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Rhett

*Two Years Later*

I drop my hands onto Monty’s shoulders with a whoop. “How ’bout that, Monty! Champions!”

Moving between him and Lark, I drape my arms over their backs.

“That last run, Darling, that was amazing,” Lark says, hugging my side. I’m only sorta paying attention to her, my gaze scanning the crowd, looking for the one person I really want to celebrate this win with.

I spot Evie with Yami and their parents, standing with my mom just as her gaze finds me.

“Yeah, thanks, Lark.”

My friends are forgotten as I push through the crowd to my girl. I scoop her up and spin her around. “We did it, honey.”

“That was incredible, Rhett.” She’s hugging me so tightly, and this right here might feel even better than winning the championship. Being in her arms is where I want to spend the rest of my life.

And that starts now.

I set Evie down and turn to my mom. “Hey Mama,” I say, taking in the tears on her face. “Don’t cry.” I pull her in for a hug.

“Your daddy would be so proud of you.”

Well, shit, here come my own tears. I can feel Evie’s hand on my back as Mama and I rock back and forth, equal parts celebrating and grieving. Eventually, she pulls away and wipes her eyes. “I’m so proud of you, son.”

“Thanks, Mama.”

Kenji and Helen are next, congratulating me on the win. Then Kenji pulls me to one side and in for another quick hug. He slaps my back lightly and says, “Welcome to the family, Rhett,” he whispers and I stiffen slightly.

“I haven’t asked her yet,” I say quietly as we separate, but he gives me a knowing smile.

“She’ll say yes.” He subtly passes me the ring box he’s kept safe this week.

Having his confidence in me, and his blessing over me and Evie, means a lot. No one could ever replace my own father, but knowing I’ll be the lucky guy who gets to call him father-in-law is pretty damn great.

I find Evie again and pull her through the thinning crowd until we come to a stop just past third base. Out in left field, the position that defined my entire professional career.

“Any regrets about announcing your retirement?” Evie asks, twining her arms around my neck.

I glance down at the grass, then back at her. “None at all.” I lean in and kiss her before reaching up and unclasping her hands. I draw them in front of me, pressing them to my chest. “Baseball is my past and I’m lookin’ at my future. ”

All the sounds and chaos around us fade away as she takes in a sharp breath, watching me drop to one knee right there in the grass.

“Oh my God,” she says, her eyes shining with unshed tears.

“Evie, for two years, you’ve had my heart. And I’ve never felt safer or more loved than with you. I don’t know how I lived life without you or how I didn’t realize you were my everything right from the start. Because being with you has made my entire life, my entire self, better in every possible way. All I ever want is to be the man you deserve. And that alone makes me work to be a better man, every single day. Our journey started the day you moved into my apartment with the puppy you found on the side of the road. And I want our forever to start today. Will you spend your future with me as my wife?”

She’s already nodding, those tears now free-falling down her cheeks. “Of course, I will. A thousand times yes. Yes, yes, yes!”

I pop up and swoop her back in my arms again, both of us laughing and crying. Then I hear the cheers of our friends and family surrounding us. Ignoring all of them, I set Evie down, and with shaky hands, pull the ring free from its box and slide it onto her finger.

“Guess it’s official, then?” Yami comes up and hugs us both. “I’m losing my teammate but gaining a brother?”

“Guess so.” I laugh, hugging him back.

“Those Little Leaguers don’t know how lucky they are.”

I slap his shoulder affectionately. “Thanks, man.” I’m excited to start working as the head of player development for the Mid-Island Little League next spring, helping the next generation of baseball players grow and develop their skills. Who knows, maybe one day, one of them will be standing here, on a field, having won the championship.

They still won’t be as fucking lucky as I am, to be surrounded by the best teammates a guy could ask for, his family, and the love of his life.

Evie’s been swept up by our moms, and I move over to stand behind her, wrapping my arms around her and pulling her back into my chest.

She lifts her hand up and admires her ring before twisting her head to look up at me. “Is this real life?”

I lower my head to kiss her forehead. “It better be, because it’s everythin’ I never knew I could dream of.”

Someone shouts that it’s time to get off the field, but I ignore them, turning Evie in my arms so I can kiss her again.

Hell, I never want to stop kissing her. And now that the season’s over, I can move into our house in Dogwood Cove, we can start our life together, and I can kiss her good morning every day, and make love to her in our bed every night.

Yeah, this future, our future, is better than any dream could be. And it’s time to start living.