Avery's POV

"She looked upset."

What was he supposed to say? The truth? A lie? Something in between...

"The festival was pretty intense. The paps kept harassing her about this Charlie Wentworths' rumor and then her fans turned on her, almost booed her out of stage. "

"Poor Juliette!"

"Yeah, she was so rattled, she froze in the middle of a song. I helped her finish it. I guess she came to thank me."

"That was sweet of you. Why didn't you tell me about it?"

"It's no big deal. Just doing my job."

And just like that she believed him. It wasn't completely false. It wasn't completely true either. And he felt awful. Awful for lying to Scarlett, after Gunnar and Zoe sneaked behind her back. Awful for Juliette, because he hadn't run after her. Awful because he had wanted to. So badly.

"All I want is to be a person who gets to say I love you and really mean it..." Those words kept haunting him. He didn't sleep that night. He kept seeing her hopeful face as she laid it on the line. For him for crying out loud!

He was trying to understand when that happened. When did he start feeling that way about Juliette. Maybe it was always there. In the air. Since the moment they collided at the Opry, a year ago. He had really wanted to be her friend. He never hoped for or wanted more. He was in love with Scarlett right?

If he were honest with himself he had felt it that night. When she told him she remembered their first meeting. But it was so fleeting, Scarlett phone call had interrupted them, that he thought he might have imagined it. Something he was sure he hadn't imagined though was that nagging feeling he wasn't being completely honest with Scarlett. The picture had become clearer at the festival. He had felt it again. That connection. Juliette's fear fading as she kept singing, her eyes never leaving his. It was like they were alone on that stage.

Later when she told him about Charlie wanting to leave his wife for her, he felt a grip around his heart as he asked her if she loved him. Why did it hurt him physically to know she might be in love with someone else? Friends aren't supposed to feel that way. That's why he couldn't even look Scarlett in the eyes when she started going on about him always being honest with her. The truth is up until last night, he hadn't even been honest with himself.

And then she showed up at his door. He felt so conflicted, because he wanted her to finish that sentence "I want to be a person who gets to say I love you and really mean it, so..." but at the same time he was so scared she would say it out loud. What had been building between them for months. It was too soon. Scarlett was here and he hadn't even got his own head around it yet. He kept looking at his phone, wishing and dreading at the same time. He wanted to call her, but to say what? "Look, the thing you wanted to tell me, I might feel the same way (I do) but I can't right now because I'm basically in a kinda relationship with my ex, who feels really lonely because two of her best friends betrayed her and she hates life on tour."

He couldn't do that to Scarlett. She had forgiven him after he treated her so awfully. He cared so much about her, she was his first love. He wanted to be there for her, just like she'd been there for him all these years. And now what? "Well thank you for your support and forgiveness, but I want someone else."

But what about Juliette? She had been so brave coming here. The girl who "didn't believe in love" came to his house in the middle of the night to tell him...tell him... God even thinking about it triggered a rush of panic in him. Could she ever forgive him for being such a blind coward? He had pursued Scarlett not even stopping to wonder why he wanted her back so badly. Was it really love or maybe familiarity? Redemption? He knew Juliette. She would never put her heart on the line again for him. She had let him in, it had cost her, but she did. All those months, getting to know each other, becoming friends, growing closer. She had let him see her. And the more he saw her, the more he...

Juliette's POV

You are a stupid fool. Showing up in the middle of the night to confess like a lovesick teenager in a stupid romcom! I mean really? And why would you think he felt the same way? Sure he has been there for you, without asking anything in return, not even a paycheck. How can someone be so clueless? It's called being a friend, you idiot. You never had one of those, so of course you would confuse friendly support for undying love.

He loves Scarlett.

He was just trying to be a good friend. He never did or say anything that would imply more. And you ruined it. The only real friend you ever had.

Argh!

And his face, his eyes. What was that? Fear? Embarassment? Pity? Yes, pity. God he feels pity for you! You can never let him, or anyone else for that matter, see you humiliate yourself that way ever again.

That love business, it's just not for you. It's made for sweet innocent girls like Scarlett. You're way too jaded for this. Who needs the aggravation anyway? You need to focus on what's important right now. Your music. Gaining your fans' support again. Finishing the tour. That's what's important.

If you could only stop seeing his eyes...