“Bring your lovely girlfriend with you, Duke,” the announcer instructed. “We’ll let her stand beside you for moral support.”
A dart of adrenaline shot through her chest. She wanted to refuse; Duke didn’t need the moral support. But Viv already knew how this would go if she didn’t agree. The commentator would encourage her, probably getting the audience involved until she changed her mind.
Duke gave her an encouraging grin and held out a hand. “C’mon,” he said. “I’ve got you.”
Viv looked into his eyes, unable to fight the grin he always pulled from her lips. Duke had a way of putting her at ease. Enough that she took the hand he held out for her, willing her heart to calm its frantic pace, and then followed him onto the large baseball diamond.
Hearing the crowd and their cheers was one thing, but seeing it from the pitcher’s mound, that was another. Row upon row of packed seats, mismatched jerseys, and anxious grins.
“Catching the ball tonight is the Dodgers’ very own…” the commentator continued, but Viv’s focus shifted as she glanced toward the club suites. She guessed her family and Duke’s was in the third box over. Or maybe it was the fourth.
Suddenly, a hush fell over the stadium, the music and the crowd quieting all at once.
“That’s good,” the commentator said. “Now we’ll have our coach bring out the ball.”
The coach strode onto the field, handed over the ball, then tossed a wave to the crowd before stepping back toward the dugout.
Vivia took a few long strides away from Duke as he cupped the ball in both hands and coiled his body into position. His hands went behind his back, his front foot lifted in preparation, but suddenly, rather than pitching the ball, he moved slickly onto one knee and turned to face Viv.
Her brow furrowed for a blink as she leaned toward Duke to see if he was okay. Yet just as she moved closer in, he lifted one hand and presented a ring box.
Her heart skipped two solid beats.
The crowd went wild in response. Whistles and cheers. The stadium organ even picked back up as Duke kept his eyes trained on Viv, waiting for his moment.
At last the sounds died down, and Duke fiddled with a small gadget clipped to the neck of his jersey—a microphone, she realized.
“Vivia Tripoli,” he said, “no game’s complete without its key players. Everyone does their part to achieve success. I’ve watched my family find and marry key players of their own. Their perfect teammate. I wasn’t sure if there was a key player out there for me, but thenyoustepped back into my life.”
Oohs and ahhs carried over the crowd as a trail of goosebumps rippled up Viv’s arms.
Duke flicked open the ring box to reveal a gorgeous diamond ring that glistened beneath the lights.
“I love you, Vivi. Will you be my key player, my one and only, my woman now and forever by becoming my bride?”
The crowd grew even quieter in the short pause. The sincerity Viv saw in Duke’s blue eyes made her recall the moment in Costa Rica when she decided to take a chance on him. Thank heavens she had.
She nodded as a wide grin pulled at her lips. “Yes.”
“You better say it into his mic so everyone can hear,” the commentator suggested.
Viv leaned forward and hovered over the small mic clipped to his jersey. “Yes, of course!”
At once, Duke shot to a stand and hoisted her off the ground with a twirl. “Woo hoo!” he hollered. “She said yes!”
Once he set her feet back on the ground, Duke slipped the ring onto her finger. The crowd cheered and clapped to the song that picked up—Happy Days Are Here Again.Many in the crowd sang along.
“There you have it, folks,” the announcer said as the riff ended. “Let’s congratulate our newly engaged couple with another Dodger cheer.”
“Don’t worry,” Duke said into her ear as they brought him the actual baseball this time. “I asked your dad for your hand.”
Though Viv liked hearing that, she hadn’t been worried in the least; she knew her parents were crazy about him. And, since she and Duke had been talking about getting married over the last several weeks, Viv had spoken with the boys privately about the idea as well.
They agreed—with a whole lot of enthusiasm—that Duke would be a wonderful addition to their family.
She wondered where the twins had been sitting during the proposal. Had they watched it on the big screen inside the suite, or had they been sitting in the stadium seats among the spectators?
Viv set that thought aside as she watched Duke pitch an impressive ball before the crowd. He took a moment to give them a wave as they cheered in response, that knowing grin on his flawless face, and soon they were heading back up to the suite.
