Hit and Run (Summer Rush #2)
Page 21
“I’ve made my peace with it, Maceon,” she said softly. “It took a long time, but I’m okay with it now. Some things just aren’t meant to be.”
“But you and I… we’re meant to be, Dani. I really believe that. Don’t you?”
Her lips quirked. “Fate would have to be a cruel bitch to bring us back together only to tear us apart again, don’t you think?”
“Everything is out in the open now,” he said, admiring the necklace he’d given her nestled in her cleavage. “No more secrets, right?”
“No more secrets,” she repeated as she stared at their joined hands.
“But forgiveness, that’s a whole ‘nother story, isn’t it?”
“I forgive you for getting behind the wheel that night.” Her voice was so soft, he had to strain to hear her. “Just like I forgive my brother for getting into the car with you.” She looked up at him. “You were responsible for your choice, and he was responsible for his.”
In his mind, he’d always claimed all of the responsibility for the accident, even though Linc had been the one to grab the wheel when Ace felt himself drifting off. “I’m not asking you to let me off the hook.”
“That’s not what this is about, is it?’ she asked, looking up at him. “It’s about letting go. We’ve all let those few awful moments and one bad decision shape our lives. If redemption weren’t possible, our justice system wouldn’t let criminals back out on the street, would they?”
“I guess not.”
“You’re human,” she said, touching his face. “You made a mistake. Forgive yourself.” She pressed a kiss to his cheek. “Please. For me. For Linc. For the sake of our future, forgive yourself.”
He realized in that moment that she’d already forgiven him. Now he just had to let go. “I went to see your parents today. They asked me to have you call them.”
“They called me,” she said, tracing her thumb around his All-Star championship ring. “We had a long talk, and they told me if I want to be with you, they won’t stand in my way.”
“Wow.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Knowing that you can still have a relationship with them, even if you choose to be with me, is a huge weight off my shoulders. You have no idea what it did to me, thinking that I may be responsible for tearing your family apart. Again.”
“My parents are responsible for their actions, just like I’m responsible for mine. Would I have walked away from them for a chance to be with you again? Yes.” She held her hand up when he started to speak. “And not for the reasons you think. I’m tired of being mired down in their sadness and negativity. If they can’t find a way to build a decent life for themselves, in my brother’s memory, then I can’t help them.”
“I apologized to them for what happened,” he said while his palm grazed her bare thigh. “I’m not sure if it helped them, but I know it helped me. I should have done it a long time ago, but I didn’t have the guts to face them again.”
“You did what you had to do.” She drew a deep breath. “And I’ve done what I had to do. I’ve taken a stand with my parents, told you the truth about my pregnancy… so where does that leave us?”
“You tell me.” He knew it had to be her choice. After everything that had happened, he needed her to come to him willingly and for one reason… because she didn’t want to live without him.
“I love you,” she whispered, her chest rising and falling as her eyes met his. “I love you so much more now. Before, we were just kids, planning a life based on some fantasy, believing nothing bad could ever touch us. But we did face some unspeakable things, and I think we became stronger people because of it.”
“I agree,” he said, knowing that he wouldn’t be half the man he was if she and her family hadn’t touched his life. He’d do anything to protect her from pain, but he knew that wasn’t possible. Experiencing pain was a part of life, but at least he could promise to be by her side from now on, no matter what.
“I thought I was in love with Mike, but I wasn’t. Not really.” She bit her lip as her finger traced the RIP etched on his bicep. “I’ve only known real love in my life once. With you.”
“I feel the same way.” Everything else he’d experienced paled in comparison to what he felt for Dani.
“And real love endures, doesn’t it?” Her arched brows drew together as she lifted her head. “It endures anything life can throw at it: death, destruction, mistakes, miscarriages, trades, moves—”
“What are you trying to say, Dani?”
“That I’ll follow you anywhere. No matter what happens, I’ll be there. Just like I know you’ll be there for me.”
He drew her into his arms, breathing in her sweet-smelling hair as he let her words finally heal him. “I will, you know.”
He framed her face with his hands, noting the subtle changes. She wasn’t a wide-eyed, innocent girl like she’d been the first time he promised to be with her forever. Now she was an experienced woman who’d survived loss with a healthy dose of sympathy and understanding.
“You’ve made me a better man. You need to know that.” He touched his forehead to hers. “I’m stronger because of your strength. I’ve faced my past and found the courage to beg for mercy because you made me believe it was possible.”
She curled her hand around his neck, resting her cheek against his.
“I want you by my side every day for the rest of my life, Danielle.”
She pulled back as her eyes darted around his face. “What are you saying?”
“That I want you to be my wife.” He hadn’t intended to propose tonight, but solidifying their future now seemed right. He couldn’t wait to see his ring on her finger. “We don’t have to get married right away. We don’t even have to tell people until you’re ready. I just need to know that we can start building a life together. Now. I don’t want to wait any longer.”
“Neither do I,” she whispered, a smile teasing her lips as she rested her palm against his cheek. “I’ve already waited almost half my life to become Mrs. Maceon Phillips, and I don’t want to wait any longer.”
He kissed her tenderly, feeling her tears fall on their lips. “I love you, Danielle. And you have my word that I won’t make another decision without thinking about how it will affect you… and us.”
“You don’t have to say that,” she whispered. “I already know.”
Her faith in him, especially after all they’d been through, humbled him, but he intended to spend the rest of his life making sure he was worthy of her trust.
About the Author
Want to be the first to learn about Cheryl’s new releases, join her review crew, get exclusive free stories, and the chance to win cool prizes?
Sign up for her newsletter! http://cheryldouglasbooks.com/new-releases/
To learn more about Cheryl visit www.cheryldouglasbooks.com
To comment on this book or ask the author a question you can email her at:
info@cheryldouglasbooks.com
You can also visit Cheryl on Facebook or Twitter:
www.facebook.com/cheryldouglasbooks
Twitter: CherylDouglasNN
Please consider leaving a review for this book or other books in the series.
Thank You
Other Books by Cheryl Douglas
Now Available - Nashville Nights
Shameless
Fearless
Ruthless
Reckless
Relentless
Heartless
Hopeless
Careless
Nashville Nights Next Generation
High Stakes
Trade Off
Holiday Homecoming
Game On
Burn Out
Fast Track
Time Out
Face Value
Blown Away
Breathless
Imagine
Starting Over (Single Title)
Music City Moguls
Stone Cold
Envious
For
bidden
Haunted
Jaded
Hero Worship
Texas Titans
Strike Out
End Zone
First Down
Cheap Shot
Fast Break (Holiday Novella)
Wild Card
Free Agent
Going For It
Possession
Starkis Family
Deacon
Damon
Tiana
Kara
Darius
Catia
Steele Brothers
Ryker
Nex
Steele Brothers Christmas
Seb
Brody
Kane
Gabe
Vista Falls
Rough Terrain
Lost and Found
Letting Go