Rio and Polly

Chapter 1: You're The One I Love

If there was a motto or theme to my relationship with Rio Hawkens, it was give him one more chance.

That was about, oh...twenty chances ago. And even that might have been generous.

That was about when my patience tank was still full. That was when I was still delusional enough to think I was still dealing with the twenty-one year old boy who I'd fallen in love with. The tall young man who was in the process of filling out that massive body, losing the lankiness of his teen years and amassing muscle.

That was when my love still was naïve and understanding; I loved Rio so much, I wanted him to achieve his dreams as badly as he did so I was willing to put his wishes first, willing to stand back, willing to watch from the background, willing to put my less important dreams on hold. My less important dreams being to get married to Rio and have chubby-cheeked babies with him.

He was a rising country music star. I didn't fit his image, but it was me he loved. He assured me of that so many times. So. Many. Times. Times when we'd fought and I'd said it would hurt, but I'd walk away if he wanted to be free.

And then he'd go all caveman on me and assure me that I wasn't going anywhere, that I was the one he loved and wanted to be with, that he couldn't imagine a life without me, that he wanted me and only me, that I was his muse, that every single song he wrote was because I'd inspired him in some way. I held his heart in my hands, he'd told me, and there was no way he was going to let me get away, so I might as well just stop talking about it because he'd hunt me down and bring me back if I ever tried to leave him.

If my motto was give him one more chance, his was, but, darlin', you're the one I love.

He needed me to trust him, just for a bit, just let him fake a relationship between himself and a rising starlet -- this one an actress and influencer named Danielle Force -- someone the fans could get behind, someone who would generate excitement in the public eye when he was rumored to be with her, someone who would boost their combined stock and launch them into superstardom. His agent and publicist were both urging him to consider this, and the rising actress was already on board. In fact, her people had approached Rio's people with the win-win idea after Danielle had sat beside him at an awards show.

For about four months, Danielle and Rio would need to appear at some red carpet events together -- events he'd previously attended solo since he'd been advised not to take me after our first -- and only -- disastrous attempt at a red carpet event together in Nashville. And that idea had made sense, then. I was incredibly shy and had never wanted the limelight. The only place I was a star was behind the counter of the pharmacy where I ruled as the pharmacist.

Pharmaceuticals made sense. They were precise. The strict rules gave order and peace to my mind, allowing me to be confident and assured in a way I wasn't otherwise. I'd worked hard for my degrees, and Rio had been proud of my accomplishments. Even as he'd been a struggling singer-songwriter, and I'd been working my way through school, Rio had taken part in my schooling by quizzing me for tests and exams, making sure I felt confident in my knowledge, and packing me lunches and working two jobs so I could just focus on my studies. Rio had supported me back then, taking time out from songwriting and playing in bars to get me through school. 

Once I'd finished school and began working full time, the focus shifted to his career that had eventually led to this farce with Danielle.

The four months of faking a relationship with Danielle had turned into six -- just a couple more months, Polly, and it'll be over, please, darlin' -- and he'd finally been forced to give her a kiss for the cameras at one of two back-to-back events in Texas they'd flown to the previous day.