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Kane took my hand. “You don’t know how happy I am to hear that.” He always knew the right thing to say.
I took his hand, and with all that I was, I knew I belonged with him. I didn’t care if I was too young or if it was too fast. None of that mattered.
Kane helped me to my feet before taking me in his arms. The dulcet tones of Christopher Cross drifted out of the screened door.
“Just follow my lead,” Kane whispered in my ear before taking my right hand in his left and then wrapping his right arm around me. He drew me close to him, our clasped hands between us.
I peered up at his adoring gaze as we began to sway gently. Our eyes stayed locked. He didn’t even wince when I stepped on his bare feet a time or two.
After several minutes of silently dancing, Kane spoke in hushed tones. “Promise me something.”
“Anything,” I said without even thinking.
Kane flashed me an amused smile. “Promise me you will make your dreams come true. That you’ll make the secrets in your eyes a reality.”
Did he see all my secrets? Did he see the ones I kept about him? “It’s complicated,” I whispered.
“Life is complicated, Scarlett. It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pursue your dreams. If you don’t, it will only make your life more complicated.”
I had to stop for a moment. That truth bomb blew my mind. I blinked several times, letting what he’d said sink in. He was right. But how did I tell my father? I leaned my head on Kane’s shoulder. “I’m going to become a forensic pathologist,” I manifested out loud.
Kane rubbed my back and kissed my head. “That’s my girl.”
I leaned away. If he wanted me to pursue all my dreams, he was part of them. “Kane, will I still be yours when I go back to school next month?” my voice trembled.
He tilted his head while caressing my cheek. “Is that what you want?” he asked nervously.
“Yes,” I said with every ounce of hope in me.
“We’ll make it work somehow, then.”
I let out a sigh of relief.
He cupped my face with his hands and pressed his lips to mine, as if to seal the deal. Before he parted my lips, he whispered against them, “Scarlett, you are a dream.”
If that was true, I hoped we never woke up.
He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not?
“Where did you go to school?” Naomi was playing Momma Bear and grilling Kane, though her tone had no bite to it at all.
I was happy to finally introduce Kane to Naomi over lunch at a little bistro near Naomi’s office. Between Kane’s travel schedule and Naomi’s huge case, it hadn’t worked out until today.
Kane set down his glass of ice water with a smile full of charm. “Undergrad was Georgia State. I received my MBA at Emory.”
Naomi’s left brow raised. “Impressive. Though the important question is if you like Celtic music?” She smiled.
My unusual taste in music came straight from Naomi. We’d been to see Celtic Woman in concert many times, even flying across the country to catch one of their shows.
Kane chuckled deeply. “I’m acquiring a taste for it.” That was his way of saying he tolerated it.
Naomi threw her napkin onto the table. “Well, you have my seal of approval.” She winked at me.
Kane honestly looked relieved. I’d told him Naomi was going to love him. But, he worried because Auggie didn’t appreciate our relationship. Auggie had gone as far as having Eva remind Kane that I was young, and an unexpected pregnancy right now would derail my life. Kane hadn’t taken too kindly to it and had told Eva if I did have his child, he’d count himself a lucky man. While that was sweet and it gave me hope that Kane was falling in love with me, it only fanned the flames. Though I couldn’t blame Kane for not dispelling the truth about our nonexistent sex life. That was between us. Kane hadn’t spoken to his mother since.
It hurt that Auggie didn’t know me well enough to know that I knew I wasn’t ready to become a mother or a wife, and that he didn’t think I was capable enough to keep from screwing up my future. Truthfully, I’d never thought those options would be available to me until this summer. And while I found myself excited about those prospects, I wanted to go to med school and pursue my dreams. Dreams I hadn’t shared with Auggie yet. I’d been waiting for the right time. I just didn’t know when that would be. Though today I had other things to worry about. Kane was meeting with my father after our lunch. He said it was nothing to worry about, just business, but I was concerned. Kane didn’t directly report to my father. So, the one-on-one meeting seemed suspect. I was praying it truly was nothing. Kane was not only good at his job—he loved it. He’d just closed the most lucrative deal in Armstrong Labs’ history with that pharmaceutical company back East he’d been working with all summer. The office was all abuzz about it. Surely Auggie wouldn’t fire him after that. Right? Maybe he wanted to congratulate him personally. Sure.
