by Kay Correll
“No, you shouldn’t.” Beth stood up. “I’ve always considered you a friend. Nothing more. But a friend. Friends don’t do this.”
“Beth, I’m sorry.”
“It’s not me that you owe the apology to.” She walked out of the station and into the refreshing night air. She was going to make this right. She was.
Mac looked up and gritted his teeth when he saw Daniel Smith standing across the bar from him. He had thought that part of his life was over and done. Had they come up with some trumped-up evidence that he was involved in the fire?
“What do you want?” Mac stood and swung a crate of clean glasses onto the counter behind the bar.
“I came to talk to you.”
“Got nothing to say to you.” Mac turned and headed down the bar, aware that Daniel was following along on the other side. Was the man going to arrest him here in his place of business in front of all of his customers? He didn’t put anything past Danny Boy.
“I owe you an apology.”
Mac stopped dead in his tracks and turned slowly to face Daniel. “You what?”
“I owe you an apology. It appears the fire was started by some sixth-grade boys at the school. One of the boys finally broke down and told his parents. Felt guilty, I guess. Not sure who all else was involved, but I’m sure we’ll find out soon enough. Looks like they’re involved with the tire slashing and the break-in at Beth’s house, too.”
Mac just stared at him.
“So you’ll accept my apology?”
“Only, you never actually said you were sorry…” Mac turned his back on Daniel.
“Mac, wait.”
He stopped.
“I am sorry. I’ve been a jerk. I knew that even before Beth ever so sternly pointed it out to me.”
Mac turned back to face Daniel.
“I let personal feelings get in the way of my job. That’s unprofessional and unforgivable. I am sorry.” He twisted his hat in his hands. “I’ve sorta had this… I don’t know… thing… for Beth for years. I thought maybe after she got over Scott leaving her that I’d have a chance with her. Then you swooped into her life and… well, I figured I’d missed my chance with her. But then you kept showing up when there was trouble and… I thought maybe I’d get another chance with her if you were… out of the picture.”
Mac stared at the man standing uncomfortably in front of him, shifting from foot to foot. Mac didn’t feel obliged to let him off the hook that easily, so he didn’t reply.
“I’ll say it again. I’m sorry. It shouldn’t have taken Beth to point out what a fool I’ve been. I should have acted professionally and not just jumped to blame you.”
Mac leaned down and shifted a crate of glasses from one shelf to another. A crate that didn’t really need to be shifted. He stood up straight.
“So, will you accept my apology?” Daniel held out his hand.
“I’ll think about it.” Mac turned his back on Daniel, without taking his outstretched hand, and stalked away into the back room of the tavern.
Chapter 22
Mac was usually a man of his word. He’d promised himself to never set foot on Sweet River Falls soil again. But he couldn’t help himself. Today was a big day for Beth. She and James Weaver were set to speak at the courtyard area off Main Street. The town was having yet another one of its festivals, and he knew just the area where he could hang out and not be seen.
He wanted to hear her speech. He wanted her to succeed. He wanted her to have everything she wanted.
And he wanted one more glimpse of her. Just one more. One more memory of her that he could wrap up carefully and take out at times and turn it over and over in his mind.
A bittersweet memory of what could have been.
He cut through the back way into town and walked down a path that led him across a small footbridge over the river. From there he threaded his way to a thicket of trees on the edge of the brick courtyard.
Sophie was up on a temporary platform with a couple of guys with guitars. She was singing a country song. He was surprised by her voice and its throaty, rich tones. The crowd seemed mesmerized listening to her sing. The words of the song taunted him. A song about leaving your hometown and moving on. This town had a way of always pointing out to him what an outsider he was. He thought he’d faced that demon and moved on with his life, but the haunting melody and words washed over him, bringing with them a familiar emptiness and loneliness.
It was time to put this all behind him and move on.
He should never have come. He started to leave as the last sounds of the song drifted away on the crisp Colorado air.
“Hi, I’m Beth Cassidy as you all know.” Beth stood on the platform.
His feet refused to move, and he turned back to watch her.
“I’m running for mayor of Sweet River Falls, but you all know that, too.” A smattering of clapping swept through the crowd. “But here’s the deal. There’s a problem…”
The crowd grew silent.
“You see, I’ve fallen for a man from our town. Well, he used to be from our town. Mac McKenna. I care about him. I care about him a lot. But it seems that many in this town can’t forget the kid he was years ago and are unwilling to see the man he is now.”
Mac took a step forward to get a better look.
“And if me seeing Mac is a problem for anyone, if that means you don’t want to vote for me, then so be it. I’m going to head over to Mountain Grove and ask him to forgive me. Ask him to give Sweet River Falls another try. And I’d truly appreciate it if all of you could welcome him back here and make him feel a part of this great town of ours.”
Mac took another step closer, not believing the words he was hearing. His heart pounded, and he struggled to hear her words above the throbbing of his pulse.
“But if it becomes a choice between Mac and running for mayor, or even if it becomes a choice between Mac and Sweet River Falls… I’m going to choose Mac. If he’ll give me a chance.”
She turned and looked his direction then, and their eyes locked. She froze in place, then waved to him to come forward. As if pulled by some kind of magnetic field, he slowly crossed toward her. The crowd parted as he wove his way through the townspeople.
She reached down a hand and pulled him up on the platform with her. “So, Mac McKenna, what do you say? Will you give us another chance?”
He looked in her eyes and in that second took the biggest leap of faith he’d ever taken. “I told you before, I’d do anything you ask of me. Anything. Yes, yes we should try again.” He leaned down then and kissed those lips of hers that he’d so been missing.
The crowd erupted in claps and cheers. Beth led the way off the platform, her hand firmly placed in his. People stopped them as they walked by, shaking his hand and clapping him on the back, welcoming him back to town.
James Weaver climbed onto the platform and tapped the mike. “Can I have your attention? Please?”
The crowd quieted down. Beth stood by his side, her hand laced around his arm.
“I have a few things to say myself. First off, I apologize. It appears my son has gotten into some trouble himself. Kids make stupid decisions. He was one of the kids messing with cars and who started that fire at the school. They didn’t mean for it to be an actual fire, just some smoke that would interrupt classes, but it got out of hand and it could have been disastrous. He’ll be paying the consequences of his actions, and I apologize on his behalf. He’d be here apologizing himself, but he’s grounded for the rest of his life, as near as I can figure.” A ripple of laughter went through the crowd.
“And Beth, I’m hoping you’ll continue to run against me for mayor. A very worthy opponent. And may the best man—or woman—win.”
The crowd broke into applause again, and Mac turned to Beth. “What do you say? You still running for mayor?”
She smiled at him. “If you’ll be by my side.”
“There’s nowhere that I’d rather be.” He kissed her quickly. “Now go
up on that platform with James and let the town know.”
She hugged him and crossed through the crowd. James reached a hand down and helped her up on the platform. They stood side by side while the high school band began to play.
He looked down when he felt a small hand in his. “Trevor.”
“Hey, Mr. McKenna.” Trevor looked up at him. “You kissed my mom.”
“That I did.”
“Does that mean she’s your girlfriend?”
“I think it does, buddy. You okay with that?”
“Yep.” He nodded.
Mac was strangely happy to get the young boy’s approval.
“Do I still call you Mr. McKenna if you’re my mom’s boyfriend?”
“What would you like to call me?”
“Mac?”
“Mac it is.”
“Cool. I’m gonna go tell Connor.” Trevor raced away through the crowd.
Sophie came to stand beside him. “So, that all worked out nicely, didn’t it?”
He grinned at her. “I think so.”
“Good timing on showing up here in town today, but I’m pretty sure Beth was bent on tracking you down. You just made it easier on her.”
“I always want to make it easier for her.” He meant it. He wanted nothing more than to make Beth Cassidy happy and help her with whatever she needed, including running for mayor of Sweet River Falls.
Beth threaded her way back through the crowd and came up to him, a wide smile on her face. She slipped her arm around his waist and stood close to him. He felt a slow grin spread across his face. He was beginning to like this dating Beth Cassidy gig.
He leaned over and whispered to her, “I’ve never been happier.”
Sophie rolled her eyes. “I heard that. Just kiss her again already. She’s happy too. Happier than I’ve seen her in forever.”
“I am happy.” Beth turned to him and looked up in his eyes with a look so full of… was that love?
He wasn’t sure, but he planned on finding out. Because right in that very moment, he knew he was in love with her and planned on spending the rest of his life showing her.
“Hm, Beth?” He reached out and touched her face, tilted her chin up so she could look directly at him.
“Yes?”
“I’ve got some news.”
“What’s that?”
“I do believe that I’ve fallen in love with you.”
An even wider smile crossed her face, and she threw her arms around him. “That works out perfectly because I’ve fallen in love with you, too.”
He kissed her once more for good measure, then held her close against him. Gratefulness poured through him that she’d had that flat tire and he’d been there to rescue her because right now, he was sure she’d rescued him right back and he was perfectly content with his life. Maybe being back in Sweet River Falls wasn’t such a bad thing after all.
Dear Reader,
I hope you enjoyed Beth’s story. I started writing Beth’s story many, many years ago, but never finished it. When I started writing about the town of Sweet River Falls, I knew her story belonged in this series and I finished her book.
Interested in reading more stories in the Sweet River series? See Book Three, A Song to Remember, and all the books in the series at: https://kaycorrell.com/series-info/sweet-river-series/
Thank you and happy reading!
Also by Kay Correll
Thank you for reading my story. I hope you enjoyed it.
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Comfort Crossing ~ The Series
Did you miss the start of this series? Click here to get the first book for free now! The Shop on Main - Book One
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See all my books at my website.
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COMFORT CROSSING ~ THE SERIES
The Shop on Main - Book One
The Memory Box - Book Two
The Christmas Cottage - A Holiday Novella (Book 2.5)
The Letter - Book Three
The Christmas Scarf - A Holiday Novella (Book 3.5)
The Magnolia Cafe - Book Four
The Unexpected Wedding - Book Five
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The Wedding in the Grove (crossover short story between series - Josephine and Paul from The Letter.)
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LIGHTHOUSE POINT ~ THE SERIES
Wish Upon a Shell - Book One
Wedding on the Beach - Book Two
Love at the Lighthouse - Book Three
Cottage near the Point - Book Four
Return to the Island - Book Five
Bungalow by the Bay - Book Six
Click here to learn more about the series.
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SWEET RIVER ~ THE SERIES
A Dream to Believe in - Book One
A Memory to Cherish - Book Two
A Song to Remember - Book Three
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INDIGO BAY ~ a multi-author series of sweet romance
Sweet Sunrise - Book Three
Sweet Holiday Memories - A short holiday story
Sweet Starlight - Book Nine
About the Author
Kay writes sweet, heartwarming stories that are a cross between women’s fiction and contemporary romance. She is known for her charming small towns, quirky townsfolk, and enduring strong friendships between the women in her books.
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Kay lives in the Midwest of the U.S. and can often be found out and about with her camera, taking a myriad of photographs which she likes to incorporate into her book covers. When not lost in her writing or photography, she can be found spending time with her ever-supportive husband, knitting, or playing with her puppies—two cavaliers and one naughty but adorable Australian shepherd. Kay and her husband also love to travel. When it comes to vacation time, she is torn between a nice trip to the beach or the mountains—but the mountains only get considered in the summer—she swears she’s allergic to snow.
Learn more about Kay and her books at kaycorrell.com
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