Cane sat hunched over in his chair, reciting answers in a monotone as Brian questioned him about what to do in various types of emergency situations.
The interview wrapped and Brian stood to shake Cane’s hand. Cane took a step down from the news desk and Megan hid herself in the shadows. She wasn’t sure if she was ready to see Cane. Her heart was beating hard in her chest from the mere thought of speaking to him. She may have found her inner confidence, but she still felt like a schoolgirl at the sight of him.
“Hey, Megan, there you are!”
So much for hiding out. Megan put on a smile and stepped out of the shadows as the promo writer she worked with called out to her from across the room.
“Hi,” she greeted in return, offering a fleeting glance to Cane, who stood statue-still next to the news desk.
Megan tried to listen as the writer talked about her script for the day, but the woman entering the studio through the doors behind him caught her attention. Her hair glittered around her and her smile lit up the room. She was stark raving gorgeous. Megan blinked as Brian approached the woman with open arms.
“There’s my love.” He planted a kiss on her cheek. The woman wrapped her arms around Brian’s neck and nuzzled his cheek. The studio light glinted off the diamond ring she wore on her finger.
“Is that Brian’s . . .” Megan began.
The writer turned his head. “Fiancée? Yeah, that’s Eva.”
Megan’s eyes widened. That was Eva. And she was attached to Brian. Megan turned and caught Cane’s eye and then glanced back at Eva. He was definitely staring, but not at Eva. He didn’t look as if he even knew Eva was in the room. No, his eyes were firmly planted . . . on her.
The shock of seeing Megan froze Cane in place, but eventually, he was able to put one foot in front of the other. She was talking to a writer, but it didn’t matter. After the finale, he’d stewed over what Molly said. Megan believed he was in love with someone else. He didn’t want to take away from her moment by pulling her aside at the taping in order to lay it all on the line. She had enough to deal with when everyone was congratulating her.
In the days after the finale, he had convinced himself she was busy, her days packed with interviews. Truth be told, he was still scared. Megan wasn’t with Andrew, he knew that much, but what if she didn’t want to be with him either? There was no way to know for sure until he asked.
And now, seeing her, he knew he’d waited long enough—too long, even. It was his turn.
Cane couldn’t get across the room fast enough. His interview with Brian had been a disaster and now that he saw Megan, he was certain that had she been here earlier it would have gone swimmingly. She was what he needed. She was what he was missing in his life, and he wasn’t going to delay telling her any longer.
“Excuse me.” He gave the writer a small smile as he interrupted their discussion. “Could I have a moment with Megan?”
“Sure.” The writer stuffed the script into Megan’s hand and walked away. “See you in a bit.”
Cane shifted his feet, wondering where to start.
“Megan,” he whispered. She was adorable. She wore ripped jeans and a sweatshirt with a hole in the elbow. Her hair was in its regular ponytail and her glasses were sliding down her nose. She was perfection.
Before he could continue, she placed a finger over his lips. “I’m sorry, Cane,” she said.
He frowned. “What are you sorry for?”
“A lot of things.” She glanced over her shoulder.
Cane watched her line of vision and noticed Eva across the room for the first time, chatting with Brian and holding his hand. Cane put his hands around Megan’s waist and pulled her closer.
“You have nothing to be sorry for. I’m the one who’s sorry. I saw you with Andrew and I panicked. You know my history and how I felt about coming in second place. I let myself believe it was happening again.”
Megan made a face, and Cane chuckled, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear.
“Exactly. Looking back now, I know you would never have anything to do with him.”
“Of course I wouldn’t. I was too in love with you.” Megan placed her hands on Cane’s arms.
Did she just say love?
“I was such a fool,” he continued, knowing he had to fully explain himself to her. “I think my heart was still broken from before. Not because I really loved Eva, but because I was infatuated with the idea of her and mad at myself for letting my guard down with the wrong person.”
“She’s . . . the wrong person?”
Cane lowered his head until their foreheads touched. “Of course she is. I should have seen it a lot sooner than I did.” He shrugged. “I guess I didn’t know who the right person was until I met you.”
Cane pulled Megan closer until only inches separated them. He was vaguely aware of the reporters bustling around them, but the couple was in their own little world.
“Megan, everything changed when I met you. You gave me something no one else in the world ever has. When you’re around, I feel like the piece of me that’s always been missing is finally in place.”
He saw tears glinting in her eyes.
“You make me feel like I matter.” She spoke in a soft voice. “When you were around, I could stand on my own two feet and hold my own.”
“No.” Cane shook his head. “That’s all you. Maybe I gave you the strength to find yourself, but it’s you in there, coming out for the world to see.”
Megan smiled. “I’m different now.” She pulled back an inch.
Cane nodded. “I know. I liked you before, when you wouldn’t meet my eyes and blushed every time I looked in your direction.” He leaned over and closed the space she’d put between them. “But Megan, now I’m pretty sure I love you.”
“Wow.” Megan stared into his eyes.
Cane wiped the tear that trickled down her face. “Can I be your Leftover?” he asked.
Megan giggled. “Did you really just say that?”
“I did and I mean it.”
Megan stood on her toes and planted her lips on his. Cane remembered the first time they kissed, when she was dared to approach him and lay one on him. And he remembered dragging her into his tent. He’d felt something then, but now, the whole world was spinning because the two of them were together.
“Yes, Cane. You can be my Leftover. But you’re not a Leftover at all. You’re my first and only choice.”
Cane smiled against her cheek as he picked her up and twirled her around. The newsroom had taken notice of what was going on and someone in the corner began clapping. Cane’s eyes searched the darkness around them. Eva and Brian stood in the middle of the room, clapping along with the rest of the group. Cane gave Eva a slight nod. She had been right all along. They weren’t right for one another. He was sorry he’d lost so much time thinking she was mistaken. But now, he was glad for everything he’d been through. In his arms, he held the only woman in the world that was right for him. And he had no plans of letting go.
All thanks to a show called The Leftover.
The Leftover Page 23