Page 129 of My Mistake To Make

I nod as I take her hand and stand, then lead her to the dance floor, turning her to face me before pulling her body gently against mine. I can feel the eyes of the town on us, can feel the confusion of a bar that just had upbeat country music switched for a slow Foo Fighters song, but I don’t care. I don’t know what it means, but I have my girl in my arms, and I don’t ever want this song to end.

Her fingertips stroke at the short hairs at the base of my neck as mine seek out the soft skin of her lower back peeking out from under her shirt, and her eyes are fixed on my face, moving from my eyes to my lips and back again, and I want so badly to kiss her, but I don’t know what this is. For all I know, this dance could be goodbye.

No. I can’t let that happen.

I pull her closer, swaying her body with mine and remembering all the times we’ve done this, moved like this to music we both love.

‘You’re getting better.’ I smile as she turns her face up to me and grins.

‘I’ve had some practice.’

‘Cara…’

‘Can we get out of here?’ she asks, and fuck, yes, we can. I nod and step back, taking her hand and leading her to the door without a word to anybody.

Outside, the cool and quiet of the evening after the heat and noise of the bar give me pause, and I stop, turning to face her on the bar’s terrace steps.

‘Cara, what are we…’

‘We need to talk,’ she says softly, eye-level with me since I’m a couple of steps in front. My heart sinks for a second until she reaches a hand up to my cheek and leans in to press her lips to mine. It’s brief and chaste but perfect.

As we drive out to the lake, we’re both quiet. I didn’t know where to go. Andy is at Cara’s house, and I didn’t want to have whatever conversation we were about to have in front of Mama and Merv, so when we climbed in my truck, and I started to drive, I decided to take her somewhere beautiful, somewhere peaceful, and somewhere private.

‘Wow, look at that.’ Cara gasps as we park and look out at the lake.

The last of the day’s sun is sinking into the water, casting a beautiful orange-pink over everything and making it all seem magical.

We climb out of the truck and, without words, start to walk toward the water.

The longer she stays quiet, the more I worry this isn’t going as I hoped, so before I lose my shot completely, I step in front of her, stopping her in her tracks.

‘Cara, I’m so fuckin’ sorry for what I…’

‘No, Doug,’ she says, and I’m losing her, I know it. ‘I’m sorry. I punished you for your reaction because it hurt.’

‘Baby…’

‘No, listen to me, please.’ She inhales and exhales deeply. ‘We promised each other that we would communicate always, and we didn’t do that. My hurt and anger at your words and actions that night stopped me from being able to see your perspective,and instead of talking to you about it, I shut you out and pushed you away.’ She steps closer, and I think my heart is about to burst out of my chest, it’s beating so fast. ‘I love you, Douglas Campbell. I love you more than I ever imagined I could love a person, and missing you has been hell, but trying to hate you has been worse.’

My breath rushes past my lips at her words, and as though I’m not in control of my body, I pull her to me, pressing our bodies together with an urgency I’ve never known. She giggles, and it’s the sweetest sound I’ve ever heard.

‘You were trying to hate me?’ I ask as I look down her. Her big eyes sparkling up at me.

‘I tried and failed miserably. Turns out you’re pretty hard to get over.’

‘Don’t ever try again.’ I grin as the happiness of having her in my arms becomes impossible to hold in.

‘GC,’ she says, and I raise one eyebrow. ‘I just told you I love you,’ she reminds me, and I reach down, picking her up and wrapping her legs around my waist as her arms tighten around my neck.

‘Baby, in case it wasn’t clear before I epically fucked us up, and in case it wasn’t crystal fucking clear in the way I begged you to forgive me or moped around for the past few weeks knowing I’d lost you, let me make it abundantly clear to you right now. Right here in my favorite place, by the setting sun, with the moon and stars rising in the sky, with the waking fireflies here to witness. You, Cara McKenzie, are it for me. I love you, and you can be damn sure I’m never letting you go again.’

She giggles again as she tightens her hold and brings her mouth close to mine.

‘You’re soppy,’ she whispers, and I growl.

‘Shut up and kiss me.’

‘I’m right here.’

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