Loving (24 page)

She would follow Brandon Paul anywhere.

A
S THEY WALKED DOWN THE PORCH STEPS TO
B
RANDON’S
rented Chevy Tahoe, Bailey still couldn’t believe any of it. Brandon refusing his contract and flying here to be with her. He had even said on the announcement that he was leaving Los Angeles. Bailey’s head was spinning with questions, but for now it was enough to have him beside her. He opened the door for her before climbing behind the wheel, and she had the most wonderful thought: This was what life would feel like if she and Brandon could ever have normalcy. He would pick her up and open the door for her and they would drive somewhere in a normal car and have a normal night out on the town.

“So you really fired your manager?” Bailey winced in Brandon’s direction.

“And my agent.” Brandon’s jaw flexed and he kept his eyes straight ahead. “They weren’t honest with me. I had to let them go.”

Brandon explained how they had kept the truth from him regarding Luke’s involvement in the final stage of the contract.

“They got crazy over the money.” He glanced at her, his eyes full of peace and only the slightest sorrow over the way things had played out with his team.

“You trusted them.” She reached out and put her hand over his. “No wonder I didn’t hear from you.”

“I know.” His expression filled with remorse. “I couldn’t call you, baby. I spent my time praying and in meetings right up until I boarded the plane.”

“Are they mad at you? The team at West Mark?” Her words ran together, the questions coming faster than she could get them out. “Like how long before they give you whatever contract comes next?”

“Next?” He looked at her. “What do you mean?”

“Well …” Bailey absently twisted a long strand of her hair. He’d mentioned something in the announcement about doing movies one at a time. But she figured that was just what he had to say for now. Something his team had insisted on until the legalities with West Mark could be worked out. She turned slightly so she could see his profile better. “Isn’t the studio working on another revision, a scenario you can live with?”

They were still on the road that led out of her neighborhood. Brandon eased the car to a stop on the side of the road. He slipped the gear into park. “Bailey.” He put his hand on the side of her face, his tone so sincere it was like she had a front row seat in the arena of his heart.

“Yes.” Her voice was a whisper. She was afraid, afraid to know the details of what lay ahead.

Brandon’s tone was gentle, a caress that soothed every jagged nerve inside her. “There’s only one scenario I can truly live with.” The look in his eyes told her the depth of his sincerity. “I can only live if I have you. If I’m here with you.” His smile shone deep in his eyes. “I’m not signing a long-term contract. Not ever.”

“What?” The word was little more than a breath.

“No, baby.” He ran his thumb along her cheekbone. “Never. One movie at a time, and even then, maybe not for a while.” He looked at her, grabbed hold of the gear again, and his eyes sparkled with the kindness that had won her over from the beginning. “You’ll understand more in a little while.”

Her heart struggled to grasp what he was saying. But right now she could only believe him. She could understand later. The way she trusted him must’ve showed in her eyes, because he
seemed to visibly relax. From her neighborhood he drove into town toward the university and the Starbucks not far from campus. He parked across the street and stared at the entrance. “This is it.” He turned to her. “Remember this?”

A memory came to life, starting deep within her and working its way to the surface. “The first time we hung out.” The moment seemed like a lifetime ago. He had flown into town to read with her for her role of Ella in
Unlocked
. “You private messaged me that you were looking forward to it.” She laughed and the release felt so good. After the day of waiting and wondering, this felt like a dream. “My brothers couldn’t believe it.”

He reached for her hand. “And then I strutted into the audition room all full of myself.”

“You were pretty arrogant.” She glanced at the Starbucks awning. “When we walked in here that day I was like, ‘I could never be interested in a celebrity like him.’”

“And I was thinking, ‘Whoever this Cody is, he’s the luckiest guy in the world.’” His smile fell off. “I figured he’d be crazy to ever let you go.”

“Hmmm.” The truth would always be telling. The fact that Cody had walked away. But then if he hadn’t run from her, her heart never would’ve been open to love Brandon. “So weird how much has happened since then.”

“Come on,” he nodded at the Starbucks. “Let’s get coffee.”

Bailey felt herself tense up the minute they stepped out of the Tahoe. This would normally be the moment when, from several surrounding cars, photographers would spill out and run after them, shouting and firing off rapid camera shots. Instead, a couple of strangers walked slowly by, arm in arm, unaware of Bailey and Brandon. As they crossed the street there was only the sound of happy voices from college kids as they sat at the outdoor tables in front of the coffee shop and an adjacent café.

“This sort of proves my theory.” He grinned at her as they walked inside. “No one notices us here. That, or they don’t care.”

It was true. Bailey felt the instant tension in her shoulders ease and as they got to the end of a line of ten people, no one even did a double take. She looked at him, confused. “But … when you were here filming people lined up six deep to see you.”

“The papers told everyone I was here filming, that something big was going on downtown.” He chuckled. “Of course they came.”

They were in line three minutes before two teenage girls walked by, paused, and hurried out giggling with their drinks. The first of the two gave Brandon a slight wave, her cheeks red. “Hi!” The word was more of a squeal. She definitely recognized him, but she didn’t stop for an autograph or a picture. Her friend simply pushed her along and gave Bailey and Brandon an apologetic look. “She’s crazy. Don’t mind her.” And like that the two girls left the coffee shop.

Bailey glanced at the other patrons. They were all busy in their own conversations, caught up in their homework or phone calls or personal lives. “Are you kidding me?” Her laugh held proof of her disbelief.

“I know.” He slipped his arm around her. “We could live with this, right? That’s how life would be here.”

It was their turn to order, so she didn’t have time to think deeply about what he’d said. It wasn’t the first time that night he’d referred to living in Bloomington. Or was he only saying that rhetorically? Like he would be here with her more often? The answers were coming, that’s what he’d told her. So they ordered and took their drinks back to the SUV and this time they headed back toward Clear Creek.

“I’ll never forget those weeks working with you on the set of
Unlocked
.” He angled his head, a tenderness in his eyes that hadn’t been there before. “I was one way when we started that movie, and completely changed by the time we finished it. A new
person.” He set his drink in the cup holder. “Literally. And you know where it all began?”

Bailey realized they had reached Clear Creek High School. She looked at the series of buildings and the football stadium in the distance and she remembered everything this place meant to her. The buildings held memories of four years of high school, four years of homecomings and winter dances and too many football games to count. It was where she had first fallen for Cody Coleman. But with all that her eyes found his. They had filmed
Unlocked
here, after all. “That time … here, with you. Best memories I have at Clear Creek.” She meant every word. “You always made me laugh.”

“Which was a little awkward.” He gave her a silly look. “I mean, it wasn’t a comedy.”

“It’s amazing I could say my lines at all.”

He slipped the car into park and took both her hands in his. “Wanna know my favorite memory here?”

“Let me guess.” She let herself get lost in his eyes, and the picture he made with the moonlight shining on his face. “When you were teasing me. Like you always were.” He would even joke about her pretend boyfriend, because Cody never showed up on set, never called when she was around Brandon. Another telling sign she’d struggled to see back then. She smiled at him. “Or the time it took eleven takes to get our hallway scene right? I thought they were going to fire us both.”

The memory started a bout of laughter for the two of them, and Brandon let his head lean back against the seat until he could catch his breath. “I can imagine how I must’ve looked. Thinking I could flirt with you and win you over in a minute. Like you were any other girl.” His laughter died down and he stared at her. In a moment that stopped time, he leaned closer and kissed her. As he drew back, his eyes were the same as when they’d danced on the
Kellers’ roof. Completely and totally lost in hers. “But you, Bailey … you were never like any other girl.”

She felt the thrill of his words, his eyes on hers, the nearness of him. “So tell me … your favorite memory.”

“Mmmm.” He didn’t look away. “That’s easy. The time you and I went to Lake Monroe Beach. The things I told you that day, I’d never told anyone before.”

“It was the first time I saw you as more than a costar.” She gave his hands a gentle squeeze. “After that, you were my friend.”

“And after that I wasn’t crushing on you.” His smile was gone, and he looked utterly taken by her. “I was in love with you.” He didn’t pause long. “You had Cody, so I couldn’t tell you.”

“Really?” Bailey never would’ve guessed. After that day at the lake and in Cody’s constant absence, of course she and Brandon had grown closer. “I didn’t think you had real feelings for me until you flew here to help me pack for New York.” She leaned her forehead against his so that his eyes were all she could see. “I mean … who does that?”

He took tender hold of her face, his movements slow and deliberate, and again he kissed her. “I would’ve flown to the moon and back for you, Bailey. Then … and now.” He kissed her once more. “Always.”

How good it felt to be wanted like this, to be cared for and loved and pursued and fought for. She put her arms around his neck and for a long time they stayed that way, holding on to each other so that nothing and no one could ever pull them apart again. Finally Brandon drew a deep breath and sat back in his seat. “One more place to go.”

As they drove, Bailey’s heart felt like it might burst from joy, from the unbelievable reality this night had turned into. Before they pulled out of the parking lot, Brandon slipped a CD into the car stereo. “I made a playlist for tonight. The first song … ‘Forever
Love’ is from Francesca Battistelli,” he explained. “It’s how I’ve felt since I met you.”

Her eyes welled up. She stared at him, and couldn’t look away as he started the song. She hadn’t heard it before, but it was beautiful from the first line, talking about a forever kind of love, the love of God and ultimately — from Brandon’s perspective — the sort of love he had for her. The windows were partially down and Bailey felt the summer wind play in her hair. She smiled at Brandon and she could see in his eyes exactly when he forget everything but her. By the time the song reached the chorus, Bailey could feel tears on her cheeks. She absorbed the beauty of the lyrics, telling about a love that fully and wholly consumed the heart. Between the lines she could see in Brandon’s expression his prayers, his hopes and dreams, and how very much he loved her.

You are my forever love … from the bottom of my heart I’ll sing to you, from the depths of who I am I’ll love you …

Brandon glanced at her as he drove, and it was as if he were singing straight to her soul. The chorus played out and as it finished, every word seemed written for them. And as the song wrapped up, Bailey lived in every line.

Bailey could barely breathe. The song wasn’t talking about any sort of love, it was talking about the rare sort of love God had for them, and their love for Him. And because of that very great love, the song celebrated the way the two of them felt for each other. No question the song was talking about a forever that could only come through faith and commitment. Maybe even a lifelong commitment.

Tears shone in Brandon’s eyes too, and as the song ended he reached for her hand once more. He turned the stereo off and for a long time neither of them said anything. He was taking her to Lake Monroe, she could see that. And as he pulled into the upper lot, she remembered the last time they were here, the walk
they’d taken and the fire pit they’d found. He parked the Tahoe and turned to her. “This is the last stop.”

They left their coffees and again he opened the door for her. The night air was still warm, still humid the way summers in Indiana always were. But a breeze stirred in the trees and Bailey felt wonderful. Every second, every breath absolutely in sync with Brandon’s.

Night was falling over Bloomington, so he took a backpack from the seat behind her and pulled a flashlight out before he slipped the pack over his shoulders. He smiled and took her hand. Everything about the moment felt sacred, like words would only interrupt the connection they shared here now. He used the flashlight so they could see clearly, and he led her to the same path they’d walked on the Fourth of July, toward the fire pit.

As they neared it Bailey spotted the lights. Two soft spotlights aimed at the pit and the lake. The area around it looked lit up like something from a movie set. Bailey looked around, but they were the only ones here. She looked at him. “Brandon?”

“I’m tired of being in the dark.” He grinned, but the depth, the intensity of the moment remained. He turned off the flashlight. “Come sit with me.”

Her heart beat harder than before. She followed him and sat down. As she did, he opened the backpack and pulled out a manila envelope. Again she didn’t feel the need for questions or words. Whatever was happening, Brandon had planned this out. Right down to the lights.

He took the envelope to the fire pit and only then did she notice the small pile of fresh-cut logs and brittle branches. And something else — something that made her breath stop for a few seconds. Beside the fire pit was a table and on it was a pack of matches, a bucket of ice, and two long-stemmed glasses. And in the ice bucket was a bottle of orange soda — just like Brandon had brought to their rooftop prom.