at him, even though every cell in my body was screaming for me to. My brain even tried to convince me that I could feel him staring at me. But it had also tried to convince me that he actually loved me and one day he’d finally give into it and tell me. Basically, my brain was a big, fat liar. So, I kept my chin up, eyes straight ahead, and didn’t even glance in his direction.
As I stepped out into the fresh, crisp night air I could feel emotions welling in my eyes again. Seeing Holden, after all this time of being worried about him and right on the heels of watching a film that talked about true love, had caused my emotions to go haywire. I was sad, happy, worried, relieved, surprised, and upset all at once.
I tilted my head and looked up, trying to focus on the blanket of stars sprinkled against the velvety backdrop of the dark night sky. I’d just blinked back my tears when I saw one of those stars shooting across the black expanse.
Any other night I would have wished on it, praying that Holden and I would end up together, but not tonight. Tonight, I wished that I would be happy and find the love of my life. Whoever that might be.
Chapter 5
Holden
“Life always offers ya a second chance, it’s called tomorrow.”
~ Maggie Calhoun
I sat in my truck outside of Bentley’s condo, contemplating whether or not I was about to make a huge mistake. I was leaning toward yes, yes I was making a big mistake. The smartest thing to do would be to thank my friend for the offer and then drive to my parents’ house. Or the Come On Inn, the only motel in town, and get a room. That would be the smart thing to do.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t do that. Not after what I’d seen and heard tonight.
An image that was now seared into my brain popped back up in my head.
Tonight, I’d witnessed Olivia get into the car of a guy I didn’t recognize.
I’d noticed her walking out of the event, and without thinking about it, I’d excused myself and followed her outside. I wasn’t even sure what I’d planned on saying to her. “Hi. Sorry I haven’t spoken to you in almost twenty years. Oh, and by the way, I’m moving next door to you…” or something less lame.
But my lack of any sort of charm or game didn’t matter since I didn’t get the chance. I came out just in time to see her climbing into the passenger seat of a white Range Rover, one that I didn’t recognize as belonging to anyone in town.
When I’d gone back inside, I’d mentioned it to Bentley, and he’d explained that Olivia had been dating. A lot. He also said that she was meeting these guys online. He said that he’d been worried about her and that it would actually make him feel a lot better if I were next door, just so I could keep an eye on things, and would be close if she needed anything.
Logically, I knew that she was a grown woman who didn’t need protection. Academically, I knew that she didn’t need me moving next door to her to keep her safe. But my brain wasn’t the one calling the shots right now.
My career had been built on my gut instinct. When I was on the back of a bull there was no time to think. I had to trust myself. It was something that I had always done and always regretted when I didn’t.
For example, the ride that cost me my career would never have happened if I’d trusted my gut. I’d pulled a muscle in my shoulder earlier in the week and even though I’d been cleared to return to “normal activity,” I’d known that it was too soon to get on the back of a two-thousand-pound beast. Especially Punisher. His wrecks were legendary. But I’d allowed the promise of another win and the threat of a chink in my reputation of never missing an event to cloud my judgment.
Up until the last second, before the gate opened, my gut had been telling me to stop. I had ignored it and given the nod to open the chute. Two painful surgeries, countless hours of PT, and a career down the drain later, I was paying the price for it.
The problem with this situation was that my gut was telling me this was