Page 33 of Stealing Forever (Bridge Point Bears Baseball #1)
One Year Later
The early spring sun beats down on the VIP box at Coit Stadium, an unseasonably warm day even hotter with the heat reflecting off the metal seats.
It’s opening day and the Bears are playing against the Rebels for the second year in a row. The confidence of the guys has been sky high after winning the World Series last year, despite the few small hurdles along the way.
This year, they’re hoping to take home that title again, convinced that if history repeats itself and they beat the Rebels in their first game, they’ll have it in the bag.
Either way, I’m so proud of them—especially Declan. He worked so hard last season while still being the most attentive partner, and an amazing dad to Sailor.
Things with Addison are still pretty heated, but we’re working on it for Sailor’s sake. Somewhere between Sailor’s birthday and Christmas, Addison realized I wasn’t going anywhere, and finally decided to play somewhat nice when she showed up for another visit.
Scanning the field for Declan, I’m surprised to not see him, but wave to Gareth instead.
Turning my focus to Sailor, I hand her a package of opened fruit snacks, then get comfortable in my chair, taking a swig from my water bottle. As I’m crossing my legs, the Jumbotron starts playing a montage of Declan.
A smile upturns my lips as I watch the amazing collage of photos and videos they’ve collected, and I’m transported back to last year when he told me he loved me on this very screen.
“Coach Lane!” a woman’s voice projects through the screen. I think it’s the same interviewer from last year, but I’m not positive. “How are you? Ready for opening day?”
“I’m doing well, thanks for asking. And yes I am. Excited to kick off another great season coaching this amazing team.”
“A great season seems to be an understatement coming off of last year. It was quite a triumph! You got the team, the trophy, and the girl, if memory serves.”
I gasp, my mouth immediately popping open in surprise. Did she really just say that?
Declan laughs. “Yeah, you’re right about that. I’m a lucky man.”
“I guess you can say you got everything you hoped for last season, isn’t that right?”
Scooting to the edge of my seat, I cling to their every word, completely surprised that this interview has taken such a personal turn.
Declan scratches his five o’clock shadow—his beard growing back slowly after he spontaneously shaved then Sailor and I begged him to grow it back. “Well, not everything.”
The screen glitches, black and white scratches flickering through it.
“Oh?” The interviewer laughs, her vocals the only thing projected through the stadium.
The screen flickers back to life only to show Declan standing, before it cuts out again.
Looking around, I see the other friends and family members just as confused as I am.
Declan’s voice booms through the stadium. “Yeah, I’ve actually been meaning to do something, but haven’t found the right way to yet.”
“What’s going on?” someone from behind me asks.
“I guess the Jumbotron’s malfunctioning?” a man answers.
The screen then roars back to life, but this time the interview with Declan is gone, and the cameraman pans throughout the stadium, zooming in on fans who are cheering and excited to be shown on the screen.
“Well, there’s no time like the present,” the woman’s voice echoes again, despite not being on the screen.
“Yeah, you’re right,” Declan agrees.
I suck in a sharp breath when my face fills the screen, the camera landing on me, but it’s what’s behind me that catches me completely off guard and takes my breath away.
How had I not known what was happening? How were people not screaming and tipping me off?
My hand flies to my mouth as I turn around in my seat to find Declan down on one knee on the stair behind me, holding a sparkling princess cut diamond ring.
I sink to my knees in front of him, and he reaches out to cup my face with his free hand. His finger brushes away the tear that rolls down my cheek.
“Hailey Nicolette Shea, every monumental moment we’ve had so far together has been in a stadium, so I figured this next one should be no different.
Baseball has had my heart for as long as I could remember, until you walked into my life and flipped everything upside down.
Now you have my heart, and I never want you to give it back.
Would you do the honor of making me the happiest man alive and marry me? ”
“YES!” I cry, then don’t waste another second before pressing my lips to his. “Yes,” I repeat over and over, peppering kisses to his mouth until finally he wraps his palm around the back of my neck and keeps me there, kissing me deeply. “I love you, Declan.”
“And I’ll continue to spend every day proving to you how much I love you, sweetheart. I hope I’m succeeding so far.”
“There shouldn’t be a doubt in your mind that you are.” We both look down at the shimmering ring as he slides it on my finger, rubbing his thumb over it.
“It’s beautiful,” I whisper, completely enamored by this entire proposal.
“So are you.” It’s only then, when he kisses the side of my head, that I register the roar of the crowd, and that we’re still projected on the screen.
Following my line of sight, Declan laughs at what I know is a horrified look on my face. “Trying to have us go viral again?” I shake my head, bringing my fiancé back in for another kiss.
He laughs, and against my lips he murmurs, “Seems like a trend with us, sweetheart. Might as well keep it going.”
And just like I suspected it would, our proposal goes viral.
Forty-six million views and counting.
Thank you for reading Stealing Forever!