The Best Of Me

Chapter 21

Harmony

  

 The sun shining through the window woke me up. Brantley was still sleeping soundly next to me. In just a few hours he would be leaving to go on tour. I was going to miss him but it wasn't forever. I leaned over and kissed Brantley awake. I was going to make these last hours count. "Hey babe." Brantley smiled up at me as I ran my hand across his chest and down. "Hey sexy. Why don't you wake up and spend some time with me before you have to leave?" "Oh I'm up and awake thanks to you." He winked and I could feel the heat from my face turning red. Brantley pulled me on top of him and I screamed playfully. We were both laughing but when Brantley kissed me my laughter stopped and I got serious. I kissed him back even harder and pulled him into me. I'd miss Brantley when he was gone but right now I just wanted him.

I was in the kitchen cooking breakfast when Brantley walked into the kitchen with nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist. "That was a fast shower." "Yeah well I don't want to waste time, I want to spend every second with you." He walked over and kissed me. I barely had time to turn the stove off before he lifted me up and set me on the counter. No one likes the smell of burnt eggs. Brantley wouldn't have to deal with it but I would. He kissed me again and pulled my shirt over my head. I had nothing underneath it. I kissed him on his chest and ran my fingers across his stomach. I grabbed the towel and pulled it off him. I wanted to remember every inch of him. I wanted to engrave the memory of every touch and every kiss in my mind so that when I got lonely I could look back and remember every detail. We were pressed for time but we took it slow.

I sat in the truck and finally let the tears come. I had just dropped Brantley off at the bus and I missed him already. I walked into the apartment and started cleaning up from that morning. Half cooked eggs and bacon went into the trash. There were towels on the bathroom floor from when we took our shower after breakfast. I picked the towels up and hung them to dry. In the bedroom I made the bed and then I climbed into it and held Brantley's pillow. It smelled like him.

I must have fallen asleep because next thing I know it was pitch black in the bedroom. I could feel the tears dried on my face but I was done crying. I looked at the clock and realized I had an hour to get to work. Crap. I ran around the apartment getting ready and barely made it in time. Work went by pretty fast and then I was back home and in bed. The bed felt so big and empty without Brantley in it so I slept with his pillow again. I had to try and keep busy so time would go by faster.

Brantley

I finally knew how I was going to propose. Kolby was going to bring Harmony to a show and I would pull her up on stage and sing her a song I wrote for her and then I'd get down on one knee and ask her to marry me right in front of everyone. If she said No it would be really embarrassing but I didn't think she would. Tonight was the night. Kolby told Harmony that I didn't know she was coming. I didn't want her to suspect anything. She thought she was surprising me but she would be the one surprised. I just hoped she said yes.

There was a knock on the door of my bus. Who could that be? I wasn't expecting anyone. Kolby and Harmony weren't supposed to be here for at least another hour. I went and opened the door. "Amber. What are you doing here?" "I needed to see you Brantley can we talk?" She tried to push her way past me but I didn't want her on my bus. "Yeah let's talk outside though" She followed me until we were a few feet from the front of the bus. "What do you want Amber?" "I left him. Marrying him was a mistake. I love you Brantley and I know you still love me." "No I love Harmony." "Who is Harmony?" "My girlfriend." "You don't have the history with her that we have. We're perfect together Brantley and you know it. We were meant to be." "You left me." "You were always drunk." "I was willing to get help. I was ready to admit I had a problem. Things got hard and you left and now that I'm doing good you want me back? If you can't handle the worst of me you damn sure don't deserve the best of me." "And she does? Some girl you barely even know?" "My relationship with Harmony is none of your business Amber. You had your chance and you lost it. I've moved on and I'm happy just accept that." "I wont. What does she have that I don't?" "A lot Amber. She loves and accepts all of me. The good and the bad. You never wanted to make things work." "I want to make things work now that's why I'm here." "Amber, You know I would never disrespect you or any other woman so I mean this in the nicest way possible but go to hell." "You don't mean that." "Don't tell me what I do and don't mean. You need to leave now."

I tried to walk away and Amber grabbed me and kissed me. For a second I was so shocked I didn't react at all. As soon as I could move I did. I pulled back. "Don't ever touch me again Amber. We are done. I mean it."

Harmony

I was so excited to surprise Brantley. I hadn't seen him in person in about a month so when Kolby asked me if I wanted to come with him to see a show and surprise Brantley I jumped at the opportunity. It was about a 6 hour drive and it was just me, Kolby, and Leann. I'm pretty sure there was something going on between Kolby and Leann but neither had said anything so I wasn't sure. They looked pretty into each other though. It was nice to see leann smile like that. I sat in the backseat watching the two of them flirt up front for 6 long hours. Maybe at one point in my life I would have grown tired of it and told them to get a room or but I was in a really good place in my life and it was nice to see that my cousin was too. When we finally got to where the tour buses were parked outside the arena my heart started racing. I was so excited to see Brantley. Kolby didn't tell him we were coming but one of Brantley's people knew and had told us where to meet him.

Every step I took got me closer and closer to the man that I loved. Kolby and Leann were walking behind me trying to give me a little space. Brantley was right around the corner. I couldn't wait to be in his arms. My heart felt like it was going to beat right out of my chest. I turned the corner that I knew would lead me to Brantley's bus but what I saw stopped me cold in my tracks. There was Brantley looking just as good as ever but standing in front of him was Amber. What the hell was she doing here? Wasn't she married? Okay they had a history, they were probably just friends. I would just go ask them. I started to walk forward when Amber leaned toward Brantley and kissed him. I expected him to pull away. I wanted him to pull away but he didn't. at least not in the three seconds It took me to look away.

I turned and pushed past Kolby and Leann. I was trying to hold the tears in I didn't want anyone to see me cry but I could feel them burning behind my lids trying to get free. I heard Brantley yell my name and I started to run and that's when the tears started pouring freely. I ran and I ran until I couldn't run anymore. I looked around unsure where I was but Kolby must have been following behind in the car because he yelled for me to get in and I did. The 6 hour drive home was in complete silence. I couldn't stop crying but I did it as quietly as I could. How could he do that to me? He said he loved me but I guess I could never compare to her. His first love. My phone rang and it was Brantley so I rolled the window down and threw the phone out. I didn't want to hear whatever he had to say. I could never be anyone second choice. He loved Amber and I loved him so I had to let him go so he could be happy. It was the right thing to do, but why did it have to hurt so bad?

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P.S. I'm sure a lot of you hate me right now. I'm sorry :(