Page 20 of Save the Last Dance (Take the Backroads #1)

Chapter Eight

S peeding along an old access road behind Spencer Farm, Mack searched for a good place to turn around. Nina sang along to his car radio, her fist pumping the bass beat with one hand while the other hand corralled her long hair in a ponytail so it didn’t blow in her face.

Top down, they’d cruised around town for about half an hour while headlights from oncoming traffic had roved over them every now and then, illuminating Nina’s face and making his breath catch.

He’d had no idea what to do with her after the impulsive run from the school.

He’d only suggested it because she’d always loved stuff like that—any adventure to break up the monotony of life in Heartache.

Maybe some of her spirit had rubbed off on him over the years, since he’d ended up leaving, too.

Now, he steered the El Dorado onto a low hill overlooking a creek that ran alongside one of the old orchards near her grandmother’s farm.

The fire inside him from their kiss had been banked, but he still wanted her.

That kiss back at the football field had turned hot in a hurry, reminding him that his feelings for Nina were coming back stronger than ever.

He’d been crazy about her as a teen. What would it be like to be with her now, with the deeper wants of a man?

She leaned toward the radio and lowered the volume as the song came to an end.

“I can’t believe you remember your way around these roads.” She sat straighter in the seat as he slowed down. “I would have gone right over the edge of the bank into the creek.”

Mack pulled over to the side of the road and switched off the headlights, the darkness deep out here away from ambient light. He killed the engine, telling himself they could talk for a few minutes and then he’d bring her home or back to her car.

“Scott used to bring us up here to play long before you moved here. He was always good about trying to get all the kids out of the house when my mom was having a bad day.” And what had Mack done for his family? His move to Nashville had only forced everyone else to pitch in more.

“Did you ever swim in the creek?” She shifted in the seat next to him, staring up at the sky where the moon hung low above the trees.

“Of course.”

“This time of year?” she asked, turning her head toward him, a wicked gleam in her eye.

The fire that had been banked in him flared to life again, faster than he was prepared for. Hotter than he could handle. He recognized a dare when he heard one.

“Nina.” He wasn’t sure if he was cautioning her or himself, but he reached to stroke a finger down her cheek, her skin almost flawless in the moonlight. “Don’t flirt with me unless you mean it.”

He’d asked her out, damn it. He’d tried to make a legitimate offer to heal the past. She was the one who hadn’t wanted to risk getting hurt again, even with a short-term thing.

She closed her eyes for a long moment and drew a slow breath. When she looked at him again, she’d shuttered some of her natural playfulness. He felt equal parts relief and regret.

“Maybe you shouldn’t take me parking unless you mean it.”

“That’s the problem. I do. I told you I’m ready to see where this leads.” He was old enough to know what he wanted. And whether it was wise or not, he still wanted Nina.

“I’ve thought about it,” she admitted, tracing the piping on the leather console between them.

“And?” He wanted to cover her hand with his and kiss her again. Thoroughly. And for a long, long time.

“I’ve worked really hard to not be as impulsive, both personally and professionally.

” She shifted on the leather seat, the material creaking.

“I’m sure that change hasn’t been obvious to you lately.

Being back here, coming home, reminds me of who I used to be.

And to a certain extent, I always loved taking chances or being the first one to stand up and say ‘I’ll try it. ’”

“Like when we went cliff-jumping.” He’d nearly had a heart attack when she barreled over the edge, the first to leap into the water. But then, all his friends followed and they’d had the most memorable senior picnic ever.

“Right!” She smiled, lit up with the memory. “Exactly. And that was such an awesome day. But looking back, it could have been dangerous. Plus, in a lot of situations, it’s not a good idea to throw yourself into things.”

“Like having dinner with me.”

“Actually, I was thinking more in terms of kissing you again.”

Amazing how just talking about it could fuel the fire inside. The air between them felt highly charged despite the chill in the fall breeze.

“Right, kissing is not a good idea.” He repeated it in the hope his body would get the message.

“Well, we both know there’s actually a lot of good about it.

” A hint of her old self shone through for a second, the flirtatious and yes, impulsive, girl who had captivated him.

But then she shook her head. “In fact, it’s so good that it inhibits my judgment.

And that’s a scenario I’m trying to avoid. ”

On a rational level, he understood and respected the hell out her for what she was saying. That didn’t mean he approved.

“Setting aside your personal reasons for a minute, I just hope that professionally you’re happy with the kind of decisions you end up making.

” He lifted the center console, opening up the space.

The leather bench seat was custom and roomy, putting way too much distance between them.

“You’re very creative and that kind of talent has been a driving force for your success.

You don’t want to second-guess yourself so much you lose that edge. ”

“But my business fell apart because I followed my heart by partnering with a friend.” She flipped up the collar on her jacket, tucking one lapel under the other to keep the wind out.

“I knew she was flighty when we signed the partnership agreement, but I thought I could just work harder to make up for that because it felt like a dream come true to open the shop.”

“Working together is tough on a friendship.” After seeing the way business could spill over into relationships in his own family, Mack had been eager to start a venture that was completely his own.

The bar had the advantage of being away from Heartache and far removed from the building supply or construction companies that his family ran.

“But it was business, you know? My livelihood. I should have respected my dreams enough to wait for the right opportunity instead of rushing headlong into the partnership and hoping that a lot of effort and passion for the job would be enough.” A cricket jumped onto the dashboard, making her jump just a little.

She used one hand to direct it so that the little creature’s next jump took it back outside.

“I guess that’s why I mentioned a business venture to Bethany. I want people to honor their dreams.”

He wasn’t ready to go in for round two on that discussion. She knew how he felt about her trying to entice Bethany away from the hardware store while Scott struggled to right his failing marriage. With an effort, he steered the topic elsewhere.

“Still no word from your runaway partner?” He settled deeper in the seat and looked up at the stars. The sky was incredibly clear, the layers and layers of stars mesmerizing.

“No. I’ve tried texting and calling, but Olivia’s been ignoring me.

” She huffed a frustrated sigh. “I’m having my mail forwarded to Gram’s house, so it’s a few days behind, but it should all arrive sooner or later.

The creditors want their money, that’s for sure.

This is going to be hell on my credit if I ever apply for another business loan. ”

He glanced at her, hating to think of her struggling when she was so talented and had so much to offer.

“The business lawyer who helped me set up the contracts for Finleys’ Tavern was really helpful. Have you talked to somebody like that to make sure you’ve protected your assets?”

“I talked to a lawyer long enough to know I can’t afford that kind of help.”

“You can’t afford not to.” Mack withdrew his phone from a shelf on the dash and wrote a memo to himself to have his attorney touch base with Nina.

“You want to walk away from this with as much as you can. Actually, the guy owes me a favor after I gave his musician sister a good slot on the lineup the other night when there were some Nashville bigwigs at the bar. Maybe he’d take your case on a contingency basis. ”

She stared at him a long moment, assessing. He wondered if he’d offended her pride by suggesting it. Then she sat up straighter.

“Is it super nosey of me to ask how you financed the bar and still retained control? Assuming you did? I mean, the place is named after you, so I figured you must have a big say in it.”

“I do. I got lucky and found financing from an investor. I pitched the idea to one of those angel clubs?—”

“What’s an angel club?”

“Groups of investors who look for entrepreneurs to back. They make bigger profits that way and have more control than investing in the stock market, so it’s beneficial for them. And obviously, it’s ideal for the entrepreneurs who have great ideas and just need someone to back them.”

“And you got an angel to sponsor Finleys’ Tavern?” She sounded skeptical. The bar business was notoriously unstable but the profits could be excellent when things were running smoothly.

“The guy was a big country music fan and he liked the idea of owning a piece of a honky-tonk. It was just a matter of convincing him I was the guy to make it a success.” His pitch had been the whole goal of his MBA and he’d spent all his independent study hours on the business plan while attending Belmont.

“Well, I guess I had my shot at an angel investor and she turned out to be a selfish devil in disguise.” Nina tucked deeper into the seat and pulled her throw blanket around her legs as a crisp autumn breeze picked up.