For being a twin, Molly had always had an independent spirit. She liked spending time on her own. She was an observer and loved solo activities like reading or listening to music with her headphones on. Her favorite game to play after school or on the weekends was solitaire.
Olivia had always been a social butterfly. She was sweet, funny, empathetic, and always wanted to take care of everyone in her life and do everything she could to make them happy. She loved her family and talked about wanting a family of her own for as long as I could remember.
I’d always known that my life wasn’t going to be in this small town. I’d known that I was going to travel the world. Once I’d realized that what I felt for her was more than just friendship, I’d stayed away from her. Between her being Bentley’s little sister, being perfect, and me knowing we wanted totally different things in life, I’d known there was no point in coming clean to her about my feelings.
The last two years I’d spent living in Wishing Well, I’d barely spoken to her. She’d gone from being the person I told everything to, to someone I avoided and ignored. It had broken my heart to do it, but I’d known it was for the best. If I’d ever acted on my feelings, it could only have ended badly. I’d have lost Olivia and Bentley.
The way it stood now, I’d only lost Olivia. But then again, she’d never been mine to begin with. My friendship with Bentley had survived, though.
“Holy shit, I can’t believe it!”
I looked up and saw the man himself walking toward me with open arms. Speak of the devil.
“You made it!” He pulled me into a one-arm man-hug, and I winced as his hand slapped my shoulder.
“Hey man,” I tried not to let my discomfort bleed into my voice.
My back pain was constant. It had been since I woke up in that hospital bed. Sometimes it was a searing, stabbing sensation. Sometimes it was more of an electric shock, a scorching hot tingling like when your arm falls asleep and wakes up, but a hundred times more intense. At other times it was a twisting, throbbing ache, but it was always there.
The intensity of discomfort fluctuated, but it never went away. The episodes of acute pain could last minutes, hours, and even days. Sometimes there was a reason for my flare-ups, like overdoing it or sleeping wrong, but sometimes they happened completely out of the blue. Because of that, I’d decided not to let my back pain dictate my life. My first act of rebellion had been throwing away my pain medicine. The second act had been driving instead of flying home. As I stood there now, experiencing the consequences of my decisions, I could admit the latter may have been a bad idea.
I did my best to disguise the pain that Bentley’s greeting had caused. My jaw clenched and I hoped that no one would notice the beads of sweat forming on my brow.
“Jackson said that he told you about it, but we didn’t think you were coming.”
I hadn’t been. I still wasn’t sure why I had. Maybe I was having a nervous breakdown.
Bentley pointed over to where the newly engaged couple were surrounded by well-wishers. “You missed the big event.”
I’d almost missed the entire event. If I hadn’t seen Olivia, there was a good chance I’d be halfway to Bumfuck, Nowheresville by now.
“How are you feeling?” he asked, I could see the concern in his eyes.
“Good.” I lied. I was in excruciating pain. But it wasn’t like I was going to bitch about it. “How are you doing man? How’s Maisy?”
Jackson wasn’t my only friend to put a ring on it. Bentley had recently got engaged as well. And over the past couple of years, both my older brothers Hudson and Hayden had also settled down and gotten married. Maybe there was something in the water. If there was, I would need to drink bottled.
“Maisy’s amazing. I’m a lucky, lucky man,” he spoke with a soul deep sincerity.
It was so strange, growing up, I’d always thought that Maisy and Bentley couldn’t stand each other. But apparently, they’d worked past that.
“Holden!” I heard a very familiar voice and turned to see my mom. Her hands were over her mouth and she looked like she’d seen a ghost. She reached out and touched my face. “You’re here.”
“I’m here.” As I looked down at her, guilt settled in my chest.
I knew that it had been difficult for her since my injury. She’d booked the first flight she could to California after the accident, and several after that for surgeries and during my recuperation, but I’d made her cancel each one and forbid her to come.
She’d argued, but I’d put my foot down. I was pretty sure my dad had been the one to talk her down. He’d told her that if I was being that stubborn then I was going to be fine. The truth was, I was terrified that I’d never walk again. And if that were the case, I hadn’t wanted anyone around to witness me in that state.
My family had always teased me that I was an island unto myself. I had two older brothers that had been there and done that but I had never gone to them for advice or opened up to them about what was going on in my head. I’d always wanted to work things out on my own and hated asking for help from anyone. The only person I’d ever talked to about my fears, or dreams with was Olivia. After I’d lost her, I’d done everything I could to get the hell out of town.
Sometimes I’d wondered if my rush to leave had more to do with getting away from her than it had with how bored I was in the town. Everything changed for me once I’d found out that I could graduate early and start doing the rodeo circuit full time. I buckled down and got to work. I’d finished all the credits I’d needed to graduate high school in two years instead of four and had been on the road touring the world from the age of sixteen. Alone. Well, my manager Kurt had been with me. But at the time he was only twenty-two himself, so he was more of a brother than a father/parental figure.
“Where’s your cane?” A wrinkle appeared between my mother’s brows and I noticed it was deeper than it had been the last time I’d seen her. I wondered if I was the cause of that.
For the past six weeks, I’d been using a cane, and I should probably have it now. But I hadn’t wanted my injury to be the only thing that people talked about with me. Which was probably wishful thinking on my part.
“I’m fine.” I’d never used those two words so much in my life. It was my patent answer these past couple of months.
I could see she didn’t believe me.
“Do your brothers and your dad know you’re in town? They’re all working tonight.” My mom pulled her phone out, I assumed to text them.
“I’m gonna be here for a while.” I had no clue how long, but since I had nowhere to go I figured it would be a couple of days at least. “I’ll make sure I see them.”
She nodded but continued to type on her phone. “Why didn’t you tell me that you were coming? I would’ve gotten your room ready.”
Oh shit. In my haste to get the hell away from L.A. and my doctors and the fog of depression over my career being over, I hadn’t given any thought to where I would be staying. The last place I wanted to be was back at my childhood home.
“Actually, Mrs. Reed,” Bentley spoke up. “Holden agreed to stay at my condo as a favor to me. It’s been sitting there empty since I moved in with Maisy.”