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Gina had done hard things before. Cleaning her parents’ fridge had nearly brought her to her knees. She could tell Blake how stupid she’d been, beg for his forgiveness, and kiss him in front of all these people.
She could.
He took a step toward her, his expression full of compassion and love. He held up one hand and said, “You don’t have to do this.”
Gina took a breath and dove into the deep end. “I need you, Blake Stewart.” He paused, his eyes going a bit wider. “I haven’t wanted to admit it, because it made me feel weak, but that’s just…” She shook her head, her eyes filling with tears. “I’m not weak because I need help sometimes. From my family, from my friends.” She scanned everyone gathered there, catching Starla’s eyes and watching her press a palm to her heart.
She looked back to Blake. “From you. You’re my best friend, and I should be able to accept your help.” She cleared her throat. “You’re more than my best friend too. I’ve missed yousomuch the past few days, and I’m absolutely miserable without you in my life. I want to talk to you every morning, and sneak out to your cabin at lunchtime, and curl into your side at night.”
Todd chuckled beside her, and joy filled Gina too. She looked only at Blake, who took another slow step toward her. A few more, and he could take the mic from her. The world beyond him swam, because Gina wasn’t one to make big, personal speeches in large crowds.
“I want you to come read off the expiration dates on all those cans in my mom’s kitchen, because no one should be eating those.” She smiled at him, though he blurred through the tears in her eyes.
“I will,” he said.
“I want you to bring burritos every night.” Her voice broke, but she wasn’t done yet, and she took another strengthening breath.
“Anything you want, sweetheart,” he said, his voice low and gruff. Only three steps separated them now.
“I’d rather not forfeit, because I think we can beat Adam and Lowry, but this leaderboard doesn’t mean anything to me without you. I’d rather be very last—way down at the bottom—than not put you first.” She sniffled, as did a few others around her. She didn’t know who; she could only see Blake.
He arrived in front of her, and she looked up at him and lowered the mic. “I love you. I’m sorry I’ve been such a diva and pushed you away. I love you.”
“I don’t think we quite heard that,” Todd yelled, taking the mic from her while Blake grinned at her, his joy and happiness blending with her own. She blinked, the tears running down her face now. “Why don’t you say it again, Gina?”
Todd held the mic right in front of her face as Blake’s big hands slid along her waist. She half-laughed and half-cried at this crazy family she so desperately wanted to be part of. She turned her head and said right into the mic. “I’m in love with Blake Stewart.”
The crowd erupted into applause, and Gina laughed as she turned back to the cowboy who’d captured her heart. Not just once, but twice now.
He leaned down, kneading her closer, and whispered in her ear, “I love you too.” Then he kissed her right there in front of everyone to much whooping and hollering—the kind only cowboys could do.
She could stand in his arms and kiss him forever, but he pulled away much sooner than that. He looked at Todd, and said, “I guess we’re not going to forfeit.”
Adam and Lowry groaned as loudly as the rest of the family cheered, and Todd said, “You’re down on aisle two. Go on and get down there.”
Blake held her hand and led her down to the cornhole platforms where they’d play. She snuggled into his side as Todd continued to announce the teams who’d be playing next. “Is it wrong of me to want to forfeit so we can just go back to your place?”
“Not at all,” he said, peering down at her. He could make any moment more intimate by shielding them with the brim of that cowboy hat. “Do you want to do that?”
Torn, Gina looked to the leaderboard and then back to Blake. “Can I come over after this? Maybe stay all afternoon and into the evening?”
“You can stay forever,” he murmured, placing a kiss against the side of her eye. Gina would like that, and she pressed her eyes closed and sent up a prayer of gratitude that she’d been able to get out of her own way for at least thirty seconds. That was all it had taken to get the words out and get Blake back.
As Adam arrived and handed Blake the red bags, Gina cleared her throat and her mind. It was game time, and that required a game face.
* * *
Gina leanedinto the doorway of Blake’s office, grinning at him. He held up one hand as a signal that he’d be off the phone in a moment. “Yes, sir,” he said a couple of times, clearly trying to hurry along the call.
He stood and leaned over. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” He practically slammed the phone into the cradle on his desk and looked at her. “Hey. What brings you by so early in the morning?”
Blake had stars in his eyes as he approached her, but he stilled the moment she held up the trophy.
“Are you behind this?” she asked, hoping her flirtatious teasing could be interpreted by the handsome cowboy.
“Maybe,” he said.
She looked at it. “It’s a coffee mug.”
