The weight of the guitar is familiar as I lift it from the stand and settle back into my chair, with my eyes on the Montana mountains beyond the buildings and my mind on Grayson.
The chords are unfamiliar as I strum, but my fingers know what to do even if the strings bite at the tips. It’s a welcome and familiar ache, one I’ve been craving for so long.
I start by humming along, letting the music guide me. It’s been forever since I made an original song, and I’m almost hesitant to sink into it. What if I do and it goes away? The idea doesn’t bear thinking about, and so I refocus my attention on the melody.
My voice is soft, and I don’t miss the slight tremble as I sing, but when I think of Grayson and the way my body feels when his eyes are on me, it calms my nerves.
I thought I needed neon lights, that you’d follow me into the dream. But I left, and you stayed behind, but things weren’t quite what they seemed.
Every stage felt a little too quiet, every note felt a little too thin. ’Cause every melody I wrote still carried your name.
Silence surrounds me when I stop. I can’t help but feel like I’ve found the part of myself I’d been missing for months. It’s like it was waiting for me to return home, to find Grayson, before I could touch it again.
I reach for the notepad and pencil that I’ve been keeping on the small coffee table for this exact moment. My hand moves across the page quickly as I jot down the lyrics, like I might lose them if I go too slow.
I’m caught up in the songwriting when a knock sounds at my front door. It’s going to be one of two people: Mama or Autumn. Crossing the room, I pull the door open, a ready smile on my face.
Gracie stands on the threshold, two iced drinks in her hand, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. “Autumn said you were up here. I hope you don’t mind that I’ve dropped by.”
I ease back, holding the door open further. “Of course I don’t mind. I was just about to make some lunch. You wanna join me?”
Her features soften, and she hands me a cup as she walks in. “Yes. I’m starving and could eat a horse.”
I lead the way to the kitchen as I sip my drink. Yum. A raspberry iced lemonade, my favorite. “Don’t tell your brothers that.” I chuckle, and Gracie joins in before I add, “Not that I’m not thrilled to have you here, but what brings you by?”
Gracie shifts from one foot to the other, her gaze dropping to the floor before she lifts it to me. “Can I be honest?”
I lean my hip against the counter, a sudden wave of uncertainty rushing through me.
She inhales deeply, her chest visibly expanding before she exhales and blurts, “I came to warn you.”
My brows tug together as confusion clouds my mind. “Warn me?”
“Yeah.” She pulls on the hem of her tank top nervously. “I don’t think he’ll be okay if you hurt him again, Ave. And as much as I love you, he’s my brother, so I’ll do whatever it takes to protect him.”
My shoulders drop, the tightness in my jaw dissipating as my lips twitch. “I get that, but you honestly have nothing to worry about. I know I hurt Gray before, but it broke my heart that he didn’t even consider coming with me. I wouldn’t intentionally hurt him. Ever. Besides, Grayson was the one who suggested this, not me.”
She doesn’t say anything for a moment before she nods. “In that case, I heard you’re going out with Gray tomorrow, and I wanted to help you get ready because I really want this date to be perfect. It might be fun to pick an outfit and decide how to do your hair. Ya know, like we used to.
“You guys were like a movie, so in sync and perfect for each other. We were all jealous of what you had and how happy you both were.” A tinge of red works its way up her throat and into her cheeks. “Oh God, look at me getting all sappy.” She shakes her head and turns, heading for the door. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have overstepped?—”
The memory hits me fast: Gracie convincing Georgia to drop her off at my parents’ house the day of my first official date with Gray. My room was littered with items of clothing that had been rejected, and I was in despair, but she sat cross-legged in the middle of it all on my bed and said we weren’t leaving until I looked like I could break hearts.
“Gracie.” My voice is firm and sure when I cut off her nervous rambling. “I’d love nothing more than for you to help me.”
She whips around, a giant grin on her face that lights up her features. “You mean it?”
I chuckle, because she’s looking at me like I just told her we’re going on vacation to Disneyland, and if that doesn’t warm even the coldest of hearts, I’m not sure what will. “Yeah.” I nod. “But can we at least eat lunch before we start rummaging through my wardrobe?”
Gracie nods exaggeratedly, her ponytail bouncing behind her. “Oh boy, please, because I wasn’t lying when I said I was starving.”
We head back to the kitchen, the song I was writing hovering somewhere on the periphery of my mind, and my date with Grayson firmly at the forefront.
For the first time in far too long, I’m starting to feel like myself. I can’t help but think that being back in Coldwater and a certain six-foot-three cowboy being in town too might have a lot to do with that.
22
AVERY
