“He won.” Megs looked up. “Gideon won.”
Gideon blinked. Had he heard her right? He won. The only thing she could be talking about was the narration competition, but those results weren’t supposed to be posted until tonight.
Haley dropped her arm holding the phone. “I’m so sorry M—”
“No, this is incredible! Thank you so much, Hales!” Megs rushed back into the shop, tearing off her apron and throwing it over the counter. “You won!” Megs threw her arms around Gideon, then pulled back to see his face. “Oscar announced the winner!”
Gideon frowned and pulled out his phone.
“I’m so happy for you.” Megs bounced on her heels and waited for him to see it for himself. How could she be so excited? He typed in Matt’s website and waited for it to load, then stared at his screen.
Winner of the Heartsong Audio Narration Contest.The text was large enough it took up nearly the entire screen, but right at the bottom, there it was. Gideon’s name.
“What’s wrong?” Megs asked.
He looked up. “I shouldn’t have won. Your audition was better.”
Megs put a hand on her hip. “If you remember, I didn’t even show up for mine.”
He turned off his screen and was about to put his phone back in his pocket when hethought better of it. Gideon pulled up his messages and typed a text to Matt.
You know Megs is better than me. If this is about what happened in the corn maze, I can’t get on board
He pressed send.It probably sounded snippy, but Gideon didn’t care. He’d submitted Megs’ raw audition and had all but told Matt he’d be an idiot not to choose her. He could decline, couldn’t he? Tell Matt he refused to do the project?
Megs rested a hand on his chest. “Gideon, I’m fine. I learned a lot through—”
His phone buzzed, and he checked the screen. A message from Matt. Gideon swiped it open and read.
Of course she’s better than you. Not sure how to take that last comment. Here I thought I was being the perfect wingman
Wing man?Gideon stared at the message. Megs waited patiently for an explanation, but before he could give one, another message came through.
Let me guess, you’re on the mobile site? One tip. Scroll down
Gideon’s heartjump-started behind his ribs. He flipped over to Matt’s website and brushed his thumb over the screen. His face broke into a wide smile.
“Gideon, if you don’t say something, I swear—”
Gideon turned the phone to her and got a front row seat to her emotional rollercoaster. Her eyes narrowed, then blinked, then opened so wide, he worried she’d pull a muscle.
Megs looked up, her eyes searching. “We both won?”
Gideon set his phone down on the closest table top and swept Megs into his arms. He pushed her curls back from her face, and reveled in the way her eyes fluttered when his fingers grazed her skin.
“We both won,” he repeated. Gideon didn’t think he’d ever heard a more perfect summation of anything in his life.
Epilogue
Megs scannedthe line graph in front of her and almost giggled. She cradled her laptop in her arms as she ran into the kitchen where Gideon stood at the counter. His headphones were slightly askew, which meant he was editing something.
He looked up from his screen. “Something good?” Megs set the computer on the counter and spun it toward him, then watched his face as he scanned. A slow smile spread across his face. “Have you been checking these?”
She nodded. “Haven’t you?” Gideon had released two tracks earlier that week, and his following was skyrocketing. She had to think her reels were helping, but she wouldn’t take all the credit–at least not out loud.
Gideon leaned over the counter and kissed her. Megs ran her hand over the stubble on his jaw and drank him in, then rounded the edge of the counter and pulled him close. “No over-the-counter nonsense.”
Gideon laughed and scooped her up, careful not to set her on his laptop as he set her down. “What about on-the-counter nonsense?”
