He went completely silent as he thought about what I’d just offered to do. Gabrielle’s voice spoke up softly. “James is the reason I’m taking the bar, Daddy. We started hanging out after we met here. He made me see that it was my passion as much as it might have been your plan.”
Richard turned to face his daughter, his expression disbelieving. His voice soft. “James is the reason you realized that?”
“Yes, Daddy, honestly. I wasn’t going to do it. I’d packed up my books and was researching other options when I met him. Veterinary sciences, even.” Her eyes locked with mine, a small smile playing on her lips.
Richard moved closer to her, wrapping a hand around hers in a gesture more fatherly than I’d ever seen him make. “You hate blood, baby.”
She squeezed his hand tenderly and fixed her teary gaze on him. “I know. I was desperate to find the place where I belonged, my true calling. I would’ve gone to the ends of the earth to find it, too. James made me see that I’d already found it. Well, he let me see it for myself, actually.”
Richard pulled her into a long hug, whispering to her. I was standing close enough to make out only one sentence. “I only ever wanted you to be happy, Gabbi.”
She whispered something back. It made him shoot out a tired laugh before he released her and turned to me. “You’ve got yourself an incredibly stubborn girl here, James. I hope you’re ready. In the meantime, you don’t have to worry about your contract. I meant it when I said that you were a great asset to the team.”
He stuck his hand out, and I shook it, completely shell-shocked. “I know, sir. I am ready. Thank you. I love this team. I’m going to give it my all next season. The contract was couriered an hour ago. It should be here any second.”
“You had it couriered before you came here?” His voice was lighter than I’d heard it in a long time.
“Yeah, I told you. The ball was completely in your court on this one.”
“One more basketball analogy and I might have to reconsider.” He grinned. “Now, I’m sure that you two have a lot to talk about. Get out of here. I’m late for my next meeting already.”
Neither of us argued. Neither of us so much as made a move towards the other. I kept glancing at Gabrielle as we walked to the parking lot. She looked like she moved in a haze.
Once we reached her car, she met my eyes for the first time. I opened my mouth to tell her what I’d been dying to tell her since I had realized it in that very parking lot the day before, but she raised a finger to my mouth. “Not here. We’ll talk at my place.”
“No, we’ll talk at mine. Follow me.” Her lips parted, her brow furrowed. She’d never been to my house. She knew that I had never taken one single woman to that house. That I hadn’t even had a woman at my old place since the day that Harper showed up on my doorstep.
She nodded slowly. Without another word, without a single clue about what her thoughts were on my life-altering confession, she slid into her car and pulled off next to the gate, evidently waiting for me to catch up.
I wasted no time. We pulled into my driveway before the enormity of the situation caught up with me. I loved this girl. If she walked out on me, she would be taking the part of my heart that had grown just for her. I wasn’t sure that I’d ever get it back.
Gabrielle followed me through the garage into the kitchen, still without a word. It seemed that it was my turn to speak. “Would you like some water?”
She shook her head and marched right up to me. “Did you mean what you said back at the office?”
“Which part?” It wasn’t the time to tease her, so I didn’t give her the chance to answer before reaching out and pulling her to me so that we were chest to chest. “The part about being absolutely, completely, proudly pussy-whipped in love with you?”
“Yeah, that’s the part.” She swallowed, doubt coloring her eyes. I needed it to be gone.
“Every word. I love you, Gabrielle Ralls. I thought that my heart was full after Harper came along, but it seems to have grown bigger to accommodate you. At the risk of sounding like a pussy, I’m so fucking far gone for you, Gabbi.”
Her eyes lit up, and the brightest, most gorgeous smile formed on her full lips. “I love you too, James Skye. I was wondering when you’d come around.”
There was my girl. She was really mine. I fucking loved it. I lowered my lips to hers, wrapped my hand around the back of her neck, and kissed her like the fucking ship was going down.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Gabrielle
My mind whirled, unable to completely comprehend what was happening. It was a miracle that I hadn’t fainted when he said that he loved me in that office.
At first, I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t want to allow myself to, just in case it was some kind of game or stunt or something.
My heart had stammered to a stop when he’d offered to give up his dream for me. I couldn’t let him do that. I had to make my father see. I’d muttered my confession about the bar exam before I’d had time to think about it.
It seemed to have done the trick. It made my father realize that there was more to it than James trying to get into my pants.
I was stuck in a daze as I walked to my car, then shocked when James suggested that we talk at his place instead of mine.