Page 128 of Beautiful Broken Love

When halftime rolled around, there were a few shooting contests and T-shirt launches into the crowd from the Ravens mascot, a big black raven in a red uniform.

But just as quickly as the halftime show started, the people dispersed, and I noticed Deke emerging from the locker rooms to accept a mic from the announcer.

“What’s up, Ravens!” Deke yelled into the mic as he made his way to the middle of the court. The stadium went wild, people screaming at the tops of their lungs and crying out his name. Deke chuckled into the mic, and when the crowd settled a bit, he spoke again. “Listen, I don’t usually do this. If you know me, you know I can’t stand giving public speeches unless I absolutely have to, but I need to do it rightnow, because there is someone in this crowd I have to send my love to.” Deke turned my way, eyes latching with mine, and I stifled a breath.

“What is he doing?!” I whisper-hissed to Whitney.

She pressed her lips and shrugged, making anI don’t knownoise.

“This person has been there for me like never before. I have this thing I like to call myone percent, and there are only a handful of people who make it there. These are the people I love with my whole heart, the people I care about, the people I respect, and right now not only do I give thanks to my family and friends for showing up for me today, but also to the beautiful woman sitting right there. Davina Klein.”

My eyes rounded as a gentle applause filled the building.

“This woman is the other half of me that I never knew I was missing. When I had that rocky game at the start of the season, it was because I couldn’t get her off of my mind, y’all. Y’all remember that, right? Yeah, I bet you do, ’cause the whole crowd was mad at me.” He chuckled, and so did many others. “Hold on—I just want to show her off to y’all really quick so we can squash all the gossip going around. D, can you come here?” He curled his fingers, gesturing for me to come.

I swallowed as Whitney and Octavia pressed their hands to my back to push me out of my seat.

“Go, girl!” Octavia insisted.

“Get it, Vina!” Whitney hooted.

My heart raced as I walked across the court, fighting a goofy smile.

What are you doing?!I mouthed at Deke, but he kept his hand held out and waited for me to take it. He then requested one of the people on the sidelines to toss him a ball. When he handed the basketball to me, I looked from it to his eyes.

“What am I supposed to do with this?” My question came out breathy and quick. All these people were watching us. I didn’t mind crowds, but this was new territory for me, standing in the middle of a jam-packed stadium with a megastar basketball player.

“Y’all should see how she shoots. I play her one on one all the time, and she’s got a nice form. Go ahead, baby. Show ’em,” Deke insisted, one hand gripping the mic.

“Deke, I can’t. This is—”

He tapped the ball, shot me a wink, and stepped back. I sighed as I looked around the stadium. If I got this over with, I could sit back down and pretend this wasn’t happening. I couldn’t say I was surprised Deke was doing this. Hedidtell me repeatedly that he was going to show me off to the whole world.

I drew in a breath and faced the goal. I rose to my toes to shoot the ball and thanked my sweet Heavenly Father for allowing it to sink into the net. I expected cheers and applause afterward, but the crowd gasped instead, and a wave of murmurs erupted.

The speed of my heart picked up again. I twisted around to find Deke, but when I saw him, I gasped too.

He was on one knee, a velvety black box in his hand with an oval-shaped diamond ring nestled inside it. The diamond gleamed in the light, and I didn’t even want to think about how much he’d shoveled out for it.

“Deke.” My eyes stretched as I stood there like a gaping idiot.

He smiled up at me with a glint in his eyes. He’d gotten rid of the mic, so the only person who could hear him speaking was me. Reaching for my hand with his other, he gave it a squeeze.

“Davina, there aren’t many things I’ve been sure of in my life, but when I met you, I was positive you were the one for me. Whether I could have you or not, you were the one my heart yearned for. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to kiss you every single morning and night, to hold you when you’re down and lift you up when you feel weakest. I want to see your smile every single day and hear you laugh about my corny jokes and nicknames. You’ve always been the woman for me, and I love you so much, D. I’ve never felt a love like this, and I can’t let it go, which is why I have to ask you right now ...Will you marry me?”

I squeezed his hand back and bobbed my head, a hot tear sliding down my cheek. “Yes,” I said in a half sob. “Yes, I’ll marry you, Declan Bishop.”

He cracked a smile, taking the ring out of the box and sliding it onto the finger I swore would never belong to anyone else again.

But like a hurricane, Deke barreled right in and swept me up. There was no way of missing him, no way to avoid him. He was right there, leaving me no choice but to fall for him more and more each day.

When he rose to a stand, he reeled me in by the waist and held me tight as I laced my arms around the back of his neck. And when we kissed, the crowd cheered.

I couldn’t believe this was happening—this raw, romantic moment that was certainly in Deke fashion. All this time we’d been hiding from the press and keeping our relationship out of the public eye becauseIwas afraid they wouldn’t accept me. But there was something about hearing those cheers fill up the stadium. They were rooting for our happiness, rooting forus.

My heart filled like air in a balloon, swelling to the point I swore it would burst from how much love I felt, not only from him, but from his fans too.

When you first learn how to play basketball, you stumble a few times and miss a lot of the shots you take. You grow frustrated, but you keep dribbling that ball, keep shooting, keep moving your feet. Your chin stays up, and even when you feel like you’ll never be great—that you’ll never accomplish your goals—that’s when it all falls into place.

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