Brody felt the ground slip from under him. He knew one day he’d hear those words come from her mouth, but not this soon. He wasn’t ready. She hadn’t given him time to prepare.
“Brody?” she said, touching his forearm. “Did you hear me? I’m going to Nashville.”
Hearing it a second time didn’t help matters. “Right. I heard you. Nashville.”
“I cannot believe this is happening,” she said, dancing on her tiptoes in elation.
He couldn’t believe it either. The pain of having to say good-bye to her balled up like a stone in his throat. How was he going to survive without her? “H-how soon do you leave?”
“Tomorrow!” she exclaimed. “Oh my gosh, this is all too fast.”
Damn right it is.
He heard the sound of spilling water and realized Psycho’s bucket was overflowing. “Shit.” He swept past her and carried the hose to the next stall. Topping off another bucket, he tried to come to terms with Liv leaving Meeteetse. It mattered little how he felt about it. She was going to go regardless. She needed to go, because scoring a record label, recording music, and touring the country was her lifelong dream.
But he needed her. Fuck.
“Galven?” she asked, circling him until she stood in front of him. “Aren’t you going to say anything? Aren’t you happy for me?”
“Of course, I’m happy for you.” He no more believed his words than she did. He had to get ahold of himself and stop acting so selfish. This was her moment to shine. Her day to rejoice. He’d had his this afternoon with Psycho.
“Brody, seriously. What’s wrong? Why are you not happy for me? This is big shit here! Capitol Records is offering me a record label. Do you understand that? Capitol Records!”
A horse neighed, and Brody broke eye contact with her. He glanced down at the bucket and proceeded to the next stall. Squeezing past her, he shoved the hose between the bars and into another bucket. He closed his eyes and drew a deep breath. Be happy for her! At least fake it, for shit’s sake!
Liv marched up in front of him and planted her hands on her hips. “Seriously? This is how you react to my getting a once-in-a-lifetime deal?”
“I’m sorry. I’m a little overwhelmed right now. What do you want me to say?”
“Oh, I don’t know, how about ‘Liv, that’s awesome!’ Or how about ‘Wow, you did it! Your hard work paid off! Knock the socks off Nashville, babe!’ Anything! But no. You stand there and fill water buckets.”
“The horses need water. It’s important.”
“More important than wishing me good luck? More important than rooting me on before I venture to some strange state to chase a dream at which I’m scared to death I’ll fail? More important than saying good-bye to your best friend?” Liv’s eyes welled, and a tear trailed down her cheek. As quick as it fell, she wiped it away. “I thought out of everyone in this town, you’d be the happiest for me. That you’d be the most supportive. That you’d be my…biggest fan. I guess I was wrong.”
Brody’s heart tore in two when he heard her voice crack. And he nearly died the minute she turned to walk away. He couldn’t let her walk out believing he didn’t care.
“Liv, wait!” he shouted, running to turn off the water. He caught up with her and stopped her short of exiting the barn. He grabbed her arms and stared into her red, tear-filled eyes. “I do care. I care…a lot about you.”
She wiped her tears again, this time with aggravation. “Really?” She bounced her body on one hip. “You have a strange way of showing it.”
He squeezed his eyes shut, at a loss for how to make her understand. “I know, I know. I’m not very good at this. It’s just complicated. It’s hard, Liv.”
“Then let me make it easy for you, Galven.” She pushed out of his grip and shot him a cold look that pierced his chest. “Good-bye.”
Liv bypassed him again, and he panicked. “Liv, come back. Please, come back. Don’t leave. Liv…Liv…Liv!”
She was almost to her car, and it happened. “Goddammit, Olivia Langston, I love you!”
She stopped. Her hand froze on the door handle. From where he stood, he could see her trembling. Was that anger? Was that shock? Was that stupid of him to say, on the night before she was leaving for Nashville? Probably.
He knew he should say something else. Something to get her to turn around and look at him, but he didn’t have the confidence to do so. He feared if he said the wrong thing, she’d flip him the bird, hop in her car, and throw gravel speeding away.
He took off his hat with one hand and ran his other through his hair. Holding his Stetson over his heart, he gathered his bravado and drew in a breath. “Liv,” he said, his voice straining from the dryness in his throat. “I love you. I have always loved you.”
Still, she didn’t move.
He clenched his fists and opened his heart a little more. “I know that hearing me say that may seem really strange, coming from your best friend. But I can’t let you leave thinking I’ll be fine once you’re gone.”
Nothing.
It killed him that she was but ten feet away and he couldn’t see her face. He shuffled his feet, impatience setting in. “Liv, I can’t take this anymore. Either turn around and face me, or get in your car and leave. But realize this. If you leave, no one will ever love you like I do. No one.”
Slowly, Liv turned around. Her face was wet with tears as if she’d cried a river. He’d never seen her this upset. Without so much as a word, she walked toward him. Step by step, he stared at her, having no idea what to expect. Aside from seeing the pain written on her face, he didn’t know if she was angry or saddened. With women, he heard it could go either way.
The closer she got to him, the faster she walked. From out of the tears burst a smile so beautiful, he almost thought he imagined it. At arm’s length, she leapt into his, blessing him with a kiss hot enough to set the barn on fire.
Brody held her tight, relishing this moment as if it were his last hour on earth. She smelled of strawberries and tasted like cinnamon and salt. Her tears mixed with whatever gum she chewed on the way there made this kiss all the more memorable, because this would be a day he’d never forget.
Her hands came up to his face, and she pulled away, staring into his eyes. “Please tell me I’m not dreaming.”
Brody touched his forehead to hers. “You’re not, Liv. You’re not.”
“Then prove it.” Liv cradled his jaw, and her eyes bore into his. “Prove it to me, Brody Galven.”