THE REBEL WITH BROKEN STRINGS

The cold, dark Montana night cast long shadows across Timber Falls Ranch as Gunner stood rooted to the spot, his heart hammering against his ribs. The tips of his ears were frozen, his eyes were fixed on the silhouette of Aubrey, framed in the warm glow of the porch light, after the ranch’s annual Christmas Eve party. The sight of her hit him like a physical blow, stirring up memories of their incredible week together that had haunted him for a couple years now.

His fingers twitched, aching for the familiar weight of a guitar to ground him that always got him through the nervousness of going on stage. Instead, he clenched his fists, steeling himself for the confrontation ahead. The warm glow of the light guided him forward as he took a hesitant step, feeling the ache in his leg—a constant reminder of the ATV accident that had derailed his life and career. The injury that led to the painkillers that had soon become his only companion.

Once inside the house that belonged to his good friend—and Timber Falls Ranch owner—Jaxon, Gunner found Aubrey in the kitchen making herself another drink.

“Aubrey,” he called out, his voice rough with emotion. “We need to talk.”

She turned, her blond hair catching the light, and for a moment, Gunner forgot how to breathe. Those striking blue eyes widened in recognition before narrowing with suspicion. “Do you want a drink?” she asked, redirecting the conversation like she always did. Ever since she moved to Timber Falls.

“You know that’s not what I want to talk about,” he grumbled.

Only silence greeted him.

“Come on, Aubrey,” he said after a long-suffering sigh, “stop acting like you don’t remember our week together.” He had confronted her three times since she had moved to town with her two best friends, Charly and Willow, and she kept playing the same game that she had never met him. “Two years ago. Atlanta. That concert. Then the week that followed.”

“Not this again. Are you serious right now?” she retorted, finishing fixing her drink. “Gunner, whatever you think happened—”

He didn’t let her finish. “I know what I saw, what we did. It was you.”

“Wasn’t me,” Aubrey said over her shoulder, giving him a fine view of her incredible ass in her blue jeans that he could never have forgotten. “You’ve got it all wrong. I didn’t even go to your concert.”

“Then who the hell was I with?” Gunner snapped.

“God knows!” she shot back. “But it wasn’t me!”

He leaned against the doorframe, crossed his arms and snorted. “That unforgettable week, your laugh, the way you moved, your goddamn moans—it’s all stuck in my head, Aubrey.”

“You are legit delusional,” Aubrey spat, turning toward him with a fiery stare. “You need to get over this.”

The denial stung, cutting deeper than Gunner had anticipated. Her words were like a sucker punch, leaving him winded. He’d known this wouldn’t be easy, but he hadn’t expected she’d hold out this long. The old Gunner might have retreated, seeking solace in a handful of pills. But he wasn’t that man anymore. He’d done the work, gotten sober and healed the parts of himself that had needed healing. He worked at that every single day.

“I know you must hate me,” he said, his voice intense, thinking back to how he’d left her naked in that hotel bed without another word from him, “but I’m not the same person I was back then. I’ve changed.”

For a fleeting moment, something flickered in Aubrey’s deep blue eyes—a hint of vulnerability that made his heart skip. But just as quickly, it was gone, replaced by a steely resolve.

“Listen, Gunner,” she said, her voice softening slightly. “I don’t know how many times I can say this for you to understand, but you need to drop this.”

He took another step closer, close enough now to catch the faint scent of her perfume. It transported him back to that hot week together, where he swore he could still taste her on his lips. “Is that really what you want me to do?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. “For me to forget those days we had? To forget what we shared?”

Her breath hitched, and for a moment, Gunner thought he’d broken through her defenses. But then she squared her shoulders, her expression hardening once more.

“What I want,” she said firmly, “is for you to leave me alone.”

The finality in her tone left no room for argument. Gunner gave a final nod, swallowing the lump in his throat. As he turned to go, he caught one last glimpse of her face. Behind the mask of indifference, he saw a flicker of something else—regret, maybe. Or longing.

It wasn’t much, but it was enough to kindle a spark of hope in his chest. He might have lost this battle, but the war was far from over.

Back outside, his boots crunched on the snow-covered gravel driveway as his breath fogged out in the frigid winter air. The sting of Aubrey’s denial burned in his chest, mixing with the guilt that had always stayed on his mind since he’d left her in the hotel room. He removed his cowboy hat and ran a hand through his blond hair, exhaling slowly, before sliding it back onto his head.

“Damn,” he muttered to himself, heading toward the campfire, cringing against the ache in his thigh from the two surgeries he’d endured after the ATV he’d been riding flipped and landed on his leg, breaking it in three places. The pain there was a constant reminder of how far he’d fallen. How he’d become a man he hated. A bad boy, a rebel, the tabloids had called him. But the pain didn’t remind him of all he’d done wrong anymore. The pain was a reminder of how much he’d risen back up.

As Gunner approached, Eli—his childhood friend and fellow Timber Falls Ranch cowboy—looked up, concern etched in his wise green eyes, his dark hair peeking out beneath his black cowboy hat. “Everything all right, man?” Eli asked.

Gunner took a seat on the log next to Eli, grateful for the warmth of the fire. “Yeah,” he lied, grabbing another beer from the cooler next to him.

Eli’s girlfriend, and one of Aubrey’s best friends, Willow, gave him a little smile that almost looked like pity.

Gunner cracked open his beer and took a long sip, trying to shake off the lingering tension, just as Jaxon called, “We’ve got some news.” His sandy blond hair stuck out beneath his own cowboy hat, his hazel eyes sharp.

Gunner looked up to see Jaxon approaching the campfire, with Charly, the other woman in Aubrey’s trio of best friends, striding next to him. The firelight danced across Charly’s warm brown eyes and caught the highlights in her brunette hair beneath her wool beanie.

“Jaxon and I have decided not to wait too long to get married,” Charly announced, her voice brimming with excitement. “We’re having a small wedding right here at the ranch in the spring.”

Gunner’s eyebrows shot up, a grin spreading across his face, aimed at Jaxon. “Smart plan. Lock her down before she can change her mind.”

Charly laughed, but Jaxon just grinned and gave Gunner a rude gesture with his finger, which made him chuckle.

Eli chimed in, his eyes twinkling with mischief. “You know what this means, don’t you, Gunner? We’re at the lady’s beck and call now.”

Gunner laughed, tipping his cowboy hat toward Charly. “Whatever the bride needs, ma’am. Just say the word.”

Dead serious, Charly said, “Oh, you boys might regret that offer.”

Willow agreed with a firm nod. “Kiss your lazy Sundays goodbye.”

As the group chuckled, Gunner felt a warmth in his chest that had nothing to do with the fire. This, he thought, was what it meant to belong somewhere. To be part of something bigger than himself. For a moment, his demons seemed far away, until Decker’s fingers found their home on the guitar strings.

The longtime Timber Falls Ranch cowboy caught Gunner’s eye, giving a subtle nod that spoke volumes. Gunner felt the familiar tug of music in his soul, something he never could resist.

Raising his beer bottle to his lips, Gunner took a long, slow sip. The cool liquid slid down his throat, removing the remainder of the tension. As he lowered the bottle, his gaze swept over the cowboys and good friends around the fire, and his breath caught.

Aubrey was making her way toward the group. His heart skipped a beat, his fingers tightening around the bottle. And holding her stare, he sang about losing himself to alcohol until love saved him.

* * *

A couple hours later, Aubrey slammed her bedroom door shut behind her, the sound echoing through the quiet farmhouse. She, Charly and Willow had renovated it after moving to Timber Falls to fulfill a dream of opening a cocktail lounge, The Naked Moose. A bar once owned by Jaxon.

A long sigh escaped her as she collapsed onto her queen-sized bed, the soft quilt a stark contrast to the turmoil raging inside her. The scent of woodsmoke clung to her hair, a lingering reminder of the campfire—and Gunner.

Her fingers curled into the fabric as she squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out the memory of his piercing blue eyes boring into her soul. Why couldn’t he just give up? More importantly, why did her traitorous body still react to him like a moth to a flame?

“Dammit,” she muttered, rolling onto her back and staring at the ceiling.

Before she could spiral further into her thoughts, the door burst open. Willow stood in the doorway, her strawberry blond hair wild and her green eyes blazing with concern.

“Alright, spill it,” Willow demanded, marching into the room. “What happened with Gunner?”

Aubrey propped herself up on her elbows, forcing a casual shrug. “Nothing happened. What are you talking about?”

Willow’s eyebrows shot up. “Lies. Eli and I were coming into the kitchen but stopped when we heard you and Gunner talking. I know you, Aubrey. I know all your tells. You lied to him. You two had a week together?”

“It’s nothing you need to worry about. Really.” Even Aubrey heard the note of warning in her voice.

Of course, Willow ignored it. “Eli said for us to stay out of it, but that’s not how our friendship works.” She entered the room and perched on the edge of the bed, her gaze softening. “Talk to me, Aub. Ignoring how insane it is that fate reconnected you here, why are you pretending you don’t know him?”

Aubrey huffed. There was no outrunning this. Her carefully constructed walls began to crumble. They’d been friends since they were little. Willow did know all her tells. Aubrey averted her gaze, focusing on the worn pattern of her quilt. “It’s not…it’s not what you think.”

“Then tell me what it is,” Willow pressed, placing her hand on Aubrey’s arm. “Help me understand all this.”

The weight of the secret pressed down on Aubrey’s chest, threatening to suffocate her. She took a deep breath, steeling herself for the confession she’d been holding back since they’d moved to Timber Falls and Gunner walked into their bar on opening day.

“I met Gunner in Atlanta at one of his concerts,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “We spent a week together, and it was… God, Willow, it was intense. Like nothing I’ve ever experienced before.”

Willow’s eyes widened, but she remained silent, encouraging Aubrey to continue.

“The chemistry between us was electric,” Aubrey admitted, her cheeks flushing at the memory. “We connected on every level—physically, emotionally. It felt like…like he got me in ways no man has ever got me, you know?”

As the words tumbled out, Aubrey felt a mix of relief and vulnerability. She’d never spoken about that week to anyone, and now that she’d started, she found she couldn’t stop.

“We talked for hours, shared our dreams, our fears. And when he finally kissed me…” Aubrey trailed off, lost in the vivid recollection. “It was passionate, tender and completely unforgettable.”

Memories flooded her. The warmth of Gunner’s calloused hands on her skin, the intoxicating scent of his cologne mixed with wood, the taste of whiskey on his lips. She shivered, her body betraying her with a surge of desire.

“His touch…it set me on fire,” she continued, lost in the memory. “And when he sang to me, just for me, I felt like the only woman in the world.” She clenched her fists, anger rising to combat the pain he’d left her with. “But then after he talked like we were going to make things somehow work between us, he left me in a hotel room. Just like that. No note, no call, nothing. Just threw me away like a piece of trash.”

Willow’s hand tightened on Aubrey’s arm. “Oh, honey. I’m so sorry.”

Aubrey swallowed hard, fighting back tears. “It’s not just about Gunner, you know? It’s…it’s everything.”

Willow nodded in full understanding. She knew every painful part of Aubrey’s past. That her father left her and her mother when she was eight years old and never came back. And that her dream job at a five-star restaurant in Atlanta had been cut short due to a narcissistic boss who couldn’t keep his damn hands to himself. But Willow listened as Aubrey continued, her voice cracking, “That week with Gunner, I let all my guards down for him.” She slowly shook her head in frustration at herself. “I don’t even know how he did that, considering I never let my guards down for anyone that quickly, and I hate him for that. Hate how weak it made me feel that morning I woke up and he was gone.” She paused, drew in a deep breath and blew it out slowly before continuing. “So yeah, I lied to him, but obviously, my plan of denying our week together isn’t working. He just won’t give up.”

Willow’s eyes, deep and understanding, never left Aubrey’s face as she listened.

“Besides,” Aubrey said after a moment, “now that I know about his past addiction to painkillers, I bet he was probably high the entire week. He isn’t even sure what he remembers.”

A mixture of concern and doubt clouded Willow’s features. “I hear you, I do. But I can’t shake this feeling that you’re making a mistake.”

Aubrey’s chest tightened at Willow’s words. “How?”

“I’ve seen the way Gunner looks at you. That man isn’t just chasing some fantasy. There’s something real there, something deep.”

Memories of Gunner’s intense gaze flooded Aubrey’s mind, but she shook her head, trying to fight the images. “He had his chance with me, and he lost it. That’s all that’s happening here.”

Willow cocked her head, softening her voice. “What if he’s genuinely trying to make amends? Maybe…maybe you should give him a chance to explain himself.”

Aubrey’s back straightened, the bed bouncing beneath her. “Explain what? How he used me and left without a word? How he made me feel like I was special, only to disappear?” Her voice cracked, betraying the pain she’d been trying so hard to hide. “I can’t do that again. I won’t let myself be that vulnerable.” Men had brought nothing but pain. She was in her self-care era, and nothing would change her mind.

Willow’s expression softened further. “I know you’re scared of him being a massive jerk again. Lord knows, I know this. But sometimes, the things that scare us the most are the ones worth fighting for.”

“No,” Aubrey said sharply, shaking her head firmly. “I’ve made my decision. I’m protecting myself, and that’s final. He’ll give up eventually,” she murmured, more to herself than to Willow. “He has to.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” Willow countered. “Men like Gunner… They don’t just walk away when something matters to them.”

Aubrey’s jaw clenched, her fingers digging into her arms. “He doesn’t get a choice. I won’t let him in.” But even as the words left her lips, a traitorous part of her mind whispered, What if he doesn’t give up? What if he keeps fighting for you?

She pushed the thought away, jumping out of bed to stare out the window, focusing instead on the distant mountains in the night sky. “I’ve made my choice, Willow. End of story.”

Willow sighed. “Alright. I hear you. But just…be prepared. Something tells me he’s not ready to let this go.”

As Willow’s footsteps faded down the hallway, Aubrey remained at the window, sighing heavily. She tried to convince herself that her resolve was unshakable, that her walls were impenetrable.

But in the depths of her heart, a flicker of uncertainty betrayed her. And she couldn’t shake the feeling that Willow might be right.