“Lindsey Casey,” he says, his voice steady but full of emotion, “will you marry me? Let me love you, takecare of you, and stand beside you through everything? I want a life with you… with you and Eli. I want to be the one who makes you happy, who keeps you safe.”
His eyes lock on mine.
“Say yes,” he whispers. “Because I don’t want to imagine a life without you in it. I love you, honey. Be mine… forever.”
When I don’t answer him, he never sways. “If you need more time, I’ll give it to you, but I’m not letting you go, Linds. You’re mine, and you have been since I first laid eyes on you at that photo shoot.”
“Yes,” I whisper. I pull him to me and throw my arms around his neck. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”
He puts the ring back on my finger and then looks over my shoulder. “She said yes!” he yells.
And then all of sudden the back doors open and Miller’s entire family comes out, cheering. Eli is the first to get to us, and Miller picks him up. “What do you say, Eli? You okay with me marrying your aunt?”
He scrunches his nose up. “Does that mean we get to stay here and livewith you?”
I nod my head. “That’s exactly what that means.”
“Yes!” he says and pumps his hand in the air.
Soon, I’m pulled from Miller, and his entire family takes turns hugging me and Eli, officially welcoming us to the family.
Somewhere between the laughter, the hugs, and Eli’s excitement, it hits me…
We didn’t just find safety here.
We found a family.
CHAPTER 24
MILLER
The house is quiet since my family left.
Eli is lying on the floor with a baseball card in one hand and his glove in the other.
“Did I tell you the coach said I’m going to be lead off hitter tomorrow?”
He may have mentioned it around ten times already, but I still nod my head. “Are you excited?”
He nods. “Yeah, I think this time I’m going to try and hit it over the fence.”
I nod. “Goals are good to have. And even if you don’t do it tomorrow, you can work on it every day and make it a goal for the season.”
He sits up. “How do I do that? I mean, how do I work on it?”
I lean toward him. “Do you know who taught Guy how to hit?”
He shakes his head and leans toward me and whispers, “Who?” like it’s a big secret.
“Me,” I tell him with a thumb to my chest.
He jumps to his feet. “You taught Guy Brody how to hit?”
I nod. “I did.”
Eli puts his hands together. “Miller, please, please, please will you work with me on it? Please? I’m begging you.”
Lindsey laughs from the other couch, and I wink at her. “Yes. I’ll teach you. We’ll work on it tomorrow after school and before your game.”
