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“Georgia, yes, but we’re working through some things,” she said.
“Good,” she said. “Come on.”
The girl took her by the arm like she was escorting her and she was kind of surprised. Until they walked out the locker room door.
The girls had lined up on both sides of the court, making a pathway where Zach waited at the end.
Her heart skipped a beat and she gasped. In his hands were flowers and a microphone. The crowd was silent, and she knew.
Tears flowed from her eyes as Georgia walked her to the man she loved with all her heart.
When they reached Zach, Georgia passed her off to him. He handed the flowers to Emily and took her other hand in his.
“Emily Martin, we have had our ups and downs. And our misunderstandings. We’ve played pranks on one another, and yet every time I look at you, my heart whispersshe’s the one. Basketball has brought us together, broken us up, and now I want it to join us together forever.”
He knelt on one knee and opened a jewelry box. Astounded, she stared at the diamond ring she had shown him years ago that she liked.
“I bought this ring five years ago with the intention of asking you to marry me. But then I became stupid and made some really bad decisions. I can’t promise you that I won’t make stupid decisions again, but I can promise you that they will never involve me leaving you.
“For five years, I’ve grieved losing you, and I don’t ever want to be without you again. You told me I was like the Beast and cursed until I found love. I didn’t need to find love; it was there in front of me. It’s been in my heart since we parted five years ago. Will you marry me, Emily, for better or worse?”
Leaning down, she kissed him on the lips while the gym went crazy. She pulled him to his feet. “Always and forever. I love you, Zach, and nothing would make me happier than being your wife and us living our basketball dreams together.”
The band began to play and the crowd erupted with applause and cheers while Emily leaned into Zach and kissed him, her heart filled with love.
When they came apart, the crowd cheered as the two coaches walked to the edge of the court. “Zach, I will never let basketball come between us again, but I have a game to finish. I love you now and forever.”
He grinned at her. “Go kick their ass. This game is yours.”
She smiled, tears forming in her eyes once again. She gave him a brief kiss and then turned to her team.
“Ladies, thank you for being a part of my engagement. It means so much to me. But now we have to focus. Remember what I told you in the locker room? This game is yours to win. Go out there and make me proud.”
The girls leaned in with their hands and they raised them together with a whoop.
The teams took their positions on the court while Emily dried her eyes and watched as her girls fought for the ball.
In the last two minutes of the fourth quarter, the score was tied.
She called a time-out and the girls came over exhausted, huffing and puffing trying to catch their breath.
“You girls are better than them. Don’t forget it. Take a deep breath, remember what we’ve practiced. Remember the video we watched and how they like to drill the ball in the last two minutes. Go, do your best.”
The other team looked almost as exhausted as her girls as they met in the middle for the last two minutes.
They raced up and down the court, blocking, setting, and both teams scoring. In the last ten seconds of play, Riley got the ball to Georgia who jumped into the air and let the ball go. Emily held her breath as it hit the rim, bounced into the air, and then sank into the basket.
The buzzer sounded. They had won by two points.
The girls screamed as they ran over to the side of the court and lifted her in the air. It was over. They had beaten the number one team in their division.
Emily looked for Zach who was standing over on the sideline, clapping his hands along with the superintendent and the principal.
She laughed. What a day. What a week. What a life.
CHAPTER16
It was her wedding day. Of all places, they had decided to hold it in a place they both loved. In the basketball gym. In the very place they had fallen in love not once, but twice.
