Page 54 of Something New

He placed a finger over her lips, then leaned over the microphone. “What do you say, everyone? Should I give her another shot?”

The crowd went crazy, the cheers overwhelmingly approving of a third chance. He tugged on the sweatshirt, pulling her close to him. He plunged his hands into her hair, holding her head steady. “I guess your fans have spoken.”

Her lips curved in a smile. “far be it from me to ignore what the fans want.”

He lowered his mouth the last few inches and kissed her with a passion that took her breath away, holding her steady for his kiss. Her eyes closed, and she leaned into him, her hands clutching his shirt. All the tension drained out of her and she sagged against him.

He lifted his head and gazed into her eyes and, in a low, sexy, bedroom voice, said, “Does Bianca really have to die? I really wanted her to get back at that Deirdre bitch. She’s too goody goody and needs to be taken down a peg or two.”

Anna’s mouth dropped open, and she took a step back, hitting him in the chest with her fist. “You jerk! You watchBlazing Passions?”

He grinned and pulled her close for another hug. “How else was I going to get my Anna fix for the past few years?”

* * *

Wyatt’s heart almost jumped out of his chest when he had heard Anna’s name announced as singing the National Anthem. Kyle dragged him to the front of the sideline to ensure he had a front-row seat to whatever the hell it was she had planned. And it was a doozy. Judging by Kyle’s shit-eating grin, he had totally been in on the plan from the start. But now, they had a game to play, and he didn’t want to let Anna go.

Kyle grabbed his arm. “Dude, she has to sing, and we have to win. She won’t go anywhere. She’ll be in the box and waiting for you after the game. Let’s go, okay?”

With one last kiss, he took a couple of steps back, but waited until she sang the anthem, then walked off the field with her, hand in hand. He gave her one last kiss at the tunnel and then reluctantly left her to coach the game. He got a load of shit from the kids but, in their eyes, he saw some respect for catching an actress like her.

They won the game handily and, after the game, he didn’t hang around for any post-game analysis or interviews. He headed straight for the box and Anna. When he burst in, Anna was waiting for him, along with all of their friends. Ethan stood behind Delaney, who sat in one of the chairs, relaxed and leaning against him. Grady and Brigid stood by the window, gazing out over the football field. Caroline and Matthew sat in the middle of all of their friends, the glue that brought them together, in the beginning and now at the end. They all had champagne and handed him a glass.

Anna raised her glass and started to speak, but he pressed a finger to her lips and shook his head. “My turn. It may not be as dramatic as yours, but I have something to say too. I was wrong to ask you to give up your career to come home to Texas. I think I was still pissed off that you got to have your dream and I didn’t. But that’s on me. I’m over that. I love what I do, and I love my life, except for one very big thing. I don’t have you in it.”

He got down on one knee and held out a jewelry box. “I’ve been saving this a long time, Anna. You’re the only thing that matters to me. Without you in my life, it has no meaning. You are my dream, the only one that matters. When I lost football, that was nothing compared to the pain of losing you. I’ll follow you anywhere you want to go—New York, California, anywhere. I can get a coaching job at a university, high school, or be a private coach. I don’t want to stand in the way of your dreams anymore. Just please let me be a part of your life.”

By the end of his speech, Anna was sobbing. Delaney eased the glass of champagne out of Anna’s hand, and Anna threaded her fingers through his hair, tugging him up to her. “Wyatt, like you, I thought my dreams were out there. My being special came from other people. But everything I want is right here. I only want to be special to you. We can figure the rest out. But for now, I’m staying put in Texas as my home base. I’m helping Karen with the Playhouse as co-director. And I might do some indie work right here. I need you, Wyatt. I love you.”

He wrapped his arms around her waist and buried his head in her stomach, holding her close. “I love you too, Anna. Forever.”

Their friends gathered around and hugged them, the reunion that started several weeks ago on Whitby Island now complete.

Epilogue

It had been many years since Anna had been nervous on Opening Night. Of course, that could be mainly because she hadn’t done live theater since college. Thank goodness she wasn’t on stage for this production, only guiding it. Hell, she wasn’t even the director, just mentoring and helping everyone, along with her co-theater lead, Karen. But she felt as nervous as if she was going on stage.

She calmed everyone’s nerves, even as her own stomach threatened to twist inside. But outwardly she remained calm, especially for the young lead, Taylor, the girl she’d gotten to know the previous fall when she’d volunteered during Caroline’s wedding. Taylor had proven herself to have a good voice and was interested in acting, though she was heeding Anna’s advice but going to college first and considering her options before diving straight into the California scene.

Anna had spent quite a bit of time between UT and the island since she moved back from California, more time as they ramped up for the summer theater season. Wyatt joined her more often than not, when he could get away, since spring wasn’t as busy for football, though he had some travel for recruits and, of course, Spring Football. But now, as summer was waning, the football season was ramping up, and he had responsibilities at UT. She’d spent the past two weeks alone on the island, staying at Caroline and Matthew’s cottage, and she was lonely. He wouldn’t be able to make it for opening night, sadly. Football had started, so he was knee deep in getting the team ready. He’d been flexible about her needs; she could do the same for him.

With a last hug for the nervous girl, and words of encouragement for everyone else, Anna headed for her seat in the audience with Karen and her husband. Karen had had a rough year with chemo and radiation, but she’d come through it and was now in remission. Anna had spent time with her friend, too, helping her through the challenges, giving Karen’s husband a break, and being there for her. It had given Anna time to think about her next steps for her career and her life., something she had to discuss with Wyatt.

As she watched the community theater group perform Mamma Mia brilliantly, with only a few minor hiccups that no one but her or the group would have noticed, the creative fire that she thought had been doused inside flared to life again. She was ready. Maybe not for theater, but she was ready to get back out there and act again, to take the stage and do productions. But how to tell Wyatt that without blowing up their relationship?

Things had been amazing between them. She was a visiting lecturer at UT’s theater program, so she often went to work with Wyatt. In the evenings, they curled up on the couch and watched television. Even watching her former show,Blazing Passions, didn’t piss her off anymore, though she was happy to hear how the fans missed her and wanted her back, even if her character had died. Soap operas always found a way to make the strangest things happened. Bianca St. John may have died, but she could come out of her coma a changed woman and have one last battle with Deirdre. And they had Deirdre be the one to “kill” Bianca through underhanded means, so now Deirdre was the evil one. Anna liked the turnabout. For once, she wasn’t the bad guy anymore. And she had an open invitation if she wanted to reprise her role, but she was done with that. She had her eye on this indie film being filmed in southern Texas. Not too far away. Might be a sleeper hit, considering who was directing and producing it.

The show ended with a resounding standing ovation, and the cast came out to take their bows. They called up the director and choreographer, who then called her and Karen to join them. When they got on stage, Taylor brought Karen a dozen roses with a secret smirk on her face. Before Anna could say anything, she left the stage, with Karen and the cast following. Anna started to follow, but Karen gestured for her to remain.

Then she saw him. The lights dimmed enough for her to see the tall figure walking down the center of the audience, a figure she knew as well as she knew her own. He got to the base of the stage and went to the side where the steps were. She could see him carrying an armful of roses, peach, her favorite color.

He strode across the stage until he stood in front of her, her head angled up to see him. Then he dropped to his knee and her heart flip-flopped in her chest.

“You laid your heart on the line for me in front of national television and at one of our biggest games all year. It seemed only right that I do the same for you. You’ve changed your life for me, for us. I don’t deserve you, but I will do everything in my power to make sure you know every day how much I love you and cherish you.”

Out of the mass of roses, he pulled out a dark blue velvet box and her heart skipped a beat. “Anna, some might say this is way too soon, but we’ve known each other for too many years, been through too many trials, to say this is overnight. Every day with you is a new day, yet having you in my life is like having my best friend by my side. I never want to go another day without knowing you’re mine, or you knowing that you have my heart. Will you marry me?”

How could she accept knowing that she was going to leave, even if it was temporary?

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