Legends

Time to Talk

Allie's POV

I laid my head back contently against Brantley's shoulder as we rode. It had been years since I had done this. Right there at the end, we both had been too busy to take the time. It used to be a favorite between us. We'd hop on the bike, someone would pick a direction, and we would just ride. I realized looking around we must have been closer to Tuscaloosa than I thought. A little bit later, Brantley turned off a road close to the lake stopping near a trail.

He killed the engine then squeezed my hip gently before throwing a long leg over and sliding off. I quietly reached up to slip my helmet off hanging it from the handle bar just like him. I bit my lip looking down at my hands. I didn't want to do this. It wasn't going to be pretty. Why couldn't we just let the past stay the past?

"Allie," Brantley said softly as I turned my head around to look at him. He lifted a big hand out for me. I slowly slid my hand into his palm as I climbed off. I felt the heat from his touch flow through my veins. I let out a gasp as he stepped closer to me once my feet were on the ground. "Feel up to that talk now?"

"Umm....IIIII..." I stammered trying to think of any excuse I could. "Don't you have sound check?"

"Covered," he said shrugging his shoulders then turned to head over to a bench near the water. Fuck!

"Interviews?" I asked trailing behind him.

"Pushed back," Brantley said with a chuckle shaking his head.

"Really?" I said haughtily dropping his hand putting my hands on my hips. He stilled then turned his head to look at me.

"Yes, really Allie," he said pushing his shades up to the top of his hat rolling his green eyes. "I'll be a very busy man later, but it will be worth it. This needs to happen."

"Ah so finally I'm worth it huh," I snapped then covered my mouth with a gasp. Brantley narrowed his eyes then nodded his head.

"I deserve that," he rumbled before turning on his heel to slump down on the bench. I walked around to sit on the other end staring out at the lake as a soft spring breeze blew. "I know that I didn't always make you feel like that Allie and I am sorry for that. I got caught up and things just got so damn out of control. By the time I realized it, it was too late, and you were gone."

"It's not all on you B," I said playing with a fray in the hole in the knee of my jeans. "I was just as guilty. Seemed like one of us was always packing a suitcase in a hurry to be somewhere else."

"How did we lose sight of us?" I heard him ask quietly. "We made it through everything thrown at us when we first got married you know? God knows you should have kicked my ass to the curb when I was drinking. But you stuck with me."

"Because I knew the man behind the addiction B," I said turning my head to give him a sad smile. "And loved him in spite of it." I leaned back slumping down to lay my head on the bench. "You know, I think we just hit that stride in our marriage where we were needing to work at it and just didn't."

"I agree. You are right," Brantley said looking over at me. I slapped a hand on my chest in pretend shock.

"Oh my god!" I said in fake awe. "Brantley Keith, did you just admit I was right about something?"

"Kiss my ass Allie Cat," he grumbled flipping me off with a chuckle as we both grew silent again.

"I know it hurt, me walking away," I said gnawing on my bottom lip to keep the tears in. "But it damn near killed me at how fast you moved on."

"I was lashing out anyway I could," he griped playing with one of his rings. "I was so angry with you for a long time. Hell Allie, I will be honest, I am still a little angry at you. You broke my heart."