Page 10 of Pitch for You

“I’ll do anything for you… you know that.”

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Listen, as much as I know the chemistry is still there between us… I just don’t think I’m ready to let someone else in right now.” Sofia looked up at me. “It’s not just about Max. It’s my heart too. It still hurts from you leaving and with everything else going on… it’s just not the right time.”

“I want to make things right between us. I know I messed up in the past, but I’m willing to do whatever it takes to make it up to you.”

She looked down at our joined hands and took a deep breath. “I’ve been through a lot since we last saw each other. Max’s father…”

“I understand. Let me show you how much I care about you. Before we dated, we were friends too. Even if not right now, I’m a patient man especially for the woman I’ve been waiting to come back to me for over a decade. I love you.”

Sofia looked up at me, tears glistening in her eyes. “I love you too, but love doesn’t conquer all. I wish it did.”

We sat there on the porch swing for a few moments, holding each other and letting our emotions flow.

Suddenly, Max ran up to us with a handful of dandelions.

“Look what I found!” he exclaimed, holding them up for us to see.

“They’re beautiful,” Sofia said with a smile, wiping away her tears.

“Can we go put them in a vase?” Max asked.

“Of course,” Sofia replied with a laugh as we all got up and headed inside together.

As we arranged the dandelions in a small vase on the kitchen table, Sofia turned to me with a small smile on her face.

“I can’t say yes to you right now, but someday when I’m ready to open my heart up to someone again… I’ll let you know.”

“Promise?”

She smiled. “Promise.”

7

Sofia

“Careful with that hay bale,” Brett warned, his muscular arms reaching out to steady it as I hoisted it onto the stack. “Don't want you getting hurt.”

“Thanks,” I replied, secretly enjoying the protectiveness he showed me. It was a small gesture, but one that made me feel valued and cared for.

“Hey,” Brett called out gently, trying to regain my attention. “Did I ever tell you how amazing you are? The way you manage this ranch, take care of Max... it's incredible.”

My eyes flickered back to him, surprised by the sincerity in his voice. I offered a shy smile and shrugged my shoulders. “I’ve always been good at multitasking.”

“Still, I'm really grateful for everything you do,” he said, stepping closer and resting his hand on mine for a brief moment before continuing his work.

As the days went by, I found myself stealing glances at Brett more often than I'd like to admit. I couldn't deny the butterflies that stirred within me whenever he was near, or the way my heart raced when our fingers brushed against each other.

One afternoon, while taking a break from chores, I hesitated before asking, “Do you remember our first date?”

“Of course,” he answered with a fond smile. “We went to that little diner down the road and shared a milkshake.”

“Right,” I nodded, a wistful smile playing on my lips. “We talked for hours that night.”

“And even though our paths diverged for a while, I'm grateful to have found my way back to you. No matter if we just stay friends or not.”

As my guard slowly began to crumble, I allowed myself to seek solace in Brett's presence. We spent the evenings talking, sharing stories of the past and dreams for the future. And with each conversation, the walls around my heart began to soften.

“Mom, can I show you something?” Max asked, running up to Brett and I with excitement in his eyes.

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