Page 33 of Sunrise Arrows

She grabs another two copies of Skylar’s book off the shelf and as she’s sneaking it into place on the new release mantle, she says, “Remind me to call Jerimiah and chew his ass out for letting her sign on for that show. Don’t you remember how happy she was when it finally wrapped?

“Personally, I don’t even think she likes acting anymore.”

She startles me as she grabs my shoulders—the high heels she has on making her over six feet tall—and bends down to stress, “Promise me, if there ever comes a day where you don’t want all of this anymore, that you’ll tell me. I mean it, Tins. I won’t let you slave away for the industry if your heart’s not in it. Your happiness is worth so much more to me than my job.”

I wrap my arms around her and squeeze. It’s an easy enough promise to make. There’s only ever been one time in my life where I’ve been conflicted about my dreams. And it’s a crossroads I know I’ll never stand before again.

“I swear.”

When she lets me go, we walk up to the counter and greet Ember as she comes out of the back.

“Tinsley, I just got a new shipment of journals in; hold on and I’ll get you the box if you want to have a look,” she greets. Over her shoulder she calls, “Ames, wait! Can you bring the journals out here before you head over to the bar?”

“You’re lucky you’re my favorite!” he yells back. A second later, the door swings open and he walks in carrying a large box. With a grunt, he drops it on her counter. Elbow placed on the open flaps, he rests his chin in his hand and smiles, “Tinsel, Briar, how are y’all? Haven’t seen ya since your performance the other night.”

“Oh God,” I laugh, covering my face. “I’m so sorry. We were a nightmare.”

“Nah, you were just having fun and lettin’ loose. Nothin’ wrong with that. Just happy I have a space where you feel safe enough to do that. I mean, Archer’s kept this town on lock all these years, so really your anonymity is pretty much safe anywhere here in the Falls—not that any of us would’ve said anythin’ to anyone anyhow.”

“What do you mean?”

“When your first song came out, the whole town was buzzin’ about how they thought it was about Archer,” he chuckles. “When someone asked him about it over at the Station, he made itveryclear that no one was to be sellin’ shit about you anywhere. Even though you left—and damn was it brutal and fucked him up real good—he thought you might come back after you got your album done, and he wanted you to have a place you could come and be left alone.”

“Brutal?” I ask, disbelief ringing loud and clear. My tongue pushes out my cheek and I will myself to take a breather, but my heart is racing and the thin grip I have on the lid of my emotions is blasted into space. All my media training is out the window, my long buried accent coming in thick and loud. “He’sthe one who didn’t call! Didn’t text! Nothin’! It was complete silence fora year!And like the stupid, silly, little girl I was, Istillcame back, hopin’ we could put it back together.”

“Woah,” he retreats, hands raised. “I don’t know what’s got you all fired up like a wet cat, but what’d you expect, Tinsley? That he was gonna beg you to stay? Chase you all the way to California?

“You left him. Didn’t even tell him goodbye. Simply wrote a letter sayin’ you loved him but that if you didn’t leave now you weren’t ever going to. It was fuckin’ cold.”

“No, I didn’t! I mean, I did, but what about everything else I said? I told him I was scared, that I—” I cut myself off before I rip that particular wound andwhat ifopen. Flexing my fingers at my side and feeling Briar lace hers through mine in support, I take several breaths, attempting to calm myself down and tuck everything back in where it belongs. I’m not the sort to make a scene, yet here I am making another one. First Corey’s car, now shouting at Ames in a bookstore. Several pulsing squeezes from Briar to me and I feel a bit more centered, if only just.

“He still had a year of college left. I had an album to produce. We were on two different paths at the time. But Iwantedto stay together and do long distance. He’s the one who threw it all away.

“But I came back just like I promised him I would. He had just graduated and was back home, and I was on tour opening for Landon Rhodes. We had a three day stop in Nashville and I drove out here to see Archer and he…” Rolling my eyes, I rub my finger over the top of my lip, hand shaking, and look away. “It doesn’t matter, Ames. It was a summer romance and we got carried away. That’s all, nothing more.”

Shutting the conversation down, I apologize to Ember and hand over the copies of Skylar’s book to checkout.

Ames still hasn’t left, his brow pulled together and his head canted to the side as he studies me, brow furrowing as his sister bags our purchase and Briar hands over a card to pay.

“You came back?”

I don’t want to talk about this anymore. I’m not sure what I thought I’d achieve by coming back here, but so far it’s brought me nothing but more pain and regret. I don’t belong in Berry Falls anymore. I’m not sure if I ever did or if I merely felt as if I belonged because I was so wrapped up in Archer. Regardless, I think it’s time Briar and I leave. Not just the store but the town. I can’t mend that which doesn’t want to be fixed and as I’m learning, closure is nothing more than an unfulfilled wish of the broken seeking solace.

“Yeah, Ames; I came back. Hopelessly and foolishly in love, I came back only to find out he had moved on.”

“Moved on?”Ames laughs. “Tinsley, he hasnevermoved on from you. Archer’s as in love with you now as the day you left, and my boy is gonna be in love with you until his last breath.”

“Then why would Hunter…” My question dies off, and on a hunch that’s taking hold of me like a dog with a bone, I absently excuse myself, digging into Briar’s purse for the keys to the SUV. “I’m sorry, I have to go.”

“Go? Go where?” Briar asks.

“To commit a felony.”

“This never would’ve happened in Paris,” she grumbles, chasing after me and taking the keys. “At least let me drive so you don’t kill yourself on the way.”

“Deal.”

CHAPTER10

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