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Grasping my shoulder, he said, “You’re a good man and have nothing to be ashamed of. Wherever this takes you and my daughter, I’d be proud to have you in her life.”
I stood there in shock even after he stepped away.
After everything I’d said, I wouldn’t have expected that reaction from any dad, let alone Maci’s. Her brothers had clearly gotten their overly protective, intimidating side from him.
When Maci grabbed my hand, I looked down to see her smiling softly at me. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“Coming back for me.”
Curling my hand around her neck, I tipped her head back and leaned close. Keeping my voice low and hoping she understood that I meant every word when I said, “I’m sorry I ever walked away from you. I swear to you, it’ll never happen again.”
When she nodded, I pressed my mouth to hers and savored every second of her lips against mine until her dad grumbled, “Checking your rooms tonight.”
Maci laughed and stole another quick kiss when I pulled away from her. Her eyes bright with amusement when she said, “I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Good night, Maci Price,” I whispered and felt my pulse go wild at the smile that tugged at her mouth in response.
Once she and Amber had gone downstairs and everyone else began dispersing throughout the cabin, I glanced over to see Dakota and Dylan watching me, clearly unhappy with how the night had gone.
Holding back a sigh, I went downstairs as well and headed to the room I usually occupied. A smile of my own twitching at the corner of my mouth when I heard Maci and Amber’s excited voices as I passed Maci’s room.
This year, there would be no looking to the side to see where she was because I was just used to her being there. There would be no watching her sneak out and waiting for when she returned because I just needed to make sure my best friends’ little sister made it back safely.
She would be there. She was mine.
And now, everyone knew.
* * *
After the restless nights I’d been having, sleep should’ve come easily now that my world was righting. But I wasn’t sure my body would fully relax until I had Maci in my arms again. So when my door clicked open hours later, my gaze snapped that way and my lips twitched into the beginnings of a smile when I saw that girl slipping into my room and hurrying to shut and lock the door behind her.
“Your dad is going to kill me if he finds you in here,” I murmured as she crossed the room.
A hushed scoff left her as I reached for her and pulled her onto the bed beside me. “He hasn’t checked on us once. He’s also snoring loud enough that I doubt he’ll be up any time soon.”
“Dakota,” I reminded her, pointing at the wall behind me.
“The twins left and haven’t come back yet. Besides,” she went on as she moved so she was straddling me, “I need to know that wasn’t a dream and that you’re actually here.”
“Mace, I’m here,” I assured her, my heart twisting at the waver and uncertainty in her voice—uncertainty I’d given her.
Her head bobbed subtly before shaking. “I need to hear you say it again.”
I curled a hand around the back of her neck and pulled her close, searching her glassy stare when I asked, “Hear what—that you own me? That I love you? That I’m a fucking idiot for ever thinking I could live without you, even if it was what’s best for you?”
When a tear slipped down her cheek, I used my free hand to wipe it away and studied the clash of emotions on her beautiful face.
The disbelief and joy. The love and echo of pain.
“I’m so damn sorry, Maci,” I whispered. “I’m sorry for lying to you and pushing you away. I’m sorry for ever making you cry and for taking so long to realize what you mean to me. I swear I’ll spend the next seventy years making up for all the time with you I’ve lost.”
“Seventy?” she asked, her voice thick with emotion even though she was smiling. “You think we’ll last that long?”
“I know we will.”
“We drive each other crazy,” she tossed out casually, prompting a smile from me.
