Page 33 of Tattoos and Heartbreak

He’d ruined whatever we’d constructed together.

And now he was standing there asking me to forgive him and throw him another chance.

On one hand, I wanted to push him away. Knee him right in the stomach and tell him I never wanted to see him again. I wanted to get the hell out of this town and run to Nashville, where I could get myself back together and try to forget that I’d ever heard the name Rivers Shine.

On the other hand, in the wings, Taylor James was waiting. Watching. No doubt wondering what I’d do.

Because that other hand—the one I was seriously looking at now—was holding a the chance at a record contract. If I stayed, I had a shot at a record deal with one of the best companies in the industry. I had a shot at staying on tour with Olivia and Connor, maybe even performing with them, and getting Anna and me a deal.

If I stayed.

If I gave Rivers his second chance.

I stared at him, deep into those dark, pained eyes, and bit my lip. I didn’t know if I could handle all the damage the industry had done to him. Didn’t know if I could help him carry the baggage of being abandoned as a kid and then shoved into a world where no one took the time to take care of him.

I didn’t know if I was big enough to do any of that.

But I did know that somewhere along the way, I’d fallen in love with him. And that had to count for something, right?

That, and the shot at a contract.

“Promise not to break my heart?” I asked quietly.

Rivers held up one hand and put the other on his heart. “I swear on everything.”

Did I believe him? Honestly, I didn’t know. But I was willing to give it a shot. I leaned forward, getting as close as I could.

“In that case, Rivers Shine, you’ve got a deal.”