“Or back to your home, I’m hoping.”
He returned her mischievous smile. “I’m feeling even luckier.”
***
Exhausted after the whirlwind of pageantry, Lacey was grateful to return to Mick’s and snuggle in front of a relaxing fire. Her mind was still racing, the dazzling images of the night dancing in her memory. She hoped they would never fade.
Mick’s gentle caress traced along the contours of her face. “What are you smiling about?”
“Oh, everything. It was a wonderful night, Mick. I was just blown away by all of it.”
“How so?”
Lacey’s gaze fixed on the tiny sparks that leapt from the logs and drifted up the chimney like tiny bubbles in champagne. “Everything was just so impressive. Almost otherworldly to me. And all the people I met…” Her face fell, feeling a hint of insecurity creeping into her heart. “The things they’ve seen and done just somehow make my life look really insignificant. I mean, did you read those bios of the speakers in the program? And what would my bio read? Lacey Owens, now on her umpteenth career attempt, barely makes a living while renting a room in her friend’s house.”
Mick draped his arm over her. “No. It would read, ‘Lacey Owens, whose courage and ambition has her embarking on a new career rather than accepting the status quo. Lacey Owens, whose kind heart has brought her a dedicated following of friends.’”
Lacey grumbled, not particularly impressed with herself.
He pulled her closer. “Lacey Owens, who has somehow done what no other woman could—making a hardened Navy SEAL fall in love with her.’”
Her eyes met his tentatively, wondering if he really meant what he said.
He put her mind to rest. “I love you, Lacey,” he repeated so easily, it stunned her.
The smile on her face resonated from her soul. “I love you, too, Mick.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
“I shouldn’t have answered the phone,” Lacey muttered, walking arm-in-arm with Mick down Main Street with a quickly depleting chunk of fudge in her hand.
Mick grinned. “You say that every time your mom calls.”
“You’re right. I never learn.”
“So, what subtly insulting things did she say this time?”
Mouth watering, Lacey devoured another bite of the fudge. “Just that Vi decided to do a destination wedding in Palm Beach at some five-star resort, and mom offered to pay for my trip because she knows my life is a financial disaster.”
“And you’re upset about this? Hell, I’d be packing my bags.”
“Well, you can go in my place. All we need is to find a maid of honor dress that would fit you. Or would the Navy frown on that?”
“Hey, ‘don’t ask, don’t tell,’ you know?” Mick winked.
Lacey laughed, stopping in front of a store window sparkling with jewels and staring emptily at the display. “There’s no way I’m taking their money. I can’t even imagine all the remarks I’d have to survive from them if I did.”
Mick brushed a lock of hair from Lacey’s face and gently stroked her cheek. “That Miron property will probably sell by then and you’ll be flying first class to Palm Beach.”
“Good to know someone has some confidence in me.” Popping the last morsel of fudge into her mouth without remorse, Lacey leaned in to press her mouth against his. She felt the flick of his tongue along her own.
He pulled back suddenly. “That fudge tastes great. You should have shared.”
“I offered,” she defended with a laugh. Nestling closer into the crook of his shoulder, she felt herself decompress in his presence as they walked along the quiet street.
Annapolis was all but vacant of tourists after the winter holidays, with little to draw people in except a smattering of good restaurants and local character. The quaint decorations that once made Main Street look like a scene on a Christmas card had been taken down, and the weather was too cold for anyone but the most devout sailors to be out on the Bay.
For residents, this was a wonderful time, a time when the streets weren’t crammed with cars, and local pubs were filled with familiar faces. As a slow drizzle started to fall, Lacey and Mick ducked into one of them and were immediately greeted by a few people they knew, including one of Maeve’s neighbors and a pair of fresh-faced seniors looking guilty sipping their beers. They quickly jumped off their stools, standing at attention as Mick walked past.
“At ease, gentlemen,” Mick said, leading Lacey to a table on the opposite side of the bar. He pulled out her seat for her. “You sure you don’t want some dinner?”