Page 94 of Lavender and Linebackers

“Did you pack us something good? I’m starving,” he asks.

“You know I did.” I pull away from him and crawl over to the cooler, which is placed near our feet.

“Stay in that position much longer, and we’re not going to be eating anytime soon.”

“Oh my God, do you ever think about anything else?” I glance over my shoulder at him. His eyes definitely don’t meet mine.

“Well, I wasn’t thinking about it until you stuck your ass up in the air.”

I wiggle my hips, and he groans.

“Focus. I got me grape Gatorade and you Reese’s Cups.”

“This is why you’re my favorite girl,” he tells me, moving to get more situated.

“Ha! I’m your only girl.” Popping the lid, I rifle through the goodies that I brought and pull out a sandwich. “But I also got you a Pub sub because I know you need calories.”

I turn to give it to him, but he’s not getting situated to eat. He’s shifted to one knee. He’s on one knee, and he’s holding out a square black ring box. Unable to stop myself, I drop the sandwich and gasp. I look at him, I look at the closed box, I look at him, and then my eyes well with tears. His do the same.

“I told you months ago that I would have married you that day, and I would have. This shouldn’t be too much of a surprise to you.” He gives me a shy smile. “Every day since then, in my mind I’ve asked you to marry me. Every day since then, I’ve also asked myself, how much longer do we have to wait? I know what I want. I’m pretty sure I know what you want. So I’ve decided no more waiting. I love you. I want to be your husband, and I desperately want you to be my wife. You’re not just my favorite girl, you’re my forever girl. Will you marry me?”

Nothing could have surprised me more today. The earth could split in two, and this would still win.

“Ryder,” I whisper, scooting closer. I can put my hands on him, feeling breathless. “Yes. Yes, I will marry you.”

His voice is rough. “I’m glad.”

Closing the remaining distance, I fall into his arms and openly cry, tucked up against his chest. He wraps me up tight and buries his face in my hair. Yes, I’m wearing lavender just for him, and I feel him breathe me in.

Pulling me back, he wraps his hands around my face and kisses me.

“I love you,” I tell him through salty tears.

“Al, I never want to be apart from you. Never again.” He releases me and picks up the box.

“When did you do this?” I kneel in front of him.

Pink dusts his cheeks.

“Uh-oh, you definitely have to tell me now.”

He opens the box, and there is the most beautiful solitaire diamond, set with a baguette on each side, and outside those is a tiny amethyst stone. My breath catches. He pulls the ring out, and I lift my hand.

“I started looking after Christmas. When you know you know, and I knew.” He slides the ring onto my finger and then bends over to kiss my hand. “I promise I will be the best husband to you.”

More tears fall. “And I promise I will be the best wife.”

Settling back to where he was sitting, he pulls me over his lap to straddle him. He’s smiling because he’s happy, and my heart flutters with joy.

“I often wondered if you were to propose to me, where would you do it, and I can’t think of a more perfect place than this one.”

“It really was an easy decision. No other place means as much to me as this one.”

“Me neither.” I feel like my heart is going to burst. I’m going to be Mrs. Alice Monroe.

“So when do you want to do this?” he asks eagerly.

I laugh and lean forward to kiss him. His hands slide under my skirt, settle on my butt, and he pulls me forward. He’s got me right where he wants me, and I’m not mad about it at all. I love knowing that it doesn’t take much for me to turn him on.

“I don’t know. I haven’t really thought about it,” I tell him, which is a complete lie.

He pulls back and looks at me curiously. “Really? You haven’t thought about it at all?”

“Well, I mean, if we happen to find ourselves at that little church around the corner from our house in mid-June, I hear they have availability before you head off for your week at minicamp.”

“You hear they have availability?” He looks at me skeptically.

I shrug, trying to remain all innocent. The thing is, I do want to marry him. When I stopped in to inquire about wedding services, it was originally for next summer after his second year with the Tarpons. I want it to be during the offseason so he can enjoy the festivities too. I wasn’t thinking he would propose this soon, but the church happened to mention they still had openings this summer.

“Yep.” This time, I can’t help but smile. He makes me deliriously happy.

He smiles, too. “You are something else.”

Dipping his fingers into my hair, he seals his lips to mine and gives me the most loving and passionate kiss. He’s especially good at this. Every time, he causes butterflies to flap their wings and makes me breathless.

Eventually, his lips drag across my cheek to my neck, over my shoulder and down my arm where he picks up my hand. He studies the ring on my finger and tenderly kisses just above it. If I wasn’t already sitting, I would be swooning. And then his gorgeous brown eyes find mine. They’re determined. They’re elated. They’re satisfied.

“This summer sounds perfect.”