Page 30 of Pitch for You

“Let's celebrate tonight,” Jake suggested, clapping Brett on the back. “We deserve it.”

“Sure,” Brett agreed, his gaze flickering back to me.

“Great! I'll go tell the others,” Jake said, heading back toward the barn entrance. As his footsteps receded, the tension between Brettt and I thickened, every passing second making my stomach churn.

“Look, I—” We both began at the same time, voices colliding in a messy jumble of words.

“Sorry, you go first,” Brett offered, rubbing the back of his neck.

Taking a deep breath, I braced myself for the leap I was about to take. “Brett, I've been thinking a lot lately, and I just need to say it…”

“Say what?” he asked, his gaze never leaving mine.

“I’m still in love with you,” I blurted out, voice wavering but resolute.

The silence that followed seemed to stretch on forever, each passing heartbeat feeling like an eternity. Finally, Brett broke the silence, his voice low and tender. “Sofia, I–”

“Wait,” I interjected, hands trembling as I held up my palms. “Before you say anything, I just needed to get this off my chest. Take some time. I know it’s been pretty back and forth since I came back and you have been trying to get me to open up to you,”

“Sofia,” he repeated, stepping closer and reaching out to gently grasp my hands in his. “All these years, I never stopped loving you either. You already know that.”

He pulled me into his strong embrace. Our bodies fit together like puzzle pieces, a perfect match we'd both been searching for all along.

As we stood there, wrapped up in each other's arms, the sound of horses shuffling in their stalls filled the air, seeming to mirror the contentment that settled. This moment, this connection, was everything I hoped for – a resolution to the unspoken tension that had haunted me for so long.

“Every time I close my eyes,” I continued, voice cracking under the weight of my heartache, “I see our past... the love we shared, and the pain we caused each other. Those memories have haunted me for years, gnawing at my insides.”

Brett's blue eyes were unwavering, a grounding force as my words tumbled from my lips like raindrops cascading downa windowpane. “I’ve been afraid, Brett,” I admitted, shakily wiping a stray tear that had escaped. “Afraid that if I let myself love again, I'd be opening up old wounds, exposing myself to the same hurt that nearly destroyed me before.”

My chest heaved as I took in a deep breath, trying to steady my shaky voice. Brett shifted his weight, his muscles tensing as he fought the urge to reach out and reassure me. Instead, he clenched his fists at his sides, willing himself to give me the space I needed to share the truth.

“Every little gesture, every shared smile... it's all brought back the feelings I've tried so hard to bury,” I confessed. “And now, standing here with you, I'm forced to confront the reality that I still love you, despite everything we've been through.”

I looked up at him, eyes searching his face for any sign of rejection or disbelief. But Brett remained steadfast, his expression gentle and understanding as he absorbed my heartfelt declaration.

“Is it too late for us?”

Brett's eyes never left my face as he pondered my question. He reached out and took my hand, his rough fingers brushing against my soft skin. My breath hitched at the contact, but I didn't pull away. Instead, I allowed myself to lean into the warmth and strength of his touch, eyes never leaving his.

“Love isn't something that can be buried or forgotten, Sofia,” Brett began. “You've been a part of my heart ever since we first met, and despite the distance and time apart, that part of me has always belonged to you.”

My chest tightened at his admission, a swell of hope and fear mingling as I watched his face for any sign of doubt or hesitation. But all I found was the same steadfast sincerity that had always defined him.

“Over the years, I've tried to move on,” Brett continued, his grip on my hand tightening reassuringly. “But every time Ithought I'd finally let go, something would remind me of us, of what we had. And I'd realize that no matter how much time passed, my love for you remained.”

A bittersweet smile graced his lips as he looked down at our joined hands, his thumb tracing circles over my knuckles. “I won't pretend that our past doesn't hurt, or that the pain hasn't left scars,” he admitted, lifting his gaze to meet mine once more. “But I believe that we can heal together. And I'm willing to fight for us, if you are.”

As I listened to Brett's heartfelt words, my heart swelled. Opening myself up to love again meant risking the heartache that had once shattered my world, but as I stood there, hand cradled in his, and I wanted to.

“Can we really do this?”

Brett's eyes were fierce as he nodded, his grip on my hand unwavering. “We can, Sofia,” he promised. “I’ve never stopped loving you, and I'll do whatever it takes to prove that to you—and to Max.”

His words were like a blanket. “I’ve been so scared. So afraid to trust, to let anyone in…”

“Shh,” he soothed, pressing a soft kiss to my forehead. “I know. But from now on, we'll face things together. We'll be each other's strength, and we'll show Max what love and family truly mean.”

In that moment, as Brett's arms encircled me, shielding me from the world outside, I had found my safe harbor. I finally reclaimed the love that once slipped through my fingers, and this time, I would hold onto it with everything I had.

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