Page 73 of Full Coverage (Boys of Fall)

Sadie nodded. “Yeah, when your boyfriend is good friends withourboyfriends.”

Randi didn’t care one bit that everyone in town knew about the tequila shots. Or about anything else at this moment other than getting to Nolan.

“Go get him, girl,” Sadie said.

Randi took a deep breath, gave her friends a smile and turned toward the door.

Teresa stopped her. “Thank you for loving my son.”

Randi felt her throat tighten. “I can’t help it.”

Teresa smiled and stepped out of the way.

Ten minutes later, Randi walked through the tunnel that led from the parking lot into Nicholas Carr Stadium.

Nolan was sitting on the fifty yard line, legs outstretched, leaning back on his hands.

She didn’t miss a step.

When she got to midfield, she stopped. “You thought you could get me back with just some pretty words?”

He looked up. “Um, yeah. I’m good with words.”

“Yeah. You are. It would have been nice to have a few of those over the past month.”

He nodded. “Yeah. I know.” He swallowed. “I’m really sorry. I just… I honestly kept thinking that I’d find a stopping place and I’d call you, and then I wasn’t sure what to say until I could tell you I was done and coming home. And then when I was done and coming home, I just wanted to get here. And tell you in person.” He looked miserable. And sorry. “But you are in every word of that book, Randi. Writing it made me fall in love with you all over again.”

“It’s been a month,” she said.

“I know.”

“So you’re going to have to do better than words.” She was lying. His words were exactly what she needed. Like how much he loved her. How amazing he thought she was. And that he wanted to marry her.

But she handed him the tequila and the lime, then stripped off her shirt and stepped forward, her feet on either side of his knees. She sank down onto his lap.

He gave her a smile that was filled with joy, love and amusement. “Tell you what, I’ll show you withactions, but I’m going to need some words fromyou.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Oh yeah? Words? As in plural?”

His big hands went to her back and he brought her in until their lips almost touched. “You’re right. I really only need one.”

“Ye—”

“But let me say a few first,” he cut her off.

She leaned back, unable to hide her smile. But she nodded. “Okay.”

“I’m sorry. I was wrong about the book and the stories you told me. Those might not have been what New York wanted, but they are whatIwanted to write about. Theymadethe book that I wanted to write. And that’s the kind of book I want to keep writing. About people and relationships and connections. I have more ideas and I’m going to keep going with them. From right here in Quinn. And I love you. You’re amazing and I want to spend every day of my life making sure you know that. I want to be with you forever. Here, in Quinn. Forever.”

Her heart was thundering, and she wanted nothing more than to wrap herself around him and justbewith him. But she nodded. “Good.”

“And, I just…” He trailed off.

He just sat looking at her for several long moments.

Finally she tipped her head. “What?”

“I can’t believe it, but I’m out of words,” he told her with a small laugh. “I guess that’s all I needed to say.”

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