George slid a tablet in front of me. I was really starting to get sick of tablets and, more importantly, the garbage I was made to watch on them.
Still, I watched as he tapped on the screen and it came to life.
“What is…is that my…” Confused, I looked first to my mother and then to the assistant, who stood next to Brittany and Abby, who’d returned to the kitchen with him.
“That looks like the front of your house,” my mother said.
“That’s because it is the front of your house,” Brittany said before disappearing from the room.
“What’s going on?”
“Just watch,” George said in response to my question.
With very little choice, I did. A moment later, Blaze’s black SUV drove into the shot. A woman with a sharp black bob, dressed in black slacks and a crisp white blouse, stepped from the passenger side to stand in front of the vehicle.
I couldn’t decide whether she was a lawyer or some kind of security, which would be laughable for a man of Blaze’s size and build. Still, the woman looked official.
“Who is that?”
“Is Blaze in there?”
Abby and my mother started throwing questions at George, who seemed to be the only one equipped to answer them, but I didn’t listen for the answers. I was fixated on the screen as the driver’s side door opened. When Blaze stepped out, my heart jumped into my throat.
He was so handsome. Even more so now that I knew him. And despite every single unanswered question I had, and my bruised and battered heart, I couldn’t help the way my body reacted at the mere sight of him on the screen.
George leaned over and tapped at the screen, bringing sound to the scene unfolding in front of me.
There was a cacophony of what I now realized were reporters, calling his name and yelling questions at him. It was a press conference. On the street in front of my house.
But why?
On the screen, Blaze held up a hand, silencing the crowd. “Thank you all for coming today,” he started. “I’m sure you all have questions, and I hope I can answer them all for you today. And more.”
He looked tired, as if he hadn’t slept in days. I squeezed my hands together in my lap.
“First,” he said, “I want to congratulate my ex-girlfriend, Amelia Kelly, on her pregnancy. I spoke with her earlier today, and we would both like to publicly put to rest any rumors that I am the father of her child. I am not. I am certain Amelia will make a wonderful, loving mother, and I wish her and her baby all the best.”
I believed him. And judging by the follow-up shouts from the reporters, they did as well.
A hand slid over and squeezed my leg. I looked to see my mother offering me a small smile.
“It’s not his baby.”
I nodded and turned my attention back to the screen.
I’d never cared about the baby. Not really. After all, Blaze had a life before he met me. A full life. So had I. Even if the baby had been his, it wouldn’t have changed anything as far as how I felt about him. That wasn’t why my heart ached in my chest.
Blaze ignored all the comments and questions that were fired in his direction and stared directly into the camera. Directly at me.
“I also want to take this time to address something else,” he said. “Something very important that I’ve never shared before.”
I inhaled sharply and held my breath, instinctively knowing what he was going to say. I dared not look away from his eyes, willing my energy to flow through him and give him the strength to do what he was about to do.
But he didn’t need my strength. He had plenty of his own as he spent the next few minutes telling the press about his brother Hayden, his addiction and his subsequent tragic death. He handled the subject gracefully and respectfully. I saw the emotion in his eyes as he shared his story, and my heart swelled with love and respect as he spoke.
“It’s because of my big brother, his story, and the millions of people just like him, that I’ve been inspired to do whatever I can to help. Speaking out about addiction of all kinds and putting real-life faces and names to the problem is the first step to a solution.”
I nodded along with him, tears pooling in my eyes. Around me, my friends and mother exchanged questions and comments, but I was deaf to all of them as I listened intently to what Blaze was saying.
“I’m proud to say that I have a small part in opening the first of what I hope becomes many programs in Aspen Valley and towns just like it. There’s a need here that must be filled, and this is one small step in that direction. Because only by talking and removing the stigma can we hope to begin solving this problem.”
I clapped my hands together, so proud of him and what it meant for the program…and also for Blaze and his family.
Again, the reporters bombarded him with questions, and once again, Blaze raised his hand. “There will be an official press release with all the information on the program and everything you need to know about how you can help. But first, there is one more, extremely important thing I need to address.”
His dark eyes shifted to the camera, and once more he looked as if he were staring directly into my eyes.
“As a public figure, I’m used to living my life in the spotlight,” he started. “I understand my responsibility to the public and the fans who allow me to have the career that I have, and I take that responsibility seriously. But just because I understand and accept this public lens on my life doesn’t mean that those I care about always do. Furthermore, sometimes that public attention can cause pain or misunderstanding when that is the very last thing I want.”
I swallowed hard.
“And there’s one person in particular who I’m afraid has been very hurt by recent media attention.”
My breath caught in my throat as he continued.
“More importantly, this person is someone I’ve grown to care about very, very much.”
I couldn’t listen anymore. Tears blurred my vision as I stood from the table and walked out.
I had no idea whether Darla was listening. But I could only hope like hell she was because every single thing I was saying, I was saying directly to her.
“When you live your life publicly the way I do, there are times that the press doesn’t always get it right.” I grinned and nodded a little. “Hard to believe, I know. But it’s true,” I added to snickers and chuckles from the reporters. “And this is one of the times that you guys got it wrong.”
I shrugged, trying to keep it light, to keep the press on my side. But on the inside, I was a twisted tangle of nerves. What if she wasn’t listening? Or worse, what if she was but she didn’t care? What if what I was about to say was too little too late? Or worse—too much, too soon? There was no way to know for sure. I had to go on faith. And follow my heart.
“The truth is,” I started. “The woman I was photographed dancing with at the Aspen Valley Country Club is Darla Diamond. She is probably the most amazing woman I’ve ever met. No.” I shook my head and corrected myself. “She is the most amazing woman I’ve ever met. She’s smart, sexy, strong, and a savvy businesswoman. But more importantly, she’s kind and giving of herself and her heart. She truly is the most generous woman I’ve ever met, and without her and her tireless efforts, my dream for the treatment program would still be just that, a dream. In fact, there isn’t anything I can fault about the woman. Except for maybe one thing.” I shook my head with a small chuckle. “She seems to like me.”
I smiled to myself at the memory of Darla telling me exactly that less than twenty-four hours before. It seemed like an eternity ago.
“And I sure hope that’s still true today.” I looked directly into the camera in front of me as I said the most important thing. “Because, without a doubt in my mind, I am falling in love with Darla Diamond.”
As expected, there were gasps and exclamations from the reporters, who were no doubt all scrambling to break the story first. But there was only one reaction I cared about. I turned and looked at Darla’s house and her still-closed front door.
It had been a bit of a risky choice to hold the press conference here. But it was the only place that made sense to me. There were already reporters there, waiting for a glimpse of her, and more importantly, if she wasn’t going to answer any of my phone calls, maybe she would at least respond to a public declaration of my feelings.
But…maybe I’d been wrong?
Deflated, I turned again, ready to address the reporters for a final time. I’d hardly opened my mouth when suddenly the crowd began to move and shift their attention from me to something—or someone—behind me.
With my heart in my throat, I turned. Even with the distance of her front garden between us, my eyes locked on hers. I moved toward her as she began to walk down the steps to me.
We met in the middle.
Vaguely, I heard the questions that were being hollered at us, but I knew the security detail would keep everyone off Darla’s property. It was just the two of us. In the most public sense.
“Hi.” I stopped short of reaching for her, unsure of how it would be received. “I wasn’t sure you were listening.”
She wore only a sleeveless top and one of her skirts I’d come to love so much. She’d obviously been crying but looked gorgeous, even with slightly puffy eyes. I longed to kiss her and put a smile on her beautiful lips. Somehow I held off.
“I didn’t have much of a choice,” she said. “Of course I was listening.”
I nodded. “Sorry about that. It felt like the best way to clear everything up at once, and I didn’t really know how else to get you to listen.”
“I would have answered the phone,” she said. “Eventually.”
I could tell she was trying not to, but her lips quirked up into a slight smile before she once more pressed her lips together.
“So you heard everything?”
Darla nodded.
“And?”
“I’m really proud of you.”
A tear slipped down her cheek, and I didn’t need to ask her why.
“I know I told you I wanted to be anonymous with the treatment program, but—”
“I’m really glad you decided not to be.” She interrupted me. “Your brother would be very proud of you.”
My breath hitched in my throat. “Thank you.”
We stood inches apart, silence falling between us momentarily.
“There’s one thing I—”
“I just want to—”
We spoke at once. I laughed and before I could stop myself, reached for her hand. When she didn’t pull away, I said, “Let me go first.”
Darla nodded.
“I meant every single thing I said to them.” I gestured with my head. “Except there was one thing that might not have been one hundred percent accurate.” Darla’s mouth fell open in question, but I continued quickly. “I’m not falling in love with you, Darla Diamond.” Confusion flashed in her eyes, but I pressed on. “I am in love with you.” I spoke every word slowly and clearly, loud enough for only her to hear because she was the only one who needed to hear me say it. She was the only one who mattered.
“You love me?”
I nodded, unable to keep the smile off my face. “I do. You’re unlike any woman I’ve ever met. And I don’t care if it’s been two months, two days, or two hours since we’ve known each other. Time has no meaning except in the sense that I don’t want to spend another minute of my life without you knowing exactly how I feel about you. I love you, Darla Diamond.”
She didn’t make me wait long before she responded with a smile of her own, one she didn’t try to hide. “This is the craziest thing,” Darla started. “And maybe because I’ve never felt this way before. Ever. But, I love you, too, Blaze. For better or for worse, I love you.”
My insides were doing back flips, and I was absolutely positive that the smile on my face was ridiculously goofy, but nothing could make me care. “Well, let’s save the vows for a later date.” I chuckled. “One thing at a—”
“Shut up and kiss me.”
I didn’t need to be asked twice.
Cameras flashed in the distance as I pulled my woman close and kissed her thoroughly until there was no possible way anyone, especially her, could ever question exactly how I felt about Darla Diamond.