“You didn’t think you could trust me.”
My heart aches at her words. “No, it wasn’t that.” I shake my head slowly. “I don’t tell anyone.”
“Why?” Her tone is gentle, and it feels like she’s peering straight into my soul. It makes me want to tell her more.
“It wasn’t a good time in my life,” I hear myself admit. “It was my dad’s idea, so I should have known better. But I was always into music, and I love dancing.” She grins and I flash her a quick smile back. “But it wasn’t what I thought.” I shake my head. “The only thing anybody cared about was the money, and there was nothing but greed and backstabbing behind the scenes. I couldn’t trust anyone except for Garrett. He was the only one like me. The only one who cared about what we were creating.”
“Wait. Was Garrett—” Her eyes grow big. “Holy shit. I didn’t even recognize him. How did I not put that together, between the two of you?”
I snort. “Well, we both look a little different now.”
“That’s fair.” She laughs, but then her eyes grow serious. “I understand, though. I know what you’re talking about. But I had my mom looking out for me.” Her hand touches along my jaw. “My art is mine, and that’s only because she fought tooth and nail to make sure it got set up that way.”
“You were lucky to have her.”
“I know.” She runs her fingers down my chest, and my skin tingles in their wake. “I’m sorry you didn’t have someone looking out for you.”
The empathy in her eyes catches me off guard. My chest feels tight with emotion.
Back when I was still performing, I used to tell my friends how miserable I was. That I didn’t know who I could trust and who was just using me. They’d laugh it off and tell me I was spoiled. That I was fortunate to be famous. That everyone wanted what I had.
Except me.
But Harper’s seen it with her own eyes. She knows what it’s like.
“Thanks,” I whisper, but my voice comes out a little shaky. “I should have told you.”
She elbows me gently, her smile teasing. “You said youworked in the music business”—she makes her voice go low to mimic mine—“then you let me believe it was as a security guard.”
I snort. “Not my proudest moment.”
She nods, a slow smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. “I had a feeling though. You understand me in a way other people don’t, but I didn’t know why.”
My throat tightens at the realization. She’s been going through so much, and I know exactly what it’s like—I’ve been there. I could have been a support for her. Instead, I let her think she was alone in it.
“I’m so sorry, Harper.”
She interlaces her fingers with mine. “Promise you’ll never lie to me again?” She makes it sound like we have a future together—more than one day—and I don’t mind going along with that for a little while. Imagining how things would be if we didn’t live in separate worlds.
“I promise I’ll never lie to you,” I whisper, and I mean it.
She curls her finger in the air. “Come here.”
I roll to move over her, taking her cheek in my hand and kissing her full lips, but when I move back, her eyes drop to my shoulder. She reaches to touch my scar gently.
One more thing I don’t like to talk about. But I don’t want to keep secrets from her anymore. She’s open and honest with me, and she deserves the same in return.
“It was an IED—a bomb. I was hit by shrapnel.”
“Ohh, no.” Her eyes soften as she trails her fingers along the ragged edges, and though I know she’s doing it, the sensation is numbed where the scars run deep. “You were in the military?” Her voice is quiet.
“Marines.” I tap my shoulder. “This one ended my service. Three surgeries and two years in rehab.”
Her brows draw together. “It was serious.”
I tip my head. “I was proud to serve, and I was one of the lucky ones. I got to come home. Hug my little sister. Some of my men didn’t.”
“Oh, Chase.” Her eyes are misty, and I realize mine are too. It’s not easy to talk about my service, but it feels good to let her in.
