Karen Kingsbury - Fifteen Minutes

They hadn’t talked about an exact date. But he’d figured that if the farm were solid again by Christmas, he’d buy her a ring. This was the year he’d been waiting for.

“Zack?” She moved closer. “Did you hear me?”

“You’re moving to London?” His mouth was cotton balls and sawdust. He led her into the shade against the side of the house so he could see her eyes. Straight through them. “For a year?”

“I’m thinking about it.”

“Why?”

She allowed a single laugh, one that held her usual grace. “I’m good at it.”

“I didn’t mean it like that.” Zack’s mind raced as fast as his heart. “No one’s better at what you do.” His mouth felt dry. “I mean . . . why now?”

“They need me. The kids there . . . they have no one.” She stared at the spot between their feet for a moment before looking at him again. “Maybe it’s God’s timing. You know, with you auditioning.”

“A whole year?” Zack brushed his hand against the side of her face. If only they could stay in this moment. Without the audition or this crazy London idea. He looked deep into her, all the way to her heart. “You can be good at it right here in Danville.”

“So can you.”

Her tone remained kind, but her words took his breath away. “Okay. So you’re serious.”

Her smile was tinged with sadness. “It’ll be hard to be apart. But right now, I don’t know. Our dreams are maybe taking us in different directions.”

“London?” He released his hold on her and took a slight step back. “Sure. I mean, I’m happy for you. If your dream is to live in Europe for a year.” The feeling that he’d been hit by a truck lingered. The news had him dazed and off-balance. “I guess . . . I didn’t know.”

“Right. Like I didn’t know you were going to try out for Fifteen Minutes .” She folded her arms tight in front of her, almost as if she were cold despite the morning heat. “Look, I want you to go. I’ll be your biggest fan, Zack. But you’ll be busy with the show. The whole thing, the audition, the process . . . the tour. It could take a year.” She reached up and touched his cheek. “Maybe then we’ll know what’s next.”

“The tour, Reese? Really? I haven’t even made it past the first round.”

“Maybe the timing is part of God’s plan.” Her words didn’t come all at once. She took hold of his hand. “It sort of seems that way.”

He tried to keep control of his frustration. “What?”

“Don’t get mad.” Her smile softened things for a few seconds. “Just . . . you know, sometimes being apart is good. So we can be sure who we are. Before . . .”

He ran his fingers through her windblown hair. “Before I marry you.” He brought his face closer to hers. “That’s what you mean, right?”

“Yes.” Her voice was barely a whisper. Her smile touched his soul. “Maybe that.”

“Baby . . .” He wanted her so badly. “I’d marry you today if I could. You know that.” He stepped back and searched her eyes. “I have to audition. It could mean . . . saving this farm. It could change life for my family.”

“I know.” Her smile touched his soul. “If I move to London it could change things for those kids.”

“Look.” He kept his voice steady and worked to control his warring emotions. “I need you. Whether I make it or not. Please . . . don’t move to London.”

His words seemed to hit their mark. A few seconds passed and she took his hands. “I haven’t said yes. It’s just an option.”

“Crazy girl.” He put his hands around her waist and drew her close. “London’s not your dream. And New York’s not mine.”

“No?” Gradually the shine returned to her eyes.

“No.” He could breathe again. They had found their way back to normal. He eased his hands from hers and gently framed her face. Then he kissed her the way he’d wanted to since she arrived. “This is your dream, remember?” His voice fell a notch.

“You?” She giggled, brushing her cheek against his. “Zack Dylan? You’re my dream?”

“Not me.” He kissed her again and when he pulled back, he felt the humor leave his expression. “Us.” He searched her eyes, making sure his place in her heart remained. Untouched. Like before he’d made his decision to audition for Fifteen Minutes . “We’re the dream. Okay?”

“Is that right?” The corners of her lips lifted and she rested her head on his chest, the two of them swaying in the warm summer morning air.

“Yes, baby. That’s right. This is the dream.” The words he’d said to his grandfather came back and he repeated them. “I want to marry you, Reese. I’ll audition and then I’ll come home. Please don’t go. Not for a year, anyway.”

“It is a long time.” She smiled up at him as they started walking. “Hey, Toby’s doing better. He’s talking in sentences.”

His pride for her work welled up inside him. “I love that boy.”

“He loves you.”

Zack listened, loving her heart, the way she cared for her students. They checked the one small stable that hadn’t been destroyed in the storm and walked back to her car. The show didn’t come up until he took her in his arms again.

“Zack, I’ve known you since you were eighteen.” She allowed some space between the two of them. For a long while she said nothing, only looked out at the land, at the horses. Finally she drew a deep breath and stared at the sky. “You said singing at church was enough. You were never going to try out.”

“We need the money. You know that. Singing’s the only other thing I can do and—”

“Let me finish.” She put her hand on his shoulder, a fresh depth in her eyes. “Please, Zack.”

“Sorry.” He shifted, waiting.

She paused as if having this part of the conversation with her own conscience. “You were going to be a songwriter. You’d spend your life here and continue with your family’s farm.” Her words came slowly again, like the passing white clouds. “That’s the Zack I fell in love with. You said the fame thing, singing on a stage, it wasn’t for you.”

“Reese . . .” He raked his fingers through his thick dark hair. They’d been over this.

“That’s what you said.” She turned her eyes to his again. The defeat in her tone turned to sadness. “Remember?”

“Try to understand.” He searched her eyes. “The music, the songs . . . they live in me. I have to try. Sure I want to write, but if I can sing, if I can do something I love and help my family, shouldn’t I try?”

“I know.” She nodded, never breaking eye contact. Her fight was gone. The finality in her tone told him she had accepted his decision. Even if she had doubts. She took a step toward her car door, her eyes still on his. “I want you to go, Zack. You’re amazing. I think you could win the whole thing.” Her smile didn’t hide the hurt in her eyes. “But you have to know . . . if you win, that could change things. It could change us.”

“Not in a million years.” He was sick of this, of the doubts from people who should’ve known him best. “Not ever.”

“Okay.” She smiled despite the shadow of sadness in her eyes. “As long as you’ve thought it through.”

He didn’t respond. Couldn’t say anything in light of her heartfelt reminder. Whether he liked it or not, she was right. If he went far, if he won, there might be no way back to the life they shared here. Now.

“You need answers.” Her tone was kind. “Your family needs money. I get it.” She kissed him more quickly than before. “I need to go. We’ll talk tonight.”

“What about your song? You haven’t heard it.”

She giggled. “Later. You’re busy.”

“But you want to hear it, right?”