Take Me Home (The Heartbreak Brothers 1)

“But I know she has a crush on you, she always did. Even after you left she was always talking about you. I couldn’t go anywhere without hearing that damn song you wrote. And she played it constantly.”

Well that made him feel better.

“A lot of women have crushes on me.”

Ashleigh rolled her eyes. “I see stardom hasn’t deflated your ego.”

He shrugged. “It’s part of the job. And not the part I enjoy, frankly. It gets old pretty quick.”

“That’s another reason you should stay away from Maddie. Your job. I don’t want you hurting her.”

“Why would my job hurt her?” he asked, perplexed.

Ashleigh pressed her lips together and looked him in the eye. “You’re a rockstar, Gray. A musician. People like you aren’t made for people like her. Maddie’s a simple, small-town girl. She tried leaving once, and it almost killed her.”

“What?” He frowned. “How?”

“It doesn’t matter. Just stay away from he

r. That’s the only way you won’t hurt her. Promise me that.”

She had to be talking about New York, and how Maddie left Ansell without graduating. “How did it almost kill her?” he asked again.

“That’s not my story to tell. But I’ve seen her at her lowest and I never want to see her like that again. Don’t hurt her, Gray. She’s not resilient like we are. Just leave her alone.” Her phone buzzed, and she sighed, pulling open her navy leather purse to check it. “I need to go, I have an appointment in half an hour.” She looked up at him, the sun glinting against her eyes. “Goodbye, Gray. I hope you found whatever it was you were looking for when you left town all those years ago.”

He blinked even though he was shaded from the sun. “Goodbye,” he said. Her words were ringing in his ears as he watched her walk around the corner of the house. A minute later, her engine fired up, and he could hear the whine of her wheels against the driveway as she reversed out.

Did he find what he was looking for when he left Hartson’s Creek right after his twentieth birthday? Or was it here all along after all?

* * *

“Give me cake. Lots of cake. And coffee.” Laura slid into a chair at the counter and leaned heavily on it, shaking her head. “Cream, five sugars, and keep the caffeine coming.”

Maddie grinned at the expression on her friend’s face. “Bad day at the shop?”

“The worst.” Laura shook her head. “If I have to spend another hour with Marie Dean I swear I’m going to get arrested for murder. How can one woman hate so many clothes? I ordered twenty different dresses at her request and she’s not happy with a single one of them. I tried to suggest she try online shopping, but then she told me that she hates paying to send things back. I tried to point out that I’m going to be paying to send all those dresses back, but it went right over her head.” Laura took in a mouthful of air. “Sorry, I’m ranting.”

“Rant away. We all have those days.” Maddie poured her a mug of coffee, adding plenty of cream. “Here, you add the sugar,” she said, pushing the bowl toward her. “I don’t want to be held responsible by your dentist.”

“Ah, he loves it when I get cavities. I always make sure I wear a low cut top so he can look at my chest.” Laura almost smiled. “We should set up a union or something. Start refusing to work when we get awkward customers.”

“You own your shop,” Maddie pointed out with a smile. “You’d only be hurting yourself.”

“Ugh.” Laura slumped down in her stool and grabbed her coffee as Maddie slid a slice of carrot cake onto a plate. “I hate myself sometimes.”

“No you don’t.”

Laura spooned more sugar in. “Okay then. I hate my life.”

“No you don’t.” Maddie grinned.

“Hey. I’m looking for some support here. You’re supposed to be cheering me up.” Laura lifted the cup to her lips for a sip.

Maddie leaned on the counter. It had been a quiet day, which meant nothing had soured her good mood. Not a customer sending her plate back three times thanks to Murphy’s eggs, nor Murphy’s X-rated response as he threw the plate of food on the floor in a fit of pique.

Nothing could push away the glow she was feeling. It was too warm, too deep, too good.

“Hey, you’re still smiling. What’s up with you?” Laura asked.