Ballad of Love (Utah Lovin’ Book 1)

11. Madison

It has been one whole week since I saw Braydon for the first time in six years. I am almost positive that I have run more in the past week than I have in my entire life combined. I have been dreading going into town for anything other than work, because I am scared of bumping into Braydon. I know that I hurt him, and I know that I could have done things a little better. Honestly, I have no right to expect anything from him. It is selfish of me to think that he would actually want to sit down and have coffee with me. What did I expect us to do? Sit down and talk about how I crushed his heart and all his dreams.

Layla rubs up against my legs, just as I am pulling on my running shoes. This will be my second run today. My body hates me, but running gets me out of my head. It also helps to get my mind off of the man who has been haunting my dreams for the past week. I reach down, and scratch Layla behind the ears. My phones, just as I am trying to pull my long brown hair into a messy bun.

“It”s probably work.” I mutter to Layla.

It is a Saturday, but it”s not uncommon for Kevin, my boss, to call me on the weekends. Glancing down at my phone, I feel my heart rate speed up when I see bradyon”s name light up my screen. I chastise myself when I notice my hands are shaking.

Bray: coffee. Tonight. Seven o”clock. Saw’s.

Wow. I didn”t think he would actually accept my offer. There has been complete radio silence from him since I asked him to go get coffee.

Me: how do you know I don”t already have plans?

Bray: You don”t. Adalynn told me you have been avoiding town.

Me: remind me to explain what a secret is the next time I see her. I will see you at seven.

“Time for an extra-long run,” I told Layla.

I hate the way I have butterflies in my stomach. I also hate the way my body still reacts to Braydon.

The route from my little cottage to the wooded trail behind my house, and down main street has become too familiar. I think I could probably run it in my sleep. I start all my runs out with a light jog, mainly because I don”t want to push myself too hard. My body is still sore from my first run today at five A.M. I couldn”t fall back asleep after I woke up from yet another dream featuring Braydon, so I decided to get up and go for a run.

Once I hit the wooded trail behind my house, I push myself a little faster. My lungs scream in protest, but that only pushes me faster. After a while I hit main street, and I slowed to a steady jogging pace. I take in the small downtown of Beltsy, Utah. nothing has changed since i left. All the shops, gas stations, and restaurants are exactly the same. Most of them are still owned by the same people. I see the sign for Read Between the Lines bookstore, and I stop in front of the shop. I worked at this bookstore all four years of high school. I even convinced Adalynn to come work with me her sophomore year. Placing my hands on my knees, I catch my breath for a minute before I open the door and step inside the bookstore.

The bell above the door chimes through the shop. Stepping inside almost feels like stepping into a time machine. I take a second to look at the big, decorated windows. I used to decorate these windows for every different season and holiday. It was one of my favorite parts of my job.

Local bestsellers and new releases are displayed in the windows now.

The memory of the last time I was here hits me. It was with Braydon the day I broke up with him. Braydon didn”t know it then, but that was also my last day working here.

Looking back now there are so many things that kept from him the last couple weeks of our relationship. I guess my teenage brain thought it would make leaving him easier. I do regret not being fully honest with him, but I can”t change the past.

“Welcome in!” a familiar voice pulls me back to the bookstore.

“Mrs. Cooper!” I exclaim seeing the face that the voice belongs too.

Mrs. Cooper is the elderly lady who owned the shop when I worked here.

“Maddie, honey, it is so good to see you again!”

She walks around the checkout counter and throws her arms around me. Mrs. Cooper is known for giving the best hugs, and I didn”t know how much I needed one until just now.

”You, too.” She pulls away from me to look at my face.

“Oh, look at you. You are all grown up.”

“I know, it’s pretty scary.”

“What brings you back to town? Just a visit?”

“Actually, I moved back.”

“Really? How long have you been back?”

“I started moving my stuff back about a month ago, but officially a week ago.”

“I’m glad you are back.”

“Me, too.”

“Have you gotten a chance to see Braydon again? He’s getting pretty big with his music.”

“I actually got tricked into going to one of his shows the other day by Adalynn.”

Mrs. Cooper lets out a knowing chuckle. She is familiar with Adalynn’s persuasive way. She worked here for two summers after Braydon, and I started dating.

“He still comes in here all the time, you know.”’

“Does he?”

“Yeah. He brings his daughter in every week to pick out a book and to bring me a coffee from Saw”s.”

I smile, not really knowing what to say. My heart melts a little, and I think Mrs. Cooper can see that.

“He has always been a sweetheart.”

“He has,” I breathe, letting my mind wander to all the moments that Braydon was my sweetheart.

“Well, I will give you a chance to look around a little. Don’t be a stranger though, Madison.”

She returns back to her spot behind the counter. She resumes reading her book, and I laugh to myself knowing it is probably a very smutty romance novel. I wander through the aisles; each one plays a different scene of Braydon and I. This whole town is a constant reminder of Braydon, but this specific place seems to be the biggest reminder. Braydon and I spent a lot of time here. He would stop by almost every day when I was working. We would have little picnics on the floor in the romance section when it was slow. On some rare occasions, I could convince him to read my favorite books to me. I continue wandering through every aisle, even the children’s section. I linger in the romance section, tracing my hands over the spines of every book. My finger lands on a copy of The Fault in Our Stars. I pull it out and see that the page edges have been hand painted with constellations.

“Was this done locally?” I ask Mrs. Cooper.

“Yes. There is a lady in town, Amelia, that does them. All free hand work. Every now and then she will drop off a big box of them for me to sell.”

“This is stunning work.”

“Isn’t that one of your favorites?”

“It is the book that sparked my love for reading.”

I always convinced Braydon to read it to me. He never understood why I loved it so much since it has such a sad ending, but he would read it to me anyway.

“Well, then it only seems fitting that it goes home with you.”

“You’re right.” I set the book on the counter and reach for my card from the wallet on my phone.

“Oh, no, sweetheart. It’s yours. Consider it a little welcome home gift.”

“Are you sure, Mrs. Cooper?”

“Yes, sweetheart.”

“Thank you so much. I really should get going though.”

“Come back and see me.”

“I will. Very soon.”

The bell above the door rings as I open the door to leave. I settled on just walking back to my house instead of running. As soon as I get home, I fill my Stanley up with water and head to take a shower. I have two hours before I have to meet Braydon. My hair is way too long to even consider washing, drying, and styling it in that amount of time. I settled on throwing it into two French braids. I put on my favorite pair of medium wash skinny jeans and a dusty pink sweater. I hurriedly put on some mascara and a tinted lip balm. I put food in Layla”s bowl before I leave. Our Main Street isn’t big, so it isn’t hard to find Saw”s, but it is hard to find a parking spot. I hate parallel parking, so I pull around to the back of the businesses where they have a parking lot. I have been to this place a few times since I have been back. It is one of the only newer shops on main. The building itself isn’t new, just the management is new. It’s now owned by a very handsome, tattooed biker boy whose name is Sawyer. He may act all tough, but I have seen him in here a few times, and he is actually really sweet.

“Hi, welcome in. What can I get for you?” The girl behind the counter asks me in a perky voice. She is young, maybe a senior in high school. She seems sweet, her glasses are big and accentuate her pretty blue eyes very well.

“Uh, can I get a peppermint latte?”

“Of course. You”re lucky we still have some left over from Christmas because we usually don’t stock that year-round. What size?”

“Twenty-four ounces.”

“Can I get a name?”

“Madison.”

“Ok, that will be $6.42.” I run my card then find a seat by a big open window facing Main Street. I am jittery and super nervous, but I try to focus on my breathing, so I don’t completely freak out. My phone vibrates on the table next to me, and I almost jump out of my skin. Guess I was a little too focused.

Bray: running a little late. I’m so sorry.

Me: no worries.

Well, that gives me a little bit more time to relax my nerves.

“Madison.”

I smile politely at the girl behind the counter as I take my coffee from her. I am very lucky that they still had their peppermint in stock. Most people think I am weird because I drink peppermint lattes year-round, but I just like what I like. I sit back down, sip my latte, and pull out the book that I got at Read Between the Lines earlier. I have read The Fault in Our Stars more times than I can count, but I still open it up to the first page as if I am going to read it for the first time. I am careful with the pages because of the artwork on the edges. “Amelie Graves” is signed in swooping cursive handwriting on the inside cover. I made a quick, mental note to look her up later on social media. I don’t get very far into the first chapter when I feel a cool breeze from the front door opening. My eyes meet Braydon’s, and a smile spreads across my face.

“I see some things never change.” Braydon smiles down at me. It’s not just any smile though, it’s MY smile.