Maybe Someday(115)

they seemed when I was nineteen. We’d grab a

calendar and pick a date, and we’d start a count-

down until I could show up at your front door

and start loving you.

624/692

However, I’ve learned that the heart can’t be

told when and who and how it should love. The

heart does whatever the hell it wants to do. The

only thing we can control is whether we give our

lives and our minds the chance to catch up to our hearts.

I know that’s what you want more than any-

thing. Time to catch up.

As much as I want to stay here and allow this

to begin between us, there’s something I want

from you even more than that. I want you to be

with me in the end, and I know that can’t happen

if I keep trying to rush our beginning. I know exactly why you were hesitant to let me in last

night: you aren’t ready yet. Maybe I’m not,

either. You’ve always said you wanted time to

yourself, and the last thing I want is to start a relationship with you when I’ve barely given

enough respect to the one that just ended with

Maggie.

I don’t know when you’ll be ready for me. It

might be next month or next year. Whenever it is, 625/692

just know that I have absolutely no doubt that we can make this work. I know we can. If there are

two people in this world capable of finding a way to love each other, it’s us.

Ridge

P.S. I spent most of the night watching you

sleep, so that’s one fantasy I got to check off the list. I also wrote lyrics to an entire song, which was unfortunate for Brennan. I didn’t have my

guitar, so I forced him to make a rough cut of it at five o’clock this morning so I could leave it

with you.

One of these days, I’ll play it for you, along

with all the other songs I plan to write for you

while we’re apart. Until then, I’ll be waiting

patiently.

Just say when.

I fold the letter and pull it against my chest. As

much as it hurts to know he’s walking away, I

also know that I need to let him. I asked for this.

626/692

We need this. I need this. I need to get myself to a point where I know that we can finally be together without all the doubt running through my

head. He’s right. My mind needs to catch up to

my heart.

I run the back of my hand across my eyes, then

open my texts.

Me: Can you come over? I need your

help.

Warren: If this has to do with the fact that

I gave Ridge your address last night, I’m

sorry. He forced it out of me.

Me: This has nothing to do with that. I

need to ask you for a huge favor.

Warren: Be there when I get off work to-

night. Should I bring condoms?

Me: Funny guy.

627/692

I close out the text to Warren and open up the

song Ridge just sent me. I reach into my drawer

for my headphones, then fall back against my pil-

low and hit play.

IT’S YOU

Baby, everything you’ve ever done

Underneath this here sun

It doesn’t even matter anymore

Oh, of this I’m sure

‘Cause you’ve taken me

Places I want to be

And you show me

Everything that I could ever

Want to see

You, you know it’s

You know it’s you

I think about you every single day

Trying to think of something better to say

Maybe hi, how are you

Not just anything will do

628/692

‘Cause you’ve taken me

Places I want to be

And you show me

Everything that I could ever

Want to see

You, you know it’s

You know it’s you

Chapter Twenty Four

Ridge

Me: I’m looking at your schedule for

March. You’re free on the 18th.

Brennan: Why do I feel like I’m about to

be busy on the 18th?

Me: I’m planning a show, and I need your

help. We’ll do it locally.

Brennan: What kind of show? Full band?

Me: No, just you and me. Maybe Warren if

he’ll sign for us.

Brennan: Why do I feel like this has to do

with Sydney?

630/692

Me: Why do I feel like I don’t care what

you feel like?

Brennan: The ball is in her court, Ridge.

You really should just leave things alone

until she’s ready. I know how you feel

about her, and I don’t want you to screw

it up.

Me: March 18 is still three months away.

If she hasn’t made up her mind by that

date, then all I’m doing is giving her a

little shove. And when did you start giving

relationship advice? How long has it been

since you were in one? Oh, wait. That

would be never.

Brennan: If I agree to help you, will you

STFU? What do you need me to do?