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Zane cleared his throat. “Dance with me.” It wasn’t a question, but she nodded in agreement taking his hand as he led her out to the dance floor. Little Bitty by Alan Jackson was playing and he swept he into his arms for a Texas Two Step around the floor. Maggie was amazed at his ability to twirl her around the floor. She hung on and laughed as they went round and round. She always felt so free around him, like she could put herself in his arms and let him make everything in her life right. Soon the quick song was over and Zane pulled her close when strains of Unbroken by Tim McGraw started to play.
“Where did you learn to dance like that?” Maggie asked as she snuggled closer to him. “I know they aren’t doing the Texas Two Step in Maryland.”
Zane smiled down at her as they swayed to the music. “You forget, I’ve been in Dallas almost ten years now. Learning to two step is a requirement to stay in the state,” he joked. “I didn’t want to leave, so I had to learn.”
His large warm hand landed on the small of her back and pulled her even tighter to him. She wrapped an arm around his neck and lay her cheek next to his heart as she listened to the words of the song talking about the power of love to put a person’s heart back together again. That’s how she felt with Zane – like she had been broken and alone but his love had put her back together and set her heart free. Her lips found the small area of exposed skin where his shirt was unbuttoned and placed a tender kiss there trying to impart the emotion she felt into the tiny gesture. She felt him shudder at the touch and pull her even closer to him.
When the song ended, he stepped back and took her face in his hands. “I love you, Maggie,” he said tenderly. She could barely hear him over the music but she felt his words run over her body like a warm, summer shower and her heart felt like it might burst. She smiled up at him. “I love you, too.”
They stood there staring at each other, oblivious to the sea of people dancing around them until the music stopped and an announcement was made that Morgan Wallen would be taking the stage in five minutes. Zane took Maggie’s hand and wound their way to the front of the stage to get ready for the performance.
“I’m going to run to the ladies’ room before the show starts,” Maggie announced.
“I’ll come with you. It’s so crowded, I don’t want you to get trampled,” Zane said, concerned.
“Don’t be silly! It’s just right over there. We’ll lose our perfect spot if you leave. I’ll be fine,” Maggie assured him.
Zane didn’t like it, but he didn’t want to go too caveman on her like she accused her brother of being. She was a grown woman after all. “OK, I’ll stay but, please Maggie, be careful. There are a lot of drunk cowboys here tonight.”
She gave him a quick kiss. “I promise.”
He quickly lost sight of her petite frame in the crowd but continued to stare in the direction she went, his eyes searching for the top of her head. Instead of her chestnut locks, however, he thought he saw a familiar blonde hairdo making its way to the hallway where Maggie was headed. Surely it couldn’t be who he thought it was. I’m just being paranoid.
He hadn’t had a glimpse of Shawna since that day in the hospital cafeteria and the police had said she'd disappeared. Not to mention, she hated country music. There’d be no reason for her to be here. He gave up searching and returned his gaze to the stage where roadies were setting up instruments, mikes and speakers for the show to start. He looked at his watch. Maggie had been gone ten minutes already. He knew lines to the ladies’ room were always long but he was fighting down a growing anxiety gnawing at his gut. It was telling him something was off. He looked at the opening to the hallway again. Ten more minutes passed and he stand to wait any longer. He left their prime spaces at the front of the stage, despite Maggie’s entreaty, and started for the bathrooms.
He fought his way through the sea of people going in the opposite direction, his panic rising. He didn’t know what had set him off, but he had learned to listen to his instincts over the years whether they seemed logical or not. He had almost made it to the hallway, when he saw the blonde, curly head again, this time moving toward the front doors. The woman looked briefly over her shoulder and gave a little smirk when she met his eye. He only saw her for a second, but he saw her clearly. It was Shawna. His heart raced as he pushed people out of his way, ignoring the indignant cries of the concert goers who were between him and the bathroom doors. When he finally arrived, he pushed open the women’s room door without a second’s hesitation. He forgot how to breathe when he saw Maggie on the bathroom floor.
