Only Her

1. The Problem with Hayes Brooks

Florida was supposed to be one last summer before senior year.

Unfortunately, it was looking increasingly likely that it might become both.

"Put your phone away."

I glanced up from the passenger seat of our rental SUV. Outside the window, rows of palm trees stretched beneath a cloudless blue sky, but Carly was looking at me like I had personally offended the concept of vacation.

"I was checking one thing."

"You were checking school."

"I was checking my email."

"School."

I sighed and slid my phone back into my purse. The satisfied look on her face was immediate.

Three years of friendship had taught me many things. One of them was that Carly Jane enjoyed being right far more than any reasonable person should.

The rental SUV rolled through the entrance gates of Reunion, and immediately everything started looking expensive. Palm trees lined the roads. Perfectly landscaped neighborhoods stretched in every direction. Golf courses rolled across the property like giant green carpets while luxury homes overlooked lakes that reflected the afternoon sun.

Everything looked polished. Carefully planned. Almost fake.

"We needed this."

I glanced over at Carly. For once, she wasn't teasing. And unfortunately, she wasn't wrong.

The last semester had been brutal. Classes, projects, internship applications, deadlines. Two internship applications still hadn't responded. One rejection email had arrived yesterday. The last application—the one I actually wanted—was still sitting in limbo.

The pressure of figuring out what happened after graduation felt impossible to escape. As a sports broadcasting major at the University of Tennessee, it seemed like everybody wanted the same future. The same jobs. The same opportunities. The same internships.

Senior year started in August.

Which meant this was it. The last summer before everything became real.

Meanwhile, Carly somehow floated through life with the confidence of someone who believed everything would work out, which was particularly annoying because it usually did. As a communications major, she spent most of her time talking to people, making connections, and turning complete strangers into friends within five minutes.

Honestly, it should've been studied.

When she'd suggested ten days in Florida after finals, I'd originally said no. Three separate times. Then she'd found an unbelievable deal on a rental house in Reunion. Then she'd reminded me that neither of us had taken a real vacation in years. Then she'd booked it anyway.

Typical Carly.

Now here we were.

The last week of May. Ten days in Florida.

No professors. No deadlines. No responsibilities.

Just sunshine and poor decisions.

Hopefully not too many poor decisions.

The rental SUV rounded a curve beside one of the lakes.

Then Carly slammed on the brakes.

I grabbed the dashboard.

"What the hell?"

"Oh my God."

The SUV rolled to a stop along the curb.

"Carly."

"No way."

I stared at her. She stared through the windshield, completely frozen.

"What?"

"Holy shit."

"What?"

She pointed so aggressively I was mildly concerned for her shoulder.

I followed her hand.

A crowd stood gathered near the shoreline. Not huge. Maybe fifteen people. All focused on the same thing.

"What are they looking at?"

Carly looked moments away from launching herself through the windshield.

"Lexi."

"What?"

"That is Hayes Brooks."

I blinked.

Then looked again.

A man sat near the water with a ball cap pulled low over his face. A dark T-shirt stretched across broad shoulders while tattooed forearms rested across his knees.

Even from a distance, I recognized him immediately.

Everybody would.

Hayes Brooks.

Country music superstar.

The kind of famous that didn't really belong in normal places.

Every few months there seemed to be another article. Another rumor. Another tabloid romance. Another story involving a bar fight, a public meltdown, or some disaster his management team was probably still cleaning up.

The strange thing was that none of those stories matched the man sitting beside the lake. From a distance, he looked calm. Relaxed.

But there was something about him that made me look twice. Something watchful. Like he noticed far more than he let people believe. Like the relaxed version was the performance.

And whatever existed underneath it was considerably more dangerous.

One person approached him. Then another. Then another.

Hayes looked up as another fan stopped beside him, and a smile appeared.

Automatic. Practiced.

Like something he'd done so many times he no longer had to think about it.

The fan walked away happy.

The smile disappeared immediately.

A little girl approached next, maybe eight years old. She held out a baseball cap with both hands. Hayes stood immediately, signed it, and said something that made her grin. Then she turned to leave.

A bracelet slipped from her wrist and landed in the grass.

The girl kept walking.

Without hesitation, Hayes bent down, picked it up, and jogged after her.

"Hey."

She turned. His expression softened as he handed it back.

The little girl's face lit up.

Then he returned to the shoreline. Back to the lake. Back to whatever thought he'd been trying to have before somebody interrupted it.

Another fan stepped into his space. For half a second, his jaw tightened.

The mask slipped back into place.

If I hadn't been looking directly at him, I would've missed it.

The change was instant. Like watching a door open and slam shut again.

For one brief second, I understood how a man ended up in headlines.

Then it disappeared.

The smile returned. The fan walked away happy, and Hayes looked back toward the lake like nothing had happened.

Carly made a noise beside me. The kind of noise that usually led to bad decisions.

"No."

"What?"

"No."

"I didn't say anything."

"You were thinking it."

Her expression became deeply offended.

"I was not."

"You absolutely were."

I laughed. "You're thinking about going over there."

"The man is right there."

"And?"

Carly stared at me like I was missing the most obvious point in the world. "Do you know how many women would kill to run into Hayes Brooks on vacation?"

"Probably too many."

"Correct."

I looked back toward the lake.

A woman was asking for a selfie now. Hayes smiled, leaned into the picture, then immediately looked back toward the water when she walked away. Like he'd been interrupted halfway through a thought.

He seemed more comfortable watching people than talking to them.

"He has a reputation."

Carly snorted. "That is one way to put it."

I laughed because she wasn't wrong. We'd already had this conversation before. Everybody knew who Hayes Brooks was. Even people who didn't listen to country music.

He was exactly the kind of man smart girls avoided.

Unfortunately, I'd never claimed to be particularly smart on vacation.

"Didn't he get into a bar fight last year?" I asked.

Carly pointed immediately. "See? You know things."

"It was everywhere."

"I'm pretty sure every gossip account on the internet posted about it."

"I don't think punching people is attractive."

"I didn't say it was."

I narrowed my eyes. "What are you saying?"

She shrugged. "I'm saying there are worse things than a little attitude."

"A little attitude?"

"He didn't burn down a building."

"The bar fight is your defense?"

"It's all about perspective."

I laughed despite myself. "What about the concert thing?"

Carly's eyes widened.

"The chair."

"The chair."

I shook my head. "How do you forget a man throwing a chair off a stage?"

"Technically, I think he kicked it."

"That doesn't help."

"It helps a little."

"No."

She shrugged. "People still bought tickets."

"People buy tickets for train wrecks too."

That earned a laugh.

Then Carly glanced back toward the lake. For a second, she seemed thoughtful, which was unusual.

Very unusual.

"Honestly?"

"What?"

"I don't think he's a bad guy."

I looked at her. "What makes you say that?"

She nodded toward the crowd. "Because he's still sitting there."

I frowned. "What does that mean?"

"He could leave."

Another fan approached Hayes. He stood, smiled for a picture, answered a question, then sat back down.

"He could tell everybody no," Carly said. "But he doesn't."

I looked back toward the water.

For a second, I watched him.

Not the celebrity. Not the headlines.

Just the man sitting beside a lake while strangers took turns interrupting whatever peace he'd been trying to have.

Somehow, he looked less annoyed than I felt.

Most people would've left.

Hayes stayed.

And somehow that bothered me more than the headlines ever had.

The SUV continued around the lake. The crowd disappeared behind us, and the shoreline vanished from view.

Just like that, the moment passed.

At least for me.

Because by the time we reached our rental house, I was already thinking about food.

The house somehow looked even better in person. White exterior. Black shutters. A wraparound balcony overlooking one of the smaller lakes. The kind of place that would've cost more than my tuition if we'd paid full price for it.

Carly jumped out before the engine was fully off.

"Mine."

I looked up. "What?"

"The bedroom upstairs with the balcony."

"You haven't even seen it yet."

"I don't need to."

"Carly."

"It's mine."

I laughed and grabbed my suitcase from the back.

Vacationing with Carly was a lot like being dragged through life by a tornado. You could resist. Eventually, though, you were getting pulled along anyway.

The inside of the house looked exactly like every luxury vacation rental advertisement I'd ever seen. High ceilings. White walls. Large windows. A kitchen bigger than my apartment. Everything smelled faintly of sunscreen and air conditioning.

Carly disappeared upstairs immediately.

A door opened.

Then another.

Then—

"I CALLED IT!"

Apparently she had found the balcony room.

I dropped my suitcase near the staircase and wandered toward the back patio. The lake stretched behind the house. Palm trees swayed gently in the afternoon breeze, and a pair of ducks floated lazily across the water.

The entire place felt quiet.

Not silent.

Just peaceful.

My phone buzzed.

Mom.

Of course.

I answered immediately.

"Hi."

"Did you girls make it?"

I smiled. "We've been here for almost an hour."

"I know. I'm checking."

Upstairs, a door slammed.

Then:

"I CALLED THE BALCONY ROOM!"

Mom laughed. "That sounds like Carly."

"Unfortunately."

"How's the house?"

I looked out across the lake. "Honestly? It's beautiful."

"Good."

A pause.

Then her voice softened. "Try to relax while you're there."

I snorted. "Did Carly call you?"

"Maybe."

"Traitor."

Mom laughed again. "I mean it, Lex. You've been stressed for months."

She wasn't wrong. Between internships, classes, and senior year creeping closer every day, I wasn't sure I'd relaxed once all semester.

"I'll try."

"Good."

Another pause.

Then:

"Love you."

"Love you too."

When the call ended, I slipped my phone back into my pocket and looked out across the water again.

For the first time in months, nobody needed anything from me. No professors. No deadlines. No internship notifications. Nothing. Just ten days of Florida sunshine before senior year started.

A break. A chance to breathe. A chance to figure out what came next.

At the time, Florida felt exactly like what I needed.

Simple. Quiet. Predictable.

Looking back, that was probably my first mistake.

By the time we finished unpacking, the sun had started sinking lower in the sky. The Florida heat softened slightly. People emerged from vacation homes and restaurants. Families wandered along the pathways. Golf carts rolled past in lazy streams. Music drifted faintly through the community.

The entire resort seemed to come alive as evening approached.

"I'm hungry."

I looked over. Carly was sprawled dramatically across the couch.

"We ate three hours ago."

"I'm hungry again."

"That's concerning."

"It's vacation."

Apparently that explained everything.

An hour later, we found ourselves walking through Reunion's town center. Restaurants lined the main area. String lights hung overhead. People filled outdoor patios. Golf carts rolled past every few minutes.

The atmosphere felt relaxed. Comfortable.

Nothing like Knoxville. Nothing like school. Nothing like real life.

Which was exactly why we'd come.

"I checked my horoscope this morning."

"Of course you did."

"It said I'd have an unexpected celebrity encounter."

I looked at her. "You've got to be kidding."

"I'm just saying."

"You saw Hayes Brooks one time."

"The stars remain undefeated."

The smell of burgers drifted through the air. Then barbecue. Then something fried.

"Food first."

Carly nodded. "Finally, something we agree on."

We followed the path toward one of the lakeside grills. The restaurant sat directly beside the water with an outdoor patio overlooking the lake. People filled nearly every table. Music drifted from hidden speakers. Laughter carried across the water.

For a moment, everything felt perfect.

Then Carly froze.

Completely froze.

"I might freak out."

I didn't even have to ask.

I already knew.

Sure enough, Hayes Brooks sat at one of the patio tables.

Not alone this time.

Several people sat with him. A couple of men around his age, an older guy, and a woman I didn't recognize. Everyone looked relaxed, like they'd known each other forever.

Hayes laughed at something one of them said. The sound carried across the patio.

Easy. Genuine.

Different from the polite smiles I'd seen earlier.

"I really might lose it," Carly whispered.

"No."

"What? I'm not doing anything."

"You are absolutely doing something."

"I haven't moved."

"Yet."

Her eyes never left the patio.

"This is insane."

I grabbed her arm. "We are leaving that man alone."

"Lexi—"

"No."

"He's literally right there."

"Exactly."

I started steering her toward the restaurant entrance. Reluctantly—very reluctantly—she followed.

The closer we got, the worse it became, because apparently Carly had forgotten how to behave.

The second we passed the patio railing, one of the men sitting with Hayes noticed her. His grin appeared immediately. Then he said something to the rest of the table.

Several heads turned.

Including Hayes's.

His attention settled on Carly first.

Then shifted to me.

And stayed there a second longer than it should have.

Wonderful.

Absolutely wonderful.

Carly looked seconds away from combusting.

Then Hayes smiled.

Small. Polite.

The kind of smile that said he'd dealt with this situation thousands of times before.

"Hey."

Carly forgot how words worked.

Completely.

I watched it happen in real time. Her mouth opened. Nothing came out.

I closed my eyes. Just briefly. Then looked back at Hayes.

"Hi."

One corner of his mouth lifted. "Y'all enjoying Florida?"

"Yeah." My answer came easier than expected. "It's beautiful here."

"It is."

The conversation lasted maybe five seconds. Ten if I was being generous. Then one of the guys at the table said something that made everybody laugh, and the moment broke naturally.

Exactly the way it should have.

"Enjoy dinner," Hayes said.

"You too."

Then I grabbed Carly's arm and practically dragged her inside.

The hostess appeared a moment later and led us toward a table near the windows. Unfortunately, Carly wasn't finished.

Not even close.

"He talked to us."

"He was being polite."

"He looked at you."

I groaned immediately.

"No."

"He did."

"Carly."

"I'm serious."

"He asked both of us a question."

"He looked at you when he asked it."

I pointed at her menu. "Pick a burger."

"Deflection."

"Food."

"Still deflection."

I shook my head. There was no winning. There never had been.

By the time our food arrived, she'd moved on to other topics.

Mostly.

The occasional Hayes Brooks comment still slipped through.

Of course.

Eventually, the conversation shifted back to school. Summer classes. Senior year. Everything waiting for us in Tennessee.

The things I was actively trying not to think about.

By the time we walked back toward the rental house, the resort had gone quiet. The pathways were less crowded. The lake reflected the moonlight.

The evening felt slower. Calmer.

Exactly what I'd wanted when we'd booked this trip.

No drama. No complications. No chaos. Just ten days away from reality.

As we reached the front door, Carly bumped my shoulder.

"You know what I think?"

"No."

"I think my horoscope deserves an apology."

I laughed. "You're ridiculous."

"Maybe."

Definitely.

A few minutes later, I stepped onto the balcony outside my room. The night air felt cooler now. The lake shimmered beneath scattered lights. Somewhere in the distance, music still played, a reminder that vacation continued whether I joined it or not.

Tomorrow would probably look exactly like today.

Pool. Food. Carly causing problems.

The usual.

And honestly?

That sounded perfect.

At the time, Hayes Brooks was just a famous country singer I'd happened to run into on vacation.

Looking back, that was the problem.