Breaking South (Turner Artist Rocker #3) - Alyson Santos Page 0,75

For once in my life, I want to be part of something real.

“I also want you to know how much you’ve changed my life. You inspire me. You met a girl who was drowning and showed her the shore. Well, I’m ready to swim for it. I am. You helped me find the woman in the mirror and now that I’ve met her, I think I’m going to love her. Genevieve Fox fell last night, but it’s going to be Viv Hastings who gets back up. I’m going to fight for her because she’s worth the pain. I’m worth the pain. No matter what they say, you and I will always know the truth. That my journey couldn’t begin until Genevieve’s ended. So watch for me, Oliver. Promise me. Viv Hasting’s first song is yours.”

Silence.

“Oliver?”

My stomach drops when I look down at my phone. The call was ended? Just a second ago, which means he heard my speech. Which means… Sadness wells in my chest, a deep longing for something lost, but strangely, the panic is gone. As soon as I said those words, a heaviness lifted that has been pressing on my shoulders for as long as I can remember. Yes, that’s it. I feel light. Free. I feel hope and anticipation for what’s to come. After a lifetime of dreading tomorrow, I can’t wait to see what it brings. Oliver may have guided me to the girl in the mirror, but it was me we found. I was always there, I just needed a spark to see her. I’m sad he won’t be taking this journey with me, but it changes nothing. Even if I have to go it alone, at least I know it’s finally mine.

Genevieve Fox fell from the mountain, but it will be Viv Hastings who climbs back up.

I hear Hadley return with our snacks and wave toward the small table by the bed. “You can just put it there. I want to finish reading this.”

It’s the best of all the articles so far in that the writer at least tried to stick to the facts. I don’t like calling them “reporters” because they rarely report anything when it comes to me. They speculate. They make up narratives that would rival fiction authors. They peddle entertainment, so writers seems more accurate. “I really wish they hadn’t released which hospital I went to, though,” I mutter. “Seems irresponsible.”

“Then how would I have found you?”

I freeze. My fist clenches around Hadley’s phone as my gaze shoots to the door. It can’t be. No. Because… No. “Oliver?” His name comes out as a whisper, weird because it’s an entire symphony in my soul.

He smiles, those warm brown eyes filling with everything I love about him, and now, everything I love about myself. Gosh, he saw me when I didn’t. Fell for a woman I didn’t even know. “I’ve been in the parking lot for about a half hour. I wasn’t sure if I should come in. I figured you’d refuse to see me, but I couldn’t stand not being close to you. When you called just now…”

I reach toward him, my fingers tingling with the need to touch him.

It only takes a few steps of his long stride to get to me. I bury my face in his chest, clinging to him as if he’ll disappear. I know I could live without him, but I don’t want to. Ever. I want this moment whenever I need it. Whenever I want it. I pull harder, pressing my ear against his beautiful heart.

“I love you too, Genevieve,” he says, tucking his hand into my hair to hold me in place. As if I’d voluntarily withdraw anyway.

“It’s Viv now,” I whisper. He must hear me when he rests his lips on my head. I feel his breath, envision my skin soaking it in.

“Viv. I love that.”

“You can thank Sandy’s son Jaden for the idea.”

His chest rumbles with a chuckle, and suddenly this isn’t enough. I’m not close enough to his gorgeous soul. I slip my hands under his shirt to feel his warm skin. Better, but still not satisfying.

“I can’t believe you came. Even with everything you thought I did to you.”

“I knew it wasn’t you. I knew something else was going on. In fact, so did Sandy.”

I pull back in surprise, just enough to glance up at him. His smile is seriously the most beautiful thing on this planet. The kind of thing Viv Hastings could write a song about…