Friday Night Lights - "The Door in the Mountain Side", Tim/Julie, M
Title: The Door in the Mountain Side - Part VII
Author: lindentree
Rating: M
Character(s): Tim/Julie
Word Count: 5,363
Summary: This is an AU which takes place four years after 4x13 "Thanksgiving." Tim is an ex-convict and Julie is a college graduate, and both of them now know that in this life, there are no guarantees.
Thanks to ishie for the word wars, and for always being supportive. Thanks bb. ♥
Also, you can blame this final part and the epilogue on the dozens of Lisa Kleypas books I've read since becoming unemployed.
Nor had I time to love, but since
Some industry must be,
The little toil of love, I thought,
Was large enough for me.
Emily Dickinson, “No Time to Hate”
Tim pulled into the dusty lot in front of Riggins’ Rigs and parked alongside the garage. He greeted Kit Kat the longhorn steer as he walked by his pen, making his way into the front office. Billy had added a proper office and waiting room the year before, and the whole operation was starting to look much more professional than it had when he first bought the place. Tim spoke briefly with the young guy Billy had working reception, and then headed towards the main office. Through the dingy glass door, he could see Billy at his desk, frowning at the computer screen in front of him. Tim rapped on the glass and Billy glanced up, surprise registering on his face. He gestured for Tim to enter.
“Hey,” he said gruffly, standing up and crossing his arms over his chest.
“Hey,” Tim replied, closing the door behind him. An awkward silence fell, drawing itself out until Tim cleared his throat. “Looks like I owe you a thanks.”
Billy merely blinked at him. “Huh?”
“Well, I woulda kicked your ass for telling Jules about the chop shop, but we kinda hooked up because of that, so, you know. Guess that worked out.”
“Oh,” Billy said, wide-eyed. “Good for you.”
“Yeah. I should probably still kick your ass for that dumbass stunt you pulled, though. Scared Mindy and the kids pretty bad, Billy. What’s going on?”
Billy glowered at him for a moment, defensive, before blowing out a frustrated sigh and running a hand through his hair. “I don’t know.”
“Look, I’m not in any position to lecture anybody. But you got yourself a wife who loves you, for some reason, and three kids who still think you’re Superman. I didn’t spend four years in a damn state prison so you could go to The Landing Strip and get so drunk you can barely stand, never mind drive your car.”
Billy stared down at the floor, working his jaw. “You gonna hang that over my head for the rest of my life?”
Tim glared at him. “If I think you need it, you’re goddamn right I will.” Silence fell between them once again. “You remember what you said to me, the day you and Mindy got married?” Tim asked eventually.
“Yeah, I do.”
“You said we gotta do better by our kids than mom and dad. You said we. I screwed that up, dropping out of college. Then everything with the chop shop... But I took the fall so you could walk away clean. So do better, Billy. Never mind me or Mindy or you. Do better for Stevie and Katie and Hay. Please.”
Billy looked up at him, and his eyes were damp. “All right,” he said. “I get it.” He stepped around the desk and came towards him. For a brief second, Tim thought he might hit him, but instead Billy grabbed him into an awkward hug. “Don’t scold me, damn it. I’m still your big brother,” he said gruffly, his voice muffled against Tim’s jacket. Tim grinned.
“Fair enough, long as you act like it, big brother,” he replied.
Billy clapped him on the back and stepped back, clearing his throat. “So, you and Julie, huh?”
“Yeah,” Tim replied, sitting on the edge of Billy’s desk. “What do you think?”
“I think you just won the lottery, so you better not screw it up.”
Tim smiled. “Yeah. Just seems like... I don’t know. I like her, but it feels like bad timing.”
“No such thing as good timing, Timmy. You like her, she likes you back. She wanna be with you?”
“She says she does, yeah. But what about down the road, you know?” He frowned. “I’m kinda waiting for the other shoe to drop. Like when she realises she’s dating an ex-con, and remembers that she’s amazing and could do way better.”
“Sounds like a dilemma to me. Let’s go get a beer,” Billy suggested.
Tim contemplated his brother for a moment, and then nodded. “All right. But just one, and not at The Landing Strip, all right?”
“You got it, little brother,” Billy replied, grinning.
***
Julie was stretched out on the couch, reading a book, when Tim finally came home from work. She had eaten dinner already, and was starting to wonder where he was when she heard his truck outside.
“Hey,” Tim greeted her, dropping his keys on the table.
“Hey,” she replied, peering over the top of her book. Tim shrugged his jacket off, dropping it on the back of one of the chairs before wandering into the kitchen. He returned with an open beer in hand, and sat down at the other end of the couch, settling her feet in his lap.
“I talked to Billy,” he said.
Julie laid her book on her stomach. “How’d that go?”
“Good,” he replied. “Kinda talked things out. I think he’s gonna be okay. We went for a drink and something to eat at Seven Senoritas. You ever been there?”
“Nope. Would I like it?”
“Sure, it’s good times. And they do vegetarian Tex-Mex. I checked.”
Julie smiled at him. “Good to know. We’ll have to go sometime.”
He nodded, taking another swig of his beer. “So, I keep forgetting to tell you.”
“Tell me what?”
“My probation’s over. As of today, I’m officially a free man. A hundred percent.”
Julie grinned at him. “Are you serious? Congratulations! That calls for a celebration.”
“I agree. Tomorrow night’s game night. You wanna be my date?”
Julie wrinkled her nose. “A football game? Really?”
“Yeah, I mean, I was thinking we could go out and get something to eat after. I dunno. For old time’s sake.”
“My parents will be there,” Julie said delicately, her eyes anxiously searching his face. “Are you prepared for that?”
Tim nodded. “Are you?”
Julie looked away. It was a loaded question. She knew her parents weren’t going to be happy about this. Did it matter? Did she care? She could pretend otherwise, but yes, she cared. Part of her still naturally sought their approval even as she balked at it. Another, more proud part of her, was mostly just annoyed that their concerns about her getting “too involved” with Tim had been well-founded.
Tim put down his beer and picked up her book, setting it aside. He stretched out on the couch, half on top of her, his forearms on either side of her. Julie giggled, squirming under his weight.
“Jules, this ain’t the first time a girl’s parents have been less than thrilled about me. It’s fine.”
“It’s not fine,” Julie replied sincerely. She couldn’t help but feel that this might be easier if her parents knew the whole truth of what happened with the chop shop. She sighed and said nothing, for she could guess how Tim would feel about telling her parents the truth.
Tim watched her silently, his eyes warm. He brushed a strand of hair from her eyes, his thumb lingering against her cheekbone. Julie swallowed, a fierce stab of longing seizing her heart.
“Still. You wanna be my date to the game?”
“I’d love to go to the football game with you, Tim,” she said, her voice unexpectedly hoarse.
A smile spread across his face, and it felt like stepping out into a warm, sunny day. Leaning up, Julie kissed him just to feel his smile right up close.
***
Football games at East Dillon High School had not changed much since Julie’s senior year. The crowds had filled out and the team played like they knew which end they needed to run towards, but the game still had that hardscrabble atmosphere to it, something Julie realised with some surprise that she had missed.
The first few days of October brought with them a startling cold snap, and the night was cool enough that she and Tim both wore hoodies and jackets. They drove over to the school in relative silence, the pre-game radio show the only sound in the truck, and Julie couldn’t help the thread of anxiety that wove through her as she contemplated seeing her parents. She had told her mother she would be at the game, but in a moment of cowardice, she had neglected to mention Tim.
As they made their way towards the field, she sincerely hoped everything wasn’t about to blow up in her face. A big part of her wanted to grab Tim’s hand and run back to their apartment and hide in his bedroom until the world ended. The part of her still clinging to reality stifled that urge.
“You want anything?” Tim asked as they passed the long line of people at the concession stand.
“I’m good, but if you want something, we can stop,” Julie replied.
Tim shrugged, and they made their way up into the bleachers, eking out a small space to sit while they waited for the game to begin. “This good?” Tim asked.
“Yeah, I’m not picky,” Julie said.
Tim frowned slightly, scratching his head. “Honestly, I have no idea what spots are good. I’m used to being down there on the field. I haven’t actually watched all that many football games.”
Julie grinned, pressing her hands between her thighs to warm them. “I never thought of it that way, but that’s true.”
Tim reached down, tugging one of Julie’s hands into his. He held it for a moment, and then turned to look at her. “Your hands are freezing. You warm enough?”
“Yeah,” Julie replied, over the noise of the crowd around them. “I’m just cold-blooded.”
“Hm,” Tim said, reaching for her other hand and wrapping them both in his own. “Good thing I’m hot-blooded.”
Julie smiled and moved closer, leaning into his side.
The game began with the usual fanfare, and they stood to cheer loudly when the Lions ran out onto the field. Julie smiled at the sight of her father in his bright red windbreaker, pacing restlessly on the sidelines as the game got underway.
“Nice mowing job,” Julie said, nodding at the field, which was in far better condition than it had been when she had attended East Dillon. Tim glanced at her, taking in her playful expression. He rolled his eyes.
“It’s an art, that’s for sure,” he replied. “Thought about maybe mowing some words into it for the game, but I don’t want to rock the boat, you know?”
“Oh yeah? Like what?”
He leaned closer, his hair tickling her cheek. “Something like ‘Julie Taylor is a wildcat in the sack’ - what do you think?”
“Hm. What kind of wildcat, though? I mean, you have to be specific in this town. I’m a Lion, not a Panther.”
“Good thing I didn’t mow that in, then. I woulda looked real stupid,” Tim replied, grinning.
Julie laughed, and was about to reply when she felt her cell phone vibrate. She dug it out of her jacket pocket to find a text message from her mother: Tried to find you before the game. Where are you sitting?
She looked down the stands, and quickly spotted Tami and Gracie several rows in front of them, almost directly behind the Lions’ bench. Five rows back, over your left shoulder, Julie responded, waving awkwardly when she saw Tami turn and scan the crowd. Tami waved back, nudging for Gracie to wave, too.
I see you’re not alone! Say hi to Tim for us. See you at half-time. Tami’s response simultaneously brought a smile to Julie’s face and a knot of worry to her stomach. She turned and glanced at Tim, taking in his profile as he watched the game intently. She wished sincerely that the bond they had formed did not need to be tested by the real world. She did not want to endure it, and she had even less desire to watch Tim endure it. He didn’t deserve it.
Sensing her gaze, Tim turned and gave her a bemused sort of look. “You okay?” he asked, leaning close to her.
“I’m fine,” she replied softly, reaching once again for his hand and relishing the way his warm fingers wrapped certainly around her own small, cold hands.
***
The Lions won. Julie counted the game among a handful whose outcomes she actually cared about, simply because she hoped that the inevitable confrontation would be less unpleasant if her father was in a good mood to begin with.
She and her mother had spoken briefly during half-time, while Tim indulged Gracie in a piggyback ride and a bag of Sour Patch Kids. Julie provided Tami with a parent-friendly version of events of the last few weeks, explaining that she and Tim were dating.
Tami mercifully said very little except to grimly advise that she had better tell her father sooner rather than later, and that she and Tim were both welcome to join them at Buddy’s for the after-party.
After the game, the four of them waited for her father to emerge while making small talk with each other about the Lions’ victory. When he did, the grim expression on his face made it obvious to Julie that her mother had met him on the field and spoken to him before he even went into the locker room. He came to a stop in front of them, greeting Tami with a kiss, and ruffling Gracie’s hair affectionately. He fixed Julie with a stern, humourless look and opened his mouth.
Before he could say a word, Julie jumped in. “Dad - can I talk to you for a second? Privately?”
Disgruntled, he nodded, and they walked several yards away to a spot relatively private from the others, and from the players and fans slowly dispersing.
“I don’t like this,” her father said simply, crossing his arms over his chest. “I know you’re too smart to get involved with someone like Tim Riggins. When you were 15, 16, that might have been one thing, but you’re 22 years old. You know better. What’s going on?”
Frustrated, she resisted the urge to snap back at her father. Both of them were so hard-headed and stubborn; she had to find a way to get through to him, to make him understand. She opened and closed her mouth, struggling helplessly. There was only one way to make him understand.
“There’s something you need to know. Tim doesn’t want me to tell you, or anyone, really, but it’s... It’s not fair, because otherwise you won’t understand, and I don’t want it to be like this, with you always angry and disappointed with me, and with him, too,” she said, swallowing as her voice became tearful.
“What is it?” Eric asked, his expression apprehensive.
“Tim wasn’t the one responsible for the chop shop. It was Billy’s idea. He set the whole thing up because he needed money for Mindy. She was pregnant and he couldn’t afford all the hospital bills. Tim only found out by accident, and he helped, but he knew it was a bad idea and tried to get Billy to stop. When the police found out, Tim confessed to the whole thing so Billy wouldn’t have to go to prison, so he could stay here and be a dad. That’s what really happened. Billy told me so himself. Tim didn’t want me to know; he would never want to say anything to anyone about it. He’s still afraid of getting Billy into trouble. He’s probably going to be furious with me that I told you, but I had to. I had to. Do you understand now?”
Her father stared at her, stricken into silence after this long speech. “I had no idea,” he muttered finally, running a hand through his hair, which was already extremely dishevelled from the stress of the game.
“He’s not a perfect person, and he’s made mistakes, but Billy’s the reason he went to prison, and I think it’s important that you know that,” Julie concluded.
Eric regarded her for a long moment, his eyes too keen for her comfort. “You can’t rescue him.”
“I know,” Julie replied. “I don’t want to. He doesn’t even need it. He’s... He’s fine. He’s gonna be okay. He’s a good person, a really good person, he just...”
Eric nodded, although he still looked conflicted. “Come here,” he said, pulling her into a tight hug. Julie buried her face in his chest. “Sorry I’ve been so hard on you, last few months. I’m still your dad. It’s my job to worry about you, even when you’re grown up and you don’t need me or your mom anymore.”
“I still need you,” Julie muttered against his windbreaker. “Just not the same way. You know?”
“I know,” he replied. He pulled back and placed a kiss on her forehead.
“Can we come with you guys to Buddy’s?” Julie asked. “It would mean a lot to me, and to Tim, and... Well, I miss you.”
Eric grinned at her and pulled away, messing her hair up as she protested. “Of course you can come with us,” he replied.
As they walked back over to where Tami, Tim and Gracie waited, Julie saw the uncertain look on Tim’s face. She smiled reassuringly, her relief so profound that she could have sat down right there in the middle of that dusty parking lot and cried. Instead, she reached for Tim’s hand, and promised her parents and Gracie that they would meet them at Buddy’s.
***
It had been a long time since Tim could recall being so happy, not counting several recent instances involving Julie and very little clothing. Although things had been stilted at first, the game provided enough conversation to smooth the way. Soon Tim found that everyone who approached the table to congratulate Coach turned and spoke to him as well, as though he had abruptly ceased to be invisible. It wasn’t really something Tim was going to bother getting upset about, but he appreciated the acidic smiles Julie sent every football fan who dared to stand there asking Tim what he was up to these days.
It helped, too, that she spent most of the evening resting her hand on his thigh, and shooting him silent smiles. Tim didn’t think he’d ever felt so comforted by another person, and it astounded him that it was happening at all.
Eventually the crowd thinned and Gracie began to slump tiredly against the wall of their booth, and Tami announced that it was time they got going.
They were saying goodnight under the bright overhead lights in the parking lot when Coach caught his eye and jerked his head slightly, gesturing for Tim to follow him. He did, glancing back to find Julie watching. She smiled encouragingly, and turned to help her mother urge a sleepy Gracie into Coach’s old Explorer.
Coach stood, his arms crossed over his chest, and regarded Tim severely. Tim wanted to squirm under the scrutiny, as he always had, but he stood firm. After a pause, Coach spoke. “I gather from Julie that the two of you are together.”
Hesitant to speak, Tim simply nodded in response.
“I can’t pretend I’m real pleased about it, but Julie’s a grown woman, and I didn’t much like her last boyfriend, either.” He looked down, and when he spoke again, his voice was quiet. “She told me what happened with the chop shop.”
“Yes sir,” Tim replied, frowning down at the pavement. He wished to hell everyone would just let it die, already. He appreciated that Julie wanted to defend him, but it had to stay a secret.
“I wish you woulda... I mean, hell, Riggins. You coulda come to me if you needed help.”
Tim looked up, considering this. After a moment, he shrugged. “I didn’t think I needed help. I thought we had it all worked out. By the time I realised we didn’t, it was too late.”
Coach nodded. “You’re a good man, son. I knew that, and I want to apologise to you for doubting it.”
“You didn’t know,” Tim replied gruffly. “Anyway, truth is, I coulda walked away any time. Billy never held a gun to my head.”
“That’s what makes you a good man, Riggins. You didn’t walk away. None of us are perfect. You stood by that dumbass brother of yours, faced the consequences, and you sacrificed yourself to protect the people you love. I imagine that took great strength of character, great courage.”
Tim swallowed the lump in his throat as Coach held out his hand. Tim reached and shook it.
“You be good to my daughter, you hear me? And you tell her to come home for dinner more often. Her mother and her sister miss her,” Coach said, pulling him into a half-hug and clapping him on the back.
They walked back to where the Explorer and his Silverado were parked, a few spaces away from each other. Julie was waiting there, talking to her mother, and they parted with a hug. She and Tim got into his truck, and they bid her parents goodnight with a wave.
“How did it go?” Julie asked, a note of anxiety in her voice. “I mean, he didn’t murder you, obviously, so that’s a good start, but how did it go?”
“It went fine,” Tim replied, pulling his eyes away from the road long enough to smile at her. “I think we’re probably gonna have to go over there for dinner sometime this week.”
Julie blew out a sigh of relief, followed by a breathless laugh. Tim reached across the seat and grabbed her hand from where it lay in her lap, and he didn’t let her go until he pulled into his parking spot at their apartment.
***
On Saturday morning, Julie woke up in Tim’s bed, opening her eyes to find him watching her from his pillow.
“Well, that’s a creepy thing to wake up to,” she said, her voice scratchy.
Tim smiled. “Sorry.”
“No you’re not.”
“You get the funniest frown on your face when you’re sleeping,” he said, reaching out to brush a thumb against the space between her eyebrows. “If you’re not careful, you’ll get wrinkles.”
Julie scowled. “Wrinkles?! Are you kidding me? I’m 22 years old. I refuse to worry about wrinkles. Also, I’m naked and in bed with you, but I certainly don’t have to stay that way!”
“Not my fault that you’re cute when you’re mad,” Tim replied, shifting closer to her and kissing along the wing of her collarbone.
“Hmph,” Julie replied, reaching up to drag her fingers against the stubble on his jaw. “So how does it feel, being a free man for real now?”
He didn’t reply right away, contemplating her in silence instead. He pursed his lips and shrugged. “Good. A little weird, to be honest, but good.”
Julie nodded, trying to think of the right thing to say. Finally she had to accept that she had no advice to give in this situation, and that her affection would have to be enough. She leaned up and kissed the side of his mouth. “I’m glad it’s good,” she said simply.
Smiling, Tim leaned down and caught her lips again.
***
Julie stared down at the open letter in her hands. She stood stock still in the living room, her mind reeling.
It was a letter from Austin Community College, offering her a place in their Human Services program.
She had applied to the program on a whim months earlier, when she first began working as a counsellor and one of the more senior counsellors suggested it. Given her lack of success with school applications, she had sent it off in the mail and promptly forgotten about it. Now it seemed they had an extra spot the following semester, and in reconsidering her application, had spoken with her supervisors at the clinic and become very encouraged by what they had learned of her progress there.
It was what Julie had waited for, what she had wanted so badly. Too bad it was many weeks too late.
Numbly, Julie put away the groceries she had picked up on her way home, trying desperately to figure out what she wanted to do. She had grown to love her job, and the program in Austin was ideal for continuing down that career path. She liked Austin and knew she would love living there, and it was close enough that she could still see her family regularly. Plus, Tyra had been living and working in Austin since she graduated from college, and the thought of reconnecting with her friend was attractive.
There was absolutely nothing preventing her from pursuing this opportunity. Nothing except Tim.
Julie was at a loss. What was she supposed to do? Their relationship was brand new; it would never survive the distance between Dillon and Austin. And Tim was a Dillon guy; she knew perfectly well he wouldn’t want to leave.
But in her heart, she knew she couldn’t forego an opportunity like this for the sake of a relationship which had barely taken its first steps. She couldn’t stay in Dillon just for Tim - even if it made them both happy now and their relationship worked out, she knew that eventually it would be poisoned by resentment. She would always wonder what might have happened if she had gone. She didn’t want it that way, and neither would Tim.
That was assuming their relationship had any real staying power at all, something Julie could by no means be certain of.
Standing forlorn in the living room, once again clutching the letter in her hand, Julie wondered miserably if it must always be this way, if she must always choose between a person and the possibility of making something meaningful out of her life.
She had no time to consider it further, for her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Tim’s key in the lock as he came in the front door. In an instant she knew she would not be able to buy herself more time to decide, as her distress would be impossible to hide.
She was right. Tim took one look at her and frowned. “What’s wrong?” he asked.
Julie shook her head and went to him, wrapping her arms around him and pressing her face against his chest. He smelled like the cool, fresh autumn air, like grass clippings and sweat.
“Whoa, Jules,” he said, his hand coming up to stroke her hair. “What is it?”
“I got a letter,” she replied shakily, pulling back to look at him. She extracted herself from his embrace and handed it to him. “I applied to their program months ago when someone at the clinic recommended it, and a spot has opened up for next semester. They want me.”
“Austin,” he said, frowning down at the letter. “Congrats, Jules.”
“No! Not congratulations! It’s a great program and it’s perfect for what I want to do, but Tim... I don’t want to go. I won’t go. I am absolutely not going,” Julie insisted.
“Come on now, of course you’re going,” Tim replied, his voice stoic.
Julie stared wordlessly at his downturned head for several beats. He stared at the floor, refusing to meet her eyes. Finally, she could stand the silence no longer. “What do you think about Austin?”
“What about it?”
“I mean, what would you think about living there?”
“Living in Austin... With you?”
“Yeah,” Julie nodded apprehensively. She was jumping the gun, big time, and it terrified her. She was completely unprepared for the conversation they were having.
Tim frowned, considering it. “Never really thought about living anywhere except Dillon,” he remarked.
“Really? Not ever?”
“No, not really,” he shrugged. “Always just figured I’d stick around here.”
“Of course. It’s your home, Billy and Mindy are here. I get it,” Julie said, hoping the sinking of her heart did not show too plainly on her face. She had known, deep down, that this would happen eventually if she ever got an opportunity to leave town again.
“Hey,” Tim said, taking a step towards her and pulling her into a hug. Julie pressed her face into his chest, taking a deep breath. “I’m not saying I won’t go, I just... I never thought about going anywhere, is all. You think I could hack it, in Austin?”
Julie pulled back and looked up at him. “Yeah, I do. I think you can do whatever you want. I mean, you could find work at a garage, now that your probation is over, or you could work for a landscaping company, or a school, like here. Maybe you could find a job with the city or the county or something? I’m sure there are tons of things you could do.”
Tim regarded her in silence for a long pause, and then cleared his throat. “Listen, I don’t know where this is going, or where you’re going, or where I’m going. All I know is I wanna do whatever I have to do so we can stick together. I wanna stay close to you. If you want me.”
“I do,” Julie said, biting her lip apprehensively. “I mean, I’m... Well, I think it’s possible that I love you.”
Tim looked at her incredulously for a moment before a smile began to spread across his face. In a moment, it was a full-on grin. He hugged her close, hooking his arms under hers and lifting her against him like she weighed next to nothing. Laughing, she held on as he walked her backwards, her back end finally hitting the kitchen counter when he stopped.
“I love you, Julie Taylor,” he said, his eyes bright with happiness as he stood between her parted knees. Julie’s chest constricted, and she couldn’t decide whether she wanted to laugh or cry. “So...” he said, clearing his throat gruffly. “Austin, huh?”
“Yeah, Austin. What do you think, really?”
Tim nodded. “I think I could get along with Austin.”
“Really? You really, seriously want to go? I’m not dragging you away from your hometown? I don’t want to force you to leave if you don’t want to, Tim.”
“Jules, I love Dillon. I do,” he said, pausing briefly as he weighed his words. “Everybody in Dillon knows who I am. I used to think that was the best thing you could ask for, but now, after everything that’s happened, I think maybe it could be kinda good to go someplace where Riggins is just a name, not a reputation.”
Julie frowned. “Are you sure? You can take time to think about this. We don’t have to decide right this minute.”
“I don’t need time. Jules... You get that you were just about the only person in town who didn’t act like I had the plague when I got out, don’t you? You treated me the same as you did before. Long before Billy told you what happened. It didn’t matter to you. If you think I wouldn’t follow you to Austin, or to France or Timbuktu, you’re crazy.”
Julie laughed in relief. “It’s so selfish, but I didn’t want to go without you. You... You make me feel strong, you know? Like I’m capable. Like there’s nothing I can’t do.”
“Funny. You make me feel the same way,” he replied, leaning in to kiss her again. When he broke the kiss, he stayed close, pressing his forehead to hers. “You talk to Tyra lately?”
“No. Why?”
“Just wondering how she’d take the two of us sleeping on her couch while we look for a place in Austin.”
Julie laughed. “I don’t know. But I guess we’re gonna find out. I don’t know anyone else in Austin, do you?”
“No,” Tim grinned.
“So I guess we’re in for an adventure.”
“Yeah, Jules. I guess we are.”
Julie laughed again, and dropped her head to his shoulder, breathing in the earthy, familiar scent of him. His arms came up around her, and he hugged her close.
She sighed raggedly. Her heart felt full.
Epilogue
Author: lindentree
Rating: M
Character(s): Tim/Julie
Word Count: 5,363
Summary: This is an AU which takes place four years after 4x13 "Thanksgiving." Tim is an ex-convict and Julie is a college graduate, and both of them now know that in this life, there are no guarantees.
Thanks to ishie for the word wars, and for always being supportive. Thanks bb. ♥
Also, you can blame this final part and the epilogue on the dozens of Lisa Kleypas books I've read since becoming unemployed.
Nor had I time to love, but since
Some industry must be,
The little toil of love, I thought,
Was large enough for me.
Emily Dickinson, “No Time to Hate”
Tim pulled into the dusty lot in front of Riggins’ Rigs and parked alongside the garage. He greeted Kit Kat the longhorn steer as he walked by his pen, making his way into the front office. Billy had added a proper office and waiting room the year before, and the whole operation was starting to look much more professional than it had when he first bought the place. Tim spoke briefly with the young guy Billy had working reception, and then headed towards the main office. Through the dingy glass door, he could see Billy at his desk, frowning at the computer screen in front of him. Tim rapped on the glass and Billy glanced up, surprise registering on his face. He gestured for Tim to enter.
“Hey,” he said gruffly, standing up and crossing his arms over his chest.
“Hey,” Tim replied, closing the door behind him. An awkward silence fell, drawing itself out until Tim cleared his throat. “Looks like I owe you a thanks.”
Billy merely blinked at him. “Huh?”
“Well, I woulda kicked your ass for telling Jules about the chop shop, but we kinda hooked up because of that, so, you know. Guess that worked out.”
“Oh,” Billy said, wide-eyed. “Good for you.”
“Yeah. I should probably still kick your ass for that dumbass stunt you pulled, though. Scared Mindy and the kids pretty bad, Billy. What’s going on?”
Billy glowered at him for a moment, defensive, before blowing out a frustrated sigh and running a hand through his hair. “I don’t know.”
“Look, I’m not in any position to lecture anybody. But you got yourself a wife who loves you, for some reason, and three kids who still think you’re Superman. I didn’t spend four years in a damn state prison so you could go to The Landing Strip and get so drunk you can barely stand, never mind drive your car.”
Billy stared down at the floor, working his jaw. “You gonna hang that over my head for the rest of my life?”
Tim glared at him. “If I think you need it, you’re goddamn right I will.” Silence fell between them once again. “You remember what you said to me, the day you and Mindy got married?” Tim asked eventually.
“Yeah, I do.”
“You said we gotta do better by our kids than mom and dad. You said we. I screwed that up, dropping out of college. Then everything with the chop shop... But I took the fall so you could walk away clean. So do better, Billy. Never mind me or Mindy or you. Do better for Stevie and Katie and Hay. Please.”
Billy looked up at him, and his eyes were damp. “All right,” he said. “I get it.” He stepped around the desk and came towards him. For a brief second, Tim thought he might hit him, but instead Billy grabbed him into an awkward hug. “Don’t scold me, damn it. I’m still your big brother,” he said gruffly, his voice muffled against Tim’s jacket. Tim grinned.
“Fair enough, long as you act like it, big brother,” he replied.
Billy clapped him on the back and stepped back, clearing his throat. “So, you and Julie, huh?”
“Yeah,” Tim replied, sitting on the edge of Billy’s desk. “What do you think?”
“I think you just won the lottery, so you better not screw it up.”
Tim smiled. “Yeah. Just seems like... I don’t know. I like her, but it feels like bad timing.”
“No such thing as good timing, Timmy. You like her, she likes you back. She wanna be with you?”
“She says she does, yeah. But what about down the road, you know?” He frowned. “I’m kinda waiting for the other shoe to drop. Like when she realises she’s dating an ex-con, and remembers that she’s amazing and could do way better.”
“Sounds like a dilemma to me. Let’s go get a beer,” Billy suggested.
Tim contemplated his brother for a moment, and then nodded. “All right. But just one, and not at The Landing Strip, all right?”
“You got it, little brother,” Billy replied, grinning.
***
Julie was stretched out on the couch, reading a book, when Tim finally came home from work. She had eaten dinner already, and was starting to wonder where he was when she heard his truck outside.
“Hey,” Tim greeted her, dropping his keys on the table.
“Hey,” she replied, peering over the top of her book. Tim shrugged his jacket off, dropping it on the back of one of the chairs before wandering into the kitchen. He returned with an open beer in hand, and sat down at the other end of the couch, settling her feet in his lap.
“I talked to Billy,” he said.
Julie laid her book on her stomach. “How’d that go?”
“Good,” he replied. “Kinda talked things out. I think he’s gonna be okay. We went for a drink and something to eat at Seven Senoritas. You ever been there?”
“Nope. Would I like it?”
“Sure, it’s good times. And they do vegetarian Tex-Mex. I checked.”
Julie smiled at him. “Good to know. We’ll have to go sometime.”
He nodded, taking another swig of his beer. “So, I keep forgetting to tell you.”
“Tell me what?”
“My probation’s over. As of today, I’m officially a free man. A hundred percent.”
Julie grinned at him. “Are you serious? Congratulations! That calls for a celebration.”
“I agree. Tomorrow night’s game night. You wanna be my date?”
Julie wrinkled her nose. “A football game? Really?”
“Yeah, I mean, I was thinking we could go out and get something to eat after. I dunno. For old time’s sake.”
“My parents will be there,” Julie said delicately, her eyes anxiously searching his face. “Are you prepared for that?”
Tim nodded. “Are you?”
Julie looked away. It was a loaded question. She knew her parents weren’t going to be happy about this. Did it matter? Did she care? She could pretend otherwise, but yes, she cared. Part of her still naturally sought their approval even as she balked at it. Another, more proud part of her, was mostly just annoyed that their concerns about her getting “too involved” with Tim had been well-founded.
Tim put down his beer and picked up her book, setting it aside. He stretched out on the couch, half on top of her, his forearms on either side of her. Julie giggled, squirming under his weight.
“Jules, this ain’t the first time a girl’s parents have been less than thrilled about me. It’s fine.”
“It’s not fine,” Julie replied sincerely. She couldn’t help but feel that this might be easier if her parents knew the whole truth of what happened with the chop shop. She sighed and said nothing, for she could guess how Tim would feel about telling her parents the truth.
Tim watched her silently, his eyes warm. He brushed a strand of hair from her eyes, his thumb lingering against her cheekbone. Julie swallowed, a fierce stab of longing seizing her heart.
“Still. You wanna be my date to the game?”
“I’d love to go to the football game with you, Tim,” she said, her voice unexpectedly hoarse.
A smile spread across his face, and it felt like stepping out into a warm, sunny day. Leaning up, Julie kissed him just to feel his smile right up close.
***
Football games at East Dillon High School had not changed much since Julie’s senior year. The crowds had filled out and the team played like they knew which end they needed to run towards, but the game still had that hardscrabble atmosphere to it, something Julie realised with some surprise that she had missed.
The first few days of October brought with them a startling cold snap, and the night was cool enough that she and Tim both wore hoodies and jackets. They drove over to the school in relative silence, the pre-game radio show the only sound in the truck, and Julie couldn’t help the thread of anxiety that wove through her as she contemplated seeing her parents. She had told her mother she would be at the game, but in a moment of cowardice, she had neglected to mention Tim.
As they made their way towards the field, she sincerely hoped everything wasn’t about to blow up in her face. A big part of her wanted to grab Tim’s hand and run back to their apartment and hide in his bedroom until the world ended. The part of her still clinging to reality stifled that urge.
“You want anything?” Tim asked as they passed the long line of people at the concession stand.
“I’m good, but if you want something, we can stop,” Julie replied.
Tim shrugged, and they made their way up into the bleachers, eking out a small space to sit while they waited for the game to begin. “This good?” Tim asked.
“Yeah, I’m not picky,” Julie said.
Tim frowned slightly, scratching his head. “Honestly, I have no idea what spots are good. I’m used to being down there on the field. I haven’t actually watched all that many football games.”
Julie grinned, pressing her hands between her thighs to warm them. “I never thought of it that way, but that’s true.”
Tim reached down, tugging one of Julie’s hands into his. He held it for a moment, and then turned to look at her. “Your hands are freezing. You warm enough?”
“Yeah,” Julie replied, over the noise of the crowd around them. “I’m just cold-blooded.”
“Hm,” Tim said, reaching for her other hand and wrapping them both in his own. “Good thing I’m hot-blooded.”
Julie smiled and moved closer, leaning into his side.
The game began with the usual fanfare, and they stood to cheer loudly when the Lions ran out onto the field. Julie smiled at the sight of her father in his bright red windbreaker, pacing restlessly on the sidelines as the game got underway.
“Nice mowing job,” Julie said, nodding at the field, which was in far better condition than it had been when she had attended East Dillon. Tim glanced at her, taking in her playful expression. He rolled his eyes.
“It’s an art, that’s for sure,” he replied. “Thought about maybe mowing some words into it for the game, but I don’t want to rock the boat, you know?”
“Oh yeah? Like what?”
He leaned closer, his hair tickling her cheek. “Something like ‘Julie Taylor is a wildcat in the sack’ - what do you think?”
“Hm. What kind of wildcat, though? I mean, you have to be specific in this town. I’m a Lion, not a Panther.”
“Good thing I didn’t mow that in, then. I woulda looked real stupid,” Tim replied, grinning.
Julie laughed, and was about to reply when she felt her cell phone vibrate. She dug it out of her jacket pocket to find a text message from her mother: Tried to find you before the game. Where are you sitting?
She looked down the stands, and quickly spotted Tami and Gracie several rows in front of them, almost directly behind the Lions’ bench. Five rows back, over your left shoulder, Julie responded, waving awkwardly when she saw Tami turn and scan the crowd. Tami waved back, nudging for Gracie to wave, too.
I see you’re not alone! Say hi to Tim for us. See you at half-time. Tami’s response simultaneously brought a smile to Julie’s face and a knot of worry to her stomach. She turned and glanced at Tim, taking in his profile as he watched the game intently. She wished sincerely that the bond they had formed did not need to be tested by the real world. She did not want to endure it, and she had even less desire to watch Tim endure it. He didn’t deserve it.
Sensing her gaze, Tim turned and gave her a bemused sort of look. “You okay?” he asked, leaning close to her.
“I’m fine,” she replied softly, reaching once again for his hand and relishing the way his warm fingers wrapped certainly around her own small, cold hands.
***
The Lions won. Julie counted the game among a handful whose outcomes she actually cared about, simply because she hoped that the inevitable confrontation would be less unpleasant if her father was in a good mood to begin with.
She and her mother had spoken briefly during half-time, while Tim indulged Gracie in a piggyback ride and a bag of Sour Patch Kids. Julie provided Tami with a parent-friendly version of events of the last few weeks, explaining that she and Tim were dating.
Tami mercifully said very little except to grimly advise that she had better tell her father sooner rather than later, and that she and Tim were both welcome to join them at Buddy’s for the after-party.
After the game, the four of them waited for her father to emerge while making small talk with each other about the Lions’ victory. When he did, the grim expression on his face made it obvious to Julie that her mother had met him on the field and spoken to him before he even went into the locker room. He came to a stop in front of them, greeting Tami with a kiss, and ruffling Gracie’s hair affectionately. He fixed Julie with a stern, humourless look and opened his mouth.
Before he could say a word, Julie jumped in. “Dad - can I talk to you for a second? Privately?”
Disgruntled, he nodded, and they walked several yards away to a spot relatively private from the others, and from the players and fans slowly dispersing.
“I don’t like this,” her father said simply, crossing his arms over his chest. “I know you’re too smart to get involved with someone like Tim Riggins. When you were 15, 16, that might have been one thing, but you’re 22 years old. You know better. What’s going on?”
Frustrated, she resisted the urge to snap back at her father. Both of them were so hard-headed and stubborn; she had to find a way to get through to him, to make him understand. She opened and closed her mouth, struggling helplessly. There was only one way to make him understand.
“There’s something you need to know. Tim doesn’t want me to tell you, or anyone, really, but it’s... It’s not fair, because otherwise you won’t understand, and I don’t want it to be like this, with you always angry and disappointed with me, and with him, too,” she said, swallowing as her voice became tearful.
“What is it?” Eric asked, his expression apprehensive.
“Tim wasn’t the one responsible for the chop shop. It was Billy’s idea. He set the whole thing up because he needed money for Mindy. She was pregnant and he couldn’t afford all the hospital bills. Tim only found out by accident, and he helped, but he knew it was a bad idea and tried to get Billy to stop. When the police found out, Tim confessed to the whole thing so Billy wouldn’t have to go to prison, so he could stay here and be a dad. That’s what really happened. Billy told me so himself. Tim didn’t want me to know; he would never want to say anything to anyone about it. He’s still afraid of getting Billy into trouble. He’s probably going to be furious with me that I told you, but I had to. I had to. Do you understand now?”
Her father stared at her, stricken into silence after this long speech. “I had no idea,” he muttered finally, running a hand through his hair, which was already extremely dishevelled from the stress of the game.
“He’s not a perfect person, and he’s made mistakes, but Billy’s the reason he went to prison, and I think it’s important that you know that,” Julie concluded.
Eric regarded her for a long moment, his eyes too keen for her comfort. “You can’t rescue him.”
“I know,” Julie replied. “I don’t want to. He doesn’t even need it. He’s... He’s fine. He’s gonna be okay. He’s a good person, a really good person, he just...”
Eric nodded, although he still looked conflicted. “Come here,” he said, pulling her into a tight hug. Julie buried her face in his chest. “Sorry I’ve been so hard on you, last few months. I’m still your dad. It’s my job to worry about you, even when you’re grown up and you don’t need me or your mom anymore.”
“I still need you,” Julie muttered against his windbreaker. “Just not the same way. You know?”
“I know,” he replied. He pulled back and placed a kiss on her forehead.
“Can we come with you guys to Buddy’s?” Julie asked. “It would mean a lot to me, and to Tim, and... Well, I miss you.”
Eric grinned at her and pulled away, messing her hair up as she protested. “Of course you can come with us,” he replied.
As they walked back over to where Tami, Tim and Gracie waited, Julie saw the uncertain look on Tim’s face. She smiled reassuringly, her relief so profound that she could have sat down right there in the middle of that dusty parking lot and cried. Instead, she reached for Tim’s hand, and promised her parents and Gracie that they would meet them at Buddy’s.
***
It had been a long time since Tim could recall being so happy, not counting several recent instances involving Julie and very little clothing. Although things had been stilted at first, the game provided enough conversation to smooth the way. Soon Tim found that everyone who approached the table to congratulate Coach turned and spoke to him as well, as though he had abruptly ceased to be invisible. It wasn’t really something Tim was going to bother getting upset about, but he appreciated the acidic smiles Julie sent every football fan who dared to stand there asking Tim what he was up to these days.
It helped, too, that she spent most of the evening resting her hand on his thigh, and shooting him silent smiles. Tim didn’t think he’d ever felt so comforted by another person, and it astounded him that it was happening at all.
Eventually the crowd thinned and Gracie began to slump tiredly against the wall of their booth, and Tami announced that it was time they got going.
They were saying goodnight under the bright overhead lights in the parking lot when Coach caught his eye and jerked his head slightly, gesturing for Tim to follow him. He did, glancing back to find Julie watching. She smiled encouragingly, and turned to help her mother urge a sleepy Gracie into Coach’s old Explorer.
Coach stood, his arms crossed over his chest, and regarded Tim severely. Tim wanted to squirm under the scrutiny, as he always had, but he stood firm. After a pause, Coach spoke. “I gather from Julie that the two of you are together.”
Hesitant to speak, Tim simply nodded in response.
“I can’t pretend I’m real pleased about it, but Julie’s a grown woman, and I didn’t much like her last boyfriend, either.” He looked down, and when he spoke again, his voice was quiet. “She told me what happened with the chop shop.”
“Yes sir,” Tim replied, frowning down at the pavement. He wished to hell everyone would just let it die, already. He appreciated that Julie wanted to defend him, but it had to stay a secret.
“I wish you woulda... I mean, hell, Riggins. You coulda come to me if you needed help.”
Tim looked up, considering this. After a moment, he shrugged. “I didn’t think I needed help. I thought we had it all worked out. By the time I realised we didn’t, it was too late.”
Coach nodded. “You’re a good man, son. I knew that, and I want to apologise to you for doubting it.”
“You didn’t know,” Tim replied gruffly. “Anyway, truth is, I coulda walked away any time. Billy never held a gun to my head.”
“That’s what makes you a good man, Riggins. You didn’t walk away. None of us are perfect. You stood by that dumbass brother of yours, faced the consequences, and you sacrificed yourself to protect the people you love. I imagine that took great strength of character, great courage.”
Tim swallowed the lump in his throat as Coach held out his hand. Tim reached and shook it.
“You be good to my daughter, you hear me? And you tell her to come home for dinner more often. Her mother and her sister miss her,” Coach said, pulling him into a half-hug and clapping him on the back.
They walked back to where the Explorer and his Silverado were parked, a few spaces away from each other. Julie was waiting there, talking to her mother, and they parted with a hug. She and Tim got into his truck, and they bid her parents goodnight with a wave.
“How did it go?” Julie asked, a note of anxiety in her voice. “I mean, he didn’t murder you, obviously, so that’s a good start, but how did it go?”
“It went fine,” Tim replied, pulling his eyes away from the road long enough to smile at her. “I think we’re probably gonna have to go over there for dinner sometime this week.”
Julie blew out a sigh of relief, followed by a breathless laugh. Tim reached across the seat and grabbed her hand from where it lay in her lap, and he didn’t let her go until he pulled into his parking spot at their apartment.
***
On Saturday morning, Julie woke up in Tim’s bed, opening her eyes to find him watching her from his pillow.
“Well, that’s a creepy thing to wake up to,” she said, her voice scratchy.
Tim smiled. “Sorry.”
“No you’re not.”
“You get the funniest frown on your face when you’re sleeping,” he said, reaching out to brush a thumb against the space between her eyebrows. “If you’re not careful, you’ll get wrinkles.”
Julie scowled. “Wrinkles?! Are you kidding me? I’m 22 years old. I refuse to worry about wrinkles. Also, I’m naked and in bed with you, but I certainly don’t have to stay that way!”
“Not my fault that you’re cute when you’re mad,” Tim replied, shifting closer to her and kissing along the wing of her collarbone.
“Hmph,” Julie replied, reaching up to drag her fingers against the stubble on his jaw. “So how does it feel, being a free man for real now?”
He didn’t reply right away, contemplating her in silence instead. He pursed his lips and shrugged. “Good. A little weird, to be honest, but good.”
Julie nodded, trying to think of the right thing to say. Finally she had to accept that she had no advice to give in this situation, and that her affection would have to be enough. She leaned up and kissed the side of his mouth. “I’m glad it’s good,” she said simply.
Smiling, Tim leaned down and caught her lips again.
***
Julie stared down at the open letter in her hands. She stood stock still in the living room, her mind reeling.
It was a letter from Austin Community College, offering her a place in their Human Services program.
She had applied to the program on a whim months earlier, when she first began working as a counsellor and one of the more senior counsellors suggested it. Given her lack of success with school applications, she had sent it off in the mail and promptly forgotten about it. Now it seemed they had an extra spot the following semester, and in reconsidering her application, had spoken with her supervisors at the clinic and become very encouraged by what they had learned of her progress there.
It was what Julie had waited for, what she had wanted so badly. Too bad it was many weeks too late.
Numbly, Julie put away the groceries she had picked up on her way home, trying desperately to figure out what she wanted to do. She had grown to love her job, and the program in Austin was ideal for continuing down that career path. She liked Austin and knew she would love living there, and it was close enough that she could still see her family regularly. Plus, Tyra had been living and working in Austin since she graduated from college, and the thought of reconnecting with her friend was attractive.
There was absolutely nothing preventing her from pursuing this opportunity. Nothing except Tim.
Julie was at a loss. What was she supposed to do? Their relationship was brand new; it would never survive the distance between Dillon and Austin. And Tim was a Dillon guy; she knew perfectly well he wouldn’t want to leave.
But in her heart, she knew she couldn’t forego an opportunity like this for the sake of a relationship which had barely taken its first steps. She couldn’t stay in Dillon just for Tim - even if it made them both happy now and their relationship worked out, she knew that eventually it would be poisoned by resentment. She would always wonder what might have happened if she had gone. She didn’t want it that way, and neither would Tim.
That was assuming their relationship had any real staying power at all, something Julie could by no means be certain of.
Standing forlorn in the living room, once again clutching the letter in her hand, Julie wondered miserably if it must always be this way, if she must always choose between a person and the possibility of making something meaningful out of her life.
She had no time to consider it further, for her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Tim’s key in the lock as he came in the front door. In an instant she knew she would not be able to buy herself more time to decide, as her distress would be impossible to hide.
She was right. Tim took one look at her and frowned. “What’s wrong?” he asked.
Julie shook her head and went to him, wrapping her arms around him and pressing her face against his chest. He smelled like the cool, fresh autumn air, like grass clippings and sweat.
“Whoa, Jules,” he said, his hand coming up to stroke her hair. “What is it?”
“I got a letter,” she replied shakily, pulling back to look at him. She extracted herself from his embrace and handed it to him. “I applied to their program months ago when someone at the clinic recommended it, and a spot has opened up for next semester. They want me.”
“Austin,” he said, frowning down at the letter. “Congrats, Jules.”
“No! Not congratulations! It’s a great program and it’s perfect for what I want to do, but Tim... I don’t want to go. I won’t go. I am absolutely not going,” Julie insisted.
“Come on now, of course you’re going,” Tim replied, his voice stoic.
Julie stared wordlessly at his downturned head for several beats. He stared at the floor, refusing to meet her eyes. Finally, she could stand the silence no longer. “What do you think about Austin?”
“What about it?”
“I mean, what would you think about living there?”
“Living in Austin... With you?”
“Yeah,” Julie nodded apprehensively. She was jumping the gun, big time, and it terrified her. She was completely unprepared for the conversation they were having.
Tim frowned, considering it. “Never really thought about living anywhere except Dillon,” he remarked.
“Really? Not ever?”
“No, not really,” he shrugged. “Always just figured I’d stick around here.”
“Of course. It’s your home, Billy and Mindy are here. I get it,” Julie said, hoping the sinking of her heart did not show too plainly on her face. She had known, deep down, that this would happen eventually if she ever got an opportunity to leave town again.
“Hey,” Tim said, taking a step towards her and pulling her into a hug. Julie pressed her face into his chest, taking a deep breath. “I’m not saying I won’t go, I just... I never thought about going anywhere, is all. You think I could hack it, in Austin?”
Julie pulled back and looked up at him. “Yeah, I do. I think you can do whatever you want. I mean, you could find work at a garage, now that your probation is over, or you could work for a landscaping company, or a school, like here. Maybe you could find a job with the city or the county or something? I’m sure there are tons of things you could do.”
Tim regarded her in silence for a long pause, and then cleared his throat. “Listen, I don’t know where this is going, or where you’re going, or where I’m going. All I know is I wanna do whatever I have to do so we can stick together. I wanna stay close to you. If you want me.”
“I do,” Julie said, biting her lip apprehensively. “I mean, I’m... Well, I think it’s possible that I love you.”
Tim looked at her incredulously for a moment before a smile began to spread across his face. In a moment, it was a full-on grin. He hugged her close, hooking his arms under hers and lifting her against him like she weighed next to nothing. Laughing, she held on as he walked her backwards, her back end finally hitting the kitchen counter when he stopped.
“I love you, Julie Taylor,” he said, his eyes bright with happiness as he stood between her parted knees. Julie’s chest constricted, and she couldn’t decide whether she wanted to laugh or cry. “So...” he said, clearing his throat gruffly. “Austin, huh?”
“Yeah, Austin. What do you think, really?”
Tim nodded. “I think I could get along with Austin.”
“Really? You really, seriously want to go? I’m not dragging you away from your hometown? I don’t want to force you to leave if you don’t want to, Tim.”
“Jules, I love Dillon. I do,” he said, pausing briefly as he weighed his words. “Everybody in Dillon knows who I am. I used to think that was the best thing you could ask for, but now, after everything that’s happened, I think maybe it could be kinda good to go someplace where Riggins is just a name, not a reputation.”
Julie frowned. “Are you sure? You can take time to think about this. We don’t have to decide right this minute.”
“I don’t need time. Jules... You get that you were just about the only person in town who didn’t act like I had the plague when I got out, don’t you? You treated me the same as you did before. Long before Billy told you what happened. It didn’t matter to you. If you think I wouldn’t follow you to Austin, or to France or Timbuktu, you’re crazy.”
Julie laughed in relief. “It’s so selfish, but I didn’t want to go without you. You... You make me feel strong, you know? Like I’m capable. Like there’s nothing I can’t do.”
“Funny. You make me feel the same way,” he replied, leaning in to kiss her again. When he broke the kiss, he stayed close, pressing his forehead to hers. “You talk to Tyra lately?”
“No. Why?”
“Just wondering how she’d take the two of us sleeping on her couch while we look for a place in Austin.”
Julie laughed. “I don’t know. But I guess we’re gonna find out. I don’t know anyone else in Austin, do you?”
“No,” Tim grinned.
“So I guess we’re in for an adventure.”
“Yeah, Jules. I guess we are.”
Julie laughed again, and dropped her head to his shoulder, breathing in the earthy, familiar scent of him. His arms came up around her, and he hugged her close.
She sighed raggedly. Her heart felt full.
Epilogue