Page 61 of The Love Chase

Yet you’ve never left my side,

Dancing through the rain

In this love chase, we’ll find our way

Through the storm, we’ll make it someday

As the final chorus rang out, and the room burst into enthusiastic applause, all I could see was Emma.

My heart gave an unfamiliar squeeze, and three dangerous words that I had never said to anyone before spiraled through my head on a loop.

I love her.

Where did that even come from? This was Emma. She was my best friend. I’d never had feelings like that for her in all our years of friendship. And yet ever since coming back to Meridel, I couldn’t stop thinking about her, couldn’t stop the strange feelings I kept having about her.

Our marriage was fake…but more and more as each day passed, I couldn’t help but think that maybe I didn’t want it to be.

I wanted it to be real.

What would she even think if she could hear these thoughts?

Our kiss in the dressing room made it seem like maybe, just maybe, she might be feeling the same things as me.

The thought both thrilled and terrified me.

I didn’t want to do anything to risk our friendship, but I couldn’t help but think…

What if we weren’t meant to be friends? What if we were always meant to be…more? Was I really so blind all these years not to see what was right in front of me? Or was I simply too scared to take a chance and chase after Emma for real?

The applause slowly faded, and I ducked out from under my guitar, setting it on the stand before hopping down off the stage. Bridget would have a field day about me not coming backstage—because who knew what kind of crazies were in the audience—but all I wanted in that moment was to wrap Emma up in my arms and kiss her senseless.

I didn’t care that we were surrounded by people. I didn’t care that there were photographers with cameras at the ready, and that they’d likely make up ridiculous stories in the tabloids, even if she was my wife.

No, none of that mattered to me as my feet hit the floor, and I took Emma’s hand and pulled her toward me, wrapping an arm around her waist. I didn’t hesitate for even a second as I cupped her cheek and pressed my lips to hers. I was vaguely aware of the click of cameras and the eyes of everyone riveted on us.

Brief microphone feedback squealed through the air a few seconds later, pulling us apart.

“Thank you everyone for coming tonight,” Bridget said with that fake smile that told me she was unhappy. “Please give it up one more time for Liam Walker…and his new wife, Emma Walker.” She gestured at us with her arms.

Reluctantly, I stepped away from Emma, taking hold of her hand and pulling her up on stage. The way her shoulders rose up to her ears told me she was uncomfortable being in the spotlight, but I put my arms around her waist, her back to my chest, and smiled for the cameras before pressing a kiss to her cheek.

“You’re beautiful, Em.” Her cheeks turned pink, but a more genuine smile worked its way across her face.

After another minute, I’d had enough of the cameras flashing and the clapping and led her backstage.

Bridget was instantly right there the minute the curtain closed behind us, muffling the noise.

“Well, if you wanted to make a statement, you certainly accomplished it.”

I gripped Emma’s hand tighter in mine, putting myself between them. I didn’t know what Bridget would say—what offensive things might come out of her mouth—and I didn’t want Emma to take the brunt of them.

“Tonight went well,” I replied. “I don’t know why you’re all bent out of shape.”

“As country music’s current biggest star, you have a reputation to uphold, Liam. You went from bad boy to married to the girl next door.” She flung a hand at Emma, and my shoulders tensed. I was sure she didn’t mean it as a derogatory term, but her tone made it sound like an insult. “That’s a little too much of a swing, even for me. People may question the legitimacy of your relationship.”

“Need I remind you this was all your idea,” I said between clenched teeth.

“No, my idea wasn’t to marry you off and have you throw everything we’ve worked for away. My idea was to have you get married to stop that ridiculous reputation you earned while also making you even more irresistible to fans because you’re no longer available. A lot of women tend to want what they can’t have. But it has to be believable, and at the moment, this”—she waved frantically at Emma behind me—“isn’t.”