Page 101 of Shattered Melodies

Liam sighed, but there was a fondness in his expression that eased some of the tightness in my chest. “Caleb, you can’t change the past. Neither of us can. All we can do is move forward, deal with our shit, and try to be better.”

I nodded, feeling a rush of gratitude for this man who’d somehow found it in himself to forgive me, even when I couldn’t forgive myself. “When did you get so wise, huh?” I teased, trying to lighten the mood.

He grinned, a hint of his old mischief sparking in his eyes. “Must be all that city living. Really broadens the mind, you know.”

I snorted, rolling my eyes. “Yeah, right. I bet it’s all those fancy lattes and avocado toasts. Turned you into a real philosopher.”

We both laughed, and I felt some of the tension ease out of my shoulders. This was good. This was us. Bantering and teasing, but with an undercurrent of understanding that went bone-deep.

But there was still something nagging at me, a question I needed to ask even though I was afraid of the answer. “Liam,” I said, my voice more serious now. “Are you… I mean, do you still have trouble with it? The PTSD?”

He was quiet for a moment, his thumb tracing absent patterns on the back of my hand. “Sometimes,” he admitted finally. “It’s not as bad as it used to be. Therapy helped a lot, and so did my music. But there are still days when something will trigger a memory, and it’s like I’m right back there.”

I nodded, thinking about how he’d reacted when we passed the high school. “Like today?”

“Yeah,” he said softly. “Like today. But hey,” he added, his voice brightening a little, “I got through it, right? And having you there helped. More than you know.”

I felt a warmth spread through my chest at his words. “I’m glad,” I said, meaning it with every fiber of my being. “And I want you to know that I’m here, okay? Whatever you need, whenever you need it. You don’t have to go through this alone anymore.”

Liam’s eyes widened slightly, like he was surprised by the intensity of my words. Then a slow smile spread across his face, soft and genuine in a way that made my heart ache. “Thanks, Caleb. That means a lot.”

We sat there for a moment, just looking at each other, our hands still joined on the table. And I felt something shift between us, something warm and familiar and scary as hell.

Before I could figure out what to do with that feeling, Sarah appeared at our table, a knowing smile on her face. “So, boys,” she said, her eyes twinkling, “how about some dessert? On the house, of course. It’s not every day we get a reunion like this.”

I glanced at Liam, raising an eyebrow in question. He nodded, a small smile playing at his lips.

“Sure, Sarah,” I said. “Two slices of apple pie, if you’ve got it.”

“Coming right up,” she said with a wink, bustling off to the kitchen.

As Sarah disappeared, Liam leaned forward, his expression turning serious. “Hank mentioned something about the ranch facing some issues. He didn’t give me much detail, but I got the sense it was pretty serious. What’s going on?”

I felt my stomach drop. Of course Hank would’ve said something. The old coot never could keep his mouth shut. I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “Yeah, it’s not great.”

Liam’s eyes softened with concern. “Talk to me. What happened?”

I took a deep breath, steeling myself. “It’s my dad. He, took out a loan while my mom was in the hospital getting chemo for her cancer. Used the ranch as collateral.”

“Shit,” Liam breathed, his eyes widening.

I shrugged, trying to play it off like it wasn’t eating me up inside. “Yeah, well. He thought he was doing the right thing at the time. Problem is, he forgot to tell us about it until the bank came knocking on our door.”

Liam reached across the table, squeezing my hand. The warmth of his touch sent a jolt through me, grounding me in a way I hadn’t expected. “How bad is it?” he asked softly.

I let out a humorless laugh. “Bad enough that we might lose the ranch if we can’t come up with the money soon.”

“Jesus,” Liam muttered. Then, after a pause, “How’s your mom doing now? Is she… I mean, is she okay?”

I felt a rush of warmth at his concern. Same old Liam, always thinking of others. “She’s doing better now, thanks. The treatments were rough, but she’s a fighter. Actually,” I added, a small smile tugging at my lips, “I think she’d love to see you. She always had a soft spot for you, you know.”

Liam smiled at that, and damn if it didn’t make my heart skip a beat. It was that smile, the one that used to be just for me. The one that made his eyes crinkle at the corners and lit up his whole face.

“I’d like that,” he said softly. “To see her, I mean.”

I nodded, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness at the thought of Liam back at the ranch, talking with my mom like old times. “Yeah, of course. She’d love it.”

We fell silent for a moment, both lost in thought. Then Liam’s eyes lit up, that spark of excitement I remembered so well dancing in their depths. “Hey, what about a fundraiser?”

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