Page 49 of Wanting Happily Ever After

“Hip hip hooray!”

“Hip hip hooray!”

“Okay, that’s enough of that.” Brody blushed and waved away the accolades. “Let’s eat and have some fun!”

Next to him on the ground, Audrey whispered something, so he bent to receive the message before announcing to the crowd, “Kids, the wind is starting to pick up, and it looks like a storm might be coming in, so make sure you stay in the picnic area here, and on the playground equipment right over there. The beach and the lake are off-limits unless you’re with your parent.” He scanned the crowd and found Sarah standing toward the back. He looked her straight in the eye and offered her a little smile, but she looked away. “Okay,” he said once more. “Let’s party!”

The moment he hopped down from the table, he moved through the crowd, doing his best to smile and accept the compliments and well wishes from parents without appearing rude as he tried to go as fast as possible to where Sarah had been standing.

“Hey.” She had her back to him, but Brody could tell she wasn’t surprised to hear his voice. “I’m glad I caught you.”

Slowly, she turned around. She wasn’t smiling, but she didn’t look outwardly hostile toward him either, so he’d take that as a win. “Good game, Coach.”

“Thanks. But I can’t take any credit. The girls are awesome.” He nodded to where Rory and a few of her friends, including Audrey’s daughter, Clara, were stuffing cupcakes into their mouths. “They seem to be enjoying their rewards.”

Sarah smiled then.

“Great party,” he added when she didn’t say anything else. “You did a great job. I’m sorry I didn’t help out the way I said I would. But with everything going on…well…anyway. It looks great. But I’m not going to lie. I’m a little surprised you decided to have it here.”

“I can’t take any credit for the party or the location.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “There was just too much going on,” she continued. “So I let Audrey take over the planning.” She didn’t have to say what wasgoing on,because Brody knew he was responsible at least in part to adding to her stress level in some way. “I had no idea it would be at the lake.”

At least that made sense.

“How are you with—”

“I don’t think this is the time…” She turned away.

But it was the time. Ithadto be the time, because there was never going to be a better time, and if he didn’t talk to her about what the hell was going on between them and soon, he was going to explode.

“You know what?” His tone must have caught her attention because she turned around again and tilted her head. “This is exactly the time, Sarah. We need to talk and I’m not going to take no for an answer. Not anymore.”

Her lips pressed together and Brody was sure she was going to refuse him again. Instead, she closed her eyes and let out a long breath before looking up. “Okay.”

“Okay?”

She nodded and glanced toward Rory, who was still sitting with the other girls and happily snacking away. “Okay,” she said again. “You’re right, we should talk.” She looked back at him. “But not here.”

Before he could say anything, Sarah started to walk through the trees, away from the picnic area. He followed obediently and as soon as they were a safe distance away from prying eyes, she turned and looked him straight in the eyes. “Brody, I don’t know—”

“Let me talk. Please.”

She was so beautiful, standing there in her shorts and T-shirt; she was even more gorgeous than a few days earlier when she’d been wearing a stunning wedding gown. The woman was so intensely beautiful, it literally took his breath away. But it was so much more than the way she looked. It was how she made him feel inside. The last few weeks had been an intense roller coaster ride of the highest highs when he’d made love to her, and the lowest of lows when she looked him straight in the eyes and told him to leave. It was time to get off the fucking ride.

Brody reached for her hand, and she didn’t pull away. He cradled it between his and held tight. “Sarah, I can’t do this anymore. I can’t pretend that everything is normal with us, when it is anything but.”

“I know, I’m—”

“Please. Let me finish.” She closed her mouth and he continued. “I know you’re scared, Sarah.” She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, but opened them again. “And I’m not really sure what it is that has you so spooked, but I need to tell you exactly how I feel. And if you still want to push me away and turn your back on what’s happening between us and everything that could be, then I’ll walk away. I’ll leave you alone if that’s what you want. But either way, I’m going to need an answer because I can’t keep doing this. I can’t keep feeling the way I’m feeling and not know what’s going on with you. I need to call my shot.” He paused and took a breath. “Will you hear what I have to say?”

She nodded and Brody didn’t waste any more time.

“Sarah Lewis, I love you.”

She sucked in a sharp gasp of air and wrapped her arms around her waist, but he didn’t stop.

“But more than that, I aminlove with you.” He took a step closer to her and prayed she wouldn’t pull away. Brody had been bold when he said he’d walk away if she didn’t feel the same, but he’d meant it. He would. Because he had to. There was no way he’d be able to continue their relationship in the same way they had been going if she didn’t feel the same. As painful as it would be to walk away from her, to be so close yet so far away would be far more painful. “Sarah, I’ve been in love with you for a very long time. And I think you’re in love with me, too.”

It wasn’t even a question.

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