“I’m done running or hiding or living in denial. That’s dumb.”
“I couldn’t agree more.” Brynna turns as Maddie’s car pulls into the driveway. “And there are my girls now. You have good timing, Brax. It’s good to see you.”
When I stand, Brynna offers me a hug.
“Everything’s going to be just fine. You’ll see.”
I nod and watch as Josie gets out of the car, hugs her mom, then frowns at me.
“You okay?”
“I don’t know yet.”
“I think I’ll help Maddie with the bags and stuff,” Brynna says with a wink. “You two go and talk.”
Josie nods. “Thanks, Mom. Come on.”
Josie takes my hand and leads me into the house, through the living room, and to the kitchen at the rear of the townhouse.
“What’s going on?”
“I need to talk to you because I don’t want to make a really bad decision.”
Josie frowns again and reaches for me. “What is it?”
“The band has been offered a tour.” The words come out fast, as if I have to just spill it all at her feet and let her decide what she’ll do with it from there. “We’d be gone from January until June, with an option to sign on for another six months at that time.”
“Holy shit, Brax.”
“I don’t know if I should go.”
Her face is blank, and then she blinks at me. “What? Why wouldn’t you go?”
“Because I just got this back,” I say, gesturing between us, “and the whole reason I fucked up before was because you were going to be gone for your job, and I threw a fucking fit over it.”
“I’m not throwing a fit.”
“If you don’t want me to go, I need you to say so. Because I’ll always choose you first. Always.”
“Hey.” She moves forward and frames my face in the way she does that calms me faster than anything else. “This is incredible for you and the guys. It would kill them if you turned it down.”
“Yeah, they’re pretty pissed that I even paused.”
She presses her lips together. “I love that your first instinct was to consider me. Thank you for that. But, babe, we got this. You’re going on freaking tour. ON TOUR!”
She starts to jump up and down in excitement. “Holy shit, you’re going on tour!”
I scoop her up and twirl her around the kitchen, finally feeling excited enough to celebrate with her a bit.
“I don’t think it’s set in yet,” I admit. “You’re okay with me being gone for that long? I feel like a hypocrite.”
“Being away from you won’t be fun, but it’s an excellent opportunity for you. Of course, I’m okay.”
“This is what you needed from me two years ago.” I tip my forehead against hers and feel like such an asshole. “I’m sorry, sweetheart.”
“You can’t keep beating yourself up,” she says softly. “Yeah, this is what I needed, but we were different then. This isn’t exactly the same.”
“It’s pretty much the same.”
“Okay, it’s kind of similar. But it’s okay. We’re moving forward, not dwelling in the past, Brax.”
“You’re incredible, and I don’t deserve you.”
“That could be true, but you have me all the same. I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere—even if you are on tour and groupies will try to get in your pants.”
I laugh and hug her close. “You’re the only groupie I’ll allow in my pants.”
“If I find out otherwise, they won’t need to get in your pants anymore. What’s in there will be gone.”
I swallow hard and then kiss her head. “You’re the best thing that’s ever been mine, Josie Montgomery.”
“Isn’t that a Taylor Swift line?”
“It fits,” I say with a laugh. “I guess I’d better go sign that contract before the guys put out a hit on me.”
“Jesus, you didn’t sign it?”
“Not until I talked to you. Because you’re the most important part of my life. And if you weren’t on board, then I wouldn’t have been on board, either.”
“Wow,” I hear Maddie say from the island. I turn and find Maddie and Brynna watching with tears in their eyes. “That’s so romantic.”
“There’s not a lot of privacy in our family,” Brynna says as she wipes away a tear. “You’ll get used to it.”
Josie laughs and cuddles up beside me. “He’d better get used to it. He’s stuck with me.”
“That’s the best problem I’ve ever had.”
EPILOGUE
~CALEB MONTGOMERY~
“I’m glad they worked it out,” Brynna says as we stand in our living room and watch the family chat and get excited for Brax and his band.
We’re hosting the pre-tour party at our place, and we’re all stuffed in here like sardines.
Not to mention, we’re all still jet-lagged from our trip to Iceland for Christmas.
“Why didn’t we do this at Luke’s place?” I ask my wife.
“Because we’re Josie’s parents, and we should host.”
“It’s not a fucking wedding,” I mutter.
“Why are you so grouchy about this?” Brynna takes my hand in hers and squeezes it. “You’re grumpier than usual.”