Meant to Be (Whisper Creek #5)(100)

She just wished the entire thing didn't make her so damn depressed.

"Okay." She pasted a bright smile on her face, but couldn't hold it. "I've got one more, and then I have to go. This one-it's about bending and breaking and falling down … and finding the person who helps you get back up. It's about being lost … and finding someone with a perfect map."

She took a shaky breath. "It's about being so lonely you're sure you'll never feel whole again … and then finding someone who fills up all of those dark, empty spaces in your soul … and makes you want to live again."



       
         
       
        

She played it then, from start to finish, just the way it had flowed out of her on that carpet in her hotel room. She felt every note hit her heart, heard every word peel back layers she hadn't even known she was hiding under, saw the song make its way into the hearts of the people gathered around her bench, and she smiled sadly.

Someday Cooper would hear it.

Someday she'd figure out a way to send it to him.

And he'd know it was for him.

He would.

Once the clapping died down and people started back along the pathways to wherever they'd been headed before they stopped, Shelby leaned over to set her guitar in its case, and squeezed her eyes shut when a tear dropped onto the polished wood.

"Y'know, Liam'll kill you if he finds out you got his guitar wet."





Chapter 31


Shelby's eyes popped open, but she didn't dare move, in case she was dreaming his voice, just like she had been for weeks already.

"C-Cooper?"

"You know someone else who knows your Montana guitar supplier?"

She looked up then, and there he stood, and oh Lord, he was gorgeous. More gorgeous than her all-too-vivid fantasies and memories. He was city cop and Montana cowboy, piercing eyes and quirky smile, and … he looked like he'd just run a marathon. His cheeks were pink, and under his Red Sox cap, his hair looked adorably messy.

"I-wow. I can't believe you're actually-"

"Here?" He smiled.

"Yes. I mean-I was hoping, and honestly, I was praying pretty hard, but you didn't come. And then … you did." She shook her head. "Never mind. I'm sorry. I'm speaking gibberish."

"You're kinda cute when you speak gibberish. Just saying." He reached out his hands toward hers. "You're also shaking."

"I know." She let her fingers touch his-smiled as he squeezed them gently. "I'm just surprised. Happily surprised! I didn't think you'd find me."

"Were you playing that song for someone else?"

"No!" She felt her smile match his. "No! It was for you. Of course it was for you." Then she paused, swallowing hard. "You really heard it?"

He nodded, pointing at a tree a few yards behind the bench. "Listened from there."

"So … what did you think?"

Her throat felt suddenly way too small as she looked up at him, waiting for his answer. She'd put her entire heart and soul-fragile as they both were-into those lyrics. She was dying to know what he thought, but was more scared than she'd ever been. 

"I don't know." He shook his head slowly, and her stomach plummeted as she looked down. "Sounds like you've got it bad, though."

She tipped her head, looking back up at him. "What?"

"Well, I mean, wow." He raised his eyebrows. "You are seriously a goner for this guy. I just hope for your sake that he returns the feelings, because ouch. Kind of a lot to put out there to the universe, not knowing."

"You think?" Shelby narrowed her eyes, setting her jaw, but inside, a warm ember took hold. He wouldn't be talking like this unless … right?

He squeezed her fingers again, pulling her minutely closer. "You really wrote that song for me?"

"Do you know any other cowboys I could have fallen in love with this summer?"

His face grew serious. "Love?"

"I know." She closed her eyes, wincing. "It's crazy. Eight weeks ago, we hadn't even met. It's definitely crazy. And I know I'm kind of new at this whole choosing-my-own-destiny thing, but … I cannot see my world without you in it, Cooper Davis. I just-can't. And I know your life is crazy and chaotic, and I know you have so much hell going on, and so much in front of you still, but I just-I don't care. I want to help. I want to be with you. I honestly don't care what anyone in the world thinks. Nuts or not, that's my reality. I can't help it. I've tried to help it, but I just-can't."

He paused, and she could practically see her words bouncing around in his head, but she didn't have any idea what effect they were having, because he wasn't responding, dammit.