7. Holden
HOLDEN
The Fourth of July fireworks show is finally underway. It isn’t the spectacular it’s been in years past, but my brothers wanted to make something happen for those who stuck around through the storm.
To be honest, with leftover barbeque, no band, and wind-blown decorations, it’s lackluster at best. It fits because I’m miserable.
I've been scanning the crowd for the better part of an hour. With the sun fully down, it hasn’t made the process any easier. I’m looking for sequins or designer anything. I’d do anything for some flash of that red, white, and blue outfit Zara was wearing when this whole mess started.
But there's nothing.
Everywhere I look, there are only Sagebrush Creek families on blankets.
It’s the usual suspects up to their usual antics.
Kids run around with sparklers. Every unmarried woman in town is being ushered over by pushy mothers to say hi.
Between the infamous gossip podcast in our town being shut down and the fact that I'm the last Kingridge brother without a wife, the target on my back feels bigger than ever.
But none of it matters. All I can focus on is the fact that she’s not here.
I guess I shouldn't be surprised. After the way I treated her this morning. I'm lucky she didn't pack up and leave Texas entirely… Hell, she could have for all I know. But some stupid, hopeful part of me thought maybe she'd show up anyway.
I need to see her and apologize. I need her to know that I was an idiot who doesn't deserve her, but wants to try anyway. It doesn’t look like I’m going to get the chance. So I’m plotting my next move. She isn’t exactly accessible.
I can’t send her a message online. I’ll be one of thousands, I’m sure. Maybe I’ll have to show up at a Southern Knights football game and force my way onto the jumbotron. I ignore the fireworks and search for red-eye flights to South Carolina.
"You look like someone kicked your dog," Bowen says, appearing at my elbow with two beers. "Where's Priya's sister? Thought you two were getting along."
"We were." I take the beer but don't drink it. "Until I opened my mouth and ruined everything."
"What'd you do?"
"Told her she doesn't belong here. That she'll get bored and leave." The words taste even worse the second time around. "Basically accused her of being a shallow city girl who was just playing at liking ranch life."
Bowen winces. "You know, you’ve always been a charmer. Can’t believe that didn’t have her swooning." The sarcasm drips from his words.
"Yeah, thanks." I run a hand through my hair, watching a group of kids chase fireflies near the edge of the crowd. "I panicked, okay? She was... she was getting under my skin, and I figured it was better to end it before I got in too deep."
Somewhere between rescuing her from that storm and watching her dispel every assumption I made about her, I fell for Zara Platt. Completely, stupidly, irreversibly. And now she's probably halfway back to Charleston, writing me off as just another close-minded country boy.
"You idiot. You’re already in it. Only now you’re in it by yourself. She left."
"Holy shit. She left? I’m too late. All I wanted was to make her stay. Apologize.” The color drains from my face, and I feel sick to my stomach. “Women like her are a once-in-a-lifetime thing, and I really fucked this up. I’m going to get on a flight tonight if I can…”
Bowen claps me on the shoulder and drops his voice. "I’m fucking with you.”
Rage and relief swirl in me. I lock my eyes on him. “What?”
“Yeah, Priya mentioned she's staying through the weekend. You might still have a shot and thanks to that little panic I just gave you, now you know exactly what you want to say."
“I should beat the shit out of you right here. What’s wrong with you?” I bark.
Bowen only laughs. “Yeah, even if you had a shot at taking me on, you don’t have time.”
“You’re lucky.” I hop to my feet.
I search every lawn chair, rocking chair, and blanket.
When I finally spot her, I freeze. It’s undeniably Zara, but there isn’t an ounce of sequin on her body.
Instead, she’s got her hair tucked inside of a hooded sweatshirt.
Her makeup is minimal if she’s wearing any at all.
It’s hard to say in this light. But one thing is for sure.
Zara looks beautiful. Real. Like she belongs here. More than that, Zara looks like someone I could build a life with.
I'm walking toward her before I consciously decide to move.
"You came," I say when I'm close enough that we don't have to shout over the fireworks.
“Of course I did, I traveled all the way out here for a fireworks show. I wasn’t going to miss it.” She lifts her chin slightly. I catch a glimpse of the fire that made me fall for her in the first place.
I look her up and down, taking in the simple clothes, the lack of dramatic makeup, the way she's standing like she's trying to take up less space. "You're not sparkling tonight. I almost missed you."
"Nope." She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. "Turns out I prefer being seen to being stared at. Though apparently I'm not very good at the first part."
"What do you mean?"
"You walked right past me twice." Her smile is rueful. "I've been here for an hour, helping people with chairs and chasing kids away from the fireworks setup. But you didn't even notice me because I wasn't dressed like a walking Instagram post."
The truth of that hits me like a punch to the gut. I was so busy looking for the Zara I expected that I completely missed the woman she actually is.
"Zara, I?—"
"It's okay." She holds up a hand. "I get it. You saw what you expected to see, just like everyone else. But I'm not performing anymore, Holden. This is just me, less fancy, but still me."
"This is you?"
"This is me." She gestures at her simple outfit, her makeup-free face, the way she's standing with her feet planted firmly on the ground instead of posing for invisible cameras.
"No filters, no agenda, no audience to please. Just a woman who fell too fast with a cowboy who decided to be a jackass. I thought it was real.”
The words hit me like lightning. "I am a jackass.”
"I fell for you," she repeats, her voice steady despite the vulnerability in her eyes. "Somewhere between you carrying me through that storm and teaching me that some things are worth more than content, I fell completely, stupidly into your arms and your bed. I didn’t want to get out."
"Zara—"
"I'm not done." She takes a step closer, and I can see the determination in her face. "You think I'll get bored here. But you're wrong. Or maybe you’re right and I want to be bored! There’s so much performing in my life. But I don’t have to do that here and I fucking love it.”
I stare at her, this woman who looks like Zara but sounds like someone I'm just meeting for the first time. Someone who's somehow exactly who I hoped she might be underneath all the glitter.
"I was wrong," I say finally. "This morning, everything I said was wrong, and I’m sorry. I was ready to jump on a damn plane tonight to find you. But you’re here and I’m not afraid to tell you I was scared.” The admission costs me, but she deserves the truth.
“Of me?” She raises an eyebrow.
"Scared of how fast I was falling for you.
That you'd realize I'm just a simple rancher who doesn't know the first thing about your world, and I’d be just one of the millions who love you from afar.
So I pushed you away before you could leave on your own.
" I reach out and touch her face, marveling at how soft she is without all the makeup, how real she feels under my hands.
"Now I'm terrified that I already lost you. "
"You didn't lose me." She leans into my touch. "But you're going to have to stop trying to protect yourself from me. The craziest part of all this is I don’t want to leave, Holden. I want to be where you are.”
My heart thuds in my chest. “Listen, sweetheart. This is stupid and way too fast, but I’ve never felt anything like this before, and I’m ready to risk sounding crazy, acting crazy, and go all in with you."
I kiss her like I mean it. Right here in front of half the town our sparks explode. She kisses me back like she means every word she just said. When we break apart, there are tears in her eyes, but she's smiling.
"So," she says, "think you can handle dating a reformed influencer who's trying to figure out how to be a real person?"
"I think I can manage that." I pull her closer, and she fits against me like she was made for this spot. "Think you can handle dating a stubborn cowboy who's too scared of his own feelings to think straight?"