72. Mackinac Island
SEVENTY-TWO
Mackinac Island
STEVE
“Thanks for letting me keep my bike at your place, Brent,” Steve said as they pulled up to the waterfront for the ferry service out of St. Ignace.
Brent laughed. “I’ll still make sure the couch is available in case she says no.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence.” Steve waved to his friend, then boarded the next ferry.
Carrying his backpack over his shoulder, Steve disembarked, walking down the dock and through the tiny island town on Mackinac Island. Sticking to the wooden walkway next to the bike trail along the waterfront, he slowly made his way toward the hotel. In the distance, he could see the bridge connecting Mackinaw City and St. Ignace. Back from the water, the lilacs were beginning to take over for the fading tulips, which still covered the island in a myriad colors.
Along the way, he passed bicyclists and couples walking hand in hand, each one reminding him that he may end up crashing on his friend’s couch tonight if he didn’t find Tara.
He continued wandering along until the wooden walkway came to an end. He glanced farther down the bike path, which continued on, and he caught a flash of red hair in the distance.
Tara.
She was here.
Frozen in place, Steve watched her hair blow in the cool breeze coming off the water. Tara also didn’t move as she stood staring out at the water as the waves lapped up onto the sand. After a few moments, she stepped to the edge of the water and inhaled the fresh sea air. Steve took a step closer when she started rubbing her upper arms to stay warm. With a chuckle, he set his pack down in the grass and took off his jacket.
“Forget your jacket again, Sugar?”
Tara turned with a start. “Steve.”
He held out his jacket and approached her. “Here.”
She pulled her hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear. “What? How are you here?”
“Your mom–”
She breathed out a laugh. “My mom. Of course.”
He offered his jacket again. She accepted his help as he pulled it up over her shoulders.
“I’ve missed you, Tara Roxanne Bailey.”
“Oh, Steve. I’m so sorry I left early…” her voice trailed off as he tipped her chin up with his fingers.
“I wanted to give you a proper goodbye.”
Tara laughed. “Well, as I recall, it took a while to get to our proper date. So, why should our goodbyes be any different?”
Chuckling, he caressed her cheek with his fingers. “I don’t want a proper goodbye. In fact, I don’t want a goodbye at all. I want you in my life, Sugar. I know we didn’t want long distance–”
“I’m coming back.”
“What?”
“I’m coming back.” She wiped a tear off her cheek. “I am. I don’t have the exact date yet, but it should be by the end of the summer, or maybe September. I don’t know, but it’s almost done. The financial stuff, that is. And then, I’ll have to train my replacement. And–”
Steve cut Tara off with a kiss that negated any need for a jacket. When Steve pulled back to catch his breath, he blurted it out. “I love you, Tara.”
“I can’t believe you’re here.” She turned toward the water, then back to Steve. “I mean, Mom said you were… I didn’t mean to hurt you, Steve, but you’re here. And that guy… I broke up with him…”
Amused by her rambling, Steve pulled her closer. “I heard.”
She sniffed. “I can’t believe you’re here. And you were right. Mackinac Island is beautiful. I love my job in Chicago, but I love Grant’s Crossing. I love being near family.”
“Tara–”
“And I love you, too.”
Steve pressed his lips against hers, deepening the kiss when she opened to him. It was slow. Languid. And he poured every ounce of love he had for her in this one kiss. Steve could have kissed her forever had it not been for the people approaching behind them.
“It’s over here,” one person squealed excitedly.
“Yay,” another one countered.
“Let’s take a picture.”
Tara laughed and gestured toward a small monument between the trees. “This is the tree.”
Steve glanced behind them and back to Tara. “The what?”
“The Somewhere in Time tree.”
“Huh?”
She sighed. “You need to watch it, but this is the tree where Jane Seymour and Christopher Reeve spoke by the water….”
Steve took her by the hand and stepped far enough back to pick up his backpack. “I don’t suppose you’ve checked in already?”
Tara broke out into a mischievous grin. “Inviting yourself up to my room, Mr. Cook?”
“I’d like to, Miss Bailey. Yes.”
“Will I get to see your ink?”
They started walking up the hill.
“Of course,” he said.
“What about your piercings?”
“Every single one of them.”
“Oh, good.”
They were still laughing as they stepped inside the Grand Hotel and headed to the elevator.
“Oh, how’s Nick doing?” Tara asked. “Mom said he’s doing well at the shop.”
“Nicky’s doing great. He really likes it there,” Steve said as they exited the elevator on Tara’s floor. “He loves his job, thanks to you. And he’s helping out at the new youth center. Best of all, he’s gotten back into music. He so desperately needed something of his own…where he could be accepted and safe and…” Steve sighed. “He’s got that now.”
“I’m so glad.”
“And…I think something might be going on with a certain former football player.”
Tara giggled. “Oh, really?” She unlocked the door to her room. “I want to hear all about it.”
Steve dropped his backpack on the floor the moment the door closed behind them and pulled her into his arms for a searing hot kiss. “Later.”