Page 44 of The Promises We Were Never Meant To Keep

“Wrong.”

Tate chuckles. “You’re my brother’s girl. Believe me, I know that.”

“I just mean⁠—”

“We’re friends, Faye. Been friends since you moved to town. We’ve hung out tons.”

“Never alone.”

“That’s not true. I’ve driven you home plenty. Sat with you while Holt played hockey, and even football at parties. We’ve talked.” He clasps his hands between his knees and leans forward to land his elbows to his knees. His arms have gotten huge, but so have Holt’s, if I’m being honest.

Working for Wilder Builds and Renos is good for the body, apparently. Before I’d noticed the change to Tate, I’d thought Holt’s new muscles were owed entirely to hockey and his training for hockey.

I shake out my discomfort. Maybe I feel so uneasy with Tate because I’m worried about who Holt is with and what he’s doing with them. I know he’s handsome. The kind of handsome that has girls quickly forgetting that he’s taken. But in Nashville, they don’t know he’s taken.

A wave of something hot and ugly moves through me and a sickly heat prickles my skin. I must make a noise, because Tate’s head whips to me. He peers at me through green eyes that says he knows exactly what I’m struggling with.

“He loves you, Faye.”

The hot prickles of unease fade away under his assurance. I don’t know why I’m so insecure. Holt’s never given me a reason to feel this way.

Maybe it just comes with the territory of being a girl?

“I know.” I do my best to shake off those girlish insecurities. “I just feel off today.”

“We all have those days.”

“Yeah.” When my smile comes, it’s real. I’ve always been comforted by Tate. Probably more than I should, being that he’s my boyfriends’ brother. But there’s something about Tate that feels like family, too.

We sit for a long moment in silence. The river never stops rushing, and the sun continues its slow descent into the horizon.

I break the silence first. “He’s going to be famous one day, isn’t he?”

“Yeah. He is.”

I nibble my lip to contain my resigned sigh. “I want it for him,” I admit honestly. “I’m just so afraid of what it could mean for me.”

Tate twists to look at me. I can feel his eyes burning against my now cool skin, but I don’t look at him. “You don’t have to worry, Faye. Holt will take you to the end of the earth with him. I’m not joking around when I tell you he loves you. He loves you in a way most our age can’t comprehend, you know?” Before I can answer, he says roughly, “He loves you for real.”

I don’t know why, but there’s something different in the way he says it now. The way he tells me Holt loves me. He’s told me before, so many times. Still, this time feels harder somehow.

I bump his side with mine. “Thanks, Tate. You’re a good brother, you know that?”

He makes a noise in the deep of his throat. It sounds both reluctant and pained. He forces a harsh, “Yeah.”

“I’m serious. Holt is lucky to have you.”

He looks down at me, but he doesn’t smile. “Guess that means one day you’ll be lucky to have me too, eh?”

“What?” His eyes watch the wrinkle of confusion appear between my brows.

“He’s going to marry you one day, Faye.” Warmth spills into my belly at the thought of becoming Holt’s wife. I want it like I want air. Tate croaks, “One day I’ll be your brother, too.”

This makes me smile wide up at Tate. He looks a little struck as I tell him honestly, “I’ve always wanted a brother.”

“We should get back before they eat all the smores.” Clearing his throat, Tate stands. He offers a hand to help me up, and I take it happily.

I feel like tonight was a point of change for me and Tate. A good change. One I’m excited about.