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Me and you.
And when I thought it couldn’t get worse,
You showed me just how much those broken promises hurt.”
I keep my eyes closed as the last chords fade away and then the club erupts in applause. I feel a tear slip down my cheek as I realize I just bared my soul to a room full of perfect strangers. I took my pain and made something beautiful with it. And it would seem these people loved it. I place a hand on my chest and smile. “Thank you!”
It’s all I can manage before I step back from the microphone and take off the guitar. I glance back out at the crowd again and see Briella swiping under her eyes and clapping as she beams at me.
I scan the crowd again, and for a second, I think I see Hawk in the sea of people. I blink and he’s gone. My mind must have conjured him up. I descend the stage steps off to the side and the man from the table hands me a card. “I’m Matteo. My family owns this club and we’re always searching for new talent to add to our music label. You deliver the same kind of performance again; I’d like to introduce you to the rest of my family and see what we can do to make your dreams come true.”
I take the card from him, too stunned to reply. He leans in closer and says, “And so you know, whoever you wrote your song about is a fool to lose you. I’d happily try to convince you we don’t all break our promises.”
“Oh, um…” I still can’t manage words as he stares at me with dark brown eyes.
“You have my card. Where can I find you?” he asks while flashing me a sexy grin.
“I’m from Greendale Valley, a couple hours south of here. I work at High Road Bar.” It’s all I can manage.
He tips his chin up slightly and his eyes seem to sparkle. “I’ll be seeing you around, then. I know the town, and I’d happily stop by to see you.” He lifts my hand to his lips and presses a kiss to it before stepping back to talk to another participant for open mic night.
A different kind of fire is racing through my veins. Maybe I did open the door to my dreams.
Three months later… End of Summer
I’ve kept my distance. I haven’t spoken to Brittney since the night I stopped her on the ranch. I followed them to Nashville that night, and to my surprise, she hasn’t been back since. It’s probably only because Briella and Brittney have both been helping Ivie plan her wedding to Sterling.
I was also a nervous wreck when I followed them into Fantasia. Of all the bars and clubs for them to stop in, it was the one I was hoping they didn’t. I may have no warm and fuzzy feelings for Brittney, but I sure don’t want her to get hurt or get into something she can’t get out of. And I don’t want her casting a light on Greendale Valley from anyone connected to Fantasia. I’ve fought too hard to keep them away from here and from my family. I’ll be damned if I let Brittney’s foolishness screw that up.
I shake my head as I walk toward my black pickup truck. It’s been a long day at Valley B. The wedding planners have been here to set up where Sterling and Ivie’s wedding will take place in a matter of weeks. We’ve all pitched in to help and get everything ready for their day.
I want nothing to do with marriage or commitment of any kind after seeing what it did to my mother. She’s destined to love a man who hurt her and can’t love her back. Yes, she has me and my sister because of it. But was it worth all the pain and heartache? I’m sure as a mother she’d say yes. But as a woman? A woman with needs and who wants to be loved? I’m not so sure what her answer would be.
Then there’s the song Brittney sang that night. She announced it was hers. Her voice was as mesmerizing as it ever was, but the lyrics are what stuck in my head. It was about me…about us.Obviously, she didn’t know I’d be in the audience to hear it, and after I was sure they had gotten back to their hotel safely, I left. I stayed in the shadows to make sure they didn’t need help.
I know I should forget the damn words, but part of me is bothered by her painting me as the man who broke my promises when she’s the one who broke hers. I want to confront her. But it’s pointless. There’s nothing left to argue, and nothing left to say.
I climb in my truck and make my way toward home. Darkness has fallen. It’s Friday night, so I drive by High Road Bar, contemplating grabbing a drink and a bite to eat. I’ve been sure to check the parking lot for Brittney’s SUV to avoid having to see her. But tonight, I decide I don’t care. She isn’t going to dictate my comings and goings any longer.
I pull in the lot to find her car parked on the side. As I put it in park, I notice a sleek, black SUV that makes my heart plummet to my stomach. The license plate is tinted and dread crawls from where my heart dropped and up into my chest.
I make my way inside. The bar is full of patrons, so much so, I’m able to slide in the back unnoticed. I quickly scan the bar and I immediately find Brittney. She’s wearing a red T-shirt with her black apron tied around her waist. She has her ink pen tucked above her ear and her blonde hair is twisted into a messy bun. She’s laughing with a man who is out of place in this setting, sitting before her.
Matteo Leone.Damn him.He tracked her here. But is it because of her or me? If he investigated my history here enough, Brittney would show up as someone I used to be friends with. It wouldn’t be hard to find for someone like him or any of the Leones. This was why I followed them to Nashville that night—I was hoping to keep her from crossing paths with anyone from the Leone family, but I failed.
After her song, I saw her talk to Matteo. I also saw how he stared at her…like he wanted her.His lips touched her hand. Jealousy reared its ugly head that night, like it is right now. In all the time I’ve spent trying to avoid her since the night we first came face to face again, thoughts of her have clawed their way from the depths of my hardened heart to the forefront of my stubborn mind.
No matter how much her betrayal stung me, I still react to her. I’m naturally drawn her way and I hate it. I hateher.But I still don’t want her hurt. And that’s exactly what will happen if she gets involved with him romantically or otherwise.
Instead of going to the bar to sit, I pull out a chair at a high-top table. I don’t want to have an encounter with him, not yet. If he sees me, I’ll deal with it, but I’m not offering up my presence. Gabby, the other waitress who works when Brittney does, places a drink napkin in front of me. “What can I get you?” She flutters her long dark lashes at me.
“I’ll take whatever light beer you have on draft.”
“Coming right up,” she says, and then winks at me as she leaves my table.
Once she returns with my drink, I take her in. She’s much younger than me and not shy about flirting. She’s saying something, but I interrupt her. “Can you send Brittney over here when she’s free?”
She tosses a glance over her shoulder to where Brittney is still chatting up Matteo. Gabby seems irritated by my request but agrees.
