Page 79 of Chasing Sunrise

Epilogue

Kasey held Amanda’shand as they scaled the last steps to the summit of Sarangkot Hill. The stops along the way helped break up the steep hike. The blackness around them began to transform into gray just moments ago. He quickly scanned the crowd while he and Amanda took off their headlamps and stowed them in his backpack. Dozens of people climbed the terrain with them this morning while others made the journey by vehicle.

The sky turned blood orange.

The last year had been amazing. He’d moved in with Amanda immediately when he returned from Cima Grande. Instead of flipping her house and buying a place in Galveston like she’d planned, he convinced her to keep the house with a promise he’d take her to his parents’ cabin whenever she wanted, and they’d look to buy a place on the beach or build one. They’d renovated her entire house and had plans drawn to add on an addition—two bedrooms, a game room, a bathroom, and a large home gym.

Rays of orange and pink crested the horizon.

“It’s glorious,” someone close uttered in a prayerful tone. Everyone kept their conversations quiet and their voices soft, giving the morning a spiritual energy.

Amanda put her arms around him and pressed her cheek to his chest.

He hugged her.

In January, he and Dre, who only had one more year on his NFL contract, signed a deal with Harper Productions to shoot a reality series following Kasey as he trained and played sports at a professional or semi-professional level. In the spring, he’d joined the XFL football team his brother Bennet coached as a receiver for two games. He’d not done bad—caught six passes for seventy-five yards and scored one touchdown.

Upon hearing about Hunter Kase’s new show, India’s National Cricket Team invited him to train and play with them. He’d agreed with the caveat he could train in Houston. They even sent a coach from India to help him prepare, and he joined the Houston Cricket League. He and Amanda had traveled here to Nepal a couple of weeks ago, after the school year ended. He practiced with the team he’d be playing with for the first five days and competed in a tournament the last week.

His upcoming schedule included baseball, soccer, and rugby. Harper was also in negotiations with NASCAR for him to drive in a race or two. Excited for his new series to start airing in the fall, he hoped his fans would like it because he was having a blast. He trained in and around Houston whenever he could, and Amanda traveled with him whenever possible. Over the last year, they’d only spent two weeks apart.

He couldn’t come to Nepal without inviting Marisol. Bennet flew in with her a few days ago and Marisol’s mom met them. They spent time every day at Swayambhunath Temple, and the monkeys were all Marisol talked about. He’d also invited his family, Amanda’s friends, and his friends.

Yesterday, he and Amanda took a forty-minute flight from Kathmandu to Sarangkot.

His life with Amanda couldn’t be better. Well, maybe it could. He glanced around, found who he was looking for, and nodded. Then he kissed Amanda’s head.

~

Amanda caught a hintof Kasey’s cologne, and the sandalwood scent soothed her. The sun rose minute by minute, brightening the sky and erasing the patchy fog. The Himalayas were breathtaking.

“Let’s get married,” Kasey murmured. “I want forever with you.”

A smile sprang to her lips. The last year had been the best in her life. Having Kasey as a constant, sturdy presence every day healed, delighted, and transformed her.

Still in his arms, she looked up at him.

“Uncle K, did she say yes?”

Amanda spun around to find Marisol rushing toward them. Behind the precious girl were the most important people in their lives. She’d been surprised so many of them made the trip to watch Kasey this last week. And she’d thought everyone but Marisol, Bennet, and Marisol’s mother had flown back to the United States last night. She hadn’t seen them on the way up this morning, they must’ve taken transportation to the top. Now, she realized Kasey had planned this proposal all along.

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