Istood at the microphone, nervously watching the crowd and trying to acclimate myself to all those eyes being on me. I wanted to run off stage and hide because it was all pointless. Jake wasn’t even there. His seat in the front row next to Caitlin and Brian was empty. He hadn’t come, and I was going to embarrass myself in front of the entire town for nothing. But stepping out on stage and then running off again would be even more embarrassing than a bad rendition of a song, so I had no choice but to push myself through it.
The music began and I steeled myself to sing. The words came out softly and Laura, who was standing in the wings, motioned for me to step closer to the mic. I inched forward, wishing that a trap door would open so I could disappear. But I had to stick it out.
One verse at a time.I’d practiced so much that there was no chance of me forgetting the lyrics, and they began tumbling out. The tune was off, my sense of rhythm terrible, but I persevered and forced myself to look over the audience.
Just before I went into the refrain at the end of the first verse, I spotted a tall, lean figure standing in the aisle near the entrance doors. The stage lights were bright, preventing me from seeing his face clearly, but I knew it was Jake. He’d come. He was here. Watching me.
This was what I’d wanted, envisioned when this whole wild scheme came to me. I just had to hold it together and sing to him andonlyhim. Jake Thorne was all that mattered. I put my heart into the words now, because he had to understand. He had to get what this meant to me—and hopefully to him.
When the music faded and applause began, I made my way down the steps into the audience, not sure what to do, all of my nerves returning. The only thing harder than singing and making my grand gesture was telling him that I loved him. And I had to do that next.
No matter what his reaction was,Ihad to say the words. I owed him that much. No more hiding in the past. It was time to move forward. What happened afterward was up to him.
When I came down out of the spotlight and blinked to adjust my eyes, I saw him standing there in front of me. Here was my moment.
“Jake,” I said. Before I could get out more words, he swept me into his arms and kissed me. It felt so right that I barely remembered where we were until the kiss ended. The auditorium erupted in applause and cheers, and for once, it didn’t bother me to be the center of attention. I was so happy to be in Jake’s embrace.
Jake was smiling and waving to people, but to me he whispered, “Outside.” With his arm around my waist, we exited the building into a courtyard.
“Jake, I…” I trailed off when I saw his face in the light that spilled out of the building. His expression was serious, almost somber. Had I misinterpreted that kiss? Was it meant to say goodbye? My heart seized with fear, but I knew I had to get the words out. I had to say what was in my heart. That was what this night was about. “I’m glad you came because I’ve got some things to say?—”
“So do I.” He paused. “Do you mind if I go first?”
I wanted to speak before my bravado faded. But a small, cowardly part of me took hold. If he was going to say that it was truly and forever over between us, I could skulk away without having humiliated myself by laying my heart out for him. I’d call myself a chicken later, but I’d maintain some dignity in front of him. “Go ahead.”
“Thanks. I love you, Julia,” he said, and my heart instantly lightened.
“You do?” I whispered.
“More than you can imagine.” His eyes met mine, and I saw in them everything I was feeling. “But I have to apologize, too. I didn’t listen to you the way you needed me to. God, I couldn’t even tell you that I was sorry when you asked me to. I was so set in my ways, so convinced that I was right, that I couldn’t see past my own arrogance to what you needed. It’s unforgivable, but I’m asking you to forgive me anyway. Because, I swear, I’ll do better in the future. I won’t be a perfect partner. I’ll screw up. I know that about myself, but I won’t stop trying to be the man you want. Making you happy, giving you what you need istoo important to me. I’ll never give up trying. I’m stubborn like that.”
“I know.” I was smiling now, but his face was still serious.
“You’re aware of my flaws, I get that, but I promise to truly listen to your advice from now on.” He focused on the ground for a minute before continuing. “We might disagree in the future about what’s best when it comes to the land and the horses, but I won’t let that drive a wedge between us again. I’ll listen and value your opinion because I’ve learned that there’s more than one way to do things.”
His hands hovered near me as if he wanted to touch me and wasn’t sure he could. “It’s been a tough lesson. It’s been a tough month and a half without you. I love you so damn much, and I hope you’ll give me—give us—another chance.”
I reached for him, grabbing the front of his shirt, and pulling him closer. “I love you, too.” I kissed him fiercely and with all the pent-up emotion inside me. “And yes, I’ll give us a second chance and a third and a fourth if we need it. I won’t give up on us again and walk away. I’m the one who did that, and I’m sorry.”
“I didn’t give you much of a choice,” he said, his arms now around me.
“I’m sorry I hurt you, too.” I stroked my fingers over the rough stubble on his jaw. “In the future, we’ll work things out together. Talk, argue, whatever it takes, but we do it together.” I paused and took in a breath. “And that’ll be easier to do since we’ll be living in the same place. I’ve decided to move in with you if that’s what you still want.”
His eyes widened. “I want to be with you more than anything, but it doesn’t have to be at my ranch. Yours is so close?—”
“Itdoeshave to be at Thorne Ranch,” I insisted. “Your place is better suited for raising a family, and the ranch is part of who you are.”
“But your family’s ranch is important to you.”
“It is,” I admitted. I had a sentimental attachment to the ranch my father had put so much of his life into, but being with Jake meant more to me. “I’m not sure what I’ll do with it. Rent, sell, merge it with yours? I don’t know yet. That’s a decision for us to make another day.”
“Is that why you changed the number of cribs from two to one?” he asked. “I got the notification today, but I wasn’t sure what it meant.”
“It means,” I leaned against him, “that me, two dogs, two cats, a hedgehog, and six horses are moving in with you.”
“And a baby.” His hand ran over my baby bump. “I’ve missed so much time with the two of you.”
“We have lots of time ahead of us. Let’s focus on that.” I kissed him again, a long and lingering kiss, until we were both breathless.
