Page 144 of Shattered Melodies

Jimmy and I exchanged a look. When Liam got that tone in his voice, it usually meant something big was about to go down.

“Alright,” Jimmy said, crossing his arms. “Let’s hear it.”

Liam took a deep breath. “I want to reveal myself as Corey King. At the fundraiser.”

For a moment, there was dead silence in the barn. Then Jimmy and I both started talking at once.

“Are you out of your mind?” “Liam, are you sure about this?”

Liam held up his hands. “Guys, guys, hear me out. Jimmy, I need you to leak the news to the press. Let them know that Corey King is going to perform at a small-town fundraiser. Can you imagine the buzz that’ll create?”

Jimmy’s eyes were wide. “Liam, this is… this is huge. Are you absolutely sure you want to do this? Once it’s out there, there’s no taking it back.”

Liam nodded, his jaw set in that stubborn way I knew all too well. “I’m sure. It’s time. I’m tired of hiding, tired of living two separate lives. And if this can help save the ranch? Then it’s worth it.”

I reached out, taking his hand. “Li, you don’t have to do this. We can find another way.”

He squeezed my hand, smiling softly. “I know I don’t have to. But I want to. For you, for us, for this place that’s always felt more like home than anywhere else.”

I stared at him for a long moment, searching his eyes. All I saw there was determination and love. Finally, I nodded. “Alright. If you’re sure, then I’m with you. One hundred percent.”

Liam’s smile could have lit up the whole damn barn. “Thanks, Cal. That means everything.”

Jimmy cleared his throat. “Okay, so we’re really doing this. I’ll need to make some calls, set things in motion. We don’t have much time if we want to maximize the impact before the fundraiser.”

Liam nodded. “Do whatever you need to do. Just make it big, yeah?”

Jimmy snorted. “Liam, honey, when have I ever done anything small?”

As Jimmy wandered off, already tapping away at his phone, I turned back to Liam. “You know, when I woke up this morning, I sure as hell didn’t expect the day to end like this.”

Liam chuckled, wrapping his arms around my waist. “What, with your long-lost love returning and deciding to out himself as a secret rock star?”

I pretended to think about it. “Nah, I meant Jimmy getting his ass kicked by a chicken. The rest is just a normal weekend around here.”

Liam laughed, the sound warming me from the inside out. “God, I’ve missed this. Missed you.”

I pulled him closer, resting my forehead against his. “Missed you too, Li. More than you know.”

We stood there for a while, just holding each other. The barn was quiet except for the soft sounds of Peanut purring nearby and Jimmy’s muffled voice as he made calls outside.

Finally, I pulled back a bit. “So, Corey King, huh? You ready for the world to know who you really are?”

Liam took a deep breath. “Honestly? I’m terrified. But also… excited. It feels right, you know? Like it’s time to stop hiding and just be me. All of me.”

I nodded, understanding completely. “Well, for what it’s worth, I think you’re pretty amazing. Both as Liam and as Corey.”

He smiled, a hint of that old shyness I remembered from our teenage years creeping in. “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” I said, leaning in to kiss him softly. “And I can’t wait for the rest of the world to see it too.”

Just then, Jimmy burst back into the barn, his eyes wild with excitement. “Okay, it’s done. I’ve got calls coming in from every major news outlet. This thing is about to blow up.”

Liam’s eyes widened. “Already? Damn, Jimmy, you work fast.”

Jimmy grinned, looking entirely too pleased with himself. “What can I say? I’m a miracle worker. Now, we need to start prepping. We’ve got interviews to schedule, a performance to plan, and about a million other details to iron out.”

As we headed out of the barn, Liam’s hand in mine and Jimmy trailing behind us still muttering about press releases and exclusive interviews, I couldn’t help but marvel at how much had changed in just a few short hours.

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