Page 169 of Ever With Me

Maddie had every right to move on if she wanted. He’d told her to.

Walked out on her.

But that didn’t mean he had to like it.

And if she had moved on with Cormac . . . it was damn near unforgiveable.

Not to mention that Cormac had wanted to leave Brandywood in the rearview mirror and never settle there again.What the fuck?

Unless this was what he meant when he’d hinted he was thinking of putting down roots again.

For weeks, Brooks had teetered somewhere between crushing depression and the urgent need to keep moving forward. He’d regretted leaving the instant his feet had hit the tarmac in LAX. Not a single day had gone by without him regretting hurting her. Wishing he could be with her.

But he’d tried to tell himself he’d done the best thing for her. That he loved her enough to let her live a happy life in the town she loved, with the people she loved, free of the danger and chaos he brought to everything.

Every damn day he told himself it was better in the long run.

And every damn night, he woke up tormented and unable to sleep, his peace completely and thoroughly fucked.

He’d written more music in the past two weeks than he had in years—to the point that his fingertips had bled from playing the guitar so much.

Fortunately, Christine had come through for him. She’d renegotiated his contract with Ava for a better deal that gave him more control over his music and rights and a shorter term on the contract—just eighteen months.

He’d been right all along: Ava couldn’t afford to lose him on the label.

To keep her happy, he’d promised a single, then put out “Ever With Me” because Maddie was all he could think about. She consumed him with a fire that had branded his soul.

Then, of course, he’d regrettedthatdecision because the press had started the reporting about her all over again and it felt like he’d reset the clock on trying to convince Mike that he didn’t care. The easy thing would be to set up a few high-profile dates, but he couldn’t do that to her.

And now he may have lost her forever.

“You idiot, you already lost her forever.” Brooks breathed in and out as slowly as he could.

Madison. The only person who had ever seen him.

“I can’t live without her,” he breathed.

The thought pressed into every fiber of him, pulsing into his brain with a reckless thrum.

Was she Cormac’s now?

Would she even forgive him?

Would anything he did make a difference to her after he’d hurt her the way he had?

He had to know what the hell was going on in Brandywood.

And then punch his former best friend’s face.

47

MADDIE

The Brandywood townhall had been full for two hours before the council meeting was even supposed to start, because almost everyone had turned out. In fact, she hadn’t seen it this packed since the Wagners had tried to kick Pops off Main Street.

But this time, the town wasn’t there because they were divided on an issue.

A few strategic secret meetings with key members of the community was all it had taken.

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