Page 82 of The Love Chase

No more manager. No more contracts or ridiculous requirements. And my personal favorite—no more California. Liam was going to stay in Meridel with me.

See? We were togetherated.

Liam had told me that not only did he not want to divorce me at the end of our one-year contract, but he also wanted to be wherever I was, and he was willing to do whatever it took to do that.

Ever since Bridget’s marriage plan, Liam’s unease and unhappiness with her had grown, and he found himself tired of the lifestyle she was making him be a part of. It wasn’t what he had thought it would be, and he figured it was time to turn it around into his dream and not what some manager dreamed up for him.

Apparently, he had a couple friends he’d made in the industry who offered to help him get started on his own, even from a distance. All the pieces were falling into place as if it was always meant to be this way.

Even him and me.

It was easy as breathing. Completely natural.

Liam and I were always meant to be together, even if it took us a while to figure that out.

Liam stopped playing and set his guitar in a stand before he came over and pulled me into his arms. We swayed back and forth for a few minutes before there was a knock on the door, letting him know it was almost showtime.

“Go get ’em,” I said, giving him a light smack on the butt which had him laughing as he kissed me. “Just don’t forget, tomorrow we’re going tornado chasin’.” I purposely added a twangy accent to the words.

Liam froze for a split second before he grinned.

“Tornado chasing, love chasing, whatever it is, I’m in it with you.”

Emma

One Year later

The sun was sweltering, causing sweat to slide down my spine as I stood in the backyard, waiting to walk down the aisle for the second time. The day was so much like that day a year ago when I’d first said “I do” to Liam, but it couldn’t have been more different. Everything had changed.

There was no more Bridget, no more required gigs or obligations, and most importantly, no more scheming. Liam had paid his way out of his contract with her and the label, and instead, made connections with a couple producers based in Nashville who were excited about his sound. We hadn’t been sure how it would all pan out when Liam told Bridget she was fired, but everything had fallen into place exactly how it was supposed to.

Even my YouTube channel had exploded, and I had over one hundred thousand subscribers, with the number growing every day. People were finally getting excited about weather, and I was so glad I had taken a chance on creating the channel.

And now, instead of walking down a white velvet aisle in the Walkers’ backyard, I was about to walk down a grass path lined with sunflowers in our own backyard.

Yep, our own.

Liam and I had finished out the six-month lease on the townhouse before looking for a place of our own. It took a bit of time, but we eventually found the absolute perfect place for us. It was on the southern edge of Meridel on several acres, with a pond and the biggest maple tree I’d ever seen, and a cute little tire swing hanging from the branches.

It was picturesque, just like the small farmhouse that was nestled in the center. It was perfect and homey for the two of us with plenty of room to grow in the future. Liam was even able to turn one of the bedrooms into a recording studio, so he only left Meridel when it was completely necessary.

Goosebumps pebbled on my skin at the thought of the future. Because that future included Liam and me. A dream I’d never thought would come true.

We were technically still married even though our contract was moot, but over the past year we decided to truly date each other and find out who we were as lovers instead of just friends. It was the best decision we’d ever made—taking a chance on each other. And now, I waited in our backyard, ready to say my vows once more—real ones this time—and officially start this life with Liam.

We kept things simple. There were no twig seats or explosions of peonies or strange bald men performing the ceremony. It was just Liam and me, with Jameson doing the ceremony, his wife Elsie tearing up at his side, Maya and Oliver—who were trying to be discreet about snapping pictures of all of us—and, of course, Mom. Even Liam’s brother, Wyatt, had agreed to come this time. I wasn’t sure if Liam would ever have normal relationships with his family, but hope surged in my heart at the sight of Wyatt standing at his brother’s side.

As I made it to the end of the aisle, Liam took hold of my hands, our friends and family making a circle around us.

“You look beautiful,” Liam said softly, squeezing my hands. My cheeks hurt from how hard I was smiling.

This was everything. Standing here with my best friend, the love of my life, surrounded by the people that meant the most to us. Even the dark clouds threatening rain in the distance couldn’t sour my mood—it actually made it even better. I liked storms, okay?

Jameson started talking, but his words were far in the background as I lost myself in Liam’s gaze. It was only when my brother told me to recite my vows that I snapped back to the present.

This is it.

Maya handed me a folded piece of paper. Even though I had no doubt in my mind about the vows I was about to say, my hands still trembled as I unfolded the page.

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