Page 148 of Ever With Me

“Unless I wanted Kayla eating McDonald’s every night, I had to learn how.” He chewed slowly, scanning her face. “But you’re the one who made the roast. So really, it’s me who should thank you.”

“Nice try. Don’t worry. You’re on track to get lucky again tonight without the fake schmooze.” She finished the taco, mostly because it was delicious and she didn’t want to hurt his feelings, but she really didn’t want any more. “Now finish your previous statement. You love me, but . . .”

Brooks slipped his phone onto the table and clicked it open. Sliding it across the table, he drew his hand back.

“A YouTube video?” She frowned.

“Just watch.”

Tapping the play button, she leaned toward it. A grayish video, as though taken at night, came into focus. The front of the Depot . . . and Brooks crashing through the front window.

Fred Strickland.

The taco sat heavy in her stomach now as her gut clenched.

“Mike threatened me after the court case today. Said he was going to release this to the tabloids—I think he wanted money. I told him to fuck off. Sure enough, the video hit the tabloid sites about an hour ago, and I’m sure it will be on the entertainment cable shows soon.”

“Dammit.” Her failure to retrieve that video stung even more now. “How the hell did Fred figure it out?Andgive it to Mike?”

“I don’t know. But Mike’s clearly been digging. And he says he has more damaging material.” Brooks finished his other taco and took a sip of water.

“What does that mean?”

“I don’t know.” His gaze grew distant. “But I sure as hell won’t allow him to threaten me or Kayla or Audrey . . . or you. And I’m worried that he’s going to threaten all three of you. I will protect the people I love.”

“What about you, Brooks? Who protects you? Because you’re ultimately the person he’s threatening.”

“I have bodyguards and security teams and lawyers. I’m not worried about me.”

His words didn’t make her feel any better.

“So what does that mean for us? Sure, Mike is a threat, but there will always be threats.”

“I won’t let you be threatened.”

“You can’t control everything, Brooks. You can’t stop every threat. Not for me or Kayla or Audrey. Or any other person you might fall in love with in the future.”

He lifted his head sharply. “You’re it for me, Madison. I love you. Only you. Always. But I will rip out my own heart if it means protecting you.”

The intensity of his words stole her breath.

She shut off the looped video, reached across the table, and took his hand. “I know you would, but so would I. And if it’s you and me now, then we have to start making these decisions together. Even if it means hard talks and scary unknowns, all right?”

Brooks’s shoulders tensed. At last, he nodded. “All right.”

40

BROOKS

For all thetimes that Brooks had played in local fairs at the start of his career, as he twirled Maddie on the dance floor of the Brandywood fair, it occurred to him that he had never once actually attended one. Especially not with a date.

But then,I’ve never had a date with a woman I’m in love with.

Being in love with her was every single thing he’d written about in a song, but never fully lived in the flesh.

Mesmerizing, intoxicating, surreal, and petrifying.

He pulled her into his arms as the song a local country band was playing ended, then kissed her. His own band members had arrived the night before, which had been a reunion he’d been unexpectedly glad to make. He’d also brought Cormac in to play with them for the evening, considering this was his hometown.

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