Page 20 of The Rebel with Broken Strings
“Says the man who spent three hours deciding on new cowboy boots last month,” Charly retorted, but her eyes danced with affection.
He ignored her and kissed her cheek before she stepped back, laughing, the sound light and carefree. “I’ll call Poppy and let her know we’ve made our choice.” She stood on her tiptoes, pressing a quick kiss to Jaxon’s lips. “Thanks for the help.”
As soon as Charly entered the house, Jaxon turned to Gunner, a suspicious glint in his eyes.
“So, what in the hell is going on?” Jaxon said, holding the reins in his hand as his horse patiently stood waiting. “You gonna tell me the real reason you’re suddenly so invested in wedding catering?”
Gunner frowned. “What’re you talkin’ about? Charly said you wanted me to pitch in and go.”
Jaxon chuckled, unconvinced. “Uh-huh. And I suppose Charly just happened to insist on bringing you along for no reason at all? There’s something going on here. What is it?”
A muscle twitched in Gunner’s jaw. He removed his cowboy hat and ran a hand through his hair. “Look, I’m not quite sure why she wanted me to tag along, but I have a feeling it might be about Aubrey.”
“Aubrey?” Jaxon pressed, his tone gentle but persistent. “Why?”
Gunner’s shoulders tensed. He could feel Jaxon’s knowing gaze boring into him, peeling away the layers of bravado he’d carefully constructed. Part of him wanted to deflect, to throw out a joke and change the subject. But there was something in Jaxon’s demeanor—a quiet understanding, free of judgment—that made Gunner’s defenses start to crumble.
“Because, I…ah… I’m trying to right a wrong. I…” Gunner began, his voice catching. He cleared his throat, trying again. “I messed up. Bad. And I don’t know how to fix it.”
Jaxon’s expression softened. He clapped a hand on Gunner’s shoulder. “Start at the beginning. We’re all ears.”
Gunner took a deep breath. “It was in Atlanta, ’bout two years ago, before my last show when everything fell apart,” he began, and even he could hear the emotion heavy in his voice. “I was playing a show, and there she was—Aubrey. Damn near took my breath away.”
He paused, sliding his cowboy hat back into place. “We got to talking after the show, and…hell, I ain’t never felt a connection like that before.”
Jaxon nodded him on, his eyes reflecting understanding. “So what happened?”
“We spent a week together. It was…perfect. I gave her hope that we were more than a quick fling. But come one morning, I panicked. Left her there sleeping, with nothing, not even a sorry excuse for a note.” He drew in a deep breath, blowing it slowly, shame overwhelming him. “I convinced myself it was for the best. That I was too much of a mess, with the addiction and all. That she deserved better.”
Jaxon’s eyebrows shot up, surprise and understanding dawning on his face. “So that’s why Aubrey’s been acting so cold around you,” he mused, pieces of the puzzle falling into place. “She recognized you when she moved to town.”
Gunner nodded miserably. “Yeah, and now she will barely acknowledge my existence. Not that I blame her.”
Jaxon whistled slowly. “What’re the chances of even meeting again? Especially in your hometown?”
“Right,” Gunner agreed. “She kept playing that it wasn’t her and I was with someone else. For a while, I thought maybe she was right. Like the odds of us connecting again were just impossible, but I know it’s her. I couldn’t forget her if I tried.”
Eli, who had been silent until now, cleared his throat. His intense eyes flickered between Gunner and Jaxon. “I, uh… I overheard something on Christmas Eve,” Eli admitted, his voice gruff. “You and Aubrey were arguing in Jaxon’s kitchen. Didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but…”
Gunner’s heart hammered in his chest. “What’d you hear?” he asked.
Eli shifted uncomfortably. “Enough to know there’s a whole lotta hurt between you two.”
Gunner ran a hand over his face, regret heavy on his shoulders. Taking a deep breath, Gunner turned to face his friends fully. “Look, that mornin’ I left… I was scared outta my mind,” he confessed, his voice barely above a whisper. “Not of Aubrey, but of myself. Of what I might do to her.” He paused, swallowing hard. “I was so lost in my addiction then.” Gunner shook his head. “I couldn’t bear the thought of dragging her into my mess. Of unintentionally hurting her like I was hurting.”
The weight of his words hung in the air, mingling with the steam of their breath.
“So I ran,” Gunner admitted, his eyes fixed on the distant mountains. “Convinced myself it was the right thing to do. But seeing her again, knowing what I threw away…” He trailed off, emotion thick in his voice. “It’s got to mean something that she moved to Timber Falls. That we found each other again. And I won’t run from it this time.”
Jaxon’s breath formed a small cloud in the cold air. “What are you going to do now, then?”
Gunner’s gaze swept across the snow-covered ranch, once again taking in the bustling activity of the cowboys in the distance. When he looked back at Jaxon and Eli, he felt a new fire in his gut. “I’m gonna do whatever it takes to remind Aubrey of what we had that week together,” he declared, his voice gaining strength with each word. “Of what we could have. I know I messed up, but I’m not that same scared idiot anymore.” He took a deep breath, squaring his shoulders. “I’ve fought my demons, and I’m still fightin’ ’em every day. But Aubrey…she’s worth the fight. Worth every damn bit of it.”
Jaxon studied Gunner for a long moment, then nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Alright then,” he said simply, clapping a hand on Gunner’s shoulder. “You fight for her, and we’ll be here to help in any way we can.”
Eli gave a firm nod. “Damn straight.”
* * *
