“What a ridiculous notion.” She looked at him like he had sprouted scales. “Real kindness would have been telling me there was no chance and preventing me from embarrassing myself.”
“Youneverembarrassed yourself. If anything, you forced me to get my head out of the sand and realizemyactions were an embarrassment. That day of the factory fire, your interviewing skills impressed the hell out of me. And then, on Whidbey, you amazed me at every turn and I found myself falling head over heels in love with you. By the time we attended the convention, I was thoroughly on your side. How could I ever claim victory against a tempest like you? Why would I want to stamp down your fire when you deserve to blaze a new trail in this world?”
Silence spread between them. A dog barked in the distance, and some party revelers started down the sidewalk on the street in front of them. He waited, his skin stretched so tight he thought he’d scream.
“Why?” she finally asked, a catch in her voice.
“Why what?”
“Why did you fall in love with me?”
She doubted his feelings, and he couldn’t blame her. Luckily, listing reasons he loved her was something he was prepared to do.
“Firstly, I love your mind. You’re so curious, so quick to ask questions and make connections. Then there’s your kind nature. You grace people with the most inviting smile and make them feel important. And don’t get me started on your indomitable spirit. You never give up, even when you’re cold and injured, even when society insists your gender won’t prevail—”
“That’s enough.”
Mack stilled at her flat tone. Had he said the wrong thing? If he’d failed to convince her, he would never forgive himself.
“Even if all that is true,” she said slowly, staring at the ground, “I’ll always wonder if the only reason you published my work was so I would forgive you. It feels like bribery.”
“I published your article because you earned it.” His voice shook with resolve, and her gaze flew to his. “You’re a talented writer covering an important social topic. I would be remissnotto hire a writer of your caliber, and you deserve a byline withyourname, not some made-up man’s name.”
“My name?” she whispered.
“I remembered your goal, and it became my priority. Even if you don’t forgive me, even if you don’t take me back, even if we’re done forever—I owed you that much.” He dared to take her hand in his, and he almost wept with joy when she didn’t pull away. “I want to offer you another opportunity, one without strings or false pretenses.”
She swallowed hard. “I’m listening.”
“Now that I’m the owner of the newspaper, I wantyouto be our first full-time female journalist. The position is yours, whether you take me back or not. I’ll remove myself from the process altogether if it means you’ll be the torchbearer. But no matter what, I’ll honor your choice.”
Her chest rose and fell with short breaths, and her free hand moved to rest on the satin sash at her waist. “The offer interests me, of course. But how do I know it’s real? You’re the second man in my life to claim to love and support me. The first failed to follow through with his promises. How do I know you’ll be any different?”
He didn’t blame her hesitance, but her willingness to put her questions into words let him know the fight was not over. Luckily, he had one more card to play. Winnie was not a woman who acted in small measures, and she deserved to be won in kind.
"Because I’m not afraid to tell the world. Here, tonight.”
Her lips parted. “What do you mean?”
“I mean that I’ve said everything I can to convince you. Now, I’m going to show you.”
CHAPTER25
Winnie followed Mack into the ballroom. The boisterous revelry was jarring, but she smoothed her furrowed brow and pasted a fresh smile on her face. Her friends, still huddled together in the corner, eyed Mack with expressions ranging from curious to hostile.
“Wait here.” Mack disappeared into the crowd.
Her friends encircled her at once.
“Are you all right?” Olive asked.
“What did he say?” Rhoda asked at the same time. “Do we still hate him?”
Winnie gave them a mystified shrug. “He said all the right things, but...”
“But you don’t know if you can trust him again,” Clem said, pressing her lips together.
“Why is it that the men I love don’t believe in me the way they should?”
