Read Risking It All for Free Online

slipped his jacket off and tossed it over a chair.
    “Peachy,” she answered, causing him to pause at her tone. She sighed and forced a smile. “I’m just a little sleep deprived. You know, with trying to get everything ready for the show.”
    “Don’t work too hard and run yourself down.”
    Kennedy tried not to roll her eyes at the advice. Always the doctor.
    “You know it’s next week, right?”
    “Is it coming up that soon already?”
    Kennedy clamped her teeth together to keep from snapping at him. Instead, she narrowed her eyes and held his gaze.
    “What?” he asked. So clueless.
    “You are planning to attend, aren’t you?” she asked, trying to remain calm.
    “Oh. Well . . .” He shifted from foot to foot and folded his arms. It was his telltale move; Kennedy figured he was bracing himself for the fight he was sure was about to take place. “I haven’t checked my schedule yet.”
    “It’s next week,” Kennedy pointed out. “Shouldn’t you have done that a month ago when I told you about the show?”
    “Kennedy, it’s not really a big deal—”
    Kennedy flinched; it was like a slap in the face. Her show, the thing she had worked for since she was eighteen, her dream come true, wasn’t a big deal to him?
    “It’s a big deal to me,” she told him, trying to fight back tears.
    “No, sweetheart, that’s not what I meant,” Brooks said, moving to sit beside her. “Of course this is a big deal to you, as it should be.” Kennedy sniffed and looked away. “I just didn’t think it was such a big deal to you that I be there.”
    “Why would you think that?” She shook her head at his dense assumption and looked at him. “Why wouldn’t I want you there? You are an important part of my life, aren’t you?”
    “Of course I am.”
    “Then why wouldn’t I want all the people who are important to me there to celebrate this with me?”
    Brooks looked down at his clasped hands before replying.
    “I just figured you’d have your parents there—”
    “My parents?” Kennedy laughed. “Yes, because they’ve been such a big support system.”
    “Memphis will be there,” he added.
    “Is that why you don’t want to come? Because Memphis will be there?”
    “No.” He closed his eyes and rubbed his hand down the side of his face, frustrated by how the conversation was going. He looked at her and said, “I didn’t think it would be such a big deal if I missed it if you had all those people.”
    “Well, it is a big deal. I want you there, Brooks,” she said softly.
    He was silent for a moment.
    “Okay. I’ll be there.”
    Kennedy looked at him, undecided if she could believe him or not.
    “You will?”
    “If being there is that important to you, I’ll be there, Kennedy,” he promised.
    “Despite what your schedule says?” she asked, very skeptical.
    Brooks chuckled and reached his arm around her, pulling her to his side.
    “Despite what my schedule says.”
    Kennedy lifted her head off his shoulder and tenderly kissed his lips.
    “Thank you,” she said.
    “All you have to do is ask and I’ll do my best to make it happen, Kennedy,” he told her, squeezing her thigh before he stood. Her stomach twisted at his words as Kennedy watched him disappear into the kitchen. She knew he meant well, but should she really have to ask him to do something? Shouldn’t he know, especially when it came to something as important as that to her, that she would want him there? 
    “Hungry?” he called. “I brought your favorite—Thai.”
    “Not really.” 
    “I meant what I said, though, Kennedy,” he hollered from the kitchen. “You shouldn’t be working yourself so hard that you get run down. I’ll bring you a plate.”
    He cared for her health; at least there was that.
    After listening to him bang around the kitchen, she called out to him. “Brooks?”
    “Yeah?”
    “I was thinking after the show is over I would take a little break and go somewhere,” she said, not sure how