The Careless Boyfriend (The Bad Boyfriend series Book 3) Read online

  THE CARELESS BOYFRIEND

  Erika Kelly

  Contents

  Also by Erika Kelly

  Acknowledgments

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Epilogue

  The Heartless Boyfriend

  About the Author

  Praise for the Rock Star Romance series

  YOU REALLY GOT ME

  “Lovable characters and pulse-pounding chemistry make this one of my favorite reads of the year!”—Laura Kaye, New York Times Bestselling Author

  “Sexy, lyrical and electric with hot, romantic tension.” - NYT and USA Today Bestselling author Lauren Blakely

  I WANT YOU TO WANT ME

  Booklist calls I WANT YOU TO WANT ME “…steamy, hot, and totally engaging. The characters are realistic, and Kelly paints a vivid picture of what happens behind the scenes in the world of rock.”

  TAKE ME HOME TONIGHT

  All About Romance awards TAKE ME HOME TONIGHT a Desert Isle Keeper review. "All these (characters) are so authentically human they nearly walk off the page. If you like books where real people have real problems and find real love (while having really hot sex), pick up Take Me Home Tonight and enjoy the ride."

  TAKE ME HOME TONIGHT “is emotional and tremendously sexy, with a large cast of characters that readers will adore — Kelly's rendering of Calix's grieving parents is particularly well-done — but it is Mimi's strength that will linger long after the finish.” - Sarah MacLean, Washington Post

  Praise for The Bad Boyfriend series

  THE WORLD’S WORST BOYFRIEND

  “I adored this book! It is exactly what I love in a second-chance romance. The characters are so vibrant and real, I was rooting for them with every page.” — USA Today Bestseller Devney Perry

  “The World’s Worst Boyfriend is such a fun and sexy second-chance romance that I didn’t want it to end. Their connection is a swoony blend of tender first love and sizzling heat, and Erika Kelly delivers a highly entertaining and sigh-worthy romance that shouldn’t be missed.” – Mary Dube, USA Today

  THE HEARTLESS BOYFRIEND

  “I loved every sweet, heart-wrenching, crazy, mixed-up minute of this book. It was an emotional journey from the first chapter to the last. This is Erika Kelly at her best, and this is a not-to-be-missed book!” – Sharon Slick Reads, Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews

  “Erika Kelly damn near pulled my heart from my chest with Delilah and Will’s story. It’s so well-written that you feel everything. My heart got tugged so hard! I honestly cried at a few moments in the book. I fell all the way in love with “Wooby.” It’s hard not to, really.” – Ree Cee’s Books

  Also by Erika Kelly

  Titles by Erika Kelly

  Rock Star Romance series:

  YOU REALLY GOT ME

  I WANT YOU TO WANT ME

  TAKE ME HOME TONIGHT

  MORE THAN A FEELING

  Wild Love series:

  MINE FOR NOW

  MINE FOR THE WEEK

  The Bad Boyfriend series:

  THE WORLD’S WORST BOYFRIEND

  THE HEARTLESS BOYFRIEND

  THE CARELESS BOYFRIEND

  THE THOUGHTLESS BOYFRIEND

  Sign up for my newsletter to find out when THE THOUGHTLESS BOYFRIEND goes up for preorder and come hang out with me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Goodreads, and Pinterest or in my private reader group.

  ISBN-13: 978-0-9985177-4-2

  Copyright 2019 EK Publishing, LLC

  All rights reserved

  This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are used fictitiously or are a product of the author’s imagination and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Cover design and formatting by Serendipity Formatting

  This book is dedicated to Superman….my heart.

  Acknowledgments

  To Superman: you’re the love of my life. Thank you for always listening, always being there, and always loving me. Also, thank you for being the best plotstorming partner EVER.

  To Olivia: thank you for always braving that first pass through my books! Also, sorry.

  To Sharon: thank you for your unconditional love and for making me a better writer.

  To KP: thank you for your friendship and for sharing this journey with me.

  To Kristy DeBoer: you always make my book so much better! Thank you for your friendship and support.

  To Amy: you are such a great friend. Thank you for stepping in when I needed you most.

  To Melissa: your help is invaluable to me, and your graphics are the best!

  To Erica: I can’t thank you enough for being there for me with covers and formatting…and friendship.

  To the romance writing community: I couldn’t do this without the bloggers and reviewers like Obsessed with Romance, Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews, About That Story, Reading in Pajamas, Zoe Forward, Shirin’s Book Blog and Reviews, Reads and Reviews, and Isha Coleman—to name just a few; and my friends in writer groups like the Dreamweavers, the DND Authors, and my local plotstormer girls.

  Prologue

  Seven Years Ago

  Don’t look.

  On the packed dance floor, Gray Bowie breathed in his date’s gardenia corsage, trying really damn hard to pay attention to her and not to the couple in the middle of the room.

  Every time the DJ played a ballad, the hotel ballroom darkened, and red and yellow strobe lights slashed across the crowd, gifting him with a stand-out image of his two oldest friends dancing together. Specifically, Knox in her spikey heels trying to keep a wasted Robert from stumbling.

  It was killing him.

  She deserved better than that.

  She should be with me.

  But, seriously, what the hell was with the lyrics of this Lonestar song?

  I’ve never been this close to anyone or anything.

  He needed to stomp out this desperate, endless ache, quash it for good, and move on already.

  Twelve years of wanting a girl he couldn’t have. Twelve years of watching her with someone else. It needed to stop.

  “You smell so good, Gray.” His date nestled closer to his chest, grabbing a fistful of his white dress shirt.

  Ah, hell. He’d specifically invited her to the prom because they were part of a group of friends going together. There hadn’t been any promposal—he’d just turned to her during lunch and said, “Want to go together?”

  With the way she rubbed up against him, he had a feeling her idea of a happy ending to the night didn’t match his.

  A burst of raucous laughter from the center of the room caught his attention.

  Don’t look.

  He couldn’t bear to see his heart dancing with someone else. And if she happened to catch his gaze—which she unerringly did—she’d see what he wanted. Her. He couldn’t hide it.

  Because he loved her. He loved her with every molecule in his body.


  Laughter turned to shouts, and the dance floor around them thinned, as people rushed over to see what was going on. He spun his date around so he wouldn’t be able to look.

  His date stood on her toes to whisper in his hear, “I’m so glad you don’t want to hang out with those guys.”

  But she couldn’t drown out the lyrics that told his story.

  I can hear your thoughts. I can hear your dreams.

  He knew her thoughts because he asked. He knew her dreams because he encouraged them. And, at the end of summer, in just a few months, they’d all head off to college, and she’d start living hers. Sometimes she got teary-eyed—what if we drift apart? What if we never see each other again?

  Just went to show she didn’t see him, because it didn’t matter where she moved. Knox Holliday was it for him. He’d known it since kindergarten.

  Someone shrieked, and his date turned to watch the chaos. “I knew this would happen.”

  That snapped him out of his stupid, useless thoughts. “What do you mean?”

  “You know that girl from Jackson Hole? She was at the preparty at Robert’s house? She brought something. I saw them all go downstairs. Whatever drugs they took, it’s different from their usual stuff.”

  Hysterical laughter burst out behind him. Don’t look.

  “Some of them didn’t want to try it,” his date said. “But Robert did.”

  Of course he did. With each passing year, his former best friend’s addiction had only gotten worse. For a while there, Gray had been so sure he could help him get clean. He believed that, at some point, Robert would get tired of waking up hungover, getting arrested, and skulking around looking to score.

  He’d been wrong. It sucked, but Gray had finally figured out he couldn’t save the friend he’d met in preschool.

  He would have moved on completely, except for Knox. Loyal to the bone, she wouldn’t give up on her boyfriend. She wouldn’t accept that she couldn’t fix him. A fighter to her core, Knox wouldn’t quit battling Robert’s demons for him.

  When a woman screamed, Gray finally gave in and looked. Because nobody—fucking nobody—hurt his heart.

  People formed a circle in the center of the dance floor. With no sign of Knox, Gray got a punch of adrenaline that had him releasing his date and shoving through the crowd.

  Lying on the ground in his tux, Robert laughed. He was higher than Gray had ever seen him. Knox had both hands wrapped around Robert’s biceps, trying to get him to stand him up. She scanned the crowd, relief relaxing her features when she landed on Gray. Help me.

  Pushing through the block of gawking students, he grabbed Robert’s other arm and lifted him.

  “Where you been, man?” His friend reeked of booze.

  As Gray got him to his feet, he noticed the chaperones watching. “Party time’s over, big guy.” Supporting him with an arm around his back, he led him off the dance floor.

  “Slow your roll, dude.” With sloppy movements, Robert twisted free. “I’m dancing with my girl. I promised her. She wants me here.”

  Gray leaned into his friend’s ear. “She wants you sober.”

  Humor turned brittle. “Aw, come on. It’s prom. Have some fun for once in your life.” He turned to Knox. “We’re having fun, right, babe?”

  But she was watching the clutch of chaperones. One broke away from the pack. “Mr. Keeton’s coming over.” Knox pushed past them. “I’ll see you in the room.”

  He needed both hands to steer Robert out of the ballroom, so he couldn’t text his date to let her know he was leaving. He’d do it from the suite they’d booked.

  Someone in Robert’s entourage held the back door open, and they spilled into the courtyard. Underwater lights lit up the turquoise pool, the chilly May breeze rippling the surface. Robert kept up his life-of-the-party schtick, joking around, teasing, and laughing so hard his knees kept buckling.

  It struck Gray that tonight she might finally get it. A rush of anticipation ripped down his spine. For all Robert’s promises, he always let her down. But tonight—prom—mattered to her. Bullied all her life in this small mountain town, Knox had fought back by doubling down on her dream of being a fashion designer. She made her own clothes, and tonight’s dress was part of the collection she’d submitted to score a full-ride to the Fashion Institute of Technology.

  Normally, she’d never even consider partying with the classmates who made her life a living hell, but tonight she’d wanted to strut her sophisticated dress and leave high school on the note of kiss my ass.

  But Robert had just done the worst thing for her. Showing up wasted had sealed her reputation as the junkyard dog. She had to be done with him. If he thought for a second that Robert would go to rehab or get clean, he’d never entertain a single thought about them breaking up. Not much would make him happier than seeing Robert healthy again.

  Even if it meant watching his former best friend live happily ever after with his heart.

  Bass throbbed in the hallway. This night’s not going to end well. Reaching the closed door of their suite, Gray pounded hard. When the door swung open, he was hit by loud rap music and a thick cloud of weed. Knox took one look at her boyfriend and turned away in disgust.

  “Hey.” Robert grabbed her, and she jerked out of his hold. “Sorry, sorry.” He raised both hands in surrender. “Why’re you so pissed?”

  “Who are these people, Robert?” She gestured to the crowded living room area.

  “Just some friends.”

  “Robert, my man,” someone called.

  “Come on. I’ll introduce you.” Robert tipped his head toward them.

  “I don’t want to meet your friends.” She gave him a wide-eyed look. “You promised me.”

  “Come on, baby. It’s prom. You’re supposed to party tonight. We’ve got the whole summer to hang out, just you and me.”

  “This isn’t my idea of fun. I’m going home.” She turned to the door and stopped. “God, I can’t believe I left my car at your house.”

  See, that was the thing Gray couldn’t understand. Somehow, she still trusted Robert to take care of her, to get her home safely. She just would not stop believing in the guy who constantly let her down. “I’ll take you.”

  Robert gave him a hard look as he cupped the back of Knox’s neck and drew her in for a kiss. The whole time his mouth moved like a porn star, he kept his eyes on Gray.

  Until she wrenched free of his hold. “Cut it out. I hate when you’re high. I’m out of here.”

  “Wait, wait, wait.” Robert gathered her in his arms. “It’s just a little weed, that’s all. No hard stuff, I promise. You saw. You were in the limo. That’s all I’ve had.”

  “You shouldn’t have had any.”

  “I promise I won’t have anything else all night.”

  “Dude.” Someone shoved a bottle of champagne into Robert’s hands.

  He hoisted it. “Let’s get this party started.”

  As Robert headed into the crowd, Gray jangled his keys. “Let’s go.”

  “Yeah, okay,” Knox said. “Let me just get my bag.”

  The moment she headed into the bedroom, Robert popped something into his mouth and then tipped back the champagne bottle, glugging it.

  Gray had tried everything, including an intervention with an addiction counselor and both their families, but nothing had worked. He hated that his friend had turned into this lost, broken addict, but he’d accepted that he couldn’t help him. Robert needed to figure it out on his own.

  Knox came out of the bedroom and stopped to watch the party.

  She looked so beautiful tonight. In her fancy white gown, covered in lace and feathers, she could’ve been a guest at one of the philanthropic galas his dad sometimes attended. Her long dark hair fell loose and wavy down to the middle of her back, and her bright red lips drew attention to a mouth that kept him tossing and turning most nights.

  But the disappointment—the pain—in her warm hazel eyes gutted him.

  “I’m s
o stupid,” she said. “I actually thought he’d come through for me tonight.”

  “You want him to get better. I get that.”

  “But it’s not going to happen.” She looked up at him with an expression that begged him to tell her what she wanted to hear.

  He’d never lie to his heart. “As long as people keep believing his lies and cleaning up his messes, no, it’s probably not going to happen.”

  “I don’t know if I should leave him with these people.”

  He knew what she was thinking. If she left, Robert might get hurt. Translation: if she let go of him, he might die. Gray understood that fear, but no one had the power to keep Robert from dying. Of course, he’d never tell her what to do because, if Robert did take it a step too far, she’d have to live with the guilt that if she’d stayed she might’ve saved him.

  She watched the crowd grow more energized. “Can we get him out of here? Maybe we could—”

  “Knox. Short of binding his arms and legs with duct tape, I can’t force him to leave. He wants this, you get that right? He had a choice. He could be dancing with you or partying like this. It’s his choice.”