Meant to Marry Me: Nashville Country Dreams Part 1 novel Chapter 25

The beach was everything Bree had hoped it would be and then some. Lying on a towel in her two-piece, watching the clouds trace across the sky, feeling the warm sea breeze while the relaxing scent of the ocean filled her lungs had Bree feeling calmer than she had in as long as she could remember, certainly since before she’d realized Trent was getting married.

Seeing him that morning brought a new perspective to her. He was the same Trent he’d always been, her friend from high school, the one who always cheered her on, made her smile, knew her better than anyone else. The fact that she’d essentially lost five years of time she could’ve been spending with him made her heart ache. So they weren’t meant to be a couple? So what? Could they not still be friends? The bottom line was, she missed him and wanted him back in her life, even if that meant a distant friendship as she followed her dreams with her music, and he started his new life with Monica.

Monica was another story altogether. Bree’s gut instinct had been to not trust her. She just seemed disingenuous. Perhaps it was just the fact that this was her wedding that made her seem that way. She was Lilly’s sister, after all, and Lilly was one of the kindest, sweetest people Bree had ever met. So Monica couldn’t be that bad, could she?

And she knew Trent would never pick someone who wasn’t worthy of him, and he was as close to being the perfect guy as anyone Bree had ever met--even if he hadn’t called her after that kiss.

The waves were calling her, and Bree spent some time in the water, letting the warm waves wash away her worries. Then, back on her towel, she started to doze off and might’ve actually fallen asleep if it weren’t for the sound of footsteps approaching her.

Lots of families were on the beach, enjoying the sun and surf, but even with her eyes closed, she knew that those footsteps sounded familiar. Not that she’d ever heard them on sand before, but the cadence was what caught her attention--a heavy step and a bit of a shovel. When she raised her head and used her hand to shield her eyes from the sun, she wasn’t surprised at all to see Hank coming her way.

“There you are, beautiful,” he said, smiling at her before he dropped down on the sand next to her. The place she was sitting was sheltered by some large rocks. He leaned back against one and let out a deep sigh. “How’s it going?”

“I’m pretty good,” Bree said with an easy grin. “How are you?” He was wearing nice shorts and a polo, basically the same thing Trent was wearing when she’d seen him hours earlier.

Hank shrugged. “All right. How come you weren’t at brunch and mini golf?”

She giggled. She’d forgotten about the mini golf but was glad she’d missed it. Something told her Monica wouldn’t be that much fun to play against at the moment. “I decided the beach was more my style today. Did you have fun?”

He was thoughtful for a moment. “I mean… I’ll never turn down food. You know that. But, I don’t know. I sorta felt out of place. I went to college with most all of these folks. I don’t really care for Monica’s friends. They never treat me like I’m worth their time. Trent’s other friends are all right--Matt and Dwayne--but I usually only hung out with them if he was.”

Bree nodded. “I know how you feel. I don’t know anyone except for you and Lilly. And Trent. And his parents, but I can’t see me and Mr. Walker hanging out at mini golf, shooting the shit.”

That brought the laugh Bree had been looking for. Then, his face got serious again. “Look, I know it’s probably not easy for you to be at any of that stuff either, but I think you and me are kinda in the same boat. Maybe we could stick together to get through this.”

Raising an eyebrow, Bree asked, “What do you mean it’s not easy for me?”

He tipped his head to the side and considered her for a moment. “Come on, Bree. There’s really no one else in the whole world who knows the situation better than I do. I am the interrupter, times two, after all.”

All the color seemed to rush to her face and simultaneously drain, and Bree wasn’t sure if she looked pale or sunburnt. “Hank, I’m not sure….”

“Come on, Bree. I might be a dumb jock, but I’m not blind. I saw what happened--or almost happened--at that dance in high school and then again when I came to tell you that your aunt and uncle were there to pick you up at the cabin. But he did kiss you then, didn’t he? When your aunt and uncle were inside saying hello to everyone?”

“Yes, Hank, but that was years ago. Nothing else ever happened.”

“But only because you guys never talked about it. Bree, he was thinking about you. For a long damn time. And I bet you were thinking about him, too. Weren’t you?”

She shrugged. It was hard to lie to Hank. They’d always been close. “I mean… maybe for a while.”

“Long enough to write a well-known song about it?”

“What makes you think that song is for him?”