Page 80 of Banter & Blushes

“No.” He exhales, sending a warm tickle of air across my cheek. “I’ve got a few days to give JD my answer. I figure I’ll know once I’m recording my own songs.”

I wish he would give his own music a chance, but it’s not my place to decide. Colt’s so talented and wrote some beautiful songs even in high school.

“So if you focus on that, you’ll stay in Nashville?”

He turns, causing my head to move. I face him, curious about the excited twinkle in his eye.

“You should move to Nashville.”

“What?” My voice cracks.

“You could get a place in Nashville and bring your food truck. There are so many music festivals and recordings, you’d always have something to cater or be a vendor for.”

“That’s a big gamble.”

“I don’t think so. Your food is so good.”

I shake my head. “I mean, for us. The only reason I’d want to move is to be near you, and what if that doesn’t work out?”

“What do you mean?” His face resembles a sad puppy’s.

My mouth twitches as I prepare my answer. I need to choose my words carefully so I don’t hurt him.

“We just reconnected this week after years of not seeing one another. We live in different states and both have busy jobs.”

“People do long distance all the time. If I’d known I’d feel this way seeing you again...” He pauses and sighs. “I would’ve tried harder to make it work after high school.”

I put my hand on his knee and give him what I hope is an encouraging look. “Let’s enjoy today. We can make major decisions later. Okay?”

He sits still as a stone wall for a moment. Finally, he turns toward me, looking less worried. “You’re right. Tell me all the things you wish I knew about the last nine years.”

I lean back against the couch and stare at the ceiling. “That may take a while.”

“I’ve got a few hours. Tell me everything. I don’t want to miss anything about you.”

For the first time since seeing Colt again, I let my guard down. I start with moving to the beach after graduation to cheer and attend college and end with right before I saw him on set.

I tell him about the two serious relationships I’ve been through and how waitressing through college made me decide to start a food truck. I talk about my friends coming and going since the beach is a place many people don’t stay forever. I even admit to looking him up on social media a few times but coming up blank.

My stories carry through lunch and the early afternoon. A few times I ask him about his life, but as soon as he answers, he asks about me again. It’s like he’s trying to close the gap in time between us.

He stays as long as he can to still make it to Nashville at a decent hour. I walk him to his truck, my eyes threatening to shed tears.

Colt frames my face with his hands and stares into my eyes. Then he kisses me. I try and live in the moment, but it’s hard when I don’t know what the future holds for us.

CHAPTER 13

COLT

“That was good. I think we got it.” Jim smiles at me through the sound window.

I smile back. “Can I record one more song since we’re got time?”

He shrugs. “Yeah.”

The guys playing backup give me confused stares. I turn to the keyboard player. “It’s all right. I was going to do this with just my guitar. It’s really new.”

“I like it.” Jim nods at me.

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