Page 77 of The Last Love Song
“Family first.” Zach pulled her closer. Kissed the top of her head, allowing his cheek to rest on all that silky hair. “He really did live it.”
“I guess he did.”
Heather savoredthe feel of Zach’s kiss. The weight of his arm around her. The thoughtful way he treated her—whether it was being careful of her compromised health or inviting her to weigh in on a press release about the Finley family.
It was more than the residual endorphins of phenomenal lovemaking that caused her heart to swell with emotion. She cared about him. Maybe even loved him.
Maybe?
That was her reflexive “protect yourself” side talking. There was no maybe about it. Leaning against his shoulder, the warmth of him under her cheek and all around her as they sat on a truly crummy futon in a spectacularly utilitarian building, Heather couldn’t deny what she felt for Zach.
“I want to be there for the press conference tomorrow.” She straightened, needing to be face-to-face with him for the admission that he deserved.
She’d been playing it safe for too long—in life and love both. But that was going to change. Had already started to change when she committed to the audition in Charlotte.
“I think it will be good to see your father’s legacy restored as much as possible.” He took her hands in his. “Also, you can field any questions from the media and put an end to the whole conversation about the money.”
“Right.” She needed to share this news with her brothers as soon as possible. Would her mother be touched to know her husband had risked his legacy as the town’s longest-serving mayor to buy her medicine that he hoped would make her well? Heather hoped so. “Once that’s behind me, I’ll be free to leave Heartache with plenty of time to make it to Charlotte for the audition tomorrow.”
“That’s good for your dreams and career ambitions,” he said carefully.
She took a deep breath. And gambled everything. Her pride and her heart.
“I would love it if you’d make the trip with me.” A part of her was so nervous that she wanted to close her eyes, cross her fingers and hope for the best.
But she wasn’t a teenager in love for the first time. She was a twenty-eight-year-old woman and the outcome of this talk meant the world to her.
“You’re inviting me to go to Charlotte with you?” he clarified, his face giving away nothing. “Tomorrow?”
She caught the note of surprise in his voice. Outside the building, kids ran past laughing. Funny to think they were having such a light-hearted moment a wall away from them when she’d just staked her heart on Zach’s answer.
“There was a time you offered to drive me,” she teased, but soon realized this was no joking matter. “But seriously, I’d drive. And you could watch that sunrise in the mountains with me.”She remembered he’d liked that idea when she’d told him about it the first time. “I know it’s spur-of-the-moment, but I want you to know I’m serious about this. About us. And I want you to be a part of my future.”
Even as she trotted out the words, she sensed she’d gone about it wrong. But then, maybe she was crippled by the fact she’d never been a spontaneous person. When the moment arose for her to finally live in the moment, she didn’t know how.
Something about Zach’s expression told her she was making a muck of this.
“You’re serious.” Again, he repeated her words, making her think he had a hard time believing them.
“Very.” She lifted her chin, defensiveness creeping in.
Zach rose from the futon, pacing a few feet away before turning back to face her. The shuttered look in his eyes told her all she needed to know. Her offer wasn’t enough.
“My sister just arrived in town. She’s here to help me catch a stalker.” He nodded. “That’s also serious. I’ve put a lot of time into compiling evidence against her attacker, and I’ve worked hard with Sam to compare Megan’s case to Gabriella’s.”
She wrapped her arms around herself, preparing for the no that was coming. She’d thought it would make him happy to know she wanted to be with him. It madeherhappy to think of him going with her.
“Heather, I’m the mayor of this town. And while we laugh about that because in some ways it’s not some high-paying bigwig job, given this is such a tiny place, but I take my responsibility to this town very seriously.”
Guilt pinched at her already sensitive emotions. “I didn’t think about how involved you are in Megan’s bullying case.”
“It’s more than that.” He returned to the futon, but didn’t sit next to her. He dropped down to sit on the heavy coffee table in front of her so they were eye to eye. “I’m building a life here. Icare about a lot of people here. And I didn’t work hard to find out what happened to that missing money just because the former mayor is your dad. I wanted to know because his legacy means something to me.”
“Zach, you don’t have to explain.”
“But I want to tell you because it’s important to me. Even before I knew you, the Finleys were a family for me when I didn’t have one. Family first. I bought into that whole idea when I was a teenager and my dad was the most crooked SOB you can imagine. Your dad inspired me to work my ass off to make my own family with a community. To reach out and care about people around me without waiting to see if they’d help me first.”
She remembered how hard he’d worked when his dad was sent to prison. How Zach had practically lived at the local nursing home, helping local residents.
