Page 104 of Winning Match
We sit in silence for a few moments, enjoying the view and the moment.
“I spoke to Grandpa last night.”
He nods, his eyes cutting to mine and holding. But he doesn’t say anything, doesn’t rush me.
“José Costa’s proposal—the opportunity he’s offering—is once in a lifetime. It gives Prescott Sail the chance to have a steady delivery output as well as consistent revenue. Things have been up and down for years now and…with Grandpa getting older, I can’t keep a handle on everything by myself.”
“Makes sense,” Ale agrees, his expression neutral.
“Grandpa thinks he should remain CEO for a little while longer and we should hire someone to oversee things here. To essentially step into the COO of US operations and for me to launch a satellite office in Valencia. Then, we can reevaluate.”
“What do you think?”
I bite my bottom lip. “I want to come, Ale. More than anything, I want to ensure the stability of the business, and I want to be with you, in Spain. But...”
“But?” His voice tightens.
My emotions rise. “My dad… I can’t go months at a time without seeing him. Even if he doesn’t recognize me, I need to spend time with him.”
Ale reaches for my hand, folding my fingers into his palm. “Of course you do, mi niña. As frequently as you wish.”
I loose a sigh, my shoulders lifting to my ears in a shrug. “I can’t fly back every month. The cost?—”
“Is not an issue,” he interrupts me. “Marli, don’t think twice about the cost when it comes to your personal life and your family.”
“You can’t pay for me to fly home every month and?—”
“Why not?”
I huff out a laugh. “Ale, I’m your girlfriend. This is a new relationship. It’s not like we’re married or even engaged. You can’t spend money on me like that!”
He’s quiet for a long beat and I relax, relieved I got through to him.
“Do you want to be engaged? Married?” he asks slowly, his eyes glued to mine.
My heart rate ticks up as a wave of emotion—excitement and joy, nervousness and disbelief—crashes over me. “You-you can’t be serious?”
“I am. You’re it for me, Marli, and I mean that. It doesn’t matter to me if we get married tomorrow or in ten years, I’ll always want to be your husband. If you need to come to America every month or every two weeks, the cost is insignificant. I am all in this with you and I will do anything I can to make you happy. Anything.”
“Ale,” I murmur, tears welling in my eyes.
“Marry me, Marli. Let’s start our lives together.” He shifts onto a knee as he says it, his eyes still zeroed in on mine.
I read the intent in his irises, the sincerity in his expression, the pure love in his touch.
And with the dawn wrapping around us, with the wind and sea and sun on our faces, I’ve never felt so close to my family, so at peace, so at home before. And in the depth of my heart, I know—this is it.
This is everything.
“Yes,” I breathe. “Yes, I’ll marry you, Alejandro. I want nothing more than to be your wife.”
He grins and I toss myself into his arms, kissing him hard.
We laugh and brush tears from each other’s cheeks, our foreheads bent together. My heart flutters like a sparrow’s wings and Ale’s arms circle around me, keeping me anchored to the moment—to him.
“Want to eat breakfast to celebrate?” I ask.
“I want to go anywhere you go, Marli.”
