Page 111 of Shattered Melodies

And then, because I couldn’t help myself, I leaned in and kissed him. It was soft and sweet, a promise sealed with a kiss.

When we pulled apart, Liam’s eyes were shining with unshed tears. “Caleb,” he whispered.

I smiled, brushing my thumb over his cheek. “You don’t have to say anything. Just let me be here for you. Let me help.”

He nodded, burying his face in my chest. “Okay,” he murmured. “Okay.”

As I held him, feeling his breathing even out as he drifted off to sleep, I couldn’t help but marvel at how much had changed in just one night. Liam was Corey King. The man I’d grown up with, the one I’d been falling for all over again… he was also this incredibly talented, secretly famous musician.

Now that I knew, I could hear it in his voice, see it in the way he carried himself. How had I not noticed before? Corey King’s music had always resonated with me in a way I couldn’t quite explain. Now I knew why.

CHAPTER 31

Vulture Troubles

LIAM

It had been a few days since I’d spilled my guts to Caleb about the whole Corey King debacle. To say he was understanding would be the understatement of the century. The guy had been a rock, solid and unwavering in his support.

The morning after, I’d cornered Jimmy in the kitchen. “Alright, spill,” I’d said, fixing him with my best interrogation stare. “How did Caleb know to come over?”

Jimmy had played it cool, shrugging as he poured himself a cup of coffee. “No idea what you’re talking about, man.”

“Bullshit,” I’d shot back, not buying it for a second. “Come on, Jimmy. I know you had something to do with it.”

He’d sighed, finally meeting my eyes. “Okay, fine. I might have given him a call. You were in a bad way, Liam. I was worried.”

I’d felt a pang of guilt, remembering how I’d snapped at him earlier. “I’m sorry,” I’d said, my voice soft. “For what I said before. I was out of line.”

Jimmy had waved it off, but I could see the relief in his eyes. “Water under the bridge, dude. Just don’t scare me like that again, okay?”

I’d nodded, pulling him into a quick hug. “Deal.”

Now, a few days later, I found myself sitting in the ranch office, surrounded by the other hands and Hank. Apparently, Caleb had called a meeting, and we were all just waiting for him to show up.

I drummed my fingers on the arm of my chair, fighting the urge to check my phone for the millionth time. Patience had never been my strong suit, and the curiosity was killing me.

“Relax, kid,” Hank said, his gravelly voice cutting through my thoughts. “You look like you’re about to jump out of your skin.”

I forced a laugh, trying to play it cool. “Just wondering what’s taking so long. Don’t we have work to do?”

One of the other hands, a burly guy named Mike, chuckled. “What’s the matter, city boy? Got somewhere better to be?”

I opened my mouth to retort, but before I could, the door swung open and Caleb walked in.

My breath caught in my throat. Even after all this time, the sight of him still got to me. He was wearing his usual work clothes - worn jeans, a plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled up, showing off his tanned, muscular forearms. His hair was a bit messy, like he’d been running his hands through it nervously.

Our eyes met, and he smiled - that slow, easy smile that never failed to make my heart skip a beat. Without hesitation, he crossed the room and pulled me into a hug, pressing a quick kiss to my lips.

I froze for a second, caught off guard by the public display of affection. We hadn’t really talked about how “out” we were going to be, especially around the ranch. I mean, this was still a small town. You couldn’t be too careful.

But then I heard Hank’s voice, gruff but warm: “About damn time.”

Mike let out a dramatic sigh of relief. “Thank God! I thought we were gonna have to lock you two in a barn or something to get you to finally admit it.”

Dean chuckled, shaking his head. “Seriously, the sexual tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife. I was starting to worry about the livestock getting uncomfortable.”

Leo piped up, a mischievous glint in his eye. “I had a bet going with Mike about how long it would take. Looks like I owe him twenty bucks.”

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