The Ride of Her Life (35 page)

The timing couldn’t be more perfect since he needed to tell Lilly he’d be leaving sooner than he planned. His stomach wadded in a tangle every time he thought about broaching the subject, but as tempted as he was to keep the news a secret, it wasn’t fair to her.

“Emily and Lilly should be out in a minute.” Carter patted a fussy baby Katie on his shoulder.

“Why can’t I go with you?” Levi looked up from the drawing he was making with his Crayola crayons.

“Hey, buddy,” Carter said, “you can’t leave me here all alone, surrounded by girls. Besides, as soon as I put Katie in her crib, I was hoping we could play ball.”

Nick squeezed the boy’s shoulder. “You’ll have more fun here with Uncle Carter than you will at some fancy restaurant and dance.”

Emily came out of the cottage first, but soon Lilly followed. Nick sucked in a breath as she glided down the stairs dressed in an ivory, lace-covered dinner gown. A matching satin sash accentuated her tiny waist, and her chestnut waves hung loosely about her shoulders, looking so soft he ached to touch them. The neckline plunged slightly, revealing her creamy skin.

“You’re absolutely stunning.”

Her cheeks filled with color, and she smiled. “Thank you.”

“You’re a lucky man, Nick.” Carter stood and glanced at Emily. “And so am I, of course.”

She playfully slapped his arm. “Lilly, don’t worry about your son. Carter’s needed a playmate for a couple of days now.”

Nick held out his arm. “Shall we?”

Slipping her hand into the crook of his elbow, Lilly glanced at Levi. “You be good for Aunt Emily.”

“I will, Mama.”

Emily waved. “Have fun. We’ll be fine here.”

The steak, so tender she could cut it with a butter knife, melted on Lilly’s tongue. Creamed potatoes and sprigs of asparagus rounded out the dinner at the Fish and Game Club’s restaurant.

“I don’t think a soul at the lake missed seeing us riding this evening.” Lilly took a drink from her water goblet, the cut-glass crystal pressing against her fingers. She turned the goblet a bit to the right and watched how it caught the light from the gas chandeliers. All around her, silverware clinked against plates, creating its own symphony.

“I hope word gets back to your former in-laws we were out parading about. I want Claude Hart to know we aren’t scared of him.” Nick speared another piece of steak.

“Speak for yourself.”

Nick locked his gaze with hers. “Lilly, I won’t let him bother you.”

“It’s not me I worry about. Besides, what about when you’re gone?” She bit her lip. “I’m sorry. We promised not to talk about that tonight.”

Nick blotted his lips with his napkin. “We will discuss it later. I promise. But right now, we’ve got a ball to get to.”

“We’re going to the ball at the Kursaal? But . . .”

He took a drink from his water glass. “You do know how to dance, don’t you?”

“Of course I do. Who do you think had to practice with Marguerite all those years? It’s just that—” She dropped her gaze and pushed a sprig of asparagus around her plate.

“What?”

“People who work at the lake don’t associate with those who are here for entertainment. It’s an unwritten rule.”

“But it was Mr. Nash, the park manager, who suggested I go, and I work here.”

She dabbed her mouth with her napkin and folded it beside her plate. “Nick, you’re practically famous around here. Don’t you know people all over town are talking about you and your roller coaster?”

He took out his wallet and placed several bills on the table. Then he stood and held out his hand to Lilly. “Well, this famous fellow wants to take his girl to the dance at the Kursaal.”

One look into his determined eyes told her arguing would be useless.

Within a few minutes, they’d walked the short distance to the brightly lit pavilion. Upstairs in the Kursaal, Nick swept her into his arms and onto the dance floor. Dance after dance, they whirled and laughed. So much time with one partner was scandalous, and a Midway cook dancing at one of the Kursaal’s balls would be the talk of the lake tomorrow. But for once in her life, Lilly didn’t care.

Tomorrow she would.

But not tonight.

Bearing two lemon ices, Nick zigzagged through the crowd, searching for Lilly. Perhaps she wasn’t back from freshening up yet.

“Nick?”

He turned to find Ruby, resplendent in a beaded gold gown. “Good evening, Ruby.”

“Where is your dance partner?” She licked her lips.

He nodded toward the second lemon ice. “She said she wanted to freshen up while I got these.”

“Hmmm. I don’t see her anywhere. Maybe you could put those down and dance with me. Once? For old times’ sake?”

Her forwardness caught him off guard. “I—I don’t think so. I think I see Lilly. If you’ll excuse me.” After bowing slightly, he made a hasty departure.

Lilly accepted the lemon ice. “Was that Ruby you were speaking to?”

“Yes. She wanted to dance.” He frowned.

“It would’ve been fine.” Lilly dipped her spoon into the cold mixture.

“It might have been fine with you, but it wasn’t with me,” he snapped. “I’m sorry. Ruby unnerves me. All this bringing up the ‘old days.’ I don’t want to remember the old days. It took me years to forget them.”

“I think she’s lonely.”

“Then she can find some other man to ease her loneliness, or get a puppy.” He took her empty glass and set it along with his own on one of the waiters’ trays. “And now I’d like to dance one more time with the most beautiful woman at the ball.”

“Marguerite already left.”

He gave her a teasing grin. “Too bad. I guess I have to settle for you then.” He leaned close and pressed his lips to her ear. “And by the way, Marguerite is nothing compared to you.”

The skin on her neck prickled beneath his warm breath. “Don’t let her hear that.”

“No peeking.” Lilly glanced at Nick through the bush a quarter mile from the Kursaal. The darkness made maneuvering difficult.

“I wouldn’t dare.” Nick chuckled.

She rolled one silk stocking over her calf and tugged on the stocking’s toe. How had he convinced her to do this? She should be heading home to her son. “I can’t believe you talked me into wading with you.”

“It was as hot as soup in there.” Nick rolled up his pant legs. “Besides, it’s a beautiful night. Look at those stars.”

She glanced skyward. Stars winked against an ebony curtain. A full moon cast a silvery glow on the lake while a soft breeze blew the tendrils of hair framing her face. She brushed them away and took a deep breath. Everything smelled fresh and alive. Hiking up the hem of her dress, she eased from her spot behind the bush and stepped onto the sand. The surface was still warm from the day’s sun, but as she stepped, the cooler sand oozed between her toes. She dipped one foot into the water and winced. “It’s really chilly.”

“It’ll feel good.” Nick joined her and took her elbow. “On three. One, two—”

Before he got to three, he nudged her into the water. She sucked in a breath. “You can’t count, and this is cold.”

“I thought you were a hardy Iowa girl.”

“I am—in the summer, but this is late spring, and the water’s not had a chance to get warm yet.” She shivered. If she stood still any longer, she’d have frostbite.

“Can’t you handle it?”

She heard the dare in his voice. He flicked water from his fingers toward her.

“What do you think?” She cupped a handful of water and splashed it in Nick’s face. “Did that cool you off?”

He bent and scooped her into his arms. When he spoke, his voice was husky. “Nothing you do cools me off.”

“Nick—”

“But for splashing me, I should dunk you.”

“No!” she squealed and held him tighter. “I can’t go back to Emily’s soaking wet again.”

“You could tell her a rogue elephant got you.” He laughed and feigned tossing her in.

She giggled. “That only works once in a lifetime. You should put me down. Nicely. Like the gentleman I know you are.”

“Ah, but remember, I’m a pirate.”

She couldn’t see his face clearly, but she could imagine his pirate grin.

“Aargh, and what if I don’t want to?”

“We all have to do things we don’t want to.”

With a sigh, he lowered her feet onto the sand but kept his hands on her waist. He tugged her toward him. She placed her hands on his chest, so warm, so inviting. The cold lake water lapped at her feet. The bottom of her dress would be wet now, but it didn’t matter.

Nick cupped her cheek. “I don’t want to tell you this.”

“Tell me what?”

“I have to leave sooner than I planned. Mr. Ingersoll needs me in Kansas City after the Fourth of July.”

The breath whooshed from her lungs, and hot tears filled her eyes. “That only gives us a little less than a month.”

He pressed his forehead to hers. “I know.”

“A month.” Beneath her hand, his heartbeat quickened. The tears trailed down her cheeks in the darkness. “Maybe it would be easier to say goodbye now.”

“No.” He thumbed away one of the tears. “No. This is not the end. I know you’re not ready to promise me a future. I understand that. But I’ve got a month to change your mind, and I plan to use every second. Starting now.”

Before she could say another word, he covered her lips with his own in a kiss full of promise. The kiss deepened, and her heart and soul answered.

Oh, Lord, how am I going to let him go?

34

Cradling her sleeping boy after he’d been awakened by a nightmare, Lilly brushed the hair from his forehead. She held his chubby hand, still soft with baby fat, and pressed a kiss to his fingertips.

She held her whole world.

Her heart snagged.
Not anymore.

Somehow Nick Perrin had broken down her walls and taken up residence. And every time she was with him, her whole life seemed to be on one of his roller coasters. He made her feel twists and turns and dips and rushes that no one ever had.

Including Ben.

She looked down at her sandy-haired son, so like his father. Her love for Ben had been a sweet, steady love. Her love for Nick was a thrill-a-minute love. Yet could she really count on him in the long haul? They hadn’t known each other but such a short time. How could she not believe that at the end of this month, he would go and she’d never hear from him again?

Easing Levi back into his bed, she sighed. What if she’d made a mistake letting Nick into their lives?

She drew the cover to Levi’s shoulders and kissed his cheek.
Lord, keep my baby safe. Don’t let him suffer because of my choices. He’s all I have left.