“She filtered your mail?” Cam’s tone held a scalpel’s edge. “Did she tie up your fingers so you couldn’t call, either?”
He sighed. She wouldn’t make this easy on him. But he’d do whatever it took to make her believe him, to win her back to his side again. “I blamed you. When you turned down my proposal, I thought it was because you didn’t care. But that’s not why you said no, is it? I get it now. You, of all people, have every right to doubt a marriage leads to happily ever after.”
There was a good chance he’d just insulted her mother, but he didn’t care. All that mattered was reaching out to Cam and convincing her to give him—give them—a second chance.
“I should have never doubted that you love me, that despite not wanting to marry me, you hadn’t given up on me, or us. Because when you love someone, you love them forever. And I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. All this time, we’ve wasted. I wish I could take it all back. I wish I’d waited before running off to Houston. But I can’t change what’s happened before. All I can do is move forward. And I’m asking you to move forward with me. I want to shower you with that same never-doubting, forever kind of love. Give me a chance. Give us a chance. Please.”
She met his plea with dead silence. Not a sound came from anywhere in the stadium. Time stood still, and he held his breath until his chest ached.
Just when he thought he’d lost, she shouted into the mic. “Well? What are you waiting for? Get down here and kiss me.”
His chest expanded, and he gave a whoop, then a thumbs-up to Powell. He leaned into the mic. “I’m a little slow these days. Meet me halfway?”
“I’ll race you,” she replied. “But don’t think I’m giving you a head-start because of that chair.”
No. She’d never show him pity. Empathy, yes. Sympathy when warranted. Bucket loads of love, encouragement, kindness, and loyalty. But Cam would make him face his challenges head-on, not avoid them. She was his greatest cheerleader, his strength, and his weakness. He wouldn’t have her any other way.
He left the booth and for the millionth time since that damn sack he took in Houston, he cursed his inability to run. Lucky for him, going down the ramps from the broadcast booth was easier than going up had been. The incline wasn’t steep, and the multitude of curves kept him from picking up too much speed and careening out of control. Still, he wished he could go faster.
He’d meant it when he told her, if he had to crawl the last few yards to reach her, bare-assed and doped-up, he would. Whatever it took, he’d find his way back to the woman he’d callously left behind. They’d wasted so much time already. Every second that kept them apart now was torturous.
He rounded another turn and suddenly, there she was, barefoot and out of breath. She paused long enough for him to set the brakes on his chair before she ran the last few yards and launched herself into his lap.
He gathered her close to him, reveling in the scent of her, the feel of her, the nearness of her. He cupped her face in his hands. “God, Cam, I can’t believe I ever let you go. I’m so sorry. So goddamn sorry.”
“Shut up and kiss me, Jordan.”
He captured her lips with his, breathed her into his lungs, received her forgiveness and offered his love to her in return.
From outside, a rhythmic applause and chant created a booming song.
Cam broke their kiss to stare at the gate closest to them. “What is that?”
He nuzzled her collarbone. “Who cares?”
When she pushed away as if to leave his lap, he wrapped an arm around her waist. “Okay, okay. We’ll look.”
He released the brake on his chair and headed through the gate. The cement walls echoed the noise, increasing the volume and the thunderous bass of the crowd’s clapping. They left the dim tunnel leading to the fold-up seats in this section of the stadium and came outside to the railing where several levels below, people still littered the football field looking up at the various gates and sections, clapping and shouting in unison.
“Cam and Jor-dan!” Clap, clap, clap. “Cam and Jor-dan!” Clap, clap, clap.
Jordan recognized Cam’s assistant, Val, leading the chant from the dais’s microphone. While he watched, Val’s attention swerved, and she pointed to the scoreboard. The crowd’s chanting quickly became a wave of cheers and mad applause. Because there, up on the jumbotron screen, was the image of Cam snuggled up against him as they looked down upon the melee on the field.
As if on cue, the clouds parted, and a strong single beam of sunlight fell on them. Heat warmed his face, and he stared up at the brightened sky.
“I’m guessing that’s Bertie’s way of saying he’s pretty happy with us right now.”
“So am I,” she replied and kissed him again.
Chapter 15
Cam stood behind Jordan as he and Marcus each took hold of the giant scissors and cut the tape on their professional sports therapy center. A light smatter of applause greeted their efforts from the small crowd of supporters surrounding them.
“Welcome,” Marcus announced as he pushed the button to open the wide, glass double-doors. “Come on in!”
Cam allowed Jordan the honor of entering on
