He moved forward, so close she could see the fire’s reflection in his eyes, cradled her face in his hands, wiped tears off her cheeks with his thumbs. All summer, they’d been like trains passing in the night. Lighted windows flying past each other, glimpses of light and movement, but not shapes or images. He needed to explain his reasons to her and could only hope she’d understand where he’d been coming from during those summer months. “I thought you were beautiful from the first time I saw you—through binoculars, I might add.” A shake of her head as she recalled what had divided them. “And all summer long, all I wanted was to be with you, Kenzie. First as a friend, and later…well, later, a whole lot more.
“But I’d made commitments. First, I had to lie low for safety’s sake, because that’s why Stinson put me at Bellmeade.” A sympathetic nod from Kenzie. “And second, I’d told your father I would protect you. In short, what I wanted to do when we were together slammed head-on into what I’d promised to do. He trusted me, Kenzie. How could I violate that?”
Cop code. Preserve and protect. She leaned into him. “News flash—I’d never have told him.” He roared out a laugh. She eased away, holding his gaze. “Just so you know, I don’t want to be someone’s duty.”
His eyes flickered with an inner fire. “Trust me, you will never again be my duty. And just so you know—I don’t care about your health problems. I want all the days you have left. One at a time. That’s all anybody gets, Kenzie. That perp’s knife taught me that much.”
A shadow crossed her face when she remembered the terror of the night he’d almost died. One breath, then another. One minute, then the next. Life uninterrupted. “Yes, Tyler Austin Boyd Buchanan, and whatever other names you might have that I don’t know—I love you.”
His grin stoked fires deep inside her. He took her hand, stood, guided her upward. “Dance with me.”
“But there’s no music.”
He pulled her against his body, with a hairbreadth between them, nestled their joined hands beneath his chin, and laid his cheek against her hair. “You’re wrong about that, Kenzie, my love. Listen.”
The logs in the fireplace, mostly embers, cast pale yellow light. Beyond, the room was in shadows. Trusting him, she closed her eyes, rested her cheek against his chest, let him lead her in slow, lazy circles. She felt her pulse kick up and her breathing fall whisper-soft. And that was when she heard the music. The only music in the room. The mystical, lyrical music of their two beating hearts.
My thanks in gathering a knowledge base for this book go to Dale Lee and Adam Presley of the Saddle Pals riding group in Soddy Daisy, Tennessee. They are anti-soring, and regular rescuers of the Tennessee walking horse.
And a special thank you to Dr. Michael Shepherd for his valuable medical input.
Meghan Green and Jon Lancaster
LURLENE McDANIEL began writing inspirational novels about teenagers facing life-altering situations when her son was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes. “I saw firsthand how chronic illness affects every aspect of a person’s life,” she has said. “I want kids to know that while people don’t get to choose what life gives to them, they do get to choose how they respond.”
Lurlene McDaniel’s novels are hard-hitting and realistic, but also leave readers with inspiration and hope. Her bestselling books have received acclaim from readers, teachers, parents, and reviewers; they include The Year of Luminous Love and its companion The Year of Chasing Dreams; Don’t Die, My Love; Till Death Do Us Part; Hit and Run; Telling Christina Goodbye; True Love: Three Novels; and The End of Forever.
Lurlene McDaniel lives in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Visit her online at LurleneMcDaniel.com and on Facebook and follow her on Twitter at @Lurlene_McD.
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The Girl with the Broken Heart Page 22
