Sam cocked an eyebrow and whispered, “Tell me you told him no.”
“I told him no.” She grinned into his hands.
He smiled all the way out to that dimple, and it made her body flutter. “Maya, I have been an idiot. I was so caught up in what I’d lost that I almost couldn’t see what I had. I never should have let you go all those years ago. I loved you then. I love you now. And I loved you all the time in between. When I’m with you, I’m home.”
Warm brown eyes glistened at her. And then he was down on one knee. Her heart stopped.
“I should have done this correctly sixteen years ago.” His voice was husky and he sounded confident, but his fingers trembled as he reached into his pocket. Sam pulled out a dazzling diamond ring. Her heart was pounding so loudly she could swear he heard it.
He held the ring out to her, swallowed hard. “Maya, I have loved you from the minute I opened the door that summer. All I’ve ever wanted was you. I want us to have breakfast together and argue about what boy our daughter is dating, and whose turn it is to do the dishes. I want to live every day together and grow old with you.” His next words were whispered. “Marry me, Maya. Comehome.”
Tears warmed her eyes as she took in his words and that astounding ring. It was gorgeous: a huge diamond with seemingly infinite little diamonds on the sides and band. She would be a fool to turn it down.
She didn’t want it.
She bit her bottom lip and bent down to whisper in his ear, “Where is it, Sam?”
Sam raised an eyebrow at her. “Where is—?” He inhaled deeply. “Maya, you can’t be serious.” He was clearly trying not to laugh, but his lip twitched, giving him away. “I’m down here on one knee—”
“I can see that.” Maya pursed her lips as she stepped yet closer to him. She leaned her leg against his and inhaled sharply as his muscles supported her. She bent down, brushing her cheek against his and whispered again, “Where. Is. It?” She pulled back to find the answer in his eyes.
Sam finally let out a breath as he shook his head at her. His smile was intimate when he reached back into his pocket and pulled out a considerably smaller, yet equally dazzling, diamond ring.Thiswas a single diamond, maybe one karat, on a simple gold band.
This diamond was smaller, but it shone brighter. True love would do that.
“That’s the one.” She rested her fingers on his face. “I love you. I don’t know how not to love you.” She leaned her body into him, and he wrapped his arms around her, supporting her on his knee as she pulled him to her to kiss him again. He tasted of peppermint, and she drank in the familiar scent of him.
The kiss bared her soul to his. He was hers, and she had finally claimed him. His heart beat against hers, and he pulled her closer. She was his, too.
She pulled back, reached into her pocket, and pulled out the coin. Her heart light, she held it out for Sam to see. “Heads, we get married, tails, we break up.”
EPILOGUE
SAM
New York—Twelve Years Later
SAMSTOODONthe sideline next to his team, his arms folded across his chest. The slight evening chill was refreshing after a warm spring day and he inhaled the familiar scent of wet grass. The only sign of his nervousness was the fingernail he was chewing. Without turning, he cut his eyes to his assistant coach, who was actively pacing the sidelines and calling out her instruction to the players. She was also eating—again.
“All right, that’s fine, goalie!” She clapped her hands as she chewed and swallowed. “Just shake it off.” Samantha absently rested a hand on her expanded belly as she paced the sideline, her trademark bushy ponytail bouncing with every step.
The other team had just scored, tying up the game in overtime. This meant penalty kicks. The goalie looked to his coach. Only Sam could see the panic in the goalie’s honey-colored eyes. Sam unfolded his arms and smiled at the boy.
Maya was in the front row of the bleachers, just behind the team bench. She was sitting with his parents, her mother and stepfather, and Niki. Sam turned to her and caught her eye. Her eyes widened with apprehension. He nodded.I know, I know. But he’ll be fine.
“Dad.” A hand on Sam’s shoulder drew his attention away from Maya. Will handed him a slip of paper. “Dad, here’s a list of their best strikers and what foot they use.” He pointed to five that he had grouped together. “These are most likely the ones they’ll use.”
Sam grinned at Will and patted him on the shoulder. “I knew having a striker in the family would pay off someday.” He glanced at his daughter. “Can’t get her to sit still, huh?”
Will sighed. “The only way we were going to miss this game is if she was in active labor.” He looked sideways at Sam. “And even then, she’d probably be coaching from the hospital.” He shook his head. “Is the little guy ready?”
Sam shrugged. “We’ll see.”
Movement behind the goal turned Sam’s gaze. Ben was pacing back and forth. Sam motioned for him to come over to the bench. No spectators were allowed behind the goal. Ben ended his vigil and jogged back to the bleachers to join the family.
A groan from Samantha’s direction had Sam and Will turning to her. She was holding her belly. Sam started toward her, but before he could take even a second step, Will was at her side. A movement from the bleachers caught his eye. Maya was standing and looking in Samantha’s direction, as well. Their eyes met and Sam took a second step toward their daughter. Maya widened her eyes and shook her head.No. She jutted her chin in Samantha’s direction.
Sam turned to see Will and Samantha talking softly. Will had his hand on Samantha’s belly, the sunlight glinted off his wedding ring, and he carried a worried expression. Samantha tossed her head, her lips set in a grim line. Will motioned toward a chair, and seemed to be mildly glaring at her. Samantha held her hands up in surrender as she started to sit down. She stopped and smiled at Will, then kissed him. He shook his head and chuckled as he handed her a water bottle.
