Page 56 of Between the Paragraphs

“It scares me,” she says.

“I know. I understand that. I have to earn your trust again. I’ll do whatever that takes. I need you and want to be a part of your life. I’ve messed up and I’ll do it again, but never to this extent. I won’t put my baggage on you from past relationships. I won’t blame my trust issues with other people on you. That was foolish of me.”

She gazes at me for several heart-stopping moments then lets out a sigh. “I’m scared to accept this, Mason, but I do love you. It doesn’t matter that I don’t want to love you, I do. No matter how perfect my life’s going, there’s something missing . . . it’s you. I can’t say this will be fixed overnight, but I think I’d regret it if I don’t give it a chance.”

My heart soars and I don’t hesitate as I move behind her desk and pull her from the chair. She gasps as I hold her, missing the feel of her pressed against me. I don’t need more than this right here, just to have her in my arms. It feels right and I can’t believe I’ve lasted months without seeing her, without holding her.

Several people behind us start whispering and then someone lets out a whoop. They might be loyal to Maria, but it seems they approve of our relationship. It’s a good thing, too, because if they want me gone, I probably don’t stand a chance.

“Don’t screw up again, Mason,” someone calls.

“We know a lot of writers and will have you killed off in many painful ways in many different books,” someone else says. This makes Maria chuckle as she keeps her head buried against my chest.

“I certainly don’t want to mess with writers,” I say.

Maria pulls back. She gazes into my eyes. “Or editors,” she warns.

“I’m so sorry, Maria,” I tell her again.

She lets out a sigh. “We don’t need to keep talking about it. We both made mistakes. Granted, you made worse mistakes, but we both have done things wrong. Remember, I don’t like dwelling on things. Let’s start fresh again and see where this will lead.”

I lean in and kiss her, causing several people in the office to whistle. I tune them out. All that matters right now is how Maria feels and what she thinks. The rest of the world can fall into the ocean and I won’t notice.

“I love the idea of that. I love you,” I say.

Her eyes spill over. “I love you too, Mason.”

My heart soars as she says these words to me. I lean in and kiss her again. We’re going to be just fine now. There’s nothing we can’t do together. I finally feel that all is right in the world again. This is a brand-new beginning for us, and a chance for us to rebuild what I broke. I won’t ever make such a foolish mistake again. Then we can both have a happily ever after, something I didn’t know I needed or wanted until meeting this spitfire of a woman.

Epilogue One

Maria

The roar of the stadium engulfs me, a vibrant sea of cheers and chants reverberating through the crisp evening air. I’ve grown to truly love this place and appreciate the beauty of football.

Sitting here on the field at the fifty-yard line, I glance around, taking in the overwhelming energy of the crowd. It’s surreal to be here a full year after Mason and I found our way back to each other. Life’s been a whirlwind of love, laughter, ups, downs, and success ever since. I have no regrets. I’m with the man I love.

A familiar song blares through the stadium speakers, and I see the entire team, all ninety players, start to move to the field in unison. What in the world is going on? You normally don’t see the entire team on the field unless the game’s beginning or ending.

As the music picks up tempo, the team begin moving together in unison, a choreographed dance that has the entire stadium on their feet cheering. I can’t help but laugh as I clap my hands in delight at this unexpected show.

Mason squeezes my hand, his eyes twinkling with mischief. “Enjoying yourself?” he asks, leaning close so I can hear above the roar of the crowd.

“This is crazy. Yes!” I tell him.

Mason squeezes my fingers again before letting go. Then as the song reaches its climax, he suddenly rushes to the field, joining his old team with a fluid grace that takes my breath away. He knows the dance, his body in perfect sync with the music and players.

The crowd cheers even more as I stand by watching, utterly mesmerized. Damn, I love this man. I love him more each day we spend together. It only gets better and better as time passes.

Suddenly the entire team forms a circle around Mason, clapping and encouraging him as he performs a solo routine that’s both playful and impressive. Tears spring to my eyes as I realize what’s happening. The crowd is chanting Mason’s name, their voices merging into a powerful rhythm that’s shaking the stadium. Love and pride fill me.

The music starts to fade, and Mason makes his way back to me, the team behind. He drops to one knee in front of me, and the team all drops behind him as the crowd goes silent. I find my breath lodged in my throat as I stare at the man I love who’s beaming at me.

“Maria, it’s been a whirlwind romance between us from the moment I approached you in that bar over a year ago,” he begins. I chuckle though tears are steadily falling down my cheeks. “Every single day we’ve been together has been a blessing. We have love, hope, laughter, and more. We challenge each other, seek perfection, and live in bliss. I wasn’t looking for you, but I’m not such a fool to ever let go of something so right. You’ve made me a better man and I don’t want to imagine my life without you. Please, do me the honor of being my wife. Marry me and make me the happiest man alive.”

“Yes.” There’s no hesitation, nothing to think about. “I love you, Mason. I can’t wait to be your wife.”

The team jumps to their feet and cheers, and the crowd goes wild as Mason slips a stunning diamond on my finger before lifting me into the air and twirling me around. Nikki, my mother, my brothers, his mom, Miles, and all of our friends rush forward, and Mason and I are enveloped in a group hug.

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