by Xyla Turner
“Don’t cry. I’m here. The only place I want to be is with you and you alone. With our kids, our dog, our fish, turtle, gerbil and anything our son wants to bring in the house. If our daughter brings a guy in the house, we’ll have a problem, but I’ll build her a dollhouse. I’ll even participate in the tea parties, and I’ll only wear tights if you wear them with me. We’ll be at recitals, games, rehearsals, try-outs, first day of school, college move-in day, giving them away at their weddings. You and me, love. My friend, my lover and my number one. Nobody else.”
“Shane,” she blurted, then started to cry more.
He wrapped his hand around her neck and brought her forehead down, so it touched his. “Marry me, Diamond.” He went into his back pocket with his free hand and continued, “Make me the happiest man on earth and say you’ll be mine.”
Shane placed the velvet black box on her jean-covered thigh.
“I can’t stand you,” she mumbled through tears.
“I know, but I love you. More than I knew I could love anyone. I’d do anything for you, love. Anything.”
She shook her head, “No, you can’t do this.”
“You love me too. I know what happened with your ex and while I think it sucks, if he hadn’t, I would not have my chance. You were made for me, not him. Don’t you get that? He’d never make you feel the way I do. You were supposed to tell me what my actions have shown where our relationship was concerned. I already know what you found, so I’m asking, “Marry me, so we can start building our legacy.”
“Vivian?” she was asking.
“I cut off all ties. She claimed it was a ploy to get at me again, but that’s plain sick. The paramedics came, sedated her and she’s gone for good. She cannot enter the building and my lawyer is getting a restraining order for her and for you as well. Something is not right there.”
She nodded her head, moving mine with it.
“My job?”
“What about it?” He squeezed her neck. “You love your job. Do what you love. I won’t interfere, nor will I do anything to affect your professional career, unless it’s like something we discussed before. I will step in.”
She blew out a breath and wiped her tears.
“You actually interviewed with a news reporter on the field?”
He laughed, “Yeah, some lady reporter told me I was moping around having a tantrum for three years, because my best friend was talking about me behind my back.”
Diamond erupted in laughter, then said, “It was true.”
“Yeah, she was right. We all have jobs to do and as she so adamantly pointed out, talking to the media is another component of that job. So I made a ref call, under further review and changed the call.”
“She sounds smart,” Diamond smiled.
The ache in his heart started to go away.
“Not only is she smart, but she’s beautiful. I fell in love with that crazy lady and I don’t even like reporters.”
“Yeah, I heard something like that when I moved to DC.”
“You heard right.” Shane kissed her lips.
Her moan reached his ear and he kissed her again.
“Did you also hear that crazy reporter lady said she would marry him?” he asked.
“I didn’t hear that.” She tried to pull back.
“Oh, I must have turned it off, when she replied.” He kissed the side of her mouth. “Don’t worry, if you play close attention, you’ll be able to hear her screaming yes later.”
Diamond hit him on the shoulder, “You’re sure, huh?”
“Oh yeah.” He stood and pulled her up to him. “I’m positive.”
He took her lips in a deep kiss, that had her arms wrapping around his neck. Shane bent down to pick her up, and put his knee on the bed to lay her down.
“My family…” she started to say.
“Eddie took them out,” Shane explained, before he crawled between her legs, fell to his side, bringing her with him.
“What do you say?” He moved her hair out of her face as they facing each other in the middle of the bed.
“You said you know what my report found, so I guess you know the answer.” She smiled.
“I do, just want to hear you say it out loud.”
“I’ll marry you Shane Sinclair,” Diamond looked him straight in the eyes.
“That a promise?”
“It’s my word.”
“Then you have my word, that you’ll never regret choosing me, love. I’ll do anything to make you happy.”
She smiled, “Yes, I’m starting to get that idea. Painting ‘will you marry me’ on your helmet.”
Diamond shook her head.
“Oh, wait until next game.”
“Oh my gosh.” She laughed.
“You have no idea.”
“Well, at least you’ll keep me entertained.”
“This is true.”
There was silence and he noticed her eyelids falling.
“Rest, love.”
20
His Legacy
Redskins vs. Broncos Game (Home)
Sports Commentators:
“Oh boy, is that Shane Sinclair running on the field with a helmet that says, ‘She said yes.’?”
“Why, yes it is Mike.” The other commentator chimed in, “he goes from hating all reporters to marrying one. Go figure.”
Box Seats Reserved for Family of Shane Sinclair
“Can you believe him?” Beatrice asked, while popping a grape into her mouth.
“Yes, I can,” Mindy replied.
“I still can’t,” Diamond noted, while shaking her head.
“Get used to it, these Sinclair men will drive you crazy, while only trying to make you happy.” Beatrice had a faraway look in her eyes.
“I’m so glad that I’m single.” Mindy took a bite of a celery stick. “You know. It’s so much to manage and I’m looking forward to being an independent woman in the Twenty-First Century. We have evolved and,” she gasped, “Holy God! Who in the world is that?”
“Who is who?” her mom snapped. “Why are you so dramatic? Sometimes, I really wonder where you got that from?”
Diamond turned to see a familiar face in her view and the man was waving. The box seats were adjacent to another set of seats that was occupied with a lot of tall guys. He pointed to the opposite side of the field and then disappeared. Within a minute, there was a knock on their door. The security guard at the door, announced, “There’s a Randall Jefferson here to see Ms. Reeves.”
“Yes, that’s fine. Thank you.” Diamond nodded and jumped up. “Hey Randall.”
“Diamond Reeves!” he exclaimed. “Well, soon to be Diamond Sinclair.”
He held out his arms, so they could embrace.
“Wow, you look good.” He pulled back.
“So do you.” She smiled. “Hey, let me introduce you. This is Beatrice Sinclair, Shane’s mother.”
“How do you do?” She nodded towards him.
“Doing well, ma’am. Pleasure to meet you.”
“And this is Mindy Sinclair, Shane’s sister.”
Mindy's eyes were bigger than normal and her cheeks were flushed. Not a word escaped her mouth.
“Well, aren’t you a cute little thing.” Randall smiled from ear to ear.
“Little?” She came back to life, then turned to her mother and asked, “Did he just call me little?”
Beatrice raised an eyebrow and said, “Oh yeah he did.”
“Uh,” Diamond tried to intervene.
“Look, I don’t care how cute you are. Nobody calls me little.”
“Except me.”
“W-what?” Mindy stuttered, seemingly losing her own fight.
Her mom started snickering, then mumbled, “I like him.”
Randall turned to Diamond. “I’m sure I’ll be seeing you around. Let me get back to the guys. If you want to come over and meet them - you should.”
He turned back to Mindy and asked, “You want to join me?”
“Come on, little one.” He walked up to her and held out his hand. “You’re with me. Nobody will mess with you. You have my word.”
“Uh.”
Mindy was significantly shorter than Randall and though she was put off by his comment, the look in her eyes said she might have met her match.
“Girl, you better go ahead,” Beatrice quipped between laughs.
Mindy put her small hand in his extremely large one, and followed as he led them to the door.
“Ladies,” he called.
“Ms. Independent, we have evolved, blah, blah,” Beatrice erupted in laughter.
Diamond chuckled too, “No man is going to boss me around.”
“That is soo weak,” Beatrice added in Mindy’s high voice.
The two women continued to cackle more and smacking each other on the arm.
Once the game was over, Shane, Keith and Matt were sitting at the press table, waiting patiently for everyone to take their places. Each of the men had a microphone in front of them and Shane was the point person.
“So, she said yes?” one reporter noted.
Laughter was heard throughout the room
“Yeah, she did.” Shane nodded, while smiling extremely big.
“When’s the big day?” he followed up.
“We’re thinking next year, once the season is over and things are a little calmer.” He nodded at him, “Next question.”
“Where do you guys plan to go on your honeymoon?”
Shane looked up and saw it was Diamond who asked the question. He smiled brightly and answered, “Wherever she wants to go.”
“Anywhere she wants to go?” she sang.
“Anywhere.”
She turned towards the other reporters and said, “You heard that. He said anywhere.”
Everyone started laughing again.
“Any questions about football?” Shane asked, still smiling and showing all his teeth.
“Yes,” Diamond added. “How did you let Hank Winters run you over like a freight truck, after he saw the throwback to Matt, you faked, missed and then became road kill?”
Snickering from various parts of the room quickly multiplied. Shane looked around, pointed and said, “See, this is why I don’t like reporters.”
He quickly stood up and jumped off the podium walking straight towards Diamond.
“Ohhh, you better run,” Keith warned.
The crowd was parting to let him through and Diamond took off running. Shane ran after her, catching her in the hallway by the waist and lifted her up.
“Really,” he asked.
“I’m just saying Shane, it was a bad hit.”
“I’m fine, love.”
“Are you sure?” she asked, concern etched in her voice.
“Wherever I hurt, you can make it all better tonight, okay.”
“Okay.”
He lowered her, then leaned in with his right elbow on the wall and his left hand on the other side, effectively caging her in.
“Okay.” He kissed her, lightly on the lips.
She wrapped her arms around his neck, to deepen the kiss, while camera flashes, ohh’s and ahh’s, and kissy noises were being made in the background. When he pulled back, he whispered, ‘The only reporter I’ll ever love.”
“You better.”
After his aversion to the media was over, he received more offers for endorsements, people wanted him to speak at graduations and functions and entrusted him with the minds of the youth. More importantly, his teammates embraced him as a captain and their co-leader. Matt kept hinting towards retirement and wanted to pass the baton to Shane, which each man embraced. With the extra attention and funding, he was able to expand his summer league camp to Maryland, D.C. and Virginia.
Beatrice finally hired a CEO from out of state to handle the LULA Foundation. He had a plan and his track record spoke for itself. Shane continued to fund and provide for the foundation, but also started his own mentoring program at his old high school. Members of the professional leagues around the D.C. Metropolitan Area would serve as mentors to the students, even if they weren’t an athlete. There were several write-ups, but the one that Diamond framed, held the title ‘His Legacy: Following the Greatness of His Father.’
I hope you enjoyed Shane & Diamond’s story. To hear more about Austin and Daphne’s story, connect with Toy, the author, via Facebook or her website.
The series will continue with Mindy and Randall Jefferson’s story.
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About the Author
Xyla Turner was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. She is an avid reader of romance novels and a sucker for sassy females and dominant males. She is a high school educator and a groovy Aunt. Outside of reading, Xyla likes to spend time with her family and friends and travel. She writes different genres, but her favorite is romance.
Xyla has her Bachelor’s degree in Education and Masters in Education Administration.
Contact Xyla Turner
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