She shot him another dark look. He knew she didn’t like being manipulated and yet here she was, front and center with an entire town scheming against her.
Summer reached across Gia to help herself to some of Joey’s popcorn, her new wedding band glinting under the theater lights.
“How are you feeling so far?” Gia asked Summer, tucking her phone away to ignore any more messages from Beckett.
“Like I’ve run a marathon every day before two. By the time three o’clock rolls around I have to nap or I’m in bed by seven,” Summer lamented. “Please tell me this phase passes quickly.”
“You’ll breeze right through your next trimester. And then you’ll wish that you could sleep twenty-three hours a day.”
Summer sighed and took another handful of popcorn. “And then there’s the no sleeping because they’re newborns. And the no sleeping because they’re toddlers and climbing out of their beds and trying to set house fires. Oh, and don’t forget the no sleeping because they’re teenagers and who knows what they’re up to.”
“That about sums it up,” Gia said, her eyes scanning the theater for an escape route.
“Don’t even think about it,” Joey said mildly. “Jax and Carter will just haul you back in here and embarrass the hell out of you.”
“Too late for that,” Gia muttered.
She avoided making eye contact with Beckett until Bruce Oakleigh took the stage. Gavel in hand, he crossed to the podium.
“If I can have everyone’s attention,” he said, leaning into the microphone. The noise level lowered to a dull roar. He banged the gavel twice and the last of the conversations in the crowd died away.
“There, that’s better.”
“Now we all know why we’re here tonight, well, except for you, Gia,” he smiled brightly at her through his silvery beard. “We’re here to host an open forum that will decide whether or not Gianna Decker should give Beckett Pierce a second chance.”
The theater erupted in chatter and Gia tried to bolt out of her seat, but Joey shoved her back down.
“Just try and remember that they’re doing this because they think they’re helping,” she whispered. “And if that doesn’t work, know that Evan and Beckett came up with the idea together. So running out of here won’t just disappoint the whole town, you’ll have to deal with the kid’s sad face.”
“Evan did this?” Gia stopped fighting the grip on her shoulders.
“He and Beckett put all of this together,” Joey told her. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up as mayor after Beckett.”
Gia took a deep cleansing breath. And then another.
“Is she going to hyperventilate?” Joey hissed at Summer.
Summer shook her head. “I think she’s just trying to relax.”
The gavel banged again, bringing order to the crowd. “Let’s quiet down here. We’ve only got fifty-three minutes to come to a decision.”
“Oh. My. God,” Gia whispered. The town was planning to debate her relationship status for fifty-three minutes. She fervently hoped that the floor beneath her feet would open up and swallow her.
“Let’s get started with Beckett Pierce, the ‘forgivee’ in question,” Bruce announced, waving Beckett to the podium.
“Shit. They’re not expecting me to talk, are they?” she gasped.
Joey shook her head. “They got you a proxy.”
Gia put her face in her hands. “I am going home to pack. This town is insane.”
She could tell Beckett had taken the podium because the theater had become quite quiet again.
“Gianna Decker placed her faith and trust in me as a potential partner and I let her down,” Beckett began. “I refused to listen, I made snap judgments, and on more than one occasion I let my agendas and personal issues be excuses for lashing out at her.”
A grumble went through the crowd. Joey booed.
“Joey!” Gia hissed at him.
“Team Gia,” Joey whispered.
Beckett zeroed in on Gia’s face. “I was an idiot. I refused to be a team player. In a few bull-headed moments I forgot what being a partner meant and tried to make decisions for us both. I hurt the woman I care very deeply for and made her doubt herself. I’m so very sorry, Gianna. Hurting you has been the worst mistake of my life. And that’s saying something since you’ve already met Trudy.”
A chuckle rose up from the crowd.
Apparently there were no secrets in Blue Moon. At least none that involved fire and handcuffs.
“Gianna, I know I don’t deserve this. But please give me another chance to show you the kind of partner I can be. I want to be with you and Evan and Aurora.”
A generous round of applause rolled through the audience.
“Ugh, Mooners are too easy,” Joey grumbled.
Beckett was so busy staring at Gia that Bruce had to physically push him away from the podium.