“You ever had a friend who saw you through every miserable thing you ever been through? High school, maybe?”
Gunnar shrugged, trying to remember the names of some of his high school buddies. “Sure, I guess.”
“You felt you owed them, ’cause they were always there for you, always had your back, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Then life happened. Maybe one of you got married, got a job out of town, had kids…” He shrugged. “Shit happens. You drift apart. That doesn’t make your friendship any less real. You may have had some great years with that person, made great memories. But the friendship had its day. It ran its course. You don’t have anything in common anymore. If you tried to get together for a beer now, it would just be awkward ’cause you’re not the same person you were back then and neither are they.”
“Makes sense.” A lot of sense. “So, you’re saying maybe my band and I have outgrown each other?”
“I can’t say that, only you can. Only you know if your friendships could survive if you didn’t have the music.”
Sadly, Gunnar didn’t think they could. Music had always been the glue that kept them together. Aside from that connection, they were very different. “I don’t know, man.” He set his beer down and scraped his hands over his face. “It’s hard to think about leaving a huge part of your life behind and it not leaving a massive void.”
“I’m sure it would, but it’s not like you couldn’t fill it with other things. New music. New friends. A new label. Life does go on, Gunnar. No matter where you are or what you’re doing, life goes on.”
“How’d you get so smart?” Gunnar asked with a half-smile.
“I don’t know that I’m all that smart,” Levi said, chuckling.
“But you seem to have it all figured out, what makes you happy. You know most people go through life without ever piecing that puzzle together.” He knew from experience people tried everything for the short-lived rush of euphoria: drugs, alcohol, shopping, concerts, ball games. Anything to distract them from their problems for a while.
“I can’t say I had some big epiphany one day,” Levi said. “I’ve always known. The simple life in the woods, doing what I love.” He smiled at Ivy, who was passed out on the hearth. “With a little canine company, that’s enough for me.”
“You ever think about getting married? Having kids?” Gunnar could say with certainty meeting Gianna and having kids with her was the best thing that ever happened to him. He’d trade every one of his Grammys for a future with them.
“Did my mama put you up to asking me that?” He laughed when Gunnar smiled and shook his head. “I’m one of those weird ones who actually likes my own company. I actually love bein’ alone, doin’ my own thing. My brothers tell me I’m too set in my ways and maybe they’re right. I don’t know.”
“Nothing wrong with knowing what makes you happy and doing it.” He admired Levi for that. He hadn’t let outside pressure influence his decision to live life on his terms.
“I couldn’t have it any other way. And I know that probably makes me sound selfish. But I don’t know too many women who’d want to live out here in the backwoods with a guy underfoot all the time.”
“You don’t know that. I’m sure there’s lots of women around here who like the quiet life.” As far as Gunnar could tell, they all did, or they wouldn’t have chosen to live in Vista Falls. “Maybe you just haven’t met the right one yet.”
“And I probably never will,” he said with a half-smile. “Since I ain’t lookin’. I see the lives my siblings live, even a few of my buddies. Domestic bliss, I guess you could call it. But it doesn’t look that way to me. I don’t know, being dependent on someone else, your life linked with theirs in such a way you can’t make a move without checking with them first. I don’t know. Call me crazy, but that doesn’t feel natural to me.”
“Not all relationships are like that.” Gianna had given him more freedom than he probably deserved, given that they were in a committed relationship. She’d never once asked if he’d been with other women, not that he had. She’d always been more than enough for him.
“If you say so.” He didn’t look convinced as he reached for his beer. “Hey, my buddy Rush owns an inn in town. They have live entertainment. You should come out tonight. Sing a few songs for us. The locals would lose their shit.”
Gunnar laughed. “I’d like that, but I’ve got plans tonight. Give me a call the next time you go and I’m in.” He’d cut his teeth playing bars and restaurants. It would be nice to get back to his roots for a night.
“Will do.” Levi raised an eyebrow. “You say you got plans? They wouldn’t happen to include a beautiful brunette now, would they?”
“The kids are sleeping over at friends tonight, so Gi and I have the whole place to ourselves.”
“Sweet. Then you guys are back together?”
“Let’s just say we’re working on it.” At least he was. He’d never worked on anything harder. Every minute of every day he was distracted with thoughts of her and how he could make up for the mess he’d made of their lives.
