The Merriest Magnolia (Magnolia Sisters #2) - Michelle Major Page 0,84
corner of the square.
Her lungs expanded and contracted as she gulped in air, trying to stem the rising tide of panic inside her.
“Why is the star of the show not center stage?”
Dylan approached with a smile that faded when he took in her expression. “What’s wrong?”
“Have you been to the gallery?” she demanded.
“Yeah,” he answered slowly. “You’re the talk of the festival.”
“It was a mistake,” she whispered. “A horrible mistake.”
“What do you mean?” He reached out a hand, but she shrugged away from him. She already felt ready to explode out of her skin. The heat of Dylan’s touch might push her over the edge.
“I’m a novelty, a curiosity. Niall Reed’s wannabe artist daughter.” She threw up her hands, the residual paint stains around her fingertips making her want to cry with frustration. “Just like he always told me.”
“Stop. You know that’s not true, Carrie. You have talent. More than your father ever did. He knew it, too.”
“It doesn’t matter.” She gestured to the crowded park. “In Magnolia I’m always going to be dwarfed by both the good and bad of his reputation. Everything I do will be measured against him. I don’t want that.” Why couldn’t she move beyond the doubts and fears of her past and stop letting Niall Reed define her and her worth?
“Then change it.” A muscle ticked in his jaw. “Trust me, I know all about living down the past. You’re way tougher than me and people around here love you.”
This was her home. It had always been home to her, even when she’d thought of leaving. But how could she claim her life when the ghost of her father seemed to haunt her at every turn? She could no longer even make herself drive by the house where she’d grown up. It was one thing to be trying to fix her mistakes, but would she truly be able to build a life where her own light could shine?
“I don’t know if I can.” She hated to admit it, even to herself. But somehow with Dylan she couldn’t deny the truth.
“You won’t know until you try,” he said softly and laced his fingers with hers, not letting her pull away this time. “Neither of us will. What do you say we try together?”
“Together?”
“Go roller skating with me.”
She laughed. “Seriously? You just invited me roller skating?”
“I did.” He tugged her closer, his eyes clear and kind. “I’m going to request the cheesiest love song they have, and I want to hold your hand as we skate around that rink with all of Magnolia watching.” His lips grazed across the sensitive flesh of her earlobe. “I might even steal a kiss.”
“Oh.” Roller skating might seem like a trivial thing, but Carrie understood the magnitude of it. They’d be outing themselves as a couple.
Were they a couple?
She should deny it. No matter how he made her body feel and what her heart craved, she and Dylan wanted different things from life and for Magnolia. That hadn’t changed.
Being together in the quiet of night or in private moments was one thing. Allowing herself to be claimed by him publicly and claiming him in return would set tongues wagging even more than the response to hanging her paintings in the gallery.
She hadn’t even admitted the truth of her feelings for Dylan to her sisters.
His blue eyes went from confident to cautious as he watched her. She guessed the vulnerability in his gaze was also reflected in hers. What was the point of denying her feelings?
She’d fallen for Dylan again. Or maybe she’d never really let their love die in the first place. She might not be ready to say the words out loud, but she was willing to take a risk.
“You won’t let me fall?” she asked, squeezing his hand.
His breath released in a shallow whoosh, like he’d been holding it waiting for her answer. Like her response really mattered.
She wanted to matter to this man, the way he did to her.
He grinned, the way he used to when he was dragging her into some crazy adventure. “I haven’t been on roller skates since before I hit puberty.” His lips brushed against hers gently, both an expression of gratitude and a promise of things to come. “No promises I won’t be the one to fall. But I’ll catch you if we go down.”
“It’s a deal,” she told him, understanding the truth of those words. She’d spent far too long avoiding uncertainty because of her fear. So what if she landed