“Only if it’s you.” He laced his fingers through hers. “Take that risk with me. I love you, Maizie. You are stubborn and feisty and easily the most beautiful girl in the world. You told me I’d regret the day I stepped onto the farm, but you were wrong, I’ve never been more grateful.”
That did it. Maizie cried, and he fell to her side, giving her the only hug he could right now.
She looked up, and he brushed away a tear.
“I’m still scared.”
“Me too,” he said. “We’ll just take it one day at a time. The only moment that matters is now.”
One day at a time. She could do that.
“I love you,” she said. “Thank you for coming to my farm.”
“I thought it was your dad’s farm.”
“Oh just shut up and kiss me.” she groaned.
“Yes, princess.” Christian gently tilted her head back and pressed his lips into hers. Taking it soft and slow. The future was always scary, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t worth living. And she was ready to start living.
The taste of his lips intoxicated her, and she kissed him until the hospital room disappeared. Until the pain disappeared. And all that was left was hope.
“I told you they’d be kissing.” Jayce’s voice broke them apart.
Christian stood up, his face turning beet red, and Maizie laughed.
“It wasn’t that hard to guess.” Grandma swatted him. “These two have a better love story than I could ever write.”
Christian relaxed and reached for her hand again, taking the seat beside her as everyone filtered into the room. Almost every one of her uncles, aunts, and cousins were here, and she felt the love each of them carried for her. There was no guarantee in life, but she liked the odds she had right here.
She pulled Christian closer. “Sorry about my family. They come as a package deal.”
“I love your family,” he said, planting a kiss on her cheek. The group hollered, and she blushed.
His smile sobered. “I’m sorry you won’t be able to dance for a while.”
She shook her head, surprisingly not upset by the news that she wouldn’t be dancing for months. “I finally found the perfect ending for my dance.”
“Really?” He looked sad, yet still hopeful for her. And with that one look, she knew he would never let her give up on herself.
“Yeah. You.” She kissed him on the lips despite the cheering from the crowd. “I have one more confession to make.”
“What’s that?” He asked.
She shook her head with a smile. “I did like you in that uniform. A lot.”
Christian grinned and leaned back. “Hey Dan, I’ll take you up on that offer!”
Epilogue
Five Years Later
Maizie breathed through the pain.
I can do this.
“5, 6, 7, 8.” She counted out to the girls in front of her. They moved, some of them in the wrong direction, but they did their best to follow her lead until the end of class.
“Thanks, girls,” she hollered out to the group of six-year-old dancers.
