Girl in Love(109)

“Listen, do y’all have plans tonight? I have a show downtown and I can send a car…or a van. Whatever y’all need. Would you like to come as my special guests?”

It was ten minutes before they stopped thanking her. Kylie was pretty sure she’d made Isabelle late for her piano lesson. But it felt good to be able to do something nice for someone else. She could see now why Trace’s foundation was so important to him.

It reminded her that she was human.

But Marlena’s last words wounded her right down to her soul. After they’d told her they’d come to her show and that she was welcome in their home anytime, the lady added one last sentiment.

“He spoke very highly of you when he visited. Went on and on about how amazing you are and how much you changed his life, inspired him to be a better man. A love like that…” She paused to look at her daughter, and Kylie’s heart ached. “It’s special. And it’s rare. I hope my own daughter is lucky enough to find such a love some day.”

“Looks like she already has,” she said, nodding at the woman before closing her door so she could have her breakdown in private. Once she was safely in the cab of her truck, she gave up her stubborn battle and let her tears fall.



THE CEMETERY was empty when Kylie arrived. She made her way to where her mother and father lay from memory.

“Hi, Daddy. Sorry I haven’t been home in a while. Life has been…interesting.”

It was the first time she’d seen the headstone Trace had purchased for him in person. Running her hand over the cool marble slab and through each of the letters of her last name, she let out a breath of reverence. It was beautiful.

Even her hometown was a reminder. There was no escaping Trace Corbin because her feelings for him, the impact he’d had on her life, was as much a part of her as her DNA.

She crouched down and admired the guitar etched into her daddy’s headstone before she sat between his stone and her mom’s.

“Bet y’all are surprised to see me.” She sighed, wondering if it was possible to pour her heart and soul out until she had nothing left. It was beginning to feel like it was. “I wonder if you’d even recognize me. Sometimes I see a stranger in the mirror.”

She watched a few small birds take flight in the distance. Then twirled a blade of grass around her finger as she collected her thoughts and tried to do the same with her emotions.

“I wish you were here tonight. I’d get you front-row tickets so you could finally see me living my dream. Well, our dream, Daddy.”

The sound of her own voice startled her. It was hollow.

Nothing at all like the way a girl’s voice should sound when talking about living her dream.

“I miss y’all so much. Floating around in the world with no family to speak of… feels like I hatched from an egg sometimes.” She shook her head at her own ridiculousness. “But then I remember how I learned to play guitar. And how Daddy always said I had your eyes, Mama.”

She wiped her tears from her face and leaned her cheek against the cool marble.

“They call me Nashville’s Sweetheart.” A small humorless laugh escaped her lips. “Pretty crazy since being sweet was never really my thing, huh?” Tremors began to rack her body from the inside out. “I just…I just hope you’re proud of me.”

Using both hands to brush her hair back from her face, she stood. “I met someone. He’s…well, he’s kind of a mess. We both are. But together it seems like…maybe we’re not so messed up. I wish y’all could meet him.”

She looked down at the two stones side by side, knowing this was probably not a place she’d return to. At least not anytime soon.

“I miss y’all—more than I can hardly stand most days. But I’m glad you’re together now.” She kissed her fingertips and touched each of their carved names before walking back to her truck.

She’d just pulled onto Main Street when she saw it. The ghost of a girl carrying a faded pink suitcase with a black guitar case strapped to her back.

She thought of warning that girl, telling her to be careful. Explaining that she might have to choose between following her heart and chasing her dreams and that sometimes she might not even get a choice either way.

But she didn’t. Because that girl was going to have to learn for herself. And as Kylie drove toward the outskirts of her hometown, she realized a warning wouldn’t have made a bit of difference. That girl wouldn’t have changed anything anyways.

“Goodbye, Pride,” Kylie whispered into the wind as she drove out of town.





“I SAID I’d pay for it and I will. Claire Ann, I’m not letting this go to court if I can help it.” He shook his head. “The media gets so much as a whiff of this and they will destroy her. She’s my sister, she was drinking, and someone was hurt. They won’t see a sweet kid who messed up. They’ll make her a monster.”