Page 133 of The Wrong Game

“You and me,” he whispered for just me to hear. “We’re going to make it.”

“I never had a doubt.”

“Liar,” he teased.

I laughed, pulling back and shaking my head. “No, I mean it. I think somehow, I always knew. Even when I fought it. Maybe I knew it then the most.”

“Well, I don’t care how long it took,” he said. “I would have waited forever.”

“Now who’s the liar.”

He grinned. “Okay, so maybe I’m not the most patient man. But, I would have waited, if you needed more time.”

“I don’t need another second,” I said, lifting up on my toes to thread my arms around his neck. “I’d marry you now.”

Zach smiled, kissing my nose. “Well, we’re not exactly dressed for the occasion, so I say we wait a while longer. But hey, if you want to get hitched on a football field?” He put his hands up as if he had no other choice. “I’m not going to say I’mnotinto that.”

I kissed him again, and this time, I held that kiss like it was the final seal on my promise to give him my forever.

Through all the games, through all the heartache, I think I knew I always would.

And like Zach had said, it didn’t matter if the Bears won or lost this game, or the next game, or the game after that. As long as Zach was there beside me watching each one, for this year and next year and all the years to come, the score didn’t matter at all.

Because if I was in his arms, I was always winning.

And it was the sweetest victory of them all.