Sixteen Steps to Fall in Love

by Liz Isaacson

  And yet, he did. Nicole had called four times by the time he checked his phone, and he sank onto a bench in the park and took a deep breath before dialing her back.

  She answered on the first ring with, “You moved?” She didn’t sound angry, but her voice was definitely in the squeaky range.

  His stomach twisted. “Last time I checked, I didn’t have to run anything past you before doing it.”

  “Where are you?”

  “It’s almost the marathon.”

  “So you’re in Amarillo.”

  “Yes, Nicole, I’m in Amarillo.” A flash of her tossing his dyslexia in his face scurried through his mind. “You had to call four times to confirm that? I’ve been telling you about the marathon for eight straight months.” His anger bubbled and all the things he’d wanted to say—all the horrible, hurtful things he’d wanted to say—surged to the tip of his tongue. “You know, it wasn’t my fault what happened at the Christmas program. You rehearsed the songs for weeks and weeks. You’re a beautiful singer, and maybe I should’ve stayed in my seat, but I didn’t. I can’t change that I didn’t, but it still wasn’t my fault you couldn’t sing.”

  A pause made his skin crawl, and combined with Leia pulling on her leash, Boone got to his feet. “I don’t have time for this, Nicole. We broke up—an event where you didn’t say a single word. I don’t owe you any more explanations.”

  He hung up before she could say anything. Boone glanced around the park, but no one seemed as unhappy as he was. Couples strolled hand in hand, and no one glanced his way. He felt invisible, alone, with this pain in his chest where his heart should be.

  He swiped on his phone and made another call, but this time when the woman picked up, she said, “Boone, my sweet son, how are you?”

  A smile stole across his face. “Hey, Mom. How’s everyone?”

  She trilled out a laugh. “Everyone’s fine. The marathon is this weekend, right?”

  She knew. Boone barely spoke with his parents and yet his mother knew about the marathon. He walked slowly toward the apartment building, his dogs coming along with him obediently.

  “This weekend,” he confirmed.

  “And we’ll be able to see the finish line online?”

  “That’s right, Mom.” Fondness filled him, and he wondered if he really belonged in Amarillo. He glanced up into the sky, trying to listen to his emotions, his gut feelings, and God.

  And he knew: He didn’t belong in Amarillo.

  Problem was, he didn’t know where he belonged.

  The week passed and Boone devoted every moment to his training, his marathon diet, and his dogs. He wasn’t starting at the new animal hospital for another week, and he’d considered returning to his family’s ranch for a visit. Just to see how he felt when he went home, find out if he was supposed to be there instead of here.

  Nicole hadn’t called again, thankfully. Boone didn’t want to let the negative, hurtful words out. They wouldn’t help her, and they certainly wouldn’t help him either.

  He started the marathon, his feet finding the rhythm easily, his lungs working properly. It was a good day to run, so Boone ran.

  The hours passed—three of them—and Boone hoped to reach the finish line before the fourth expired. He checked his watch at mile twenty-four. He was going to make it under four hours, and a sense of pride inflated his chest.

  His feet kept moving. His breath whooshed in and out. Eventually the finish line approached, and a pang of regret that he didn’t have anyone there cheering for him specifically stung for just a moment.

  Then he crested the hill and saw the crowd about a half a mile up ahead. Pride swelled in his chest. He’d just run his first marathon!

  A roar of noise met his ears, growing louder and louder until it was a cacophony of voices, all shouting and congratulating.

  Somehow, through all that, he heard his name, which was unique enough that he knew it belonged to him.

  “Boone! Go, Boone!”

  He kept running, even as the voice separated itself from the myriad of other voices in the fray.

  The voice belonged to Nicole.

  He crossed the finish line, a huge smile on his face for his mother. He lifted his arms in victory and let his legs carry him several extra steps until he finally stopped. Pure euphoria filled him, and he turned to see if Nicole had really come.

  He’d never specifically invited her to come watch him run, though he’d certainly talked about the marathon enough for her to know it was important to him.

  Another runner stepped out of the way, and she appeared, her face just as beautiful as ever. She wore a distinctly hopeful look and approached like she wasn’t sure if he’d attack her or embrace her.

  His heart skipped a beat, and then two. He was still in love with her, despite what she’d said and what she’d done.

  “You just ran a marathon,” she said, a smile forming on her face. “It was incredible.”

  He wasn’t sure if it was the adrenaline from all the endorphins, but a smile popped onto his face too. “I just ran a marathon.”

  She gestured behind her, where a giant screen listed the runners and their final scores. “Not only that, but you finished in the men’s top ten.”

  His attention shot to the scoreboard screen. The list cycled through and he waited to see his name. When it finally came up, it was listed as number nine.

  Surprise kept his pulse bouncing in his neck, and pure joy made him turn toward Nicole and sweep her off her feet, a laugh flying into the sky. He forgot that they weren’t together. He forgot that she wasn’t his to kiss. He forgot the pain he’d endured since Christmas.

  She laughed too and when he set her on her feet, the chaos around them melted into silence, into nothing. “Why did you come?” He kept his hands on her waist, kept her close.

  “This was important to you.”

  “Why did you tell everyone about my dyslexia?”

  Her eyes turned scared and she shook her head. “I honestly don’t know. I got…lost. I blamed you for what happened at the program, because it was easier than blaming myself.”

  “Blamed? Past tense?” Boone wasn’t sure why it mattered. She needed to do a lot more than come cheer him at the finish line to make up for what she’d done.

  No she doesn’t, he thought. He knew Nicole Hymas, and she didn’t do anything she didn’t want to. She didn’t leave Three Rivers easily.

  “I don’t blame you anymore,” she said. “I’m still working on myself.” She drew in a deep breath. “I am a horrible, horrible person. I know this. Boone.” She gazed up at him, her green eyes so intense. “I am so, so sorry. I cannot apologize enough.”

  His heart softened. “I know you are, sweetheart.” He reached up and brushed her hair off her face. “But that still might not be enough. I have a new job here.”

  “I’m in love with you,” she said, her voice strong and her eyes warm and wonderful. “And you haven’t sold the animal hospital, despite Louis Whitby having an offer in on it for weeks.”

  Boone still loved her too, and his heart felt caught between two impossible situations. He sighed. “Sometimes love isn’t enough.”

  “I refuse to believe that.” She clung to his arms. “I don’t think you believe that either.”

  He didn’t, not really. But if there was one thing he knew, it was that once things happened, there was no going back. “Everything is different now.”

  “You’re right. You’re different. I’m different.”

  Boone stared down at her, realizing that his Nicole had returned. She wasn’t the vindictive, vicious woman who’d shouted his secret to the entire clinic.

  “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I will say it over and over, because I mean it. If I could go back in time.” She cleared her throat. “I would. I would go back in time and fix that. Fix myself before I met you so I wasn’t so screwed up. Fix things with my siblings so I didn’t blame you for every little thing that goes wrong.” She sighed and paced away fr
om him. “I know it’s not your fault I couldn’t sing at the Christmas program.”

  When she looked back at him, raw fear rode in her expression. “It was mine. Everything that’s happened since then has been my fault.”

  Boone had never felt the cleansing power of forgiveness as acutely as he did then. “It doesn’t matter,” he said. “It’s done. Over.” He opened his arms to her and she came to him, a wobbly smile on her face.

  “I love you,” he whispered into her hair. He wasn’t sure where he should be living or what he should be doing, but he knew that.

  “Mama’s really sick,” she said. “Daddy won’t leave her side.”

  He held her at arm’s length. “Nicole?” Tears trickled down her cheeks and he tenderly wiped them away. “Talk to me.”

  “I don’t want—I mean, I want someone by my side when I can’t remember who I am, holding my hand and telling me stories of how we fell in love.” She inhaled deeply and let it out slowly. “I want you to be that man, Boone.”

  “And I want to be that man,” he whispered just before he leaned down and pressed a kiss to her lips.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Nicole woke the next morning with a song in her head. She stayed in bed as the lyrics to Respect by Aretha Franklin flowed through her head. She smiled and pulled the covers to her chin.

  Her songs were back.

  She was back.

  She’d stayed up late last night, beyond grateful for the easy way Boone had forgiven her. She hadn’t quite been able to do that, and she’d stayed on her knees for a long time, trying to figure out if she deserved his forgiveness.

  She’d been so cruel. So stubborn. So out of her mind.

  She still didn’t feel one-hundred-percent like herself, but Boone’s last words had helped. I loved you once, Nicole. I know the woman I fell for is in there somewhere.

  Nicole hoped she was. She’d prayed for it last night. Dreamt about a future with Boone. They hadn’t talked much more about heavy things. He’d taken her for a late lunch and told her about the animal hospital here in Amarillo. Because she feared the answer, she hadn’t asked him if he was going to stay.

  But she didn’t want him to stay. So she stretched and reached for her phone, typing out a quick Breakfast? and sending it to him.

  In Three Rivers, she’d already be showered and ready for church, only moments away from walking out the door to get to her parents’ house. She fought the urge to call Daddy at the hospital. She’d be going home today, and she’d stop by and see them both before she left Amarillo.

  Her phone chimed several times, one sound almost on top of another. She glanced at it, and saw messages from Boone, as well as Gary, her oldest brother and Elaine, her sister.

  She went to Boone’s first, because she knew it would put a smile on her face. Sure. I’ll come get you in a half hour.

  She confirmed just as a message from Jordan came in. Her siblings had all gotten her message, obviously, and she wondered if they’d collaborated before they’d returned her text.

  Gary’s said: What do you mean, Mama’s dying?

  Elaine’s: I can help make the funeral arrangements.

  Jordan’s: Is it really that bad?

  No thanks for letting us know, Nicole.

  You’re so great, staying there and taking care of everything, Nicole.

  We love you, Nicole.

  She sighed, only allowing the hateful, negative thoughts to linger for a few heartbeats. Her siblings were who they were. It didn’t matter if Nicole craved a closer relationship with them. It wasn’t going to happen—something she’d realized while sitting in the hospital room with Mama.

  It didn’t matter what Nicole wanted. She could pray and pray and cry and cry, and Mama still wasn’t going to get better.

  She released her animosity toward her siblings and answered their texts. I mean Mama’s in a coma and she’s not going to wake up.

  I would love your help with funeral arrangements.

  It’s really that bad. Clear some time in your schedule to come back to Three Rivers for the funeral. Soon.

  Then she braided her hair and changed out of her pajamas. She silenced her phone so she wouldn’t have to do any more family business during her breakfast date with Boone. After all, she still had a long way to go to make things right with him.

  She arrived in the lobby just as he pulled into the circle drive. Increasing her step, she practically skipped out to meet him.

  “Hey.” He got out of his truck, leaned against it, and grinned at her. It was the sexiest thing she’d ever seen, and she lifted up on her toes and kissed him.

  He chuckled against her mouth before properly kissing her. “So it’s a good morning,” he said.

  “I woke up with a song in my head,” she said.

  Confusion blipped through his expression. “Doesn’t that happen everyday?”

  She shook her head and traced her fingers up the side of his face to his head. “It stopped for a while.”

  He blinked at her and asked, “What’s the song for today?”

  “Respect.”

  “Ah, the oldies. I like that.” He lifted one of her braids and looked at it. “I’m sorry you lost your songs for a while. I know how much you love them.”

  A thought entered her mind and burst from her throat. “I think I’m going to ask Pastor Scott if I can sing at Easter.”

  Boone simply looked at her, his gaze even and his jaw tight. He finally said, “I’ll stay home that day.”

  “You don’t think it’s a good idea?”

  “The last time didn’t go so well, and I’m not interested in repeating it.”

  A white hot knife of regret lanced through her. She’d really hurt him, even more than she knew. “I’m sorry,” she said, her lips barely moving with the words.

  “I’m starving,” he said, looking away and changing the subject quite rapidly. “Where should we eat?”

  “I don’t know. I’ve only spent a day or two in Amarillo outside the hospital,” she said, and he paused in turning to open the door.

  “How do waffles sound?”

  A smile swept across her face. “Waffles sound great. Do they have Belgian waffles?”

  “I’m sure they do. A Belgian waffle you shall have.” He opened her door for her, and Nicole climbed onto the bench seat, grateful for another chance with Boone.

  Six months later:

  “I’ve got the lights.” Boone grabbed the box from the storage shed and dropped a kiss on Nicole’s forehead as he went into the yard. Warmth covered her from head to toe, the only cool spot where Princess Leia licked her shoulder.

  She laughed and pushed the dog away. “Go chase Valcor,” she said. “I’m working.” She continued to dig through the boxes on the lowest shelf, searching for the garden gnomes Mama had loved. She finally found them and pulled the box toward her, feeling the gritty dust under her fingers.

  As always, a pang of sadness accompanied the thought of Mama. She’d passed away before Easter, before Nicole had an opportunity to show her mother how brave she was—and how gifted.

  Since that successful performance, Nicole had been singing in the church choir regularly, and never once had that paralyzing fear returned.

  Boone had, though. He’d packed up and come back to Three Rivers without ever starting at the animal hospital in Amarillo. She’d asked him once if he regretted that decision, and he’d said, “I knew I wasn’t supposed to be in Amarillo.” He’d glanced around the dog park where they’d stood. “Three Rivers is home now.”

  He’d tucked her into his side, made room for her in his life, kissed her like a man in love.

  “Hey.” He poked his head back into the shed. “The bride just called and wants to know if she can have the bridge.”

  Nicole heaved herself to her feet. “I’ll call her back.”

  He filled the doorway and wouldn’t move. “I want to ask you something first.”

  She dusted her hands off on her shorts. �
�All right.” She tucked an errant piece of hair behind her ear, feeling dirty from top to bottom.

  He reached for her hand and drew her out of the shed and into the yard. She let him take her over to the orchard, where he’d hung the fairy lights for the wedding taking place there the following evening.

  “Nicole.” He paused beneath an apricot tree. “I love you. I said I wanted to be the man who would be at your side when you couldn’t remember who you were. I want to tell you the story of how we fell in love.” He dropped to one knee, and Nicole’s heart did back handsprings through her chest.

  “Boone,” she whispered, her hands going to her throat.

  “Will you marry me?” He produced a ring box seemingly out of thin air and cracked the lid.

  She didn’t look at the ring. Couldn’t look away from Boone’s beautiful dark eyes, so filled with love, hope, adoration, and more hope.

  “Yes,” she said, laughter following. He rose to his feet and she launched herself into his arms. “Yes.”

  He laughed with her and kissed her. Again, this kiss felt totally new, existing on a completely different sphere than any they’d shared before. Because now she was kissing her fiancé.

  Boone and Nicole worked everything out! Woo hoo! Please leave a review for this book now.

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