Page 87 of Pucking Fate

Christian

And the final letter, well, reading it makes the room tilt so badly that I almost need to lie down after reading it.

Maya,

I’m not surprised that you don’t want to up and move for me after everything. I ruined your first time, then I burdened you with a pregnancy you didn’t want. I’ll do whatever it takes to try to make it up to you, to prove to you that you’re it for me.

Being drafted, playing for the pros, none of it makes me happy like I thought it would, not when I can’t share it with you.

I know you probably won’t move here without being sure you can trust me again. There’s only one way I can think of to prove that I’m in love with you and want to spend the rest of my life making up for my mistakes. I want to have a family with you. One day. When you’re ready and have finished school. I can see us having kids together, even if the thought of being a father scares the shit out of me. Still, I’ve been thinking about it since the day you told me you were pregnant. I want to share a life, babies, everything with you. I may notknow anything about kids, but you would be such an amazing mother that I know you would teach me what I need to know.

We belong together, Maya. I knew it from the first time I saw you in the arena cheering on Preston. You were so gorgeous you took my breath away. I could never deserve you, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to give up on you.

So, will you marry me?

Hell, will you please just call me? I would give anything to hear your voice.

Love,

Christian

Oh my god. He proposed in a handwritten letter? Why didn’t Christian tell me? Unless he changed his mind and was relieved that I didn’t get his letters.

There’s a commotion downstairs, which means Preston must finally be here. I’m sure my mom is over the moon excited to see him. But I’m still too stunned to move, to let go of Christian’s last letter. He apparently gave up after he asked me to marry him since it’s the last letter. He offered to spend the rest of his life with me and must have thought I ignored him.

Heavy footsteps on the stairs sound like they’re headed this way. Most likely my brother coming to check on me.

Standing up, I brush my knuckles over my cheeks to wipe away the tears. Gathering the letters and envelopes, I return all but the last one, tossing them back into the gift box.

“Mommy, mommy! Dad’s here!” Finley says from behind me. When I spin around, Christian is standing in the doorway, holding our son on his hip. Christian, not Preston.

“Wh-what are you doing here?” I ask in shock. I didn’t even tell him my father died, or that we were coming to Georgia.

“When Preston missed training this morning, I called him and he told me you were both headed this way,” he says simply. “I wanted to be here for you. You know, in case you needed anything. I can watch Finley during the service.”

“That’s…thank you.” I hadn’t even considered needing someone to babysit Finley. He’s too young to see my father’s casket being lowered into the ground. I want to keep my little boy happy and innocent from that darkness, at least for a few more years.

“It’s nothing,” Christian says, which causes me to shake my head as my eyes sting with more tears filling them.

“It’s everything.”

“Who wants some apple pie and ice cream?” my mother calls out.

“I do! I do!” Finley immediately squirms down from Christian’s grip at the offer of his favorite dessert. He takes off running as soon as his feet hit the floor.

Christian smiles as he watches him disappear, then turns back to me. “How are you holding up, baby?”

“I’m…fine.”

“You’re not fine, Maya.”

“I hadn’t spoken to my mother or father in years, so being back here…it’s…strange.” I wave the letter still in my hand around, gesturing to my empty childhood room.

“What’s that?” he asks.

“One of your letters. Your last letter apparently,” I reply. “They were all in this box. I’m not even sure how in the world they got here. I guess…the school must have forwarded them here, to my last known address.”

“Oh. Right.” Christian’s cheeks flush as he studies the box, no doubt trying to recall what he said in them.

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