by K. A. Linde
“As a young quarterback still finding your place in the league, how do you feel your integration into the Tornadoes lineup has changed their program?”
“When I was drafted to the Tornadoes, I said I wanted to find a home with them, and I’ve done so. We’ve all had to make adjustments, working with new players and a new playbook, but I respect everyone who has given me this chance to help take the Tornadoes into a more competitive spotlight.”
“Excellent,” Stacia said.
“Do you mind if I ask you one question before we go?” Pace asked.
Stacia furrowed her brow and then remembered to smile and just go with it. “Of course.”
Pace dropped down onto one knee right then and there. Stacia’s hand flew to her mouth, and she nearly forgot the microphone in her hand. He pulled a box seemingly out of nowhere. She had no idea where he had been hiding it or if he had gone to get it when she was distracted. Tears welled in her eyes.
“Will you, Stacia Palmer, be my wife?”
“Oh my God,” she gasped. Her eyes stayed glued to his, and for all the world to see, she nodded. “Yes! Oh my God, yes!”
Pace laughed and then stood. He retrieved the ring and then slid it onto the finger on her left hand. It was a gorgeous circular diamond with a halo of diamonds and then a tiny band of diamonds that went all the way around the band. It was stunning. Her hand was shaking as she stared down at it in shock.
“Stacia,” Chuck hissed.
She came out of her trance long enough to realize she was still live. She held her hand up to the camera. “I’m getting married. And that’s all. Back to Mick in the studio.”
Chuck took them off-air, and the anchors were sure to be talking about her engagement on ESPN after that.
Chuck pulled her in for a hug. “Congratulations!”
“Thank you!”
Then, Pace was there, picking her up and twirling her around. “I love you,” he said to her.
“I love you, too.”
He placed her back on her feet.
“I cannot believe you just did that!”
“Proposed?” he asked, as if he were confused.
“On live television!”
He laughed. “What? Did you think you got placed on my game by accident? The studio knew. I cleared it with them.”
“Oh my God, you’re sneaky!”
“Only because I love you so much,” he said before a deep kiss. “And, soon, you’ll be Mrs. Stacia Larson.”
Stacia shook her head, feeling slightly dizzy at the prospect. “That sounds so…amazing. After all this, I’m still going to be a quarterback’s wife.”
Pace laughed. “Well, maybe I’m going to be a reporter’s husband.”
Stacia beamed. “I like that even better.”
The End
WRITING SILVER WAS A WHIRLWIND, to say the least. For a few months, I couldn’t get past the first eight chapters because I moved and got horribly sick in the middle of it. Then, inspiration struck, and I wrote the rest of the book in less than a month. I love this book. I’m so proud of Pace and Stacia’s story and how far they have come since Diamonds and Gold. But I never would have made it without some pretty incredible people.
Rebecca Kimmerling, Katie Pruitt Miller, Polly Matthews, Anjee Sapp, and Lori Francis, for being early readers. My publicist Danielle Sanchez, who knew I could write this book in twenty days and helped every step of the way. My agent, Kimberly Brower, who read this book in five hours because she couldn’t put it down. Thank you for your love of my anti-heros and heroines. Anna Crosswell with Cover Couture, for working on the amazing cover, and Lindee Robinson, for the photography that just is Stacia and Pace! Jovana, as always, on the amazing editing and formatting for this book.
And all the people who helped me and kept me sane through this process—Jenn Sterling, Jillian Dodd, Corinne Michaels, Book Broads!, my #squad girls, S.C. Stephens, A.L. Jackson, and all the incredible readers who support me!
Plus, of course, my husband, Joel, and my two puppies, Riker and Lucy!
K.A. LINDE is the USA Today bestselling author of more than fifteen novels, including the Avoiding series and the Record series.
She has a Master’s degree in political science from the University of Georgia, was the head campaign worker for the 2012 presidential campaign at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and served as the head coach of the Duke University dance team.
She loves reading fantasy novels, geeking out over Star Wars, binge-watching Supernatural, and dancing in her spare time. She currently lives in Lubbock, Texas, with her husband and two super adorable puppies.
K.A. Linde loves to hear from her readers!
You can contact her at [email protected] or visit her online at one of the following sites:
www.kalinde.com
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