You have choices, Julie Bean. You always have choices.
Fine. I hadn’t thought I had choices. Not until Griffin showed up. Once he had, I’d chosen him. And I would keep choosing him every day, God willing.
“I think this was exactly the thing James needed right now,” Griffin said excitedly.
My hands were shaking, and my stomach was knotted so hard it hurt, but I couldn’t hold back a smile. “I think so too. I’m so glad you thought of it.”
“Hurry,” he said. “Love you.”
“Love you too.”
Once he’d walked away, I turned back to face Liam. “Let’s get one thing straight,” I said. “I’m not who I once was.” He went still at what was, effectively, a confession. “I am now Griffin’s wife. And believe it or not, regardless of how close you two used to be, or how long you’ve known each other?—”
He scoffed. “You mean our whole lives?”
I closed the distance between us and snapped my fingers in his face. “We don’t have time for this.” My voice shook with anger. Or fear. Okay, both. “Regardless of any of that,I love him,” I power-whispered. “Like the kind of love that makes you willing to lay down your life for another person. I never thought I’d have that kind of love, and now I do.” His eyes widened in shock. “And I won’t let you mess that up. So before your imagination outruns your intelligence—” I flicked him in the forehead, “—remember this: the only way you could know what you think you know is if you’d been somewhere you had no business being, doing things you shouldn’t have been doing. Things that would stain the Dupree name beyond repair—and very likely end your NFL career. The truth wouldn’t ruin me alone. It would take you down with me. Are you prepared for that?”
Liam’s face slackened, a silent admission that no, he wasn’t.
Well, good. My work here was done.
“Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to get back to my husband before someone discovers us in here alone together.” I whirled on my heel.
As I was about to yank the door open, Liam said, “Griffin is a good guy, you know.”
I stopped, hand on the doorframe. “I know. Trust me.”
“You’re not living that lifestyle anymore?” Liam asked. “Because it’s not fair to Griffin if you are.”
I turned back to look at him. “No. And I won’t. I left it behind the minute I met him.”
He watched me like he still wasn’t quite convinced. “So you told DayGlow that you don’t want to do that anymore?” Disbelief threaded through every word. “And they were cool with it?” He clearly knew enough about DayGlow to understand they didn’t let people walk.
We were well over the thirty seconds I’d promised Griffin. “No, they’re not cool with it. But I don’t care. I’m not going back. Ever.”
Then I pulled the door open and peeked out to make sure it was clear.
“Five!” everyone yelled. I jogged into the hall. “Four! Three! Two!”
I made it around the corner just in time to watch James drag the clippers through the side of Ford’s famous curls. Sixty seconds later, it was done. Ford Dupree, America’s reigning country heartthrob, now looked like the lovechild of a punk rock band, a Chia Pet, and a Pride parade. But more importantly, even with the ever-present tears in his eyes, James was smiling.
Griffin grinned, so proud of himself for coming up with the idea. I blew him a kiss and pressed a hand to my heart.
When I felt Liam watching, I glanced over. For the first time since I’d met him, his expression wasn’t wary or hard. He didn’t smile, but he nodded—once, slowly.
“James, no,” Sophie cried.
James’s brow was furrowed, jaw set, hands pressing into the armrests, trying to stand.
Griffin stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.
Bowen held him on the other side. “What do you need, dude? We’ll get it for you.”
James’s legs wobbled, and he flopped back in the chair. “I’m fre-eaking useless.”
“You’re not useless,” Lemon said. “You just need to heal.” She knelt in front of him.
Silas followed suit.
