He shouldn’t have given Snow such a hard time about being anxious the day of the auction, because tonight was Caleb’s turn to be a sweating mass of nerves. He’d set this up with the certainty that Snow would love it, but the closer they got to the Second Chance Saloon, the more he questioned his decision. She’d told him she didn’t sing anymore, but Snow had loved being on stage back when they were dating. The joy on her face translated to anyone watching. He wanted her to know that their marriage didn’t mean she had to give up on her dream.
“What are we doing here?” Snow asked as Caleb parked the Jeep in front of the country bar. The Second Chance was smaller than Brubaker’s, and it looked at least twenty years older.
“I told you,” he said, “you’ll find out soon enough.”
“If you wanted to dance, we could have gone to Brubaker’s. There was no reason to come to the edge of the county.”
Caleb took her face in his hands. “We’re not here to dance, Snow. You’re here to sing.”
Amber eyes went wide. “What?”
“I’ve set it up. Wes Tillman is playing tonight, and he’s agreed to let you sing with him.”
“Sing with Wes Tillman?” Snow shoved his hands away. “Are you crazy? What makes you think I’d want to do that? I told you, I don’t sing anymore.”
“Singing was your passion back in Nashville. Why would you give that up?”
She clung to her seat belt and stared out the windshield. “Take me home, Caleb.”
“I can’t do that.” He didn’t know why, but something told him to push her on this. “We’re going inside.”
“You might be going inside,” she argued, “but I’m staying right here.”
“Snow—”
“Better yet, I’ll walk home.” She was out of the Jeep before he could react.
Caleb unhooked his seat belt and bolted out after her. “Why won’t you do this?” he asked, his voice demanding an answer.
“I don’t want to.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“Well it’s the only answer you’re going to get.”
“Snow,” he said, spinning her by her shoulders. “I’ve seen you light up on stage. I know that you love it. Now tell me what’s really going on.”
A Dodge truck pulled into the lot and stopped next to them. “Is everything good out here?” Spencer asked through his open window.
Without taking his eyes off Snow, who was staring at the gravel, Caleb said, “We need a minute.”
“You got it,” Spencer said, driving across the lot to park closer to the entrance.
“I can’t believe you did this,” Snow said, her voice low. “I thought you’d changed. I thought you were listening to me, but nothing has changed.”
On the verge of panic, Caleb stepped close, but kept his hands to himself. “Darling, I heard you when you said you don’t sing anymore. I swear I did. But I was there. I saw what this meant to you in Nashville. The only thing that stopped you was us getting married, and I don’t want you to give up your dream because of me. I don’t want you to look back ten years from now and resent me because you gave this up.”
Snow met his eyes with fierce determination in her own. “I didn’t give up singing for you, Caleb. I never wanted to sing in the first place, okay? I just used my talent to get away from my hometown. To break away from the boring life available to me back there. But I never really intended to become famous or really do it for a living. That’s not me at all.”
As if the wind had been knocked out of him, Caleb backed up to lean on the back of the Jeep.
“I don’t need to chase that dream, Caleb,” she said, closing the distance between them. “All I need is you.”
He pulled her close, leaning his forehead against hers. “You have me, Snow. But this isn’t a major Nashville audition.” Caleb lifted his head. “This is you getting to spend a little time back in the spotlight doing something you love to do. That’s all. Let me give this to you.”
Placing a kiss on his lips, she said, “I’m sorry you thought you killed my dream.”
“I want you to be happy,” he said. And he’d never meant anything so much in his life.
Snow sighed. “I’m happy, I promise.”
Relieved to hear the words, he asked, “Are we going inside?”
She nodded. “We are.” Slipping her hand into his, she turned and stepped toward the bar. “Am I really about to sing with Wes Tillman?” she asked, a trace of awe in her voice.