Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 91497 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 457(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91497 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 457(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
My bottom lip trembles as he speaks. Then, before I can stop myself, I throw myself at him again, wrapping my arms around his neck and holding on for dear life. I don’t even have full coherent thoughts, so I’m sure the things coming out of my mouth make absolutely no sense.
I’m really sniffling then, a blubbering mess. It’s a good thing no one’s watching us.
Then I realize…
Of course they are.
OF COURSE THEY ARE!
I rear back, eyes widening in horror before they narrow again with playful accusation.
“Where are they?”
Grant’s devious smile is slow to spread. “For what it’s worth, I did consider having it just be you and me. And rest assured, I’m not mic’d up or anything. They can’t hear us.”
I shake my head, turning to survey the stadium. They aren’t on the field and they aren’t in the stands. They could be in the private boxes with those tinted windows…
Grant leans down so we’re shoulder to shoulder, and then he points toward the dugout.
Sure enough, at that precise moment, our friends and family jump up and start whooping and hollering. Nick’s the first one out on the field, running in front of the rest of the pack.
“DID YOU SAY YES?!”
“Yes.” I laugh as he nearly bowls us over with a hug.
He turns and shouts to everyone. “SHE SAID YES!”
It’s a whirlwind as our family and friends reach us. Grant clearly took a page out of Josh’s book, though on a much smaller scale. He didn’t fly in any of my extended family, no second cousins once removed, but my parents are here and so is Grant’s dad, along with our tight-knit group of friends.
Harper takes my hands and twirls me around, screaming on repeat, “Another wedding! Another wedding!”
Sophia and Daphne both rush over to hug and congratulate me. Daphne even swipes tears from her eyes, and just behind her, Dustin watches curiously. I wait for him to make some jokey comment, something that will rile her up, but he holds off. I’ll consider his silence an early wedding gift.
Something gets Grant’s attention back near the outfield. He nods then and gives me a slightly apologetic grimace. “Harper talked me into this. If you hate it—”
“She won’t hate it!” Harper insists.
“I promise to make it up to you.”
“What are you—”
Before I can finish my question, there’s a loud BOOM and an explosion of purple and blue sparks cascade across the sky. I jump out of my skin only to realize a second later how silly I am.
It’s just fireworks.
“FIREWORKS!” Harper exclaims, jumping up and down just as more whistle and then explode in the sky, perfectly in sync one after another. There are enough of them to rival a city-funded Fourth of July show.
My jaw drops as I look at Grant.
“Too over the top?” he asks with a self-conscious smile.
I can’t stop shaking my head in disbelief. I’m at a loss for words.
Fortunately, Harper says everything I wish I could say as she runs over to grab his hand.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you, Uncle Grant! I love fireworks!” The sparks dance in her gaze as she looks up at the sky, wide-eyed. “It’s amazing…”
I never thought I was someone who wanted a fireworks show put on in my honor, but here I am totally in awe of the fact that he’s gone to the trouble to coordinate all of this.
It’s so special we all end up a little teary-eyed. Grant hangs on to Harper as his dad comes over to loop his arms around his shoulders. I go over to my mom and dad and kiss them on the cheeks before pulling them close. For a few minutes, I take it all in. All my family and friends are here to support us. Even Daphne and Dustin stand close together, staring up at the sky. Apparently, they’ve called a truce for the evening and set aside their weapons, which is really something, let me tell you.
Just before the grand finale, Grant grabs me and makes his apologies as he pulls me to the back of the crowd, away from everyone else. When it’s just the two of us, he cups my face between his hands and looks me over as if wanting to memorize me in this moment.
Then he kisses me with so much joy I start crying all over again.
“I can’t wait to make you my wife,” he says as he pulls back. He lifts my hand and we both look down at the antique ring nestled perfectly on my finger.
Sparks rain down atop Pinstripe Stadium, and I can do nothing but smile—incandescently, wildly, endlessly happy.