Running Forward: A Quick Snap Novella
Page 8
I tell him this right when he’s handed a microphone. Silence envelops the room. Everyone is waiting to hear him speak, and he’s looking at me like I’m everything. I tap the microphone to remind him it’s there.
“Oh, hi everyone. Um, thank you for coming. Most of you saw my statement a few weeks ago and know this place is my new dream. Or, at least, part of it. My heart and soul belong to this woman right here, who inspired the game you’re all about to play. If we’re lucky, she’ll keep me around and inspire even more great things. Enjoy the party.”
He hands the microphone off to a shocked looking guy a little younger than us, before kissing me. I kiss him back, loving every second of this. For him and for me.
“That was not your planned speech.”
“Nope,” he admits. “It was supposed to be longer and I was planning to grovel and make a fool of myself to win you back.”
“So, you basically robbed me of the groveling. Wow, Alec,” I tease.
“I already got down on my knees for you, so I figured we were good.”
“Alec Flynn!”
“Kidding, Kar, kidding. I’m willing to grovel and beg. I was such an idiot, and I’m sure I’ll be one again. I need you to know that I wasn’t forgetting you. I was just holding onto my past, thinking my future with you was a given. I shouldn’t have taken you for granted. That’s one thing I promise to never do again. My dad’s coming here to spend the holidays with us, too.”
“Wait, you’re not going home?”
“You’re my home, Karli Jensen. Wherever you are is where I’ll be.”
“Next year, we’ll probably be away somewhere on the holidays.”
“Good thing I have a jet or two.”
“You’d really rather do this than win a ring? We had a chance this year, you know.”
“I know I’m going to be asking to wear my wife’s ring when her team wins one.”
“Wife?” I ask, shocked and happy at the same time. “You’re not seriously proposing right now, are you?”
“Nope. I know better than to deprive you of your girly romance dreams. But I am going to propose.”
“And I am going to say yes,” I assure him.
Alec
Sitting in the stands for a game is a little surreal. I could be up in one of the boxes, but I want to be as close to Karli as possible. We’ve only been back together for a week, and I hate to have her out of my sight. That happens too often during the week when we’re both at work.
“Hi,” a young teen with glasses and a Flynn jersey says, standing next to my seat.
“Hey,” I tell him, loving that he’s got my name on him. I’ve seen a few people today with them on, and honestly, I’m a little humbled by it.
“I like computers and football, too. My friends thought I was stupid until you killed it on the field that day and then walked away to design your new app. It’s like you went from a running back to just running forward with your life, which I think is really cool. I just wanted you to know that.”
“Thanks for telling me. Would you like a picture? Or I can sign your jersey?” I want to just take this kid upstairs and buy him anything he wants. I love what he said about running forward right now.
“Could you do both?”
“Sure.”
He snaps the selfie and hands me a Sharpie he had in his pocket. “This is the best day ever.”
I decide to make it even better for him. “Here’s a code so you can beta test the app,” I say, handing him one of the cards I keep in my wallet.
“No way.”
“Way.”
“Thanks, Mr. Flynn.”
“You’re welcome. Now, I need to focus on my woman, but we can talk again at half-time if you want.”
“I’ll be back,” he promises.
“You dating one of the cheerleaders?” the guy to my right asks a minute later.
“Nope. I’m dating the coach.”
“Wow,” he says, and I follow his gaze to where Karli’s yelling into her headset and gesturing wildly.
“You have no idea.”
Epilogue
Karli
Christmas with all my family and Martin here was a little crazy. We chose to be at Alec’s because there was less stuff for the kids to break over there. And he has that whole gaming room that kept them occupied once they got bored with their gifts.
He disappeared as soon as they left, telling me he had one more present to take care of. It’s been thirty minutes and I’m getting impatient. Just as I’m about to call him, he texts me, asking me to come next door to my place. That sneaky bastard must’ve taken my keys when I wasn’t looking. I finally told him I love him, but I haven’t given him a key to my place yet.
I lock his door and head to mine, which is cracked open. I freeze in the doorway once I step inside. There are candles everywhere…and flowers, too. Lots and lots of flowers. That’s not what has me smiling, though. It’s the trail of cupcakes leading up the stairs. There must be fifty of them, which means I’ll be bringing some to the guys tomorrow. For tonight, I just want to find my man.
The trail leads to my bedroom, and there he is. He’s kneeling on the floor, inside a heart shaped circle of cupcakes. The Pac-Man t-shirt he has on is the same one he was wearing the first night we met, and that right there would be enough for me to give him anything he wants. But it’s not all he’s got going for him.
In his outstretched hand is the most gorgeous ring I’ve ever seen. A large, vibrant, pink diamond is in the center of clear diamonds formed into a flower. The band is covered in diamonds, too.
“I promised you romance and a real proposal, and while I thought about doing it in front of our family, I wanted this to be just for us. I love you, Karli, and I want to spend the rest of my life feeding you greasy burgers and cupcakes, losing to you at board games, and loving you with all my heart. Will you marry me?”
“Yes, because I want to spend the rest of my life loving you, too.”
The Quick Snap Novella Collection
To learn more about The Quick Snap Novella Collection, click here: https://www.ladybosspress.com/quick-snap
Acknowledgments
Dominique and Gabi, as always, I’m proud to be your Mom!
Kristen, I can’t thank you enough for this opportunity!
Mallory and Sabrina, thanks for beta reading once again, and helping me shape the story!
Jen, your editing really helped me make this story even better!
To my readers, you truly are the best! Thanks for writing to me, and loving my books!
Also By Crystal Perkins
The Griffin Brothers series
Gaming For Love
Building Our Love
Creating A Love
Learning To Love
Designing The Love
Working On Love
Keeping Their Love
Corrigan & Co. series
Fielding Her SECRET
Devouring the SECRET
Rocking a SECRET
Lessons in SECRET
Uncovering His SECRET
Training the SECRET
Inheriting a SECRET
Tending Their SECRET
Playing in SECRET
Loving My SECRET
Society Weddings
Society Girls series
Society Girls: Sierra
Society Girls: Neveah
Society Girls: Matisse
Society Girls: Waverly
Society Girls: Rhieve
Society Girls: Jenysis
Society Girls: Harlow
Society Girls: Camari
Society Girls: Kalila
Society Girls: Rose
Company Men series
Royal Company
Unexpected Company
Savage Company
Brash Company
Defiant Company
Vital Company
Trusted Company
Essential Company
Burn series
Zadie
The Maids series
Periwinkle in Portland
Blush in Belgium
Summerlin Squires
What the Puck
Other books
A Kiss is Just a Kiss
Activate (YA)
Never Fear-Phobias Horror Anthology
Never Fear-Christmas Terrors Anthology
Never Fear-The Tarot Anthology
Never Fear-The Apocalypse Anthology
Romantic Times Anthology, Vol. 3
Treasure You: A Fusion Universe Novella
About the Author
Crystal Perkins has always been a big reader, but she never thought she would write her own book, until she sat down in 2014 and did it. She's now published over 40 books, and has been featured in several anthologies as well.
She lived in Las Vegas for over a decade, where you could find her running author events and winning bookseller awards. She's currently living in North Dakota to be closer to her family, but she still considers Vegas to be her home city. When she's not reading a few hundred books a year or chasing after her grandson, you can find her watching hockey (Go Knights Go!) and trying to find the perfect shade of lipstick.
She loves Star Wars AND Star Trek, but if pushed to choose, it will always be Leia and her crew who come out on top. Her love of all things nerdy comes through in her book characters, no matter the genre. A mac and cheese connoisseur, she travels the world looking for the perfect version, while attending book conventions and signings as a cover for her research. Poutine research is also conducted regularly on her trips.
Her first series, The Griffin Brothers, followed four billionaire brothers, and the third book, Creating a Love, was a finalist for a multicultural award in 2014. Her second series, Corrigan & Co. featured a secret society of female spies in Las Vegas. She followed this with Society Girls, which offered a glimpse into the training of the women who are recruited into the Corrigan & Co. Foundation, and the Society. The Company Men series featured the relatives of her secret society of spies.
Activate is a Young Adult Sci-Fi standalone novel, and A Kiss Is Just a Kiss is a Romantic Comedy standalone book. If you like something darker, you can find her Horror short stories in the Never Fear anthologies!
She’s currently writing about modern day witches in her Burn series, and bridesmaids for hire who solve mysteries in The Maids! In 2020, she will also be starting a hockey novella series.
Crystal loves hearing from her readers, so please feel free to send her an email, Facebook message, or Tweet! She's also on Instagram, where you can see her monthly reads!
Crystal@crystalperkinsauthor.com