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She managed a watery smile. “It’s definitely not fair to you, Quinn. You threw a fantastic party. You were an incredible host. Your house looked gorgeous. You should be proud of yourself.”
“Thank you.” He lightly rubbed her back. “Are you going to be okay?”
Charity drew a deep breath, trying to regroup. “I will be,” she said, and it was true. Part of her was happy for Rusty Noel. He was back with his boy, whom he clearly loved. And if this was what was best for the dog and child, she should be happy for them. It would be selfish of her to keep the beautiful retriever when he had somewhere he belonged. “But it’s been such a roller coaster this December, and Christmas isn’t even here yet.”
“Just two more days,” Quinn said, drawing her toward the Christmas tree. “But not too early for you to find your ornament.”
“I have an ornament?”
“You do, indeed. You’ll know it’s yours because it has your name on it.”
“Where is it?” she asked, facing the huge tree. It was easily fourteen feet tall and covered with countless glass ornaments. Her brows pulled as she studied the gorgeous tree shimmering with light. “You need to give me a little hint.”
“It’s not too high and not too low,” he said.
“That doesn’t help much,” she grumbled. “You’re considerably taller than me.” She tucked her hair behind her ears and kept searching. “Give me another hint. What color is the ornament?”
“Silver, I think,” he said stepping back to give her space. “Well, maybe gold. But it has your name on it, and a little sparkly red ribbon.” He went to the couch, and moved some of the pillows around, and then dropped into one of the leather armchairs facing the tree. “Warm,” he said, as she moved a branch, and then another. “Warmer,” he added as she studied an ornament. “Ah, hot. Hotter.” He stopped talking and simply watched as she reached for a silver-gold ball with a bit of calligraphy that read Charity.
She unhooked the hanger and turned around with the ornament in her hands and blinked as she looked at Quinn, and then the red silk pillows on the couch, each pillow a letter that spelled out marry me.
“Quinn?” she whispered, shocked.
“Open your ornament,” he said.
Hands trembling, she carefully lifted the top of the ornament and inside was a stunning diamond ring. She couldn’t move, she couldn’t think, she couldn’t breathe.
Her head jerked up as Quinn went down on one knee.
Was this really happening?
“Charity, I love you, and I know it’s been a rough day, but I’m not going anywhere, not today, not tomorrow, not ever. Marry me. I want you in my life forever.”
“Teammates,” she said, unable to hide her smile.
“For life,” he said, extending his hand to her. “What do you say?”
Tears filled her eyes as she put her hand into his. “Absolutely, 100% yes.”
Chapter Thirteen
It was a stunning ring, with a huge diamond. She had never seen anything so big, or sparkly, or stunning.
Charity didn’t remember putting the ring on her finger, and maybe she didn’t. Maybe Quinn took the ring from the box and put it on her finger, but suddenly it was there, and she lifted her hand, holding the ring to the light, turning her finger this way and that just to see the diamond sparkle and glow with an inner blue fire. It was extraordinary. The proposal was extraordinary.
“Is this really happening?” she asked huskily.
“It absolutely is,” he answered firmly. “I spent the past twenty-eight days trying to figure out how to make you mine. It hasn’t been easy. You were determined to remain single.”
“People will think we’re crazy getting engaged after just a few weeks.”
“Those people don’t know you, and they don’t know me.”
“And I don’t think they know we’re meant to be a team.”
“I couldn’t have said that better. We are meant to be together. It wasn’t until I met you that I realized the reason I was still single was that I hadn’t met you yet. Once I met you, game over. I’d found my woman. You are my other half, Charity. You are my heart. Everything I am, everything I have, is yours—”
“I want you, not your things. In fact, you could have nothing and I would love you just as much… maybe even more.”
“I know you’re not interested in my money, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to provide for you, and take care of you, just as I want to take care of our kids, and our families. It’s why I work so hard, so I can provide.”
“I’m not used to being spoiled, and I can’t get over this ring.” She extended her fingers, dazzled by the sparkling diamond. “Oh, it’s really lovely. When did you get it?”
“I drove to Bozeman earlier in the week and looked at rings.”
“So this is from Bozeman.”
“No, it’s actually from a jeweler in San Francisco. I didn’t like what I saw in Bozeman and so my jeweler flew out a selection of rings for me yesterday and I liked this one best. The oval cut is classic, but the diamond has so much fire, and the fire reminded me of you.”
“It has a lot of fire because it’s a huge diamond, Quinn.”
“The better to defend yourself in a barroom fight.”
She couldn’t stifle her giggle. “I have never been in a barroom fight.”
“I’m just saying.”
She leaned toward him, and kissed him, and then kissed him again. “I love it. And you. So very, very much.”
He shifted one of the scarlet silk M pillows from behind his back and tossed it onto a chair across from him. His gaze swept the room, lingering on the fireplace. “One day we’ll have little stockings hanging from that mantel.”
“And toys under the tree,” she added, snuggling closer, relishing the feel of his arm around her. His strength made her feel so secure. “I can’t wait until we have a family. Does that scare you?”
“Not at all.”
“Seriously? Because I’d love for us to have a baby on the way this time next year, or maybe even a baby,” she said hopefully, looking up at him. “Is that too soon for you?”
“I’m a family man. I want kids. That’s why I built a big house.”
“And bought a car for kids and dogs,” she added with a grin.
He kissed the top of her head. “You will be an amazing mom. I just hope I can be as good a dad.”
“You will. You absolutely will, and when we have hard times, we will help each other. We’ll be a strong team, you
and me.”
Emotion shadowed his face, darkening his eyes. A small muscle pulled in his jaw. It took him a moment to speak. “My parents were proud of being a team. Even when they had differences of opinions they tried to find a way to come together. That is so important to me.”
He brushed a long tendril of hair back from her cheek. “You are so important to me. I don’t think you have any idea of just how much I love you, and need you. I do need you, too. You’re my person, my other half. I’ve been missing you all these years.”
“And here I was in Marietta—” She broke off, wrinkled her nose. “Actually, I was in Wyoming.”
He laughed, and clasped her face, kissing her breathless. The kiss lasted a very long time.
It was much, much later when he lifted his head and pushed back a wave of gleaming hair from her face. “Do you have any thoughts on the wedding? Should we wait until after this next season ends—”
“No. Because how would we have a Christmas baby if we’re not even going to get married until next fall?”
“So you want to marry before spring training?”
“Can we?”
“That would mean a late January or early February wedding.”
“We can do that, can’t we? As I’d rather go to Seattle as your wife than just some crazy fan in the stands.”
He grinned ruefully. “You don’t have to worry about groupies. I’m not interested in them. I never have been. I shouldn’t have even mentioned it.”
“I’m glad you did. It’s better to be prepared.”
“This baseball career might be hard on you. There are long weeks where I’ll be on the road.”
“Then I’ll use that time to work on my designs, and maybe come home and catch up with everyone.” She hesitated. “If we can afford the plane tickets.”
