Page 15 of When It Reins (Three Rivers Trevors Ranch #5)

juniper

The ride down to the studio is quiet, and for that, I am grateful. Felicity is getting herself in the zone in the seat next to me. She has her headphones in and says she’s meditating.

After the last couple of days, I was starting to think maybe I would benefit from the same thing.

Since Sunday when Mitch punched David, he’s called me no less than a hundred times.

I don’t know why, because he seemed to be pretty done with me at the ranch.

After the way I felt when I saw Mitch punch him, and my instincts told me to curl myself into Mitch, I decided to follow that feeling and stay away from David.

He hasn’t called today. Thankfully.

I smile as Ezra, Felicity’s bodyguard, curses under his breath after someone cuts him off in traffic, and for a moment, I realize how surreal my life has become.

When Felicity Vogel, international superstar, moved back to town a couple of years ago, I never imagined that she and I would become good friends.

She has taken me under her wing when it comes to music and a career in it, and I am grateful for that. I have no idea where this path will take me, whether it will lead to something more or be a blip on my radar, but I promised myself years ago that I would just follow the signs and have fun.

Life is too short to take it too seriously.

I think back to Mitch, about him defending me, and I sigh at my reaction. He seemed to be fine with the way I clung to him, but I know the truth was he was just being a good friend.

A great friend. My best.

I don’t know if he knows that. If he realizes that, secretly, I’ve told him more about myself than anyone else in my life. My sisters and even Felicity know a lot about me, but Mitch knows the most.

That’s what he gets for being the silent, brooding type. I feel compelled to fill in the silence whenever he’s around.

Little Starling.

I hear his voice in my head, using the nickname he seems to have picked for me. I wonder if he picked it recently, or if it’s something he’s thought for a while. He’s a closed book that I can’t pry open with a crowbar.

I don’t think I’m ready to quit trying, though.

An hour later, we arrive at the studio. Felicity has been working out of this one ever since she moved back to Colorado and invites me along often. It is amazing to not only watch her work, but to watch how her mind works when it is helping me piece together my thoughts and feelings.

“Your mind is working overtime today,” Felicity remarks, settling into her favored big chair in the studio. We usually spend some time before recording going over notes and all of her and my ideas. Then I get to watch her work her magic.

Today it is just us. Her band isn’t joining us, and I am grateful because Felicity is just far enough removed from my situation but also knowledgeable about it to be helpful.

In high school, from what she’s told me, she was best friends with Mitch when she dated his brother, Jax. So I am hoping that I’m going to be brave enough to ask her the questions that are circling my mind.

“I’ve had a lot happen recently,” I admit, pulling my guitar out of its case and settling into the couch. I’m not the best guitarist in the world, but I know enough to carry a tune.

“What’s going on?” she asks, taking out her tablet to find the songs she’ll work on today. “This have to do with Sunday?”

Of course. Felicity was there when everything went down, but I was too focused on her brother-in-law to really talk to anyone else.

“Yeah, kind of. Among other things.”

“How are things with David?”

See, this was why Felicity is a good person to talk to. If Annmarie had asked that question, I have no doubt there would have been a rising tone or snarky comment about David in the question.

“Um, not happening, I guess,” I admit, fiddling with the strings on my guitar to give my hands something to do. “He’s called a bunch.”

Her sharp eyes look to mine, and she waits for more before saying, “And? You’re not answering?”

“No, I’m not,” I say, sighing. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Well, it seemed kind of like you picked Mitch over him the other day.” She starts, and I can already feel the blush rising in my cheeks. “Hey, that’s not a bad thing. Mitch is a good guy.”

I look at her, embarrassed to be talking about this, but knowing that she is the best person to talk to about it. She knows Mitch like I know Mitch, not like my sisters, who would force the issue. “I know he is. He’s the best guy—who doesn’t want anyone to know it.”

Felicity laughs, her wild blonde hair moving with her laughter. “Yes. Exactly. Stubborn ass.”

I laugh with her, and when we settle down, I sigh, leaning against the back of the couch. “I don’t really know how to feel. I feel weird about the breakup, but I know that’s for the best. I have no desire to get back together with him.”

“But?”

I bite my lip, thinking of the best way to put this. “But…Mitch has kind of always been in the background of my mind.”

Felicity hums, and I look over at her.

“What? Is that so awful of me?”

“Not at all,” she reassures quickly, setting her tablet on the arm of her chair and facing me more head on. “You want to know what I think?”

“I’m pretty sure you’re the only one who knows us both enough to have a good opinion on the matter.”

“Well, I’m honored for that,” she replies, twisting a lock of hair around her finger. “But I think that while he’s been in the back of your mind for a while, you’ve been at the front of his.”

I stay silent for a few minutes before a scoff leaves my lips. “What?” I chuckle awkwardly, not wanting to believe what she is saying. “That’s not true.”

“Come on, Juniper. I’m not blind.” She leans forward. “Remember when we sang at the festival two years ago, and I asked you to come to the studio that first time?”

I think back and nod. “Yeah.”

“Who said you would do it?”

I think back on how the interaction went, and I blush thinking about it. “Mitch.”

“Who is always by that stage every night you sing, offering to help you and never leaving your side?”

“Mitch, but that’s part of his job.”

She tilts her head. “Is it?”

“I—” My words fall as I think on it. I guess she is right. He’s security for the bar, but he also kind of acts as security for me when I’m singing.

“Who’s always walking you to your car at night, even when he’s overstayed his shift?”

“Okay.” I shake my head, feeling overwhelmed by her observations.

“Who is the one that watches you every Sunday you come over to the ranch and sing? Every time you chat with anyone else?”

“So you’re saying he’s a stalker.” I deflect, feeling emotional by the amount of evidence she’s stacking against me. Or for me.

“No. I’m saying the guy loves you, one way or another.” She sighs and picks up her tablet. “Though I’m pretty sure I know which way it is.”

I sit, feeling completely thrown by her observations. My heart is pounding in my chest at the thoughts that now run rampant through my head.

“Don’t you think…” I start, watching Felicity look back at me, my eyes darting between her, her tablet, the chair, the studio behind the glass. “Don’t you think that me jumping from David to Mitch is tacky?”

Felicity looks like she wants to laugh, but she shakes her head. “Did you love David?”

What she’s not saying is loud enough for the answer to be loud and clear, and I sit back as she gets set up. My heart is pounding in my chest, and I feel this raw burst of energy coursing through me, telling me to run and find Mitch right now and tell him everything.

Then there’s the side of me that knows he could say no. He could tell me he wasn’t in the right head space for me, that he wasn’t interested in dating, that he just wants to be friends.

Would I be able to handle that? Or would I need to leave town forever if he broke it to me so harshly?

Though the thought of never seeing him again, even though it would hurt when he inevitably found the woman that he sought was worthy enough, is too heartbreaking to comprehend.

No. My internal thoughts yell at me, knowing deep down I am right about him, that Felicity is right about him. He cares for me. He’s just scared to show it.

Maybe I just need to push him a little bit harder.

“You ready to start?” Felicity asks, and I take her question to mean two things.

I smile at her and nod. “Let’s do it.”