Page 88 of Run the Play
I watch her closely as she reads the article. I know the exact moment she gets to the good part. “Landry,” she breathes my name like a caress. “This is you?” She taps on the screen to zoom in on the picture, then drops the phone in her lap, grabbing her framed copy. “That’s you, and Corie, and your parents, I’m guessing?”
“Yes. That was the last game I ever attended with my dad before he died.”
“It was you. You were the boy who was so nice to me, explaining things, and celebrating with me. That was you.”
“That was me, baby.” I’m not gonna lie. I’m a little choked up. The thought that my parents would never meet the woman I loved made me sad. But here, in my hands is a picture of all of us. Sure, she wasn’t mine then, but it’s all of us together. That’s something special, and I’ll cherish it always.
“I can’t believe this,” she says, her voice cracking.
“Corie got an alert while we were out. I was just as shocked, but I knew I needed a copy of that picture. I reached out to theperson who wrote the article, and they were happy to provide me with a copy.”
“This is—our first picture together,” she says, wiping at her tears. “Even back then, you were a bright spot in my life.” Tossing the blanket off her lap, she stands and moves to place the frame on the fireplace mantel.
Quietly, I follow her, and when she turns around, she gasps when she finds me down on one knee. “I love you, Rowan Mills. Fate brought us back together, and we should never test fate,” I tell her, reaching into my pocket and pulling out the small velvet ring box. My hands are steady as I flip open the lid and present her the ring.
“I picked this out a few weeks ago and was able to collect today. I didn’t have a plan,” I admit with a smile. “I wanted to do something elaborate that you would always remember. I wanted this to be a special moment for you. My plan was to secure the ring and think of the rest. Maybe have the guys help me out. Then, today, just before I picked up this ring, Corie got this article with the picture on her phone, and I knew.”
“What did you know?” she asks, her voice raspy with emotion.
“I knew that it wasn’t about how, where, or when I asked you to be my wife. It was about the moment we would share with each other. The universe brought us together before we were ready, and it brought you back to me. You landed in Nashville, working for my team, became friends with my sister… all of it was meant to be.”
“Landry.” Tears roll down her cheeks.
“That day, it meant so much to me. The last game I ever got to share with my dad in person. And then there’s you. I didn’t know it at the time, but you were meant to change my life. You came into my world and made it make sense again. Every moment with you is better than the last. I want to build a lifewith you. I want to give you all the things you missed growing up. I want to love you for eternity.”
Plucking the ring out of the box, I take her left hand in mine. “Rowan Mills, my love, my life, will you do me the incredible honor of being my wife? Will you marry me?”
She nods. Her smile is blinding, and tears race unchecked down her cheeks.
“I need your words, beautiful.”
“Y-Yes, I’ll marry you.”
I slide the ring onto her finger and stand, pulling her into my arms. She’s trembling as I hold her. She eases back, her hands framing my face, and kisses me.
“I don’t know what I did to deserve you,” she murmurs against my lips, “but I thank God every day for bringing you into my life. I love you so much, Landry Reynolds.”’
“I love you, too, Mrs. Reynolds.”
Pulling her hand from my face, she looks at her ring. “I have to call everyone. Wait… let’s invite them over? Can we do that?”
“Baby, this is our day, our life… we can do whatever we want. If you want our family here to celebrate, that’s what we’ll do. In fact, I’ll call Corie, and she’ll take care of the food, and let everyone know. That way, I can spend some time with my wife.”
“Fiancée,” she corrects.
“You’re not going to make me wait forever, are you?”
“I don’t want a big wedding, something small. Just those closest to us. Is that okay?”
“Perfect. Now, when?”
“I don’t know. Soon.”
“Soon sounds good to me.” Grabbing my phone, I dial my sister and put the call on speaker so that Rowan can hear. She answers on the first ring. “Hey, Core, I wanted to let you know you’re getting a sister-in-law.”
“Yes!” Corie shouts. “Knox! He did it and she said yes,” she calls out. “Can she hear me? Let me talk to her.”
“I can hear you.” Rowan laughs.
