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Suddenly he pulled the truck over to the side of the road.
“Why are you stopping?” she asked concerned.
“Come on,” he said. “There’s something we need to do.”
Frowning, she stared at him as he got out of the truck and came over to her side. He helped her from the truck and then they headed toward the oak tree over a hundred years old that reminded her of those paintings of the Tree of Life.
She remembered him telling her the story of his great-grandparents. Warmth filled her. When they reached it, he grabbed her hand and removed her engagement ring. Then he dropped to one knee.
“I know I’ve already asked you to be my wife. But our family has a legend that if you ask the person you love to marry you beneath this tree, you will have a long, happy life together. That’s what I want with you. A long happy life with many children. I hope that someday our children will bring the person they love to this tree and ask them to marry them. Cristina, marry me and make me the happiest man. Let’s create a life of love and happiness here on the ranch, together. May our love guide us the rest of the days of our life.”
She pulled him up. “A thousand times yes. I love you today, tomorrow, and always.”
He pulled her tightly against him as his lips covered hers. When they finally broke apart, she gazed up at him. “You make me so happy.”
“Me too,” he said. “Me too.”
“Let’s go get our son before they spoil him completely rotten.”
“Yes,” he said. “Oh, and by the way, your mother called and apologized to me. She said she should never have sent the letter saying that I had a child.”
“Really?” Cristina said laughing. “That’s because I won’t return her phone calls. Once I learned she was the one, I quit talking to her.”
He pulled her to him again. “Forgive her. If she hadn’t sent the letter, I would have been so stupid and not found you again. I’m grateful that letter sent me searching for you.”
What could she say? He was right. She knew it. That journey had led him on a self-discovery quest where he’d learned he wasn’t good with relationships. And it had led him to her and Wyatt.
“Let’s start with a clean slate,” he said. “She’s Wyatt’s grandmother.”
With a sigh, she tiptoed and kissed him. “You’re a good man, Blake. I love you.”
He grinned at her and gazed into her eyes. “If I wasn’t afraid of rattlesnakes, I’d take you right here beneath this tree.”
She laughed at him and took him by the hand. “Tonight. Plus, we need to set a wedding date. Let’s get our son, and as soon as he goes down, we’ll spend time in one another’s arms.”
“Let’s do it,” he said as they ran to the truck.
Cristina had finally found her happiness. She’d finally found love. And it was forever.
CHAPTER 25
Two weeks later, Cody sat in a bar with his buddies. Training camp was over and every muscle in his body was thanking him for the rest. It had been grueling. A relentless amount of training, muscle building, and getting ready for the season.
If one did well, he’d make it to first string, but if not, it would be second string, or even worse, the practice squad. So far, he was in the first string, but that was because he worked out every single day.
It was relentless weight training, eating as much protein as possible, and working your body as hard as you could.
But today, he was with his team celebrating that they had made it through another year. At the age of twenty-five, he respected the men who had been doing this for years. It was a young man’s game, and if you were still playing in your thirties, you were a miracle. Some could play until their forties, but mainly that was kickers and a few quarterbacks. Being a receiver, as long as his legs, knees, and ankles stayed healthy, he could play for a while.
Eventually the hits took their toll and most receivers were gone by their mid-thirties.
They were all sitting in a bar, enjoying the end of training season. They would play their first game next week before they headed back to camp for one more grueling practice session. Then the regular season would begin at the end of August.
In Texas, playing football in August was like exercising in a sauna. Hot, sweaty, and if you didn’t stay hydrated, you could die.
“Do you think that kid, Grayson, is going to make the team?” his buddy Liam asked him.
“He’s a good player. He just makes some stupid decisions,” Cody said. “With some experience, he could be someone who makes the team and helps us.”
