The roar of the crowd set my nerves on edge as I stood just off the field, where the football team would run out from behind the stadium. There was no way I was going to be able to pull this off.

I swallowed and glanced over at Rebecca, who was talking to Colton. She’d convinced him to come help. I still wasn’t sure what the story was there, and I felt like a horrible friend for not knowing.

I shook my head. I couldn’t worry about that right now. I needed to focus on Tyson and what I wanted to tell him. Then I’d corner Rebecca and make her spill the story.

The announcer’s voice boomed from the speakers as he began building up to introducing the players. I took some short, spastic breaths, hoping it would help calm me. It didn’t. What was wrong with me?

I signaled over to Rebecca, who smiled and nodded. I ran over to her and grabbed the edge of the rolled-up sign, pulling it across the entrance to the field and waiting. I really hoped that the football team would remember what we’d talked about.

After the announcer finished talking about all the Panther’s accomplishments, there was a roar from the football team that echoed through the stadium. I held my breath as I waited for them to appear.

Well, actually, if the football team did it right, for Tyson to appear.

And he did. He held his helmet in his hand as he came into view. He looked a bit confused as he kept glancing behind him. Someone must have been just out of sight, waving him forward.

When his gaze landed on me, I thought my heart would burst from my chest and take off galloping across the field. He moved over to the sign I held out, similar to the ones that the team had run through in the past. Except, this one said two words, I’m Sorry.

He hesitated, and my breath caught in my throat. What was he going to do? I wouldn’t be surprised if he turned around and ran away from me.

So when he did, I was grateful Rebecca and I had a game plan.

I glanced over at her and shook my head. She gave me an encouraging look and then motioned for the cheer team to make their way over to the stadium, where they began chanting and getting the crowd pumped up.

They were going to buy me five minutes until the game started. I needed to find Tyson and tell him that I’d made a mistake.

I took off after him. He wasn’t going to be able to get very far. I passed by the team, who shouted out encouraging words to me, but I wasn’t really listening. I was focused on Tyson.

Thankfully, I found him leaning against a support pole for the bleachers. The same spot we’d talked a week ago. I sighed, thinking about that weekend. Everything we’d shared together. I wanted to share all my weekends with him.

“Tyson,” I said. He stiffened. I hated what my presence was doing to him. Did he really hate me that much? “I’m sorry,” I whispered to his back.

He was quiet for a moment before he nodded. “I got that.”

I closed my eyes, willing him to turn around. “I was scared,” I said, keeping my eyes shut. I needed to get these words out, and if he rejected me after that, so be it. At least I put myself out there.

“Why?”

Shivers raced across my skin. He sounded closer. I swallowed as I opened my eyes to see him standing a foot away, studying me.

Tears formed on my lids when I met his gaze. He was hurting—just as much as I was. I cleared my throat, forcing my emotions down. “Because I was an idiot.”

He raised his eyebrows. “And?”

“And, I should have told you when Dad said we could be together.”

He hesitated. “When did he say that?”

Great. What was I doing? “When he saw our picture on the news at the hospital.”

He held up his hand. “You’ve known it was okay for us to be together since then?”

I nodded slowly. “Yes.”

“And you’re waiting until right now to tell me?” He ran his hands through his hair. “Why?”

“I guess I wanted to tell you in a big romantic gesture?”

He jabbed his thumb over his shoulder. “The sign?”

I nodded and stepped closer to him. “That and telling you in front of everyone. No more closets.”

He studied me. “What did you want to tell me?”

“That I was sorry.”

He took a step closer to me. “And?”

I shot him a surprised look. “What makes you think there’s more?”

He chuckled. I loved the sound of it. It was familiar. “Oh, there’s always more. It’s the Blake charm,” he said.

I scoffed and started to turn. He reached out and grabbed my hand, pulling me towards him. “Can I confess something or is this Tiny’s confessional?”

“Operation,” I corrected, letting him wrap his arm around my waist.

“Operation?”

I nodded. “Yeah, Bec called it operation Fix Des’s Mistakes.”

He smiled when I placed my hands on his chest. Even though he had shoulder pads on, I pretended that I could feel his heart beating and that it was pounding as hard as mine.

“And what was your mistake?” he asked, dipping down to catch my gaze.

“That I let you go before I told you how I felt.”

He leaned closer until his forehead rested on mine. “And how do you feel?”

“I like you,” I whispered.

He drew back. “That’s all?”

I widened my eyes. “Yes? Why? How do you feel?”

His lips drew up in a half-smile. “I believe this is your operation, not mine.”

I pursed my lips and narrowed my eyes at him. He was going to make me say it first. Blast him. I opened my lips, but before I could say anything, a whistle blew from the field, and Tyson straightened. He shot me an apologetic look.

“Gotta go, Tiny.” He bent down and brushed his lips on my cheek.

I swallowed as he let me go and started running toward the opening to the field. It was now or never.

“I love you,” I shouted after his retreating frame.

He must have heard me because he stopped and then slowly turned around. “What?” he asked, raising his hand to his ear.

Heat radiated from my cheeks. “I love you,” I said again.

He smiled and jogged back toward me. “I’m sorry, did you say something?” He was inches from me, dipping down until his ear was right next to my lips.

“I love you,” I whispered.

One of his arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me close. With his other hand, he cradled my cheek and ran his thumb over my lips.

“I love you, too,” he whispered and then bent down and pressed his lips to mine.

Fireworks exploded across my skin. I ran my hands up his shoulders and entwined them into his hair. He chuckled and wrapped both arms around me, picking me up and spinning me around.

In that moment, nothing mattered. Not Dad or my horrible mother. Not Ms. Swallow or Rebecca. It was just me and Tyson, and I didn’t need anything else.

When he set me back down, his expression turned serious. “Are you ready for this? For us?” he asked.

I nodded. “Yes.”

He kissed both of my cheeks, my nose, and my forehead before he found his way back to my lips. “Good,” he said when he pulled back. “Because I am too.”