Chapter 1
LIAM
If I had known that night what would happen to her because of me, I never would have asked her to dance.
But I didn’t know.
So, when I saw her spinning around the dance floor in those teal cowboy boots, larger than life with her head tossed back in laughter, I couldn’t stay away any longer.
And it would be the end for her.
“You should ask her to dance,” Jeff shouted over the jukebox.
I would have smacked him upside the head for yelling it for all of The Beaver and Boot to hear if I hadn’t been so mesmerized by her.
Bailey Bennett, my third-grade crush, had grown up into a beautiful woman. Mechanic by day, goddess on the dance floor by night. You’d never guess it to look at her when she was in those coveralls.
But here she was, having the time of her life in a blue dress that flowed around her knees with her blonde hair curling along the length of her back.
Hell, I was a goner.
“How long are you going to stare at her?”
I glared at my brother for only a second before my eyes returned to the center of the bar. As much as I didn’t need him to point out the obvious, he was right. I needed to make my move.
When the song changed, I shoved off my stool, ignoring my brother’s whooping calls.
Bailey turned, walking toward the bar, when I planted myself in her path, holding out my hand to her.
“Would you like to dance?”
Blue eyes twinkled up at me, matching the bright smile on her face. “Liam Parker, are you finally working up the courage to take a spin with me?”
“Maybe.”
Taking her hand in mine, I brought it to my chest, holding it there as I wrapped my other hand around her waist and slowly guided her in a circle to the tune of I Will Always Love You.
“A very telling song you chose. Should I read something into this?”
“It just came on the jukebox,” I admitted, though if she only knew how long I had pined for her, she would tease me relentlessly.
The sweetest sound of laughter left her lips in a huff as I spun her with me, relishing in the moment.
“So, Liam, what took you so long to ask me to dance?”
“Can’t a man have any secrets?”
“Not in this town,” she chuckled.
My eyes left hers for only a moment, but it was long enough to see the entire bar staring at us. “Alright, fair enough.”
“You know, I’ve had a crush on you since you helped me off the monkey bars in second grade.”
“Third,” I corrected. “You climbed up there in that pink dress, determined to be just like the boys.”
“You remembered.”
If she only knew how much I watched her. “There’s not much I don’t remember about you, Bailey Bennett. I’ve had my eye on you since I saw those cute little hearts on your underwear.”
“Liam!” she laughed, attempting to smack my chest with the hand I was holding. “You weren’t supposed to look! You promised!”
“I did the gentlemanly thing and never told you. And I beat up Randy when he started laughing at you.”
Pressing her forehead to my chest, she laughed in embarrassment. “He told everyone he fell off his bike.”
“And I let him save face.”
I spun her again, this time dipping her slightly before pulling her closer to me.
“So, are you going to tell me why you waited so long to ask me to dance?”
My lips quirked at the corners at her insistence. “You don’t give up, do you?”
“Not really. I’ve been waiting a long time.”
“You’re very direct, aren’t you?”
“Well, if I weren’t, I’d be waiting even longer for you to admit that you’ve been biding your time for the right moment to ask me out.”
“Yeah? What makes you so sure I want to ask you out?”
“Well, you haven’t stopped watching me all night. You stop by the garage at least twice a month with some vehicle emergency, even though you hate dealing with Wyatt. And you regularly call to check in with my momma.”
“That’s just because I’m a nice guy.”
“Is that why you always ask about me?”
Caught red-handed. “I guess there are no secrets in your house.”
“My momma’s always loved you. Did you really think she wouldn’t tell me about how you check up on me?”
“A man can hope.”
“Well, I guess now you’re going to have to wait until I finally ask the question.”
“Revenge is such a petty thing,” she grinned.
“Is it?”
“Isn’t love so much easier?”
As I stared into her eyes, I wondered if it could be. “That depends on how easy it is to tell someone how you really feel.”
“No need to wait, Liam. It’s written all over your face every time you look at me.”
Her body melded with mine as she leaned against my chest, resting her cheek over my thumping heart. Could she hear how fast it was beating for her? Did she realize I was already a goner?
“Song’s over, brother. Let someone else step in,” Jeff said after clearing his throat and interrupting my moment with Bailey.
Lifting her head, laughter lit her face at my brother’s words. “Thank you for the dance, Liam. Don’t wait so long to ask me again.”
As she stepped out of my arms, I tipped my cowboy hat in thanks and took a step back. “I’ll be watching you, Bailey Bennett.”
“Why don’t you do more than watch? You might find you enjoy the experience.”
My brother took her in his arms and spun her around, pulling her close just to piss me off.
But as they spun on the dance floor, her eyes kept drifting to mine. There was no mistaking the smile on her face was meant for me.
Bailey Bennett was mine. She always had been, and one day, I was going to marry her and spend the rest of my life dancing with her.