by Matt Ryan
Looking out at the group, Travis and Harris both nodded. His parents looked shocked but that was okay. They didn’t need to understand what he planned on doing. They didn’t need to be involved.
POLY HELD JOEY’S HAND AS they sat next to the lake. If he didn’t have her, he didn’t know what he would have become over the last few months since Samantha died. She kept him from going off the edge. If not for her, he’d burn the whole earth down solely to take Marcus with it.
The Earth had started showing signs of recovery and the events of it all brought them much closer. In fact, since Samantha died, he couldn’t stay away from Poly. Being with her in every intimate way, was the only good thing to happen to him since Samantha’s death.
“Thinking about her again?” Poly asked.
“Yeah.”
“What is it?”
“Remember the time when she stuffed some bait in Lucas’s sandwich?”
“Yeah, and Lucas bit into it and ran around the boat, looking for water to get it out of his mouth.”
He laughed. “She’d hid the water under the cabin.”
“And he ended up dunking his face into the lake and slapping it off his tongue.”
They laughed.
She squeezed his hand and smiled at him. He loved he could share memories with her, he loved everything about Poly.
He had another thing to share and now seemed like the perfect time. He stuffed his hand in his pocket and felt the familiar velvet box. They had once held Samantha’s earrings. He had worn much of the velvet off the box so it looked like a dog with a skin disease, but he kept rubbing the edges, feeling the cardboard underneath the velvet.
The breeze kicked up and rustled the trees above them. He watched one spin down to the lake and float on the rippled surface.
“There is something I wanted to ask you.” He grasped the box in one hand.
“There is something I wanted to talk you about too,” she interjected, shifting her weight from foot to foot. She bit her lip and looked up at him.
“What is it?”
“You go first,” she quickly said.
He held her hand and pulled it closer. “I know we’ve been through a lot and I’ve realized life is short, too short. I know now I don’t want to spend another moment waiting to show you how much I love you.” He knelt on one knee. “Poly Marie Lampis, will you marry me?”
She yanked him up, jumping up and down with her hand covering her mouth. “Yes. Yes, of course I will.” She jumped into his arms and planted kisses all over his face.
He laughed in pure joy and swung her in circles. Placing her on the ground, he pulled back. “Now, what was it you had to tell me, future Mrs. Foust?”
She placed her hands on his cheeks and looked straight into his eyes, smiling.
“I’m pregnant.”
The blood left his face and he couldn’t speak. It wasn’t that he didn’t want a family with Poly, the thought of creating life with the one he love made him happier than he thought possible. But another man wanted them to have a child so badly he went to great lengths to make it happen. Marcus Malliden.
“I know what you’re thinking,” Poly said.
“What?”
“We won’t let him take this baby.”
“I swear on my life. That won’t happen.”
The story continues with Fury of the Six, scheduled for release in Aug./Sept. 2015.
For the latest information about releases, or if you have questions for me, visit me at: www.authormattryan.com or https://www.facebook.com/authormattryan.