The Merriest Magnolia (Magnolia Sisters #2) - Michelle Major Page 0,103

to throw herself into his arms.

She definitely couldn’t throw herself into his arms. Instead, she clenched her fists and kept a firm grip on her purse, like he was a potential mugger.

His mouth tugged up one side, but it wasn’t a smile of happiness.

Did he feel the loss of her in anywhere near the same way she missed him?

“Is Sam here, too?” she asked, hoping for some kind of a buffer in this moment.

Dylan shook his head. “He went with a friend to the trampoline place in Raleigh for the day.”

“Fun,” she said, wondering if the word sounded as lame to his ears at it did to hers.

“Actually, it sounds like torture, but he was excited,” Dylan said with a forced laugh.

“Why are we here?” she blurted. She gestured to the gallery window. “And why are the lights out inside? Lindy should have—”

“I sent Lindy home,” Dylan told her, running a nervous hand through his hair. “I needed to talk to you in private.”

“You don’t own the gallery,” she reminded him, her temper simmering. “You don’t get to give instructions to our employee.”

“Avery and Meredith actually approved it.”

“Excuse me?” Carrie took a step back. Her sisters had known about this? She couldn’t understand what was going on right now.

“I’m sorry,” Dylan said on a rush of breath. “For a lot of things. Right now I’m sorry that I’m messing up this moment. Will you come into the gallery with me?” He took a step toward the door, regret and something that looked like fear flashing in his gaze when she didn’t follow. “Please, Carrie.”

Oh, she would have words with her sisters about this.

She followed him into the space, somehow feeling like she was entering it for the first time. Then he flipped on the light to the main room, and her breath caught in her throat.

“What is this?” she asked, turning in a circle to take in the sheets of paper and poster board that covered all four walls.

“The future, I hope.” Dylan gently took her hand and led her forward. Carrie registered the warmth of his touch and the awareness pricked along her skin. But her heart was beating so hard in her chest she could hardly form a coherent thought.

“They’re drawings of the town,” she murmured, still trying to make sense of what she was viewing.

“What Magnolia could be,” Dylan clarified. “Or will be. I’m not going forward with my original plan, Carrie. You were right. This place is special already. I don’t need to create something new here.” He reached out and plucked one of the sheets of paper from the wall. “The community will decide what’s best for Magnolia and how to make its future a success.” He handed the paper to her. “Mayor Malcolm got the word out and asked for ideas about what people want to see as part of a revitalization.”

“Is this a water park?” she asked with a smile as she studied the drawing in her hand, done in colorful markers.

“That’s from Violet.” He indicated another, larger drawing that hung on the wall. “We also have suggestions for a performing art center, a new workout facility, an outdoor mall and affordable housing. And this is what’s come in over the past forty-eight hours.”

“Really?” Her heart was hammering so loud now she could barely form a thought around the pounding in her head. “People are that interested? I mean, I knew the business owners cared about making money and...” She shrugged. “I sometimes wondered if it meant more to me because of what my dad had let happen to the town.”

“It means a lot to the people around here,” he confirmed. “You mean a lot. You’ve gotten people thinking with hope about the future. All of your work has made them understand that Magnolia has a lot more potential than anyone gave it credit for.”

He tipped up her chin with one finger. “It’s made me understand that and so much more.”

“Oh, yeah?” She tried to sound casual, but the question came out on a squeak of breath. “Like what?”

“Like the fact that I love you more than I thought possible.” His voice caught on the last word and he cleared his throat, like he felt as nervous as she did. “I’m not sure I ever stopped loving you, Carrie. That first night when I saw you on the street, it was as if no time had passed between us. My heart understood why I’d returned to Magnolia even if it took my brain