Chapter One #2
“It’s nothing you need to worry about. Really.” Even Aubrey heard the note of warning in her voice.
Of course, Willow ignored it. “Eli said for us to stay out of it, but that’s not how our friendship works.
” She entered the room and perched on the edge of the bed, her gaze softening.
“Talk to me, Aub. Ignoring how insane it is that fate reconnected you here, why are you pretending you don’t know him? ”
Aubrey huffed. There was no outrunning this. Her carefully constructed walls began to crumble. They’d been friends since they were little. Willow did know all her tells. Aubrey averted her gaze, focusing on the worn pattern of her quilt. “It’s not…it’s not what you think.”
“Then tell me what it is,” Willow pressed, placing her hand on Aubrey’s arm. “Help me understand all this.”
The weight of the secret pressed down on Aubrey’s chest, threatening to suffocate her. She took a deep breath, steeling herself for the confession she’d been holding back since they’d moved to Timber Falls and Gunner walked into their bar on opening day.
“I met Gunner in Atlanta at one of his concerts,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “We spent a week together, and it was… God, Willow, it was intense. Like nothing I’ve ever experienced before.”
Willow’s eyes widened, but she remained silent, encouraging Aubrey to continue.
“The chemistry between us was electric,” Aubrey admitted, her cheeks flushing at the memory. “We connected on every level—physically, emotionally. It felt like…like he got me in ways no man has ever got me, you know?”
As the words tumbled out, Aubrey felt a mix of relief and vulnerability. She’d never spoken about that week to anyone, and now that she’d started, she found she couldn’t stop.
“We talked for hours, shared our dreams, our fears. And when he finally kissed me…” Aubrey trailed off, lost in the vivid recollection. “It was passionate, tender and completely unforgettable.”
Memories flooded her. The warmth of Gunner’s calloused hands on her skin, the intoxicating scent of his cologne mixed with wood, the taste of whiskey on his lips. She shivered, her body betraying her with a surge of desire.
“His touch…it set me on fire,” she continued, lost in the memory.
“And when he sang to me, just for me, I felt like the only woman in the world.” She clenched her fists, anger rising to combat the pain he’d left her with.
“But then after he talked like we were going to make things somehow work between us, he left me in a hotel room. Just like that. No note, no call, nothing. Just threw me away like a piece of trash.”
Willow’s hand tightened on Aubrey’s arm. “Oh, honey. I’m so sorry.”
Aubrey swallowed hard, fighting back tears. “It’s not just about Gunner, you know? It’s…it’s everything.”
Willow nodded in full understanding. She knew every painful part of Aubrey’s past. That her father left her and her mother when she was eight years old and never came back.
And that her dream job at a five-star restaurant in Atlanta had been cut short due to a narcissistic boss who couldn’t keep his damn hands to himself.
But Willow listened as Aubrey continued, her voice cracking, “That week with Gunner, I let all my guards down for him.” She slowly shook her head in frustration at herself.
“I don’t even know how he did that, considering I never let my guards down for anyone that quickly, and I hate him for that.
Hate how weak it made me feel that morning I woke up and he was gone.
” She paused, drew in a deep breath and blew it out slowly before continuing.
“So yeah, I lied to him, but obviously, my plan of denying our week together isn’t working. He just won’t give up.”
Willow’s eyes, deep and understanding, never left Aubrey’s face as she listened.
“Besides,” Aubrey said after a moment, “now that I know about his past addiction to painkillers, I bet he was probably high the entire week. He isn’t even sure what he remembers.”
A mixture of concern and doubt clouded Willow’s features. “I hear you, I do. But I can’t shake this feeling that you’re making a mistake.”
Aubrey’s chest tightened at Willow’s words. “How?”
“I’ve seen the way Gunner looks at you. That man isn’t just chasing some fantasy. There’s something real there, something deep.”
Memories of Gunner’s intense gaze flooded Aubrey’s mind, but she shook her head, trying to fight the images. “He had his chance with me, and he lost it. That’s all that’s happening here.”
Willow cocked her head, softening her voice. “What if he’s genuinely trying to make amends? Maybe…maybe you should give him a chance to explain himself.”
Aubrey’s back straightened, the bed bouncing beneath her.
“Explain what? How he used me and left without a word? How he made me feel like I was special, only to disappear?” Her voice cracked, betraying the pain she’d been trying so hard to hide.
“I can’t do that again. I won’t let myself be that vulnerable.
” Men had brought nothing but pain. She was in her self-care era, and nothing would change her mind.
Willow’s expression softened further. “I know you’re scared of him being a massive jerk again. Lord knows, I know this. But sometimes, the things that scare us the most are the ones worth fighting for.”
“No,” Aubrey said sharply, shaking her head firmly. “I’ve made my decision. I’m protecting myself, and that’s final. He’ll give up eventually,” she murmured, more to herself than to Willow. “He has to.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” Willow countered. “Men like Gunner… They don’t just walk away when something matters to them.”
Aubrey’s jaw clenched, her fingers digging into her arms. “He doesn’t get a choice. I won’t let him in.” But even as the words left her lips, a traitorous part of her mind whispered, What if he doesn’t give up? What if he keeps fighting for you?
She pushed the thought away, jumping out of bed to stare out the window, focusing instead on the distant mountains in the night sky. “I’ve made my choice, Willow. End of story.”
Willow sighed. “Alright. I hear you. But just…be prepared. Something tells me he’s not ready to let this go.”
As Willow’s footsteps faded down the hallway, Aubrey remained at the window, sighing heavily. She tried to convince herself that her resolve was unshakable, that her walls were impenetrable.
But in the depths of her heart, a flicker of uncertainty betrayed her. And she couldn’t shake the feeling that Willow might be right.