Page 14 of Her Senator's Second Chance

“Do you have everything ready?”

“Yep. I sure do.” She handed him a large white rectangular box. He followed her through the home to the back garden area. Twilight had just fallen, and the grassy area was set up with twinkling lights strung overhead just like he’d remembered all those years ago at prom.

“How’s it look?” Aubrey asked. “Did I do it okay? I tried to get it as close to your yearbook picture as I could.”

“Aubrey, you did a perfect job.” He wrung his hands. His familiar fear of public speaking set upon him again. Only this was much worse. He was used to convincing people to believe in him, but with Natasha it wasn’t his career on the line. This time it was his heart, body, and soul.

“My mom should be back with Natasha any minute. She texted me just before you got here, saying they were on their way.”

“And Natasha has no idea, right?”

“As far as I know, she doesn’t. My mom just convinced her to come out of the house by telling her she wanted to donate her entire teacup collection to Whitmore House for the big auction Natasha has planned to save the place.”

If all went as planned, Natasha wouldn’t be struggling any more financially. His investment portfolio had earned a sizeable sum of money over the last several years, more than enough to save her business. He planned to offer to go in as a partner in the ownership of the Whitmore House. Strictly as a business venture.

He heard Mrs. Wheaton’s unmistakable southern drawl before he saw the two of them emerge from the back of the house onto the massive veranda.

He stood under the twinkling lights, and on cue, Aubrey hit play on her phone. Music filled the air, the song they’d danced to at their senior prom.

“What’s all this?” Natasha said, taking in the twinkle lights and Adam standing in the middle of her lawn wearing a suit.

He opened the box, revealing a giant chocolate macadamia cookie with the wordsWill You Forgive Me?frosted on the top. He’d gotten Alexis from the bakery to make it for him special this morning.

Natasha bit her bottom lip, her eyes glassy with unshed tears.

“I’m very sorry for the way I walked out on you two weeks ago when we last met. I love you more now than I ever loved you before. I went home, and I realized I don’t want to live without you. Spending our time in the pantry showed me how much you still mean to me. Waking up next to you was incredible, even if the floor was hard and it was a miserable way to sleep. So, I’m asking you for a do-over. And what better way than to re-enact our senior prom?”

Natasha covered a laugh with her hand as tears poured down her face. “I forgive you, but only on one condition.”

“What’s that?” Adam asked.

“That you dance with me once again.”

His smile stretched wide across his face. “I was hoping you’d say that.” He took her in his arms just like he had that May night years ago at their prom. She looped her arms around his neck, and he pulled her close. She leaned her head on his shoulder, and they swayed in rhythm to the music. She smelled amazing, like wildflowers on a sunny spring morning. How long had he longed for this moment? When the song ended, she pulled back and looked into his eyes. He focused on her lips and couldn’t hold back a moment longer. He took his mouth with his, kissing her slowly and gently at first. He deepened the kiss, pulling her closer to his torso. In that moment everything felt perfect.

He pulled away and looked into her beautiful eyes. “So, does this mean I get another chance?”

“Yes. A hundred times, yes!”

He took her face in his hands and kissed her again.

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