Page 46 of Save the Last Dance (Take the Backroads #1)
“Of course you did.” Sympathetic tears sprang to her eyes for the confused boy he must have been.
The one he’d never let her see, even when they’d been everything to each other.
The boy who didn’t understand that there were two sides to bipolar disease, the depressive side as well as the manic.
And so he’d blamed his mom, the doctors, even himself.
Nina rose to her feet and took his hand, even tighter than he’d held hers before. “That must have been scary for you.”
“Right.” He gave a brusque nod, as though fear wasn’t really an emotion he wanted to get well acquainted with.
“But later, I got angry. At her doctors, my father, and yes—at her. I decided no one should have to go through what she went through. And if that meant not putting myself in the gene pool…” He gave a helpless shrug.
“Somehow, once the idea took hold, I never revisited it. I just kind of locked it away as a core part of who I was and how I was going to move forward.”
Nina put a hand on his shoulder, stroking gently over the textured finish of the lapel.
The tension that braced his shoulders even now told her what an emotional place his old ideas had come from.
Her own encounter with therapy had taught her how tough it was to break old patterns of thinking. Old ways of feeling.
“Knowing that, Mack, I don’t want to put you in a position where you are going against something so important to you?—”
“That’s just it.” He took a deep breath and released it on a slow huff. “Seeing Ally be…just the amazing kid that she is really started challenging my old ideas.”
The tension in him relaxed, truly, genuinely eased, no flash of any reservations in his eyes. Her final fears slid away from her, and she allowed hope to swell again, filling every corner of her heart. She squeezed his hand.
“Ally is pretty incredible,” she agreed, hoping the girl would find new peace in Heartache with a new support network around her and a better understanding of the challenges she faced.
And wasn’t that an interesting notion to wrap her brain around? Home was where you faced your challenges. Ally had figured that out decades ahead of Nina. Everyone had challenges of their own, in different forms, sure, but what counted in the end was how they faced them—head-on.
“Without question.” Mack nodded, turning to look over his shoulder as a loud bark of laughter came from the other side of the wall of pumpkins as a group of teens ran past on the fairway.
Mack’s attention came back to Nina. “Ally might not have had the easiest path, but look at all she’s already accomplished without the help of any therapy.
With help, that girl is going to be a force to be reckoned with. ”
“Definitely.” Now, the hopefulness in Nina was too big to contain. Her heart expanded in her chest, and a fizzy sensation made her feel light as air.
“Then my mother, of all people, stood next to me during the coronation and reminded me that the medicines today are better, and with all we know about the disease, my kids wouldn’t have the same uphill battles that my mother did. Mental health issues get recognized and treated earlier.”
“Plus, you’d be more aware of the warning signs,” Nina reminded him gently, hoping she’d be a part of this picture he was drawing, but not wanting to rush this huge shift in Mack’s thinking.
A shift she had his mother to thank for.
Nina’s heart ached with gratitude. My God, how far they’d all come from that heartbreaking night eight years ago.
“And so would you.” Mack’s hands went around her shoulders, a warm, wonderful weight. “You would be the best, most incredible mother any kid could ask for.”
Her cheeks warmed. She had enough family issues of her own to really appreciate that compliment, but it made her happy all the same. “Thank you.”
“I’m sorry our relationship has been so backward that we’re talking about kids first.” The corner of his lips hitched up in a smile she’d seen on his niece earlier in the night.
A beautiful smile on both faces. “But to put the horse back in front of the cart, I need to tell you, again, and this time forever…I love you, Nina.”
The words were a joy to hear. Not that she hadn’t known how he felt…she’d seen it in his eyes when they made love. Felt it in his touch. But the fact that he was comfortable enough to say it made all the difference.
“I’ve loved you longer. From the very first moment I saw you,” she said simply. “And with all the fierceness of my heart.”
A smile spread over his tanned, handsome face, lighting his eyes.
His arms went around her and squeezed her tight, showing her a thing or two about the fierceness he felt, too.
She settled in the broad familiarity of his chest and let herself savor dreams of leaning into that same embrace decades from now.
“Nina, love,” he whispered against her hair, “while we’re figuring out this incredible future together, I’m hoping you can help me with one last detail.” He kissed the top of her head. “I’m not sure where to live.”
She eased back so she could hear him better. This part of the plan, she could handle. In fact, she could handle anything now. With Mack at her side, she could tackle the world.
“Nashville is only an hour away. Why don’t you commute a few days a week and spend a few of the nights up there. We don’t need to figure out every detail right now. It’s enough that we are going to be together.”
“We’re going to be together.” He repeated it, his eyes locked on hers with new determination.
She couldn’t stop smiling. “We can house hunt midway in between Nashville and Heartache, if you want. Or keep splitting time with two smaller places. I can go up there on weekends and find some extra help for Gram when she needs it.”
“I want to show you the bar.” He stroked his hand down her hair, sifting his fingers through the ends. “But I could start another one closer to Heartache.”
She hadn’t considered he would actually put down roots here, too. But she had to admit, his idea had potential. The business side of her could see a market here. So many possibilities, amazing possibilities filled her mind.
“We’ll figure it out,” she promised, arching up on her toes to kiss his lower lip and bite it softly. “Tonight is going to be the start of our forever.”
His lips slanted over hers and he kissed her until her knees went weak and she tumbled into his arms. She wrapped hers around his neck and held on tight while the jack-o’-lanterns grinned their approval.
“I love you so much, Nina.” Mack’s words were a promise that warmed her to her toes despite the fall chill.
Inside, a break in the music made the night quiet for a moment before a slower tune began.
“I love you, too.” Nina threaded her fingers through his and tugged him toward the dining hall, their family and friends. “And I’m going to have that dance from you, Mack Finley.”
“We’ll show them the old Harvest king and queen still have their moves.” Mack followed her up the gravel fairway through the festival grounds, a wicked gleam in his eyes.
“We’ll show them what a couple in love looks like. I want to dance until I’m dizzy under the yellow lights.” She spun in a happy circle as they reached the doors covered in fall leaves.
“You’ll dance until it’s time to go home with me,” he clarified, his voice rough with desire.
“For good,” she added.
“Forever.” He kissed her lips once more before opening the door to a life she couldn’t wait to begin.
***
That’s all for Save the Last Dance, but I hope you’ll join me when for Erin Finley’s story in One Last Chance .
Six months ago, her life was upended...
Erin Finley returns to her Tennessee hometown after a crushing betrayal, desperate for healing and ready to rebuild a life on her own terms. She is content to hide from the rest of the world while renovating her second hand store, Last Chance Vintage, and keeping an eye on her mom.
Until TV producer Remy Weldon wants to feature her shop on an episode of his show.
Erin isn't interested in pursuing the spotlight--or the sparks she feels for the single dad.
But Remy's quiet persistence is tough to resist and soon Erin is swept up in his life as well as the show.
It's almost enough to tempt her to think about romance again.
Except that the shadows in Remy's past are even darker than her own, and she won't risk making a mistake that could have bigger consequences than her heart. Will she take one last chance on love?