My eyes darted over to Courtney, who was giving me that look. Like she thought I knew something and wasn’t sharing it.
“Who?”
“If you’re really asking me that, Liza, then this talk is long overdue.”
My heart was beating harder. “What does that mean, Mom? You could be talking about anyone. Jase, Dad, Keith…”
“Walker,” she whispered as she looked at me intently.
I looked away. No one said anything for a few minutes and, when Courtney came and sat down on the ground next to me, it was all I could do to hold back my tears.
“When I first met Reed, I swear it was love at first sight.”
I looked into her eyes. “Was it?” I asked.
She chuckled. “Oh yes, it was. The moment he looked at me, my body turned to Jell-O. But I fought it like hell.”
I cocked my head and asked, “Why?”
My mother and Courtney shared a look. “It’s a long story that someday we’ll talk about. Let’s just say that I pushed my feelings down for so long that I started to feel like I was losing myself.”
I knew the feeling.
Courtney let out a sigh and said, “Sweetheart. You’ve always talked about your dreams, what you wanted. I know dreams change, and plans change. But when a guy slips a ring on your finger, you really shouldn’t need months to think about your answer.”
I could feel my lower lip trembling. I blinked slowly and felt hot tears running down my cheeks as I glanced over to my mom. “I don’t want to hurt either one of them, Mom.”
She nodded. “It’s not just about them, Taylor. This is also about you. Who do you want to be with? Who’s arms do you want to wake up in every morning?”
I already knew that answer. I was about to say so when we heard someone coming down the driveway. Courtney looked up and smiled. She started walking toward the driveway. I wiped away my tears and stood up. I smiled when I saw Walker’s truck.
My mother put her arm around me and pulled me closer as she whispered, “I knew he couldn’t stay in Austin that much longer.” I laughed as I wiped another tear away. I looked back at the truck and noticed someone in the passenger seat.
“Who’s with him? That’s not Jase.”
The sun was hitting Walker’s windshield just enough to hide the person in the passenger seat. The truck parked and my mother and I walked toward it. The closer we got, the better I could see. My breath caught. I couldn’t believe this was happening.
Walker got out of his truck and shut the door. He looked directly at me, even though his mother was walking toward him. I could hardly breathe. He was wearing his backwards baseball cap with jeans and a tight A&M T-shirt. My desire for him bloomed in my stomach.
“Look who I found at your house when I stopped by to talk, Liza,” Walker said.
Keith stepped out of Walker’s truck.
“Oh, shit,” my mother said, holding me closer.
“Keith,” I whispered as he smiled at me.
I glanced back at Walker. His mother was saying something to him, but his eyes were glued on me. I’d wanted nothing more than to run into his arms less than a minute ago. Now my feet felt cemented to the ground. Keith seemed confused as to why I was just standing there. I went to talk, but nothing would come out.
“Liza?” My mother said, giving me a friendly push in no particular direction.
I started to take a step, but stopped.
Keith laughed. “Are you that shocked to see me, baby?” he asked.
He took me into his arms and spun me around. When he set me down, he cupped my face in his hands and kissed me gently. I wanted to feel that familiar feeling building in my belly when he touched me, but there was nothing.
When he pulled his lips from mine, he whispered, “I’ve missed you so much, baby.”
My eyes teared up as he smiled and pulled me to him. I couldn’t help but look at Walker. He just stared. Courtney placed her hand on his arm and said something to him as he nodded. He turned and walked toward the back of his house. I couldn’t help crying.
Keith held me closer and said, “It’s okay, baby, I’m here now.”
MY FATHER SAT down at the bar stool next to me as I downed my beer. I wasn’t in the mood for a lecture.
“Hey,” my dad said, nudging my shoulder with his.
I didn’t bother looking at him as I set my empty bottle down. “Hey,” I muttered.
“I thought I might find you here,” my father said, waving the bartender down and ordering a Bud Light.
I laughed, irritated. “What made you think I’d be at Joe’s Bar, dad?” I asked.
The bartender set his beer down and turned to me. “Want another one, handsome?”
I winked at her. “Why the hell not? I have nowhere else I need to be.”
She licked her top lip. “I’m off in an hour. I bet I can find somewhere to go.”
I laughed and nodded. “I think I like the sound of that plan.”
“Excuse me? Want to go grab that beer now?” my father asked her.
She winked at me, turned, and headed to get my beer.
My father cleared his throat and said, “I knew you’d be here because it’s like looking in a damn mirror. I’ve been right where you are, son. Believe me—drinking doesn’t really make the pain go away.”
The bartender set the beer down, accompanied by a piece of paper with her name and number on it. I gave her a sexy smile.
I took a swig of beer and turned to my father. “Well, if beer doesn’t make it go away, maybe fucking a hot bartender will.”
My father glared at me. “You’re an asshole when you drink, Walker.”
I went to say something but his stare was intense. I knew I wasn’t drunk enough to get away with insulting my own father.
“Have you talked to Liza?”
I laughed and took another swig of beer. “Nope. If you hadn’t noticed, her fiancé is in town, and they seemed anxious to get reacquainted.”
My father lifted his beer and took a drink. “I think you should call her.”
I closed my eyes. “Why, Dad? So she can reject me again? Tell me how she’s starting a new life with Keith. Maybe she wants to tell me all about packing up and moving away from everyone who cares about her. Moving away from her dreams. From…”
“Say it, Walker.”
I shook my head. “Doesn’t fucking matter anymore.”
My father grabbed my arm and turned me toward him. “Say. It.”