Love Evolution by Michelle Mankin Read Free Book Online Page A

gray green eyes and a friendly smile.
    “ You will be seeing a lot of me, ” she told Avery. “ With your good looks, we ’ re already making plans to get you introduced to the public right away. ” She turned to Trevor, mimicking a phone receiver with her hand. “ Call me, Trevor. I ’ ll give you the details. ”
    Next the aide took her to a supply room to check out a cell phone. He wiggled his red eyebrows at her. “ Mary insists that she be able to get a hold of you at all times. ”  
    “ I ’ ve never had one before … couldn ’ t afford it. ” Avery looked at it apprehensively.
    “ Don ’ t worry. It ’ s easy to use. I ’ ll give you a crash course, ” Trevor told her.
    The production manager, Dalton Humphrey, was the last introduction. Avery thought he was nice enough looking, but the guy had way over-gelled and spiked his grey hair to the point that it looked a little dangerous. The laugh lines around his eyes gave testament to a happy disposition though, and he smiled warmly at Avery confirming it. “ I hear you and Marcus are getting started today writing me some songs. ”
    She nodded, seemed like news traveled fast around here.
    “ Great, we need someone to light a fire under him. ” He patted her on the back. “ I look forward to working with you, Avery. ”
    Trevor touted Dalton ’ s industry wide reputation for being a veritable genius at mixing songs. “ He has been on a real roll lately. You ’ re really lucky to be working with him. The last couple of albums he helped produce were huge successes. ”
    Avery left Trevor at Black Cat and caught a taxi back to her hotel. The uniformed doorman held the door open for her when she arrived. Entering the opulent lobby, she spotted Ray sitting in a tufted club chair waiting for her. “ Give me a second to grab my gear, ” she told him, breaking for the elevator.
    “ No problem, Mr. Jones, ” Ray called after her. 
    “ None of that stuff.  My friends call me Avery. ” She winked as the elevator doors closed.
    When she came back down with two guitar cases, he shook his head. “ You know, Marcus has plenty of instruments you can use. ”
    She smiled. “ I know, but I like the feel of my own. ” He helped her load up her instruments into the trunk of the Mercedes.
    On the drive over, Ray seemed reserved. “ How ’ s your day going? ” she asked, hoping to break the awkward silence.
    Ray glanced at her in the rearview mirror. “ I ’ m ok. ”
    “ You don ’ t sound ok. ” Avery met his gaze, noting the stressed look in his eyes.
    “ You don ’ t want to hear about my troubles. ”
    “ Ray, if I didn ’ t want to know, I wouldn ’ t have asked. ”
    Ray raised a thoughtful brow. This one seemed different than most of the people he carted around for Marcus. They never even looked him in the eye. Avery had manners and treated him like he was a person instead of a servant. He decided right then and there that he liked this guy. He was a definite change of pace from the usual sycophants who hung around Marcus. “ I ’ m a little concerned about my mom, ” he confided. “ She ’ s sixty years old and has been in the hospital for a week with pneumonia. It looks like the second antibiotic might be doing the trick though. ”
    “ Oh, I ’ m sorry to hear that, Ray. I ’ m sure you ’ ve been worried sick. Have you been to see her today? ”
    “ No, but I ’ m going to swing by as soon as I see you up. ”
    “ Good. That ’ s good. Never take your mother for granted Ray. Tell her you love her every day, you know. ”
    By the tone of Avery ’ s voice, Ray guessed something really bad had happened to his mom. He nodded. “ Yeah, I ’ ll make sure to do that. ”
    Within minutes they were out of downtown proper, and soon pulled into the underground parking garage at Marcus ’ waterfront high rise building west of downtown. Ray keyed in the code to Marcus ’ private elevator. When they reached the 30th floor, Marcus