When she heard the door creakopen, she shifted up to her elbows to see Brennan walking in.
“Hey,” he said with a charmingsmile.
“Hey.”
“Came in here to check on you. It was a bit of a madhouse out there for a while.”
He walked over and sat on the endof the bench. She scooted down and rested her head on his thigh.
“It was. I’m ready to go home,”she said with a yawn. “Someone kept me up late last night.”
“Not late enough,” he said,running his hands through her hair.
Devon chuckled and closed hereyes as he worked his magic at untangling the knots. He calmed her down, andshe could have lain there all night. Everything was so natural and easy withBrennan.
She exhaled softly. “Can I askyou something?”
“What is it?” His hand pulledback through her loose strands.
“I’ve been wondering about thissince you told me, but I don’t want it to sound weird,” she said, her handsfiddling with the buttons on her white shirt.
“Nothing is weird between us,” hesaid.
“I just…well…your dad left youwith money, right?” She felt weird for asking.
Brennan tensed and stilled hishand. “Uh, yeah.”
“Then, um…why do you live in asmall one bedroom, take the L, and work as a bartender?” she asked, her wordscoming out in a rush.
She didn’t want to sound snootybecause that wasn’t her intention. But if his dad had worked at NorthwesternMemorial for thirty years as a doctor, then he was likely well-off. Whywouldn’t Brennan use any of that money?
“Oh,” was all he said.
“I don’t mean to sound like Ilike you any less because of it. I don’t! I don’t care about those things. Ilike those things,” she added hastily. “I was mostly curious.”
“Well, truth is…I don’t likemoney,” he said with a stilted laugh.
“You don’t like…money,” sherepeated.
“I don’t know. I do. I just…itwas his money. Everything I buy with it reminds me that he’s gone.”
Devon sat up, so she could lookat him. The pain was clear on his face, and she was sorry that she had broughtit up. She took his hand and held it in her own.
“I don’t mind the things heowned, like the boat. Those are happy memories, but the house…” Heshuddered. “I couldn’t live in that house.”
“He left you a house?” Shewasn’t sure why she even asked, but she didn’t know what else to say.
The more he talked, the more shewondered why she had asked at all. He sounded so sad.
“Yeah. I didn’t know what to dowith it, so I just left it as is. It’s probably dusty. Sometimes, I go overthere to mow the lawn the way he liked it, but that’s as far as I can get,” hesaid. “I bought the apartment after that. I try to keep it all low-key andlive the way I used to live before it happened.”
“That has to be hard,” she said,her thumb drawing circles on his hand.
“I’ve survived.”
“Glad I can be here…so you’re notjust surviving anymore.” She pulled him in for a hug.
“With you, I’m living,” hewhispered, kissing her head.
She leaned her head back andkissed him on the lips. “Me, too.”
“And just so you know, I try sohard on those medical exams,” he said with a sigh. “He always wanted me to bea doctor, just like him. Follow in his footsteps.”
“But is that what youwant?” she asked, knowing that it wasn’t.
After listening to his music justone time, she knew that being a doctor wasn’t what he wanted. How could itbe when art called to his soul?
“I’m perfectly content working asa bartender and playing music for the rest of my life…but you can’t retire onthat.”
“No.”
“I just don’t have the heart forit. I got my scores back,” he said.
“How did you do?” Devon asked,her heart jumping out of her chest. Was it that time already? Were thescores already reported?
He shrugged. “Good enough to gowherever I want.”
“Oh wow,” she said with a smile. “Where have you applied?”
“That’s the problem…nowhere. Ihaven’t applied anywhere. I don’t know if I can be him…and I hate that aboutmyself,” he told her.
They sat there in silence for abit. Devon knew something of parental approval. She and her mother had neverseen eye to eye on what Devon should do with her life.
Devon reached out and took hishand in her own. “You know, my mama always wanted me to be a country musicsinger.”
“Yeah? Is that because yourparents work in the industry?”
She was surprised he rememberedthat about her.
“Yeah. They’re lyricists.”
“Like you,” he said with a smile.
“Ugh…no way. Not like me. Mystuff sucks, and I’m never letting people hear it.”
“I doubt that, Dev.”
“Anyway,” she said, not wantingto touch on that conversation right now, “I never wanted that for myself. Inever saw myself as the country music artist my mother wanted me to be, nomatter how hard she tried, and she tried hard. But my mother also wants me tobe happy, and she only pushed me as far as she could without upsetting me. Shewants a country music star, but she’s okay with me being the person I am. And…I think your dad would want that, too.”
Brennan leaned forward and kissedher. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” she saidshyly. She felt weird being the one giving out advice for once.
“Come on. Amy will probably belooking for us any minute,” Brennan said, standing.
“You’re probably right.”
They walked out of the break roomand into the kitchen just as Amy walked through the swinging door.
“Where have you guys been? Ineed your help!” She glared at Devon like she might stab her.
Devon wouldn’t put it past her.
“Sorry.” Brennan swept past Amyand headed to the bar.
Devon sighed heavily. She hatedwhen the moments with Brennan were broken. It was like she was in a dream, butunlike her nightmares, it
