Chapter 30

IVY

Two Years Later...

Two weeks ago, I became a college graduate. I was the first person in my family to obtain a college diploma, and my mother and Eddie couldn't have been more proud. They were so proud they surprised me with a plane ticket to New York. Missy was cast in her first big Broadway production, and Eddie and I flew down together to attend her debut performance. It was my first time on an airplane or leaving the state of Montana, and I couldn't have been more ready to spread my wings.

Eddie had already travelled to New York several times to visit Missy. They were together now and trying to make it work long-distance. It proved challenging with Missy destined for great things on stage, and Eddie stuck in Montana running the General Store. But they were so in love that distance didn't matter much to them. I hated the slight twinge of jealousy I felt when I thought of their happiness. Of course, I was pleased they were together; it just sucked because I was still licking my wounds over Rhys even though so much time had passed. I tried to move on, too. I did, but no one I've dated since then has ever come close to Rhys. I missed him terribly.

Eddie and Missy were lucky to be able to make things work between them regardless of all the obstacles in their way. He was a one-woman kind of man, and no matter how famous Missy would become, she would always be a country girl at heart. I was shocked when Eddie confessed he'd been considering a move to New York. His only struggle with leaving Montana was parting from our mother and leaving her to run the General Store on her own. I never thought my flannel shirt-wearing, truck-driving brother would want to roam the streets of New York, but I guess love does change everything. Whatever Eddie decides, I know it will all work out for the best.

School has kept me busy, my internship in Fredrickton has kept me busy, applying to grad school has kept me busy, and even Missy and Eddie have kept me busy with constant FaceTime sessions. My hard work and internship paid off because I was accepted into the School of Journalism at the University of Mississippi. I was excited to continue my education and start a new chapter in my life. Because despite all the distractions and successes, it was a tough couple of years for me.

The enormity of learning how Eddie interfered with Rhys and me was hard to accept. I remained disappointed with Eddie for quite some time afterward. Blaine and I did end up reconnecting before he left for France. He came to Missoula to gather his belongings from my dorm room. He was still very hurt and angry with me; of course, he had every right to be. We both cried, and I apologized relentlessly for hurting him. I confessed everything Rhys and I had done that summer, and I told him I never meant to cause him any pain. He boldly asked if I genuinely loved Rhys, and I confessed that I did. Even though he looked so wounded and heartbroken from my omission, his final hug gave me his silent forgiveness. It pained me to know nothing would ever be the same between us. He wished me well when he left, and I wished him the same. I haven't seen him since, but I did hear from Missy that Blaine graduated from the University of Paris and was accepted somewhere in Eastern Europe to complete an MBA.

Of course, I was never busy enough to forget about Rhys, though. Nor would the universe let me. His songs were all over country radio. A quick Google search told me that he secured a publishing deal with one of the top Country Music record labels once he moved to Nashville. Within the first year, three of his songs were recorded by famous country music artists, and two of his songs made it into the top five country songs of the year – his most famous song was called Hometown Girl. I couldn't listen to his songs whenever they came on the radio, though. It was too painful and stirred up emotions I'd rather forget existed. Rumours swirled around in the country music world that he would be nominated for a CMA for best breakout songwriter, and whispers were all over the internet that Rhys would release an album.

I always knew he was destined for great things. It was hard for me to accept that walking away from him was the best thing I could have done for him. He could go to Nashville without me weighing him down or vying for his attention in his evolving world of fame. But in return, I was also able to focus on graduating from college, gaining valuable experience as an intern, evolving on my terms free from the Wyatt brothers, and successfully moving on to journalism school. I was even able to leave Moose Creek anxiety-free, ready to experience life outside of Montana for the first time in my life. Things were changing for the better for both of us.

Of course, my underlying feelings for Rhys Wyatt were still rooted deep in my soul. Chances were they would never go away. After an eternity of wanting him, I was tired of staying busy so he wouldn't enter my head. I missed him terribly and still craved his touch like my next breath. But I also knew there was no point in contacting him. He hadn't contacted me either. I was pretty sure when I walked away from him battered and bruised without a proper goodbye; he wrote me off from his life anyway. He was now a rising star living in a big city, and I was just a silly girl from his past he would probably prefer to forget about. I was sure he had already moved on. It pained me to accept that was a definite possibility, but to survive, I couldn't let myself believe I still held a place in his heart.

I ran my finger over the ring Rhys had given me without thinking about it. I planned on returning it to him one day since it belonged to his mother, and, as he said, it should stay in the family. I wasn't family, nor would I probably ever be, but I wore the ring on my right hand for two years to keep it safe. I also knew I was holding on for as long as I could.

I removed it from my finger and placed it in the palm of my hand. I studied it and turned it over, admiring its vintage beauty. It was tough to hold onto something that belonged to him. Keeping it connected me to him even though we were worlds apart. I imagined things were different, and he was the one with me in New York in this hotel room instead of Eddie. A small smile touched my lips, thinking about Rhys being here with me. I hoped that one day, he could see how far I'd come. How I've become more adventurous and free-spirited, and how his love helped me grow into the woman I am today. I finally flew on a plane and am visiting the biggest and brightest city with more adventure in my soul than I'd ever felt before. I touched the ring and closed my eyes. I could see him more clearly this way. I wanted him here with me more than anything. I missed him desperately.

Eddie came out of the bathroom as I clutched the ring in the palm of my hand, lost in memories of Rhys.

"Are you okay?" Eddie asked.

I shrugged and slipped the ring back onto my finger. "Yeah," I said. "Just thinking."

"About what?"

I sighed and told him honestly, "Rhys. How much I miss him. I know it's been two years, and you think I'm crazy because I can't move on. Why do I always feel like everything isn't how it's supposed to be?"

"I don't think you are crazy," Eddie said. "If I didn't have Missy in my life, I'd feel the same way you're feeling."

"Why have I always felt drawn to Rhys? Like he's always had this unexplainable pull my brain didn't always realize, but my body did? And all the things I thought made Blaine the perfect choice, the giant list of checkmarks in my head that I thought meant we were compatible, or every other guy I've tried to give a chance since then...they all seem so insignificant when I compare them to my feelings for Rhys."

"Do you regret how you walked away from Rhys the night Blaine found out?"

I don't even have to think about it. "Yes. Every. Single. Day."

He levels me with a glare. "Look, Ivy, I've watched you grow into this amazingly confident and beautiful woman. Dad would be so incredibly proud of you and everything you've been able to accomplish. You did the right thing when you walked away. You and Rhys needed to seek out the world on your own before you could truly be together. The timing just wasn't right, you know?" Eddie said with an uncharacteristically shaky voice. "Don't underestimate how much Rhys loved you. And I'm guessing he probably hasn't stopped."

"Please don't say things like that," I said. "It only makes me feel worse. I will be waiting forever to see him again, and I'll eventually become an old spinster with hundreds of cats and a jaded heart."

"Why haven't you just called him?" Eddie asked.

I shrugged. "Hearing his voice would've been too hard. There was no way to change the physical distance between us, and I needed to get my act together. Graduate college and do things on my own for a change."

I stopped talking and looked up to see Eddie watching me with a neutral expression.

"I needed to be alone. Grow up. And Rhys needed to do what he felt he needed to do. He pushed me away to protect me, and I understand that now. He's why I could graduate debt-free, accept that internship, and learn to live a life full of ambition and adventure, ready to take on the world. I've travelled on my first plane ride and done so many adventurous things I never thought I'd ever do these past two years. And whether or not I want to accept it, deep down, it's all because of Rhys. I wish things hadn't ended the way they did. I wish my feelings for him hadn't hurt Blaine."

"Don't be so hard on yourself, Ivy." Eddie grabbed my hand. "Everything is going to be okay. And I will ensure you don't become a crazy cat lady spinster."

I laughed and wiped a tear from my eye. "You're always looking out for me."

He leaned forward and kissed my forehead. "I hate to give you fair warning, but we need to leave for Missy's show in about fifteen minutes. You need to get yourself ready."

I nodded and pulled my hand from his. I sluggishly walked over to the mirror in our hotel room and applied a red lipstick. I was ready after straightening my hair, curling my eyelashes, and adding some blush to my cheeks.

"Is that what you're wearing?" he casually asked, scanning my outfit from head to toe.

I wasn't dressed fancy like a New Yorker in designer clothes. I had on a pair of ripped jeans, a dark green t-shirt, and white Converse sneakers. It's not like we were going to a gala; we were going to a Broadway show. And since when did Eddie Bishop become a sleek city boy? I noticed he wore tapered jeans rolled up at the ankle, a white button-up shirt with a sharp navy blazer. I could tell Missy had a considerable influence on his outfit. At best, Eddie wore flannels and ripped jeans; it was not expensive streetwear.

"Well, excuse me, Mr. Fancy Pants. I didn't know there was a strict dress code."

Eddie laughed and dug around in my luggage. He pulled out a sapphire blue dress and handed it to me. "Here. I think you should wear this instead."

I cocked an eyebrow. "Really? It was bad enough having Missy give me fashion advice; now you are too?"

Eddie laughed again. "Come on. It's a big night. Just put this dress on, and let's get out of here. You never know who's going to be there."

We walked five blocks west to an old theatre. I struggled to press down the tight swell in my throat and the nervous lurch in my stomach. I was so excited for Missy and her big debut but also incredibly heartbroken. Rehashing my emotions over Rhys with Eddie was not a good idea. I thought it would get easier the more I talked about him, but unfortunately it wasn't. Eddie pulled open the door to the theatre, and we walked inside an empty lobby. I glanced over at Eddie, and he didn't seem bothered or give any indication we were at the wrong theatre. Suddenly, Missy appeared from a side door and ran toward me to greet me with a hug. She looked gorgeous, as expected, with her brown hair pulled back into a tight bun and her makeup perfectly contoured with a soft nude lip.

"You look beautiful," she pulled away, grabbed my hand and squeezed it. "Love, love, love the dress."

I laughed. "Thanks. Eddie picked it out."

Missy winked at him. "See, good taste can be taught to anyone."

Eddie laughed and kissed the top of her head. "Only in New York. When I'm back in Montana, you can't get me out a flannel shirt, babe."

God. Their love made me ache inside. It made me miss Rhys even more if that were at all possible.

"Missy, I'm so excited for your show." I smiled. "But where is everyone?"

Either we were abnormally early, or Eddie got the time of the show wrong.

Missy smiled and shared a glance with Eddie. Something suddenly felt off between them, and I wouldn't say I liked it.

"Don't worry about everyone else," Missy nervously laughed. "Come with me. I'll bring you to your seat."

Missy grabbed my hand before I could respond and pushed open the double doors into the theatre. The theatre was empty, too. The lights were dim, but the stage was lit with one stool and a single microphone placed center stage. When I hesitated, Eddie was at my side almost instantly and guided me toward the front row.

"Okay, seriously. What is going on?" I asked, panicked.

Neither of them answered me when we sat down in the front row. Eddie was on my right side, and Missy was on my left side. Eddie glanced toward the back and nodded. Suddenly, the lights shut off, and a spotlight hit center stage. My heart pounded, and I was so confused and flustered, and I had no idea why I felt any of those things. I closed my eyes and took a few deep breaths. My ears perked up to the sound of a guitar and a familiar, deep, raspy voice that haunted my dreams. I opened my eyes and glanced up at the stage to see Rhys.

Rhys?

What the...?

His presence shot right through my core. I could hardly breathe. The song sounded familiar. And then it dawned on me this was a song he sang the night we stayed at Duke Falls around the campfire. The melody sounded much different, but the words were still the same. When it dawned on me this was the same song now sung by a famous country music artist called Hometown Girl, my heart skipped a beat. I never thoroughly listened to the song's lyrics before when it played on the radio because it was way too painful to hear. I would switch the radio station. Was I imagining things? Was this the song he wrote about me?

His eyes were focused on me as he sang in his sultry, raspy voice, and he gave me a sexy grin through the lyrics. His perfection was almost too much to take in all at once. He had on jeans that looked worn but fitted him like a glove. A plain white t-shirt perfectly sculpted his every muscle and showcased his toned and inviting arms. He looked the same but was cleaner-shaven and muscular than the last time I saw him. His strong hands strummed his guitar, and his full lips almost touched the microphone as he sang. His impossibly dark, wild hair was a tousled mess, and my heart squeezed painfully. I felt like my world stood still at the realization of what was happening.

He kept it together even though he looked as emotional as I felt. He closed his eyes as he continued to sing the song he wrote all those years ago. The words of his song became clearer in my head as he sang about a hometown girl, his lost love and two tainted souls who were forced apart and travelled down separate roads, only to be reunited once again. My breath was taken at how beautiful the lyrics were and how much emotion radiated from Rhys's voice.

Tears fell freely from my eyes. It was the most beautiful, heartbreaking and intensely emotional song I had ever heard him sing. My whole body buzzed with those familiar feelings that only Rhys could make me feel.

When the song ended, Rhys put down his guitar, walked over to the edge of the stage and held his hand out to me. I remained frozen, unable to move as his blue eyes bore into mine. The entire theatre buzzed with that familiar electricity only Rhys could bring to my life. I could feel Missy and Eddie waiting for me to do or say something, but I was in such a beautiful shock I wanted to take in every ounce of this moment.

"Ivy," Rhys whispered.

My eyes snapped up to his, feeling the sincerity and desperation trapped behind his big baby blue eyes. I took a deep breath and a cautious step toward him as I placed my hand in his, letting Eddie and Missy help lift me onto the stage.

We stood face to face, and I wanted to reach out my hand to touch his face, to know I wasn't dreaming and this was real. He looked down at me and wiped a tear from my cheek with his thumb. My entire body shivered from his familiar touch. His deep blue eyes widened instantly and glassed over as they gazed into mine. My body hummed with restraint, not to touch him. I wasn't sure what any of this meant. I was scared he would leave me again just as fast as he appeared.

He took a step closer to me and brushed our hands together. I inhaled sharply, just electrified by his gentle touch. He cupped my cheek and stepped closer to me, our bodies touching now. My heart was hammering in my chest, and when I placed my right hand on his chest, I could feel that he was too.

Rhys glanced down at my hand, and a small smile touched his lips. "You kept the ring. I didn't think you would."

"Yes," I admitted, blushing furiously.

"I'm sorry to surprise you like this, Goldie."

My chest tightens when he calls me this pet name.

"And I'm sorry I pushed you away the way I did," he continued. "I hope that maybe I'm forgiven because you are still wearing the ring."

With a smile, he runs his thumb along the ring for several seconds. From the corner of my eye, I could see Eddie and Missy sneak away to the back corner of the theatre to give us some privacy. The immensity of being inches away from Rhys again was enveloping me.

"I thought I'd never see you again," I breathed.

Rhys brushed my hair along my shoulder, letting it fall on my backside. Instinctively, my body shivered, and I inhaled a sharp breath. When he ran a thumb along my cheek, his familiar touch made my knees buckle. I was scared I would fall to the floor.

"You look beautiful," he said, gazing into my eyes.

I blushed and quickly looked away. His gaze was too intense. Everything in the moment felt too surreal. My heart was pounding, and goosebumps broke out all over my skin. After a few beats of silence, I finally mustered, "That song...was that the same song you played at Duke Falls?"

Rhys nodded. "Yes. Did you like it?"

Now, it was my turn to nod. "I loved it."

"Good," he smirked. "Because without you, I'd be nothing. You gave me my songs. This song and every other song I've ever written. You've always been my motivation and my greatest inspiration."

I swallowed hard and nodded again, unable to speak. My chest almost ached at the force of each heartbeat. Seriousness marked his face as he stood before me, his hands sliding down my sides and his arms wrapped around his waist. I felt heated under his intense gaze. It had been so long since I became lost in his eyes.

"I don't understand, Rhys. Why are you here?"

He looked like my question broke his heart. It's not that I wasn't happy to see him; of course, I was...it was just that I had no idea what this meant. I hadn't heard from him in two years. I thought we were over. I assumed he would have moved on.

His brows scrunched together. "I'm here for you, Ivy."

I'm relieved; I'm confused. I'm feeling so many things. Every fantasy I'd ever dreamed of was coming to life.

"Why?"

"You know why," he smirked. His eyes watched me intensely, his lips parted as he breathed shallowly. "Please tell me you haven't moved on."

It was hard to focus. My eyes drifted to his lips, and I lifted them back to his eyes. "I've been accepted to the University of Mississippi for Journalism. You live in Nashville. We've both moved on whether we wanted to accept it or not. There will still be physical distance between us." My stomach dropped at this realization, and I suddenly felt hollow. I dreaded his response.

"Ivy, I can write music anywhere," he smiled. He hardly seemed affected by this realization. "Mississippi is only a few hours away from Nashville. I can travel back and forth- "

"Rhys," I cut him off. Things were moving too quickly, and I still needed to say so much. "I never wanted us to end. You knew how I felt before Blaine returned, but you still pushed me away. After everything, I felt like you left me no choice but to walk away. I don't know how we move forward."

"Believe me, you had every right to walk away from me. I pushed you away because I couldn't promise you a stable and fulfilling life like Blaine could. I wanted you to finish college and live the best life possible. I never wanted to hold you back. Regardless of how we felt, we knew the timing wasn't right."

"How can I trust you won't push me away again?" I asked quietly. "Maybe the timing still isn't right."

"I won't push you away ever again. I promise," he said, voice hoarse. "I'm yours, Ivy...That is, if you'll have me?"

He weaved his fingers through my shaking hands. I was overly nervous in his presence. I hadn't seen him or heard from him in so long. It felt like an eternity without Rhys in my life. Could I trust him not to push me away again? God knows I wanted to. Every beat of my heart hummed with longing for him to come back into my life again.

I heard his deep voice. "The way you seem nervous makes me think you don't know how much I'm still in love with you."

I looked up at him, eyes wide.

"I love you, Ivy. I've loved you since your first day of kindergarten when I saw you bouncing around in blonde pigtails on the playground. I loved you in middle school when you ran for class President, wore braces, and wore thick dark-rimmed glasses. I loved you in high school when your nose was stuck in a book and when you watched Eddie and me play a set at Jones Tavern. And I loved you even when I knew I shouldn't..." his voice trailed off, and his eyes glazed over. "I've never stopped loving you, Ivy. And I never will."

I nodded, feeling dizzy. "Okay."

He bit his lip and released it to give me a hopeless frown. "Okay? You have nothing to say but 'okay'?" he asked, looking down at me.

"Of course, I still love you, Rhys. But I'm terrified."

"I'm terrified too, Ivy. Terrified of losing you again. You are my one and only inspiration. You are the reason I've been lucky enough to succeed in Nashville. Of course, it killed me not to have you by my side, but because of you, I was more determined than ever to hit the ground running and build everything I have now. You are my muse for every song and every melody I write. You helped me see I was worth more than what others expected of me, including my father. I'm sorry I couldn't take you with me, but I couldn't let you give up everything you worked so hard for to be with me. You needed to find yourself without having your heart pulled between me and Blaine, and I realize that now. You needed to finish what you started in college, and I needed to do music on my own. I never wanted to drag you down. I needed to prove to you and myself I could be the man you deserved...and hopefully, you still love me with all your heart. I haven't moved on. And I don't think you have either." His head lowered, and his body pressed closer to me – our chests touched. He stepped forward, moved his hand to the side, and cupped my face with the other effortlessly.

"What about Blaine?" I breathed against his lips.

"Blaine knows I'm here..." he said, looking at me with a hopeful grin. "For you."

It took me a moment to process everything he said. Blaine knew? Every obstacle that had once stood in our way was slowly disappearing.

He rested his head against mine, and one of his legs shifted between mine. My breath picked up, and he tucked a stray curl behind my ear. "Do you want to give us a real try-finally, Ivy?" he breathed.

"I'm scared," I admitted.

"Believe me, I am scared too. But the thing is," he said, smiling. "I don't want anyone else."

My chin lifted until our parted lips brushed together. "I don't want anyone else either. I could never love anyone like I love you."

I raised my hand to hold his face, and he closed his eyes at the contact. He sighed softly, and I interlaced our fingers. My lips drifted closer until I could practically feel the heat coming off of his.

Rhys's eyes opened, and without another thought, he pulled me against his chest. Our mouths were inches apart, and I inhaled sharply as his fingertips travelled along my collarbone. He ran a knuckle down my cheek, and my heartbeat spiked, feeling the familiar pull between us. Rhys's lips seared mine and quickened my breath as we shared deep, hungry kisses on stage. Everything in the moment became about the feeling of his mouth on my lips, the feeling of his hands in my hair, and his tongue moving over mine. I felt every breath he took and every small sound he made. There was no point in fighting against each other any longer. My heart belonged to Rhys for as long as I could remember. Our kiss finally branded me as his.

"Oh God," he whispered along my lips. "I've missed you so much."

He pressed harder against me, and I moaned lightly under his touch.

"I've missed you too," I breathed.

"Promise me you won't ever walk away from me again," he groaned, exhaling as he placed another kiss on the top of my head.

"I promise if you promise me the same."

"I swear, Ivy. Never again." He whispered.

The sound of hands clapping caused Rhys and me to turn our attention to Eddie and Missy standing at the back of the theatre. I had completely forgotten they were still here. Rhys and I laughed, and I wiped a tear from my eyes as they cheered and continued to clap as they walked toward us like we were the real Broadway show.

"Are you even in a Broadway production?" I asked Missy as they made their way up onto the stage. "Or was everything about this trip to New York a lie?"

Missy smiled with Eddie before replying, "My big debut is tomorrow night...which you both are coming to, by the way," she said, pointing a finger between me and Rhys. "But when Eddie told me what Rhys had planned, I knew it was the only way to get you in a theatre without you suspecting something."

I turned to Eddie. "You helped Rhys plan all of this?"

He shrugged. "Rhys and I settled our differences a few months back. He asked for my blessing, and I gave it to him...I knew how much you missed him and still wanted to be with him...I should have never interfered like I did all those years ago."

So not only did they know Rhys was about to walk back into my life, but they helped him plan all of this, too. Holy hell, I love my brother and Missy so much.

"Your blessing means a lot, Eddie." Rhys kissed the top of my head.

It occurred to me only now that nothing was finally holding me back from being with Rhys. I was ready to start the next chapter of my life with him.

"You're my forever, Ivy," he whispered.

His words simmered something fierce in my belly. Knowing Rhys was the kind of love I could never fall back on was like electricity all over my skin. He was mine, and I was his. I wondered if he was thinking the same thing when I glanced up to see the same fired-up expression on his face.

"And you're mine," I whispered back.

For once, I was completely consumed with the comfort of knowing Rhys Wyatt had been my first love and he would forever be my last.