Claiming Xana (Wildcat Graduates Book 2)
Page 30
“Turn it over,” I instruct, glad I placed it upside down in the box, because the look on her face when she sees the other side is worth every minute I spent planning.
“OH MY GOD,” she exclaims as her hands begin to shake and her head jerks to look at me as I kneel on the dirt in front of her holding the opened box in my hands. More tears have filled her eyes.
“Well?” I look from her to the ball in her hands, the words written on the side facing her smiling face. “My Pitch to you... Be My Wife?”
She attempts several times to voice a response, but is unable to, so instead she wildly nods her head in acceptance, her smile beaming back at me. Flinging her arms around my neck, the ball still in her hand, she finally finds her words. “Yes! A thousand times, YES! I’ll marry you. Every time!”
I never imagined I could be happier than when Xana and I finally got back together, but I was wrong. Having her accept my proposal and knowing, undoubtedly, that she wants it just as much as I do, makes me happier than I ever imagined I could be. Untangling her arms from around me, I hold the box up to her and remove the last object from its interior.
“Oh, it’s gorgeous,” she breathes as I slide the simple white gold band, covered in alternating sapphires and diamonds, onto her left ring finger. She holds her hand flat in front of her so she can see it shine under the ballfield lights.
“It belonged to Grams. Gramps gave it to her after they got married, and she wanted you to have it.” Hearing my words takes her attention away from the ring and settles it on me.
“They know?”
“Everyone in our families know. I even got your dad’s permission,” I tell her. The shock of hearing that takes over her face before shifting to one of amusement.
“And he let you live?” She looks at the ring again.
“Yeah, he did. We had a long talk and he knows I’m not trying to rush us into anything by asking you now. I’ll wait as long as you want, as long as we get there eventually. I just couldn’t wait any longer to ask you and let everyone know how much we mean to each other.”
“Sometimes you say the most perfect things, too perfect, and I have to wonder if you’re truly real.”
I have to think the same about you, too,” I respond, getting off the ground to sit beside her again. “I’m damn lucky you love me.” Wrapping an arm behind her back, I cup her face with my other hand and slowly take her mouth with mine.
“I’m the lucky one,” she breathes when I break away from her lips, and I smile at her. Sitting in peaceful silence for a few moments, we let everything that has just occurred settle in our minds. She’s gonna be my wife one day.
Murmuring into the shoulder she’s leaning against, she says, “We’re gonna be late for my party.”
“We’re fine. Stacy needed a little extra time to set something up. Don’t ask what it is, because I honestly have no idea.” The puzzled look she is showing me is so damn cute I can only grin back at her. “Here,” I say, reaching for the thermos and handing it to her. “I thought the occasion required it.”
Taking the container from my hands, she removes the lid to release steam into her face. “Hot chocolate?” she questions before sniffing the contents of the thermos.
“Grams may have also given me the recipe for it. She knows how much you love her cocoa. It’s not quite like hers, but it’s close.” I take the cocoa from her and fill the two mugs with the warm, rich liquid, Xana’s hands wiggling in anticipation of getting her own mug. “A little anxious, are we?”
“Gimme,” she replies as she takes the cup from my hands and holds it under her nose. “Mmm, my favorite,” she mumbles with her eyes closed, then takes a sip.
“How’d I do? Close enough?” I inquire, but the look of pure bliss on her face answers my question. I did good.
“Are you sure Gram’s didn’t make this?” she grins before taking another large sip.
“Yep. Wanna keep me now, don’t you?” I wiggle my brows and she giggles.
“Always. How could I ever resist a man who brings me purple tulips and hot chocolate on a baseball field?” She reaches her free hand out to brush her fingers across the side of my face.
We sit, cuddled together, for another ten minutes enjoying the quietness of the field before we need to leave for the restaurant. There is nothing more perfect than being with her in our place, the dugout. We could get married tomorrow, or in ten years, and it wouldn’t matter to me. As long as she knows it’s us forever, that’s all I really need.
THE END.
For now…..
My husband deserves more credit than I can give on paper. He continues to let me go on this journey with his support, and I love him for it. Through all the times I would be writing while we watched movies or even when I eventually took over his work desk, he just let me do what I needed. I love you.
There are so many other people who have helped and encouraged me to write this book. Some of them will never understand how much I truly love them.
Michelle Fields- My Soul Sister. What else can I say? Without our #movienights #wordraces and #alphalove writing this book would have taken a lot longer. Sometimes we really are one brain, and that really should be illegal at some point. Your encouragement and support have been invaluable and I’ll never be able to repay it. (And yes, Noel is still yours.)
SE Hall- My Holla Back Girl. Thank you, Betina, for your words of encouragement and advice and simply believing in me when I wasn’t so sure. Your wisdom and assistance will never be taken for granted. I’ll never be able to repay you, and I’ll always be YOUR Holla Back Girl! Xoxo Rosario
Ellie Wade- My Twin. My Friend. My Sister. You are an amazing friend and a wonderful person, and someone I hope keep close. Good things are coming YOUR way, trust me! I hope we have many more years to come. I’ll never be able to express just how much you mean to me. #untilTulsa #justonemore
Tam-Tam- My straight shooter. If anyone were to tell me straight, I knew it would be you! Thanks for encouraging me to continue with the voices in my head, and bugging me for more.
Tiffany Black at T.E. Black Designs- Thank you for being patient with me and making my covers exactly what I dreamed of. You’re my very own personal #covercrackdealer. Your designs inspire me to write more words, and I can’t wait to see what you have in store for all of my voices!
Emma Mack- Thank you for reading my words and making them better when I had looked at them too much. You looked at my words and put a little extra glitter on them to make them sparkle the best way possible. Stay awesome.
Ann- Everything. There really is no other word that I can use to describe just what you are to me. Your words are an inspiration to me and a happy place just when I need it, even if you like to torment me! :) Thank you so much for loving my characters and encouraging me to make them better, stronger. Your friendship and guidance means everything to me, and I’ll never be able to repay you. I love you so much and one day, we will sit down and talk about everything!
Nichole & Sandra- My Boo & My Sweets. Thank you both for believing in me and always being in my corner. Just being able to talk helps more than you could ever know. I love you both!
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Cha
pter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Acknowledgements