Played: The Girls of Beachmont (A Fumbled Novel), #2

By T.K. Rapp

Viola Banks had music in her blood. As an aspiring song writer, she grew up wanting nothing more than to have her words sung for all the world to hear. That all changed when she fell in love and married a man whose ambitions became more important than her own.  

And when it all fell disastrously apart, she realized she was left with nothing but shattered dreams and empty promises.  

A fairy tale without the happy ending.  

Trying to pick up the pieces, Viola decides to move to Los Angeles for a new beginning.  

Her chance to find the voice she thought she had lost.  

Wyatt Jenson's life was settled. He had a job. A girlfriend. A future.  

Moving back to L.A. to take over the family business was the last thing he wanted. But obligation called and he found himself putting down roots in the last place he ever thought he would be. He finds himself the new owner of String Beans, the local music hotspot and coffee shop.  

It only takes one night, one song, one random encounter, and lives can change forever.  

Viola has to learn to open a heart that's been broken.  

Because the only way to move on is to remember how to love.

• Language: English
• Publisher: T.K. Rapp
• Release date: Feb 4, 2017
• ISBN: 9781386965862

Book preview

Chapter 1

I ’m heading home, Alex , I told my boss as I grabbed my belongings. My long brown hair was caught beneath the strap of my messenger bag, and as I wrestled with setting it free, I stumbled. Fortunately, I beat out clumsiness because I caught myself before falling over completely.

Done for the day?

Yeah, just finished with Sadie, I smiled.

How’s she doing? he asked through a laugh, keeping his eyes fixed on the drum kit he’d been working on.

She’s doing great, but then again, she’s your kid, I reminded him with a grin.

I had been giving his eleven-year-old guitar lessons when clients canceled. As it turned out, she had been getting lots of practice time lately. But she was a natural. Still, it would be nice if my regulars showed up. Will and I needed the extra money to help make rent.

You and Will doing anything tonight?

I doubt it. He’s been working nights at the club and our schedules are completely messed up.

That’s married life, huh? He laughed again.

Yeah, I muttered before grabbing my guitar case and waving goodbye as I headed out the front door.

The brisk fall afternoon air greeted me and the descending sun momentarily blinded me while I slipped my sunglasses on. We had had so much rain the last week that I was beginning to think the weather might be the reason for all the cancellations.

My beat-up Beetle was parked in the back of the old red brick building next to Alex’s new pickup. I’d gotten the car when I was in high school and there was no convincing reason why I should get rid of it. Will teased me that the undercarriage was probably rusted and before long I’d be Fred Flintstoning my way to work. She was old, but she’d gotten me everywhere I needed to go, even if it did take at least two times to get her started.

The engine finally turned over and I headed home to our one-bedroom apartment a short fifteen minutes away. We moved to Spring Park shortly after we finished college, because Will said it would be good for our careers. Granted, there wasn’t much back in Beachmont for music majors, but I wasn’t sure what he thought was so much better about Spring Park.

I grew up in Woodrock, so I was used to being near everything. Clubs, big concert venues—you name it, it was there. Maybe that’s why Will didn’t want to move to my hometown: too much and too many people to hit it big. It was a town full of successful people, and just as many failures.

Still, it took me almost two months to find my job at Hodges Music Store, and while I appreciated the work, it wasn’t exactly where I thought I’d end up. That’s why I went to college, right? But then again, I did select music as my major. I could have gone with something practical like business, but that was my parents’ dream. Not mine. And a minor in business was my concession to appease them.

But it was two years later and I was beginning to realize there was a chance I’d be working in the music store for the rest of my life.

Since I was an only child, it had been hard for my parents to tell me no, and I knew how to work them. And when I married Will, despite their objections, they still gave me away. But I never thought I’d end up being the practical one in our marriage. Where’s the fun in that?

Will and I were a perfect match ever since we met at Battle of the Bands in Wheeler while I was in college. I was there with Dani, Millie, and Jolie, my roommates, to see some friends of mine that were in competing groups. Millie was probably the only one who didn’t have a thing for musicians, and that was never my scene either. I mean, I’ve always loved music and could appreciate someone’s talent, but hooking up with talent wasn’t me.

Until Will.

The third band was playing and I didn’t care for their style, so it was the perfect time to hit up the concession stand for another beer. Some guy was standing in front of me drunk off his ass, and when he turned to leave with his beer he almost spilled it all over me. Will must have seen it coming because he wrapped his arm around my waist and swung me around so the beer missed me.

But it went all over him.

He was an adorable mess. His sandy blond hair was mussed, though that was him, not the beer. His concert tee was soaked so he pulled it over his head, revealing muscular abs and a sexy smirk when he caught me looking.

Thanks, I said, as laid-back as I could. Wasn’t necessary, but thanks.

No worries. He smiled. Having fun?

Yeah. What about you? I asked, stepping up to order my beer. Can I buy you a beer?

Isn’t that what I’m supposed to say? He smiled, but didn’t stop me either. He looked up at the stage and nodded at the band playing. So what you do you think of them?

I didn’t even wait to think of my response; I already had an opinion.

They’re trying too hard. It’s not bad, but where’s the passion? Where’s their soul? I want to feel their words, but all I feel is screaming and angst—and not in the good way. They just sound...boring.

When he looked at me, his mouth was slightly agape, but he recovered and handed me my beer as he took the other.

Don’t hold back, he laughed. So what’s your name?

Viola, but everyone calls me Vi.

"Well, Vi, maybe I’ll see you around? Talk music sometime?"

Yeah, sure, I said and started to walk off, but he called my name and I had to turn around.

So, does that mean I get your number then?

Of course I couldn’t help but smile and give him my number. We chatted a little longer before I said goodbye so I could rejoin the girls.

The crappy band had already finished and I wondered how long I’d been gone. But I was also thankful for the blond distraction. As I reached our spot on the lawn, the MC announced the fourth band. The girls were screaming and laughing as the group took the stage and I was just getting settled in when the lead singer stepped to the mic. I couldn’t see him, but I recognized the voice.

Hey everyone, I’m Will Banks and we’re Sound Venom. I was just talking to a friend who said that she needs passion in her music, so let’s see what she thinks about this.

He’s talking to me.

As I watched Will strum his guitar, he began singing lyrics to a song I’d never heard. He was so handsome up there and in his element. There were no excessive lights, no crazy on-stage dramatics—it was just the band and their music. It was perfect.

He called me later that night to ask what I thought, and I was a little surprised that he didn’t play the game. All guys played the game, but not Will. We talked for several hours and ended up meeting in the morning for coffee so we could talk some more.

Three months later we were engaged, and six months later we were in front of the justice of the peace, getting married after our last class of the semester. Our parents were against it, but there was nothing they could do or say to dissuade us.

It wasn’t incredibly romantic, but it was exactly what I wanted.

Will encouraged the risk-taker in me and I supported his dreams.

We weren’t exactly opposites, but we were different enough to keep it interesting.

It all seemed great in the beginning, but then I turned into someone who had to have a plan. I needed direction, something to work toward. Will liked to go with the flow and see what happened.

But I was learning that going with the flow...didn’t pay the bills. Our senior year was spent finishing school, graduating, and fighting over bills.

Unfortunately, Sound Venom broke up. Damn shame because the guys were amazing. It was hard on Will because he missed collaborating. Every once in a while, we would try to do something together, but our musical styles were so different that it never really meshed. He was beating himself up because he felt like a sellout without his musician brothers and ended up having to get two jobs to help make ends meet. However, he limited the time he spent working because he wanted to continue making music.

I pulled into my parking spot and grabbed my things before I headed inside. Will was working at the fire station all day. His shifts there had been so crazy that we were lucky if we shared a bed for more than a couple of hours. I hoped that I could have dinner made by the time he got home so we could catch up before he left to tend bar at the club.

He made serious bank when he bartended and we needed the cash.

But I wasn’t an idiot. I knew the reason he made such great tips was based on his sexy-as-hell rocker looks. I had gone to the club to listen to local bands play and I saw the way women looked at him. It always made me laugh because he gave them a smile, or so they thought, but his eyes were always glued to mine.

In fact, my confidence was something Will really loved. And it wasn’t like I didn’t have guys hitting on me...though my husband didn’t handle it as well.

Our apartment was on the first floor, which was a good thing. Will liked to play his music a little loud, but I figured the old lady that lived above us was probably deaf—she never complained. And the guy to our right was always high. We never really met any of the other neighbors, but no one had told us to keep it down either. I started walking up the sidewalk and a surge of excitement rolled through me when I heard the music coming from our place.

He’s home!

Hey, I called out when I walked into the apartment, I wasn’t expecting you until later.

I set my things down and made my way toward our room where the music was loudest. I pushed the door open and it took me only a second to piece together what I was seeing.

You know those movies where the wife walks in on her husband in bed with another woman and she’s able to come up with some witty quip about letting the other woman finish? Yeah...that doesn’t happen in real life. At least not my real life. Because I was momentarily stunned beyond words.

Will jumped out of the bed and struggled to pull on his shorts while some blonde remained frozen, looking as shocked to see me, as I was to see her. I didn’t bother giving her the riot act because she meant nothing to me.

But he did.

Oh Will, you have got to be kidding me. My voice sounded sad—resigned, even—as if I knew. But I didn’t. How cliché of you.

He stood there and I saw the regret all over his face, but I all I felt for him was pity and disgust. He didn’t say anything and I turned to look at the woman wrapped in my sheets.

I’m guessing my husband failed to mention a wife, I concluded for her, and she looked on the verge of tears.

I’m so sorry, she muttered as she reached for her shirt. Her pants and G-string were at my feet and I looked at Will as he stood there looking like a deer caught in headlights. He didn’t take his eyes off me and didn’t move an inch. He was either terrified of my calm, or hoping that if he stayed still long enough, I wouldn’t notice that he was standing there while a naked woman lay in our bed.

Nothing to say?

Complete silence.

Except for the sound of the other woman dressing in a hurry. I raised a questioning brow at him and he closed his eyes for a moment before looking at me.

Vi, it was an accident, he started, but I didn’t give him time to say anything else. I charged toward him and pushed him into the wall, knocking his framed prized concert poster down, shattering on the small desk below. Glass flew out and I felt a couple of shards prick my leg, but the pain was nothing compared to what he had just done to my heart.

"Don’t you dare try to speak to me like I’m an idiot. You cheating bastard!"

I tried to move, but he grabbed my wrist and held me in place as I struggled against him.

Let. Me. Go. The tears that began to fall betrayed the calm in my voice and I could no longer look at the man. He released his grasp on me and I turned to look at the chick who was still scrambling to get dressed and out of our apartment and I shrugged.

What else could I do? I couldn’t offer her apologies or explanations—those were on him. And he was watching me walk away with devastation written all over his beautiful face.

I grabbed the bottle of wine from the fridge and the closest glass on my way out to the patio, where I ended up forgoing the glass altogether and drinking straight from the bottle.

If I were a smoker, it would be the perfect time to light one up. I started looking around in the few plants that we had outside to see if his friends had left anything, but before I was able to locate something, I was interrupted. The front door closed and I heard the sounds of a small feminine voice clearing her throat behind me.

I really am so sorry, she said quietly.

When I turned to face her, I nodded and she continued her walk of shame. I flopped my body into the chair and took another long swig of wine as the tears streamed down my face.

Will finally stepped outside, freshly showered and wearing his favorite jeans, and sat in the chair opposite me. He rested his elbows on his knees and stared at his hands like they held answers for him. I was curious. What excuse would he give? Was there anything he could say that would make me consider not maiming him? He finally dropped his head down and nervously ran his hand over the back of his neck.

Viola, I fucked up, he said before looking up. Say something. Please?

As I stared at a spec on the concrete patio, I shook my head, unable to formulate a sentence. In a swift movement, Will dropped to his knees and took my face in his hands.

I love you, Vi. You know that.

I closed my eyes and inhaled a shaky breath. When I opened them, clarity set in and I looked deep into his eyes.

No. I thought you did. But if you loved me, you wouldn’t have done that.

He removed his hands from my face and had the audacity to look as if my words cut him. Funny, considering that ten minute earlier he’d had a complete stranger in our bed. He was still in front of me, resting on his haunches, trying to find something to say.

How many, Will? Because I’m pretty sure she’s not the first, I told him. My foot was bouncing feverishly while I waited for his answer. I wanted to know, but I also knew the truth would tear my heart out.

Vi— he started, but I cut him off. I didn’t want to hear numbers.

Never mind... Just tell me, was she the first?

His head dipped down and there was slight shake, confirming what I hoped wasn’t true. I stood up and pushed past him, knocking him on his ass. When I got to the door, I turned to him and wiped my eyes again.

I’ll be out tomorrow. You can go somewhere else tonight, I informed him before locking the door.

Chapter 2

V i, he called out as he pounded on the door, let me in.

I couldn’t tell if he was mad that he was locked out, or worried that I might ruin the things that meant most to him. I didn’t care what he felt, because my heart was in the middle of breaking. My body slid down the length of the door until I was sitting on the floor. Tears continued to fall in a steady stream while the afternoon replayed in my head.

How could he do this to me?

Baby, I love you. It meant nothing, he said into the door, and for a split second I considered opening it, but deep down I knew better. Let’s just talk about it, okay?

There’s nothing to talk about, I shouted back, angrily wiping the wetness from my face.

The thought of Will and sex in my bed—not with me—was enough to make my skin feel like it was on fire. I looked around the small apartment and everything in it that made it a home. And the biggest part of that home was the ass just outside the door pleading with me to let him in. I felt like someone had yanked the rug from beneath me, leaving me raw and questioning everything.

How did I not see it?

The writing must have been on the wall and I never saw it, or didn’t want to. But in that moment, when the world as I knew it was crumbling around me, the evidence was all I saw. Looking back, the pieces started coming together.

A month earlier, Dani had let us stay with her because Will’s new band had booked a gig in San Diego. She was nursing a broken heart because she and her boyfriend had hit a rough patch. He was a pro football player who’d been injured and I’d convinced her that a night out with me was what she needed.

While we were at the club, Dani pointed out some big-chested, scantily clad woman flirting with Will. While she looked concerned, I wasn’t.

It happens all the time, I said with a shrug.

Vi, that’s not okay, she said in that mothering tone I was all too familiar with from her.

It’s harmless. I trust him, I answered.

She lifted her chin and I looked over my shoulder. And it’s harmless for her to slip him her number?

The woman walked off and Will lifted the paper in the air, showing it to me, and I laughed. He made a show of wadding in his hand before throwing it away. That was all there was to it and I didn’t think about it again.

But later that night at Dani’s place, a piece of paper fell out of his pocket. I thought nothing of it at the time, but he seemed slightly rattled as he quickly stooped down to pick it up and smiled.

You can’t see this. He winked. I’m working on a song for you.

I’m a fucking idiot. Song my ass, I groaned out loud before yelling at the door. You cheating asshole!

I looked around the room and remembered the wedding picture that had gone missing a few weeks before. It was the first thing we hung up when we moved in because we wanted a reminder of our day. We were outside standing next to a tree, me in my white slip dress and Will in his beige pants and white button-down. It had been the best day of my life. His smile was electric and we looked so in love.

But when I’d asked Will where the picture had gone, he said that our next-door neighbor had banged on the wall to get him to turn down the music—the same neighbor who had never before made a big deal about the noise that came from our apartment. And I didn’t question it.

Why didn’t I question it?

Will said the picture had fallen off the wall, throwing glass everywhere, and he didn’t want me to hurt myself touching it. He even went so far as to show me the ruins of the broken frame and said he put the picture in a drawer until we got around to getting a new one.

The signs were there, and yet I ignored every one of them. Or maybe they weren’t actually signs if my blinders were obscuring my view so much that when I looked at him, all I saw was the dynamic man I married.

There were nights he came home from the bar and his routine was different. It didn’t alarm me, and in fact I thought it rather considerate of him. I had no reason not to trust him. When Will came home from work, he would typically jump in the shower and rinse the smell of cigarettes, alcohol, and stale club from his body before climbing into bed. Those nights were usually spent with us making love before settling in for comfortable sleep.

But then it changed. His showers became longer and he would climb into bed without ever even attempting to touch me—not even a kiss. When I questioned as to whether he was okay, he excused it by claiming he was slammed at the bar and really tired. It all seemed plausible at the time. Then I came to realize he was just getting slammed.

I can’t believe I didn’t see it, I groaned and headed to the kitchen for another glass of wine. I considered calling Jolie, my best friend, but decided to do a little snooping around the apartment first.

Aside from the missing wedding picture and his odd night habits, I didn’t know what I was looking for. Texts? Naked pictures? Incriminating videos?

Our bedroom was small, leaving very little room for all of our things. We had boxes stacked high in the closet, under the bed, and more in storage. Despite living there for a year, boxes were always noticeable and I figured it would make it easy to spot anything incriminating.

The first place I checked was our shared dresser. Rifling through a drawer, I found nothing that stood out, but I threw everything on the floor anyway, careful to set my own things aside. I moved to the closet, dragging a chair over so I could reach the top shelf. The duffel bags tumbled to the floor, barely missing my head, and along with them a box of condoms and a piece of paper. I picked it up and saw a note with a lipstick kiss on it.

Enjoyed last night. Call me so we can do it again.

~Sadie

When I got to the door, I made sure to latch the chain before opening it and extended my arm, shoving the paper in his face.

One of your skanks forgot this, I spat angrily.

He grabbed my hand and I tried to yank it back, but his grip was too firm.

You’re not really going to leave me out here all night are you? he asked, gently rubbing my hand.

I don’t care where you end up, but it’s not going to be in here—with me. I really can’t even stomach the thought of looking at you.

What can I do to make it up to you? he begged.

I twisted my wrist as I tried to pull away and he finally released his hold of me. I shook my hand gently at my side, trying to rid myself of the touch that seemed to linger on my skin.

It will never happen again.

That time, I did look at him. Through the opening of the door, I made eye contact and despite his words, I didn’t believe him. I shook my head, willing the tears to stay away and took a deep breath.

I know it won’t happen again, I said confidently. I won’t let you do this to me again. He began to smile and I raised my hand to stop him from saying another word. Because I’ll be gone tomorrow.

Please, Viola, don’t, he pleaded softly, and my heart broke. I didn’t know it was capable of breaking more than it already had.

It shouldn’t have happened at all, Will. You did this. And I’m not going to be the girl who stands by and waits for it to happen again, I said before slowly shutting the door.

He was trying to talk through the door, but I wasn’t in the mood to hear any more false promises or lame excuses. And I wasn’t in the mood to be the victim. I walked over to the small speaker next to the TV and plugged in my iPod to blast the music loud enough to drown out his words before heading to the

Reviews for Played

[Deb Pden · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Realistic characters, good bantering through out, cheating, good guys, parenting influences, romancing and the results of marriage gone wrong with a HEA..strange ending..like not a standalone..Rated PG maybe 13??