Nora's P.O.V.
🎶Landslide - Fleetwood Mac 🎶
🎵I took my love, I took it down
I climbed a mountain and I turned around
And I saw my reflection in the snow-covered hills
'Til the landslide brought me down
Oh, mirror in the sky
What is love?
Can the child within my heart rise above?
Can I sail through the changin' ocean tides?
Can I handle the seasons of my life?
Well, I've been afraid of changin'
'Cause I've built my life around you🎵
This was one of my favorite songs. It was a song about the changes and challenges of life and it couldn't be more perfect right now.
🎵Oh-oh, take my love, take it down
Oh-oh, climb a mountain and you turn around
And if you see my reflection in the snow-covered hills
Well, the landslide bring it down
And if you see my reflection in the snow-covered hills
Well, the landslide bring it down
Oh-ohh, the landslide bring it down
Oh-ohh, the landslide bring it down 🎵
"Wow!" I heard a voice say as I stopped singing.
I jumped, letting out a scream as I turned to see Brady coming around the corner. Placing my hand on my heart to help calm my nerves, I glared over at him.
What was he doing here?
"Brady?" I started petting Charlie as he came up to me. "Are you going to make it a habit of scaring the shit out of me? What are you doing here? If you came to call me a spoiled princess again or fight with me... save your breath. I'm not afraid to hit a person in a wheelchair."
Oh my gosh... why would I say that? I would never seriously do that!
Realizing I didn't have a hat on, I self consciously played with my short hair. Untucking it from the back of my ear, I turned away so I was looking at Charlie again.
He started laughing as he rolled up beside me, "I'm an ass."
"Looks like we finally agree on something."
I ran my fingers through Charlie's hair and messaged the back of his ears.
"You have a beautiful voice."
My eyes widened and I didn't know what the hell to say.
"You should go on American idol or something. Have you ever thought about doing that?"
I tried not smirking as I looked over at him. "Thanks, and no I haven't."
"Well you should. I bet you'd have a good shot at winning." He sounded so sincere, which was new for him.
"Yeah, maybe."
He still didn't answer me on why he was here. I'm glad he brought Charlie though because we settled into an uncomfortable silence and I kept myself busy petting him.
"Look... I am truly sorry." Brady finally said, breaking the silence.
"For?"
"I never should have asked you any of that because you're right, it's none of my business."
I looked over at him. "And?"
"And I never should have put you on the spot in front of everyone like I did either." I just stared back at him as he continued. "I really have no good excuse for my behavior and should have respected you enough to not butt into your life. Henry is probably rolling around in his grave at the way I've treated you... I was really close with him, did you know?"
I nodded. "He talked about you quite a bit, you and Greg."
He smiled, "He talked about you a lot too. None stop actually, so much that I felt like I personally knew you. Anyways... I brought you a peace offering." Brady reached down in the side pocket of his wheelchair, brought out a white bag and handed them to me. "Donuts from the carnival. They're still warm... I made Greg go before we came over here."
Surprised, I grabbed the warm bag from out of his hand.
"They say 'a way to a man's heart is through his stomach' well I disagree. I think it goes both ways. Not that I'm trying to make you fall in love with me." He said in a panic after realizing how that probably sounded, making me laugh. "I just hoped this would help so you would forgive me."
I sat back and opened the bag up. "Well it's definitely a start. Thank you."
"You're welcome."
I took a donut out of the bag, examining it. "You didn't poison these... did you?"
He put his hand up to his heart like he was hurt but smiled. "What! You really think I'd try killing you after I just apologized."
"It seems like a very good way to get me to let my guard down."
"Do you want me to eat one first?"
"What do you think Charlie? Is that grumpy man trying to kill me?" Charlie tilted his head to the side. I giggled before I took a bite out of the donut, moaning. "Mmmm, why are these so freaking delicious?"
We fell into an uncomfortable silence again as I finished the first donut. I was reaching for the second one when Brady broke the silence again.
"I'm having surgery in a month and I'm fucking terrified I'm going to be like this for the rest of my life. It's not an excuse for me to treat you or anyone else like crap, I know that but..." he cleared his throat. "I'm scared... God, I haven't admitted that out loud to anyone before."
I licked my lips and sighed. I can't imagine what he's feeling and being a grumpy ass definitely isn't alright but I understood as crazy as that may sound.
I tilted the bag over to him so he could grab a donut. He smiled at me and took one out.
"You only get one though."
He laughed but didn't argue as he put the whole donut into his mouth.
"I know you're scared and I hope that everything goes your way when you have your surgery but just in case it doesn't... you have an amazing family Brady. They will be there for you just like they are now, you just have to let the people that are there for you, help you."
"It's hard."
"I'm sure it is. I can't even begin to imagine what it's like. A positive though, they have so many amazing things for people in wheelchairs to do. I met a nineteen year old boy a few years ago that got in a car accident when he was seventeen and was paralyzed from the waist down. He went out and put together a basketball team, competed in tournaments and won."
"This ranch means so much to me, what if I can't even do that? I used to train some of the horses around here, I can't even get Spook to trust me. I've lost something and can't seem to get it back."
He shook his head and cleared his throat, "The biggest reason I want to walk so badly again is to show my ex I did this all without her help."
I gave him a sad smile. "I hope so too. I was serious with what I said earlier, she sounds horrible."
"I agree with you."
"You know what... I think it could be satisfying for you either way. Sure you walk again and she misses out on enjoying your wonderful company." I teased, making him laugh. "Or you can't walk and you adjust and learn your new way, showing her you don't need her for that either. She's the one missing out, Brady."
His eyes roamed my face and then he smirked. "You're so wise, Eleanor."
I shrugged my shoulders "I try to be. Now if only I could listen to my own words of advice."
"Because of your ex?"
I nodded. "I was hurt recently too, Brady."
"What happened? You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, I promise I won't push anymore."
After he apologized for his behavior, he actually opened up and was honest with me, so I decided to open up a little too.
"He cheated. It's more complex than that but that's the gist of it."
"I'm so sorry."
"It's okay. He's definitely not worth any more heartache." I admitted as I looked out into the mountains.
"Tori isn't either. Then I found out today my parents didn't even like her. I don't understand what I was thinking there... Anyways, enough depressing shit for today. Do you play the guitar often?"
I smiled. "Yeah."
"Oh yeah? How good are you?" He asked in a teasing tone.
"Hmm, Let's see."
I adjusted my guitar so Charlie was still able to rest his head on my lap and started in with the beginning melody of 'Sweet Child O' Mine' by Guns n' Roses.
"Guns n' roses... nice. That's very good."
"Thank you." I put my guitar down on the side of me and looked over at Brady. "I play the piano too."
We talked for a little longer before Brady's phone chimed with a notification.
"It's Jake. He's on his way to pick me up."
I was actually kind of sad that he was leaving. I found myself enjoying Brady's company.
I stood up and was going to follow him out but he stopped. "Soo, I was thinking. There's this bar a few towns over that has the best chicken wings ever."
My heart started racing and I panicked a little. "Are you asking me out on a date?"
"Nooo! I'm definitely not."
Well that was hurtful.
"It's more of a let's get to know each other better type of thing. Plus you are the only one that will eat these wings with me. Do you like wings?"
I smiled. "I love wings."
"Good. Tomorrow night, does that work for you? You'll have to drive my truck."
I was bouncing around all these ideas in my head on why this was a terrible idea and why I shouldn't go.
"That works."
I've never seen Brady smile so big. "Good. I'll see you tomorrow night at six."
** I don't want Brady knowing who Nora is yet. I want something to develop outside of her fame first before he finds out. Not as a lie but I think it's important and I didn't want Nora questioning Brady's intentions like she did with Ben**
😊