. While I love my brother dearly, he's certainly not my first choice to take to a rock concert. Now if Ian were here, that would be a different story.
                  Ian is the type to dance around like a fool, join the mosh pit, and would probably even manage to crowd surf his way to the stage. Alec on the other hand, will most likely stand off to the side and watch me like a hawk all night to make sure no one messes with me, not exactly what I would call a super fun time.
                  Oddly enough, I can't help but feel like Zayne would be the very same way. I can't see him letting loose and really having fun. He seems to always have a guard up and to this day, I have yet to see it falter. Well, besides the few little peeks I got into the person he really is during our few days together at his apartment.
                  I try to shake off the thoughts of Zayne and focus on my excitement about my upcoming outing with Alec. Anything is better than going alone so I accept my fate and decide to be grateful that in less than four days, I will be seeing one of my favorite bands live for the very first time.
                 
                 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

 
     
    Chapter Six
     
     
     
                  I can't believe I'm actually here, the Mercury Lounge in New York City. Visiting this venue has been a dream of mine for a very long time and I just can't grasp that it's finally a reality. I remember being fifteen years old and laying around my room reading articles about my favorite bands and how a good