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I could confront my sister, and I probably should, but she’d lie. Then there’s the fact I recently signed Fantasia’s contract with Matteo and his sister, Angelica. I shake my head as I struggle with what to say.
“I want to forgive you, but so much has happened. So much time has passed. I don’t know…” I trail off.
He tilts my chin up with his finger and thumb. “Tell me what I have to do.”
Maybe if I confront Mandy with Hawk, she’ll admit what she did. “I need you with me to tell my sister I know the truth.”
His forehead creases. “You don’t believe me. You need the word of the same person who lied to you and me both to prove my innocence.”
He backs away and his shoulders slump. It’s my turn to move closer. “If I’m going to forget the past, I need to face all of it. Not just parts of it. I do believe you. I do forgive you, but I need this before I can put it behind me. I need to hear my sister tell me why she sabotaged us. And you have to know, I didn’t tell her you tried to force me into anything,” I say desperately as he stares at me.
“Trust doesn’t come easy when you’re from a family of lies,” I tell him.
He nods. “I understand. My family…there’s things about me you don’t know. So, I get it. I’ll face this with you. But promise me one thing.”
“Anything,” I say quickly. Almost too quickly.
“Promise me you’ll let me fight for another chance with you,” he says with more vulnerability than I could’ve imagined.
I’m taken aback. I didn’t expect those words to come out of his mouth. But he’s sincere. I can see it in his eyes and hear it in his voice. His eyes are wide and expectant as he waits for me to answer.
“I promise, yes,” I say with a smile.
He pulls me to him, and his lips meet mine gently. As elated as I feel at the prospect of giving us another chance, a real one this time with no lies, a sense of dread settles in my gut as I remember I’m not being totally honest about Matteo and what I’ve done. It’s only a music contract, but Hawk is hell-bent on me having nothing to do with him. We’re getting everything out in the open and I know if this has a chance, I’ll have to own up to this too, or else there won’t be anything left to fight for.
“Come home with me,” I say, praying she’ll say yes.
“I’m not sure that’s such a good idea. I want to give us a chance, but I’m afraid to jump in headfirst,” she says as her watery gaze holds mine in the glow of the parking lot lights.
This woman. This beautiful woman I once thought held every piece of me in her hands wants to give us another chance after all the years of pain and mistrust between us. I’m not sure I deserve it, but I crave it more than my next breath. I smile and recite the words she once said to me when we were on the cusp of our relationship before. “If you fall, I’ll catch you.”
Her eyes widen in surprise and then pink colors her cheeks. She bites her lip and flicks her gaze between my eyes and mouth. “Okay.”
“Okay?” I ask, trying to keep too much excitement out of my tone.
She nods. “Yes. Lead the way, Hawk. I’m right behind you.”
I claim her lips again before moving up and kissing her forehead. I wait while she gets in her car before heading to my truck. As much as I want to live in this feeling of happiness with Brittney, uneasiness trumps it when the same black SUV from before drives by slowly. Matteo, or one of the Leones is here watching. And I’ll find out why. More than ever, I need to keep Brittney close, so she doesn’t get tangled in the mess I left behind.
But they can wait. It’s time to put Brittney first and reconnect with the woman I always knew had a grip on my heart from the first time I laid eyes on her when we were kids.
When we walk into my house, she takes in each inch of the little space I call home. She puts her stuff on the table as I walk to the fridge and pull out two bottles of water. I hand one over to her.
“Thanks. How long have you lived here?” she asks.
“I’ve been here pretty much since I got back from Nashville. I know it’s not much, but it’s all I need. My own little slice of heaven,” I tell her.
“I like it. It feels like home.” She pauses and blushes.
“I mean—” I cut her off by chuckling lightly.
“I know what you mean. It feels lived in and like it has character. It’s been well-loved. It’s simple and warm.” In my head, I want to say anywhere you are feels like home, but I decide to hold off…for now.
“We’re doing this, aren’t we?” she asks with a kind smile tickling her lips.
I move closer. “We are,dolcezza.I feel like I’ve been waiting for you for a long time now. Do you trust me?”
Her pupils dilate as she takes me in. “Is this a trick question?”
