She felt Nick at her shoulder, leaning in to whisper into her ear.
"Relax. She's going to love the flowers."
Ruth looked up at him, surprised.
"How did you know I was worried about that?"
His smile melted her like her favorite icing when she just couldn't wait for her cinnamon rolls to cool down.
"When I see you worried like this. It's about Katie."
Her heart clenched in her chest.
It was true.
Katie had a special place in her heart.
Katie and her father.
They'd both found all of the nooks and crannies in her heart and filled it up so much that she'd never felt so full.
The stage door opened and a cheer went up.
So did arms and hands, making it nearly impossible for her to see who was coming out of the stage door.
Ruth leaned in against Nick's side. "Can you see?"
The crowd moved, some stepping one way and some stepping in the other.
Jostled by the crowd movement, Ruth felt Nick's arm wrap around her shoulders.
"I've got you."
She looked up at him and felt her cheeks heat with a blush.
Yeah.
Nick had her.
He had her back.
And he had her heart.
Swallowing down the rising tide of emotion, she rose up almost to the toes of her shoes and pressed a kiss to his cheek.
Nick turned his head and his lips met hers and Ruth felt warm, truly warm inside and out.
Ruth wanted to hold onto him forever.
"Nick?"
He looked down into her eyes and pulled her closer. "Honey?"
Her eyes teared up a little. "Careful. People will hear."
"Hear?"
Nick leaned back and Ruth could hear the near roar of all of the people surrounding the stage door.
