Chapter Ten
Kelsey was having a blast dancing with Quinn. The man could move and had her nearly dizzy with the fun of it all. Of course, the tequila might’ve added to her good spirits. Quinn spun her around and then dipped her suddenly over his knee before slowly pulling her back up and gazing into her eyes. She was breathless, caught up in the expert way he moved on the dance floor. She’d never had such a good dance partner before. She opened her mouth to tell him so when a large hand grabbed Quinn by the collar and yanked him away.
“Nick!” Kelsey exclaimed. “Let go of him!”
Nick was in Quinn’s face, still gripping Quinn’s shirt. “Back off,” Nick growled.
Quinn simply stared, showing no fear. He’d known Nick for years, and maybe that meant he knew Nick wouldn’t actually kick his ass.
“Nick?” she asked.
He spared her a quick glance. “What?”
“You interrupted our dance. You’ll have to wait your turn.” She pulled Quinn back to her, and he took the lead again, two-stepping away from Nick.
“What the hell!” Nick yelled.
“And you have to ask nicely,” she called over her shoulder before Quinn shifted her away.
“Told you,” Quinn said with a sigh.
He had. He’d told her Nick would follow her here, though she’d seriously doubted it with the beautiful Tara all over him. Quinn even predicted that Nick would try to cut in on their dance. As Quinn explained, Tara was a football groupie, and Nick had seen her true colors months ago. Still, she was kinda happy to see Nick jealous. That meant he cared.
The door to the Come Again banged open. “Handsy!” Tara shouted, drawing everyone’s attention.
Nick went to her, and Tara pulled him onto the dance floor and pressed herself against him. And now Kelsey was jealous. Which she was less happy about. Nick was trying to push Tara away, but the woman clung to him.
Quinn chuckled. “We should trade partners.”
“You’re too good for her,” Kelsey spat.
“No, I’m not,” Quinn replied darkly. Her eyes snapped to his. She read pain there, and then just as quickly his expression shuttered closed.
“All right,” Kelsey said. “Dance me over there.”
He did. They stopped next to Nick and Tara on the edge of the dance floor. Nick had managed to put some space between them.
Quinn made an elaborate sweeping bow in front of Tara before singing in a deep bass voice, “May I have this dance?”
Tara’s jaw dropped.
Quinn grinned and took her hand.
“No, wait,” Tara said, grabbing for Nick, but he’d already stepped away.
Kelsey turned and walked to the far side of the dance floor away from Tara and Quinn. Nick followed and pulled her into his arms.
“Dance,” she told him.
He moved, barely. “We need to talk.”
“We need to dance,” she said. She was not in the mood to hear Nick explain why he’d dissed Kelsey, not even acknowledging she was his girlfriend.
He moved a little more, almost reluctantly, so she took the lead just like Quinn had. He had no choice but to keep up. She saw Tara sail by with Quinn leading her in a fast-paced dance with lots of spins and dips.
Finally the song ended, changing to a slow country song about love lost. Nick pulled her in close and whispered in her ear, “I’m not with Tara, and I never will be.”
“Why’d you let her kiss you?”
“She surprised me.”
She glanced over to see Tara was now sitting at the bar with Quinn. Tara was watching Nick while Quinn watched Tara.
“She wants you back,” Kelsey said.
“She can’t have me.”
“You totally bailed on me,” she said. Suddenly she wasn’t in the mood for dancing. She pulled out of his arms.
“You’re the one who walked away,” Nick said. “Then I see you with Quinn.”
“It was a dance,” she snapped. “He’s my friend. And I thought I was your girlfriend and then all you have to say is we’ve only been together for a week.”
He threw his hands up. “We have only been together for a week!”
Heads turned, looking at them curiously.
“Whatever,” she muttered. She stalked off, snagged her purse from where she’d left it by her stool at the bar, and sailed out the door.
“Get back here!” Nick demanded, following her out the door.
“You can’t leave me in this hick bar!” Tara hollered, following him out the door.
Quinn followed Tara.
Great.
The four of them just stood there in the quiet parking lot for a moment. Nick looked to Kelsey, who looked to Quinn, who looked to Tara.
Tara put her hands on her hips and looked back at Quinn. “And what do you do?”
Quinn stiffened. “Wh-what do you th-think I do?” At the reappearance of his stutter, Kelsey went to his side in support.
Tara’s lip curled. “Wh-what do you th-think I do?” she mimicked. “Nice stutter.”
“Tara!” Nick exclaimed.
Quinn’s blank stare back at Tara was unnerving. Like he’d checked out.
Kelsey wedged herself between Tara and Quinn and glared at Tara. “I don’t like the way you’re talking to my friend.”
“And I don’t like you, freak,” Tara spat. She grabbed Kelsey by the hair.
“Ah!” Kelsey screamed. It felt like Tara was pulling her hair out by the roots.
Nick grabbed Tara’s fingers and peeled her off. Tara lunged again and Nick had to hold her back, wrapping his arms around her from behind. Tara gave Kelsey a little victory smile. Bitch.
“Ladies,” Quinn sang, “no need to fight over me. My heart’s taken.” And with that, he strolled off into the night, whistling.
Nick shoved Tara away. “I never want to see you again.”
Tara looked shocked. “What? Just because that guy had a stutter? I love you!”
“I don’t love you,” Nick said.
“Yes, you do! You did. I know you could again!”
Even Kelsey cringed at how pathetic Tara sounded.
“It’s over,” Nick said harshly.
“Because of her?” Tara spat.
“Because of you,” Nick said.
Tara sucked in a breath. She glared at Kelsey and then turned to Nick. “Your loss! You’re nothing! I heard how you screwed up tryouts. I’m sure you’ll screw up training camp too. So you can just go to hell.”
She stomped away and suddenly veered to the side as one of her heels broke in the hard rutted country road. She yanked both heels off, turned, and threw them at Nick’s head.
He ducked just in time. Then she stomped off—barefoot and bitchy.
Nick turned to Kelsey. “Now can we talk?”
“Yeah,” she said. “Over here.” She led him a short walk away to the closed liquor store next door.
They settled side by side on the front step, silent for a moment. Kelsey still had a bad feeling in her gut. Finally she broke the silence. “Is this the part where you tell me it’s been fun, but we can’t see each other anymore?”
“I don’t want to hurt you,” Nick said. Which meant he planned on doing exactly that. She could read between the lines. She sighed. He had warned her right from the beginning that he didn’t want to hurt her. Maybe she should’ve taken that as a big sign that he would.
“Just say it,” she said.
“I need to focus one hundred percent on football.”
“So football players can’t have girlfriends?” She knew that wasn’t true. The proof had just walked away spitting mad moments ago.
“No, I can’t have a girlfriend. It’s not you. I’m not going to be with anybody.”
Her gut twisted painfully. He’d said he loved her. Why would that change just because he got a call to go to training camp? She glanced over at him staring straight ahead, elbows on his knees, and suddenly she knew. He’d only wanted her when he couldn’t have football. She was a consolation prize. And now that he had what he really wanted, he was dumping her. She’d thought he was different. She thought for once she came first for someone.
“Why’re you doing this?” she asked. She wanted to hear him say it. To admit that she was a placeholder until something better came along. Second best.
“It’s nothing personal,” Nick said quietly.
She stood and glared down at him. “At least you can be honest with me! Don’t I deserve that much?”
“I am being honest. I need to give one hundred percent to football. You knew that’s who I was.”
“I thought you were more than that.”
He didn’t reply.
“I deserve better than this,” she told him, drawing on the last shred of pride she had before she completely broke down.
“You do,” he said easily. “You deserve the best, Kelsey. I’m sorry.”
She bit back the scream of frustration she wanted to let out. “Bye.”
“Bye.”
He didn’t move, so she did, one foot in front of the other like a robot. She felt like a robot, dead inside. Because Nick was holding her crushed and bloody heart in his hands.
~ ~ ~
Nick thought for sure he’d done the right thing ending things with Kelsey, but here it was Monday morning, he was about to leave Sapphire Falls and Kelsey for good, and he felt like shit. His uncle wasn’t sympathetic. Quinn had spilled all the gory details of what had happened at the bar to his uncle, and Uncle Todd was definitely on Kelsey’s side. So much so that he tortured Nick for a good hour this morning, showing him the stunning website that Kelsey had created for them. There was a montage of pictures of his carnie family in action that got him choked up. Somehow she’d captured how they really were, beyond their sometimes odd appearances and quirky personalities. They looked fun, loving, like they were putting on the best show on earth for whoever hired them. It was amazing, a work of art, really.
“Well, Nicky,” Uncle Todd said, “we’re pulling out in an hour. Last chance to bring her along.”
Nick gritted his teeth. They’d talked about this. There was no point in bringing Kelsey along for the next six weeks of carnival because they’d have to say goodbye all over again when he went to training camp. It was easier to end things now. Though he had to admit the past four days had been hell. He’d catch glimpses of her as she took pictures around town and during the festival. Every time she caught him looking, she’d turn away, chin in the air. She was pissed. Rightfully so. That was good. It would make it easier for her to move on. He’d rather have her mad than sobbing over him.
“She’s mad at me,” Nick said. “Even if I asked her, she’d probably spit in my eye.”
Uncle Todd slapped Nick on the shoulder. “She might be mad, but that doesn’t mean she hates you.”
Nick’s shoulders slumped. “She should.”
“Shoulda, coulda, woulda,” Uncle Todd said in a singsong voice. He pulled out his cell and checked it. “I told you she wasn’t like Scarlett.” Again with the Gone with the Wind reference to his ex.
“Tara,” Nick said through his teeth.
“Kelsey doesn’t hold a grudge.” His uncle held up his cell phone screen to show him a picture. “This is how she sees you, and I don’t see a football in that picture, do you?”
The picture was Nick wearing a rainbow clown wig, cheeks blown out as he made a balloon animal for a five-year-old girl with pigtails while younger kids looked on in wonder. Above the picture, Kelsey had typed, My favorite picture of him. Thought you might like to have it.
He stared at it. Why would this be Kelsey’s favorite picture of him? She didn’t even like clowns. Of course, he wasn’t wearing clown makeup. He wore his regular clothes, but he’d added the wig at the last minute when he took over for his uncle on break. He turned to his uncle. “I don’t get it. She doesn’t like clowns.”
His uncle socked his shoulder. Hard. “She sees how you really are! On the inside where it fucking counts. Your heart, Nick!”
The truth hit him like a hard tackle—Kelsey loved him with or without football. And he had to do the same. He had heart. That was what made him a good football player, and that was what made him fall hard for Kelsey. It wasn’t about one hundred percent focus on football. To be the best he could be, he had to juggle career and the people he loved. He needed both to keep his heart full. It was a risk. But Kelsey was worth it.
“She’s at city hall, presenting the website to the tourism lady,” his uncle said.
Nick leapt to his feet, headed to the door, and stopped, hand on the knob. “Thanks,” he said over his shoulder. “I owe you one.”
“Meh. It was nothing. Just make sure you name your firstborn after me.” Uncle Todd winked.
Nick barked out a laugh and raced out the door and across the square to city hall. He took the steps two at a time and burst inside, looking around wildly for where she could be. He found a small directory labeling the few rooms, strode down the hall and burst in.
“Nick!” Kelsey exclaimed. She wore the beautiful dress with the lacey top and the bright bandanas that she’d made herself. The one that told him she was unique and special—his beautiful magical goddess. He pulled her right out of her seat and hugged her.
“Excuse me,” an authoritative female voice said from behind the other side of the desk. “We’re in the middle of a presentation.”
“I’m sorry,” Nick said to the other woman. “But this is important. I need to give her a big apology and beg her to come back to me.”
Kelsey’s eyes widened. “Can I have a minute, Hailey?”
“Is it true love?” Hailey asked in a haughty voice, but a hint of a smile played over her lips. “Because that’s the only interruption I’ll accept.”
Kelsey turned to Nick, a question in her eyes. He never wanted her to have another minute’s doubt about that. “Yes, it is,” he said, never taking his eyes off Kelsey.
Hailey patted Nick’s shoulder. “Go for it. You have fifteen minutes.” She sailed out the door.
Nick turned to Kelsey. “I love you.”
She blinked.
He barreled on, needing to get it all out. “I’m an idiot. I never should’ve let you go. I’m sorry. Big time sorry. And I might have nothing to my name, or I might have a lot to my name, and if you’re okay with that, I’d love for you to come with me. You can do your photography stuff. You’re so talented, I can’t even believe how good; we’ve got to get your work shown in art exhibits…I’m rambling. I love you and want to be with you. I know I said I need to be one hundred percent football, but what I really need is to be one hundred percent you.” He felt like he’d just run up and down the bleachers a hundred times. Breathless and buzzed with adrenaline.
She slapped a hand over her mouth, blinking rapidly.
He sucked in air. Was it too late?
“Kelsey, please say something.”
~ ~ ~
The lump in Kelsey’s throat made it difficult to speak. Nick was making her his priority over football, his dream career? He was putting her first? No one had ever put her first.
Nick shoved a hand in his hair. “Tell me to get lost, or tell me—”
“I’m your first choice?” she asked in a small voice.
He grabbed her hands and squeezed gently. “You’ll always be first in my heart.”
Her lower lip trembled. She didn’t want to cry. This was a good thing. It was just so overwhelming to be first in someone’s heart. She threw herself in his arms.
His arms wrapped tightly around her, and he kissed her hair. “I thought I’d lost you,” he said. “I’m so glad you don’t hold a grudge.”
She squeezed him around the middle and then wiped her eyes. “Does this mean I get to be a carnie for a while? Your uncle invited me before.”
He pushed a lock of hair behind her ear. “Thank God for Uncle Todd. He said we can have our own trailer. The folk metal cowboy left for a folk metal band.”
“He did? Wow. And then you’ll go to training camp?”
“Yes, in August. And I want you there too.”
“And then…” She waited for him to fill in the Mad Libs sentence with something gloriously romantic.
He stroked her cheek. “If I get a contract, you can travel with me. You did say you wanted to see more of the country. You could take pictures the whole way. I’ll have more than enough money for both of us.” That did sound romantic, but—
“And if you don’t get a contract?”
“Then we’ll come up with a plan B together.”
She melted. She really liked the sound of that.
He kissed her tenderly. “I love you so much. I’m sorry I fumbled this. From here on out, we’re a team.”
She beamed. It still felt like a miracle to her that they’d found each other.
“I love you so much too!” she exclaimed before wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him with all the love in her heart. He deepened the kiss, and she lost herself. There was nothing but heat and passion and true love. Happiness bubbled up inside her, filling her with exuberant energy.
She broke the kiss. “Hold that thought.”
She pulled away to an open area across the room and did her happy dance, a chorus of stamping feet and then arms in the air, leaping for joy. Once, twice, three times. He laughed.
“I had to!” she exclaimed. “You made one of my dreams come true!”
He cocked his head. “Taking pictures around the country?”
“Oh, that’s two. I was going to say being a carnie.”
“Don’t forget the third one. Me.”
She ran and leaped into his arms, wrapping her arms and legs around him tightly. Then she grabbed his head and peppered him with kisses. “Yes, you, Nick. Always you.”
“You’re my dream. Always you.”
His lips met hers and things heated quickly. He turned and pressed her against the wall, his hard planes against her softness, making her throb with need. She remembered all too well the last time he’d taken her against the wall. She moaned as he pressed against her through her thin dress.
Someone knocked on the door and then it swung open. “You’ll have to take your true love to a more private location,” Hailey announced.
Nick grabbed her hand and they ran out the door, laughing, ready for the next part of their lives. Together.