“So stay
Even when it’s hard
Even when we’re apart
Stay
Because loving you is the easiest thing I’ve ever done
And losing you would break me.”
The album played through. Twelve songs, each one a piece of our story… the night we met, our first kiss, the morning afters, the distance, the doubt, and the desperate hope that we could make it work.
By the time it ended, I knew.
I knew I loved him. Knew I wanted this, wanted us, even with all the complications and distance and fear.
But I also knew I couldn’t keep doing this half-relationship, the scraps of attention, the constant feeling of being second to his career.
I needed all of him or none of him.
And in three days, I’d have to tell him that.
Chapter 9
Eli drove me to Cole’s hotel. He’d texted that he was back and asked me to come over.
“You sure about this?”
“No. But I’m doing it anyway.”
“That’s my girl. Call me after. Whether it’s celebration drinks or ‘I’m dying alone with seventeen cats’ drinks, I’ll be there.”
“I would never. I hate litter boxes.”
“The rescue has seventeen cats.”
“Those don’t count. They’re work cats.”
He laughed, squeezed my hand. “Go get your man, or break his heart. Either way, be honest.”
I walked into the hotel, my heart hammering. Found Cole’s room number. Raised my hand to knock.
“Autumn.”
I turned. Decker stood in the hallway, hands in his pockets, looking uncomfortable.
“Hey.” I lowered my hand. “How are you?”
He shifted his weight. “I should be asking you that. Cole said you guys have been… struggling.”
“That’s one word for it.”
“Look, I don’t know what he’s going to say in there. It’s between you two. But I need you to know something.” He ran a hand through his hair. “He’s been miserable. And yeah, part of that is missing you. But the other part? The label is sucking the joy out of everything. The constant touring, the promotional grind is not why we got into music.”
My throat tightened.
“Whatever he decides, know it’s not just about you. It’s about him trying to remember why he loved this.” Decker squeezed my shoulder. “That’s all. Go talk to him.”
