“Heartfirst”
-Kelsea Ballerini
PROLOGUE
KANE
“Merry Christmas,” I say to my dad when he calls.
“Don’t be late today, okay? Your mom’s already hangry and ready to start without y’all,” he warns as I look up at the clock. We weren’t supposed to meet for lunch until eleven, and I have twenty minutes to drive to my parents’. All of my family lives on the ranch, and it doesn’t take long to get there. But I know when Mama ain’t happy, nobody’s happy.
“Okay, okay. I’m puttin’ on my boots right now,” I tell him.
“Are ya gonna be okay with everything?”
My face heats. “Like what?”
“Hadleigh and Knox,” he confirms, but I knew what he was referring to. Hadleigh has been my best friend since childhood. I had a crush on her for years but recently realized it was nothing more than an infatuation. Everyone knew I had a thing for her. Well, everyone except her. For weeks, my identical twin brother and I fought for her attention. So instead of making her choose, I conceded. She deserves to be happy, and my brother could love her in ways I never could. We’re better as friends, and I told her as much. Now she and Knox are a thing, and I’m very happy for them, even if my jealousy got the best of me in the beginning. But it’s all water under the bridge now.
I smile. “Dad, I swear I’m completely over it.”
“Really?” His tone slightly changes as if he doesn’t believe me.
“Yes, absolutely. Scout’s honor. We won’t be havin’ a repeat of Thanksgiving. I promise.”
“Good. I don’t want to have to reprimand my grown-ass son for actin’ like a child in front of the family again,” he confirms.
My brother and I got into a huge argument over Hadleigh in front of our large family at the Bed & Breakfast and embarrassed the hell out of my parents. Not to mention, I’d given Knox a black eye a week before that. I’d allowed my emotions to get the best of me because I wanted the absolute best for Hadleigh. At that point, I thought Knox was just using her, and she deserved better than to be another one of his one-night stands. I realize how much I overreacted and allowed my temper to control my actions, something that had never happened before.
“You’ll find your person,” he states, pulling me out of my thoughts. “Now hurry up and make your way over. I’ve got to remind your sister to leave now too. If you’re late, your mother is giving you all a bag of coal.”
“Damn, I’ll be right there.”
The call ends, and I go to the table where the finished leather journal lies. It’s the first one I’ve ever made, and while I’m not one to toot my own horn, I’m proud of it. It’s a symbol of how much I care about Hadleigh. I started this project before I knew how I truly felt about our friendship. It only felt right to continue working on it and give it to her as I’d always intended. Over the past six weeks, I experienced many ups and downs, and at times, I felt like I’d gone to hell and back but making this for her was my saving grace. With the learning curve, it took a lot of time and dedication. It calmed me when nothing else did, and I will forever be grateful for that, considering how wound up I was at times.