Zoe steps forward, joining Emma, “You welcomed me instantly.”
“You made a less miserable asshole out of Colton,” Zack says with an all-out grin.
Kiya and Blake move forward together as they hold hands. “The two of you made me believe in fairytales,” Kiya says to me and then looks at Blake.
“Despite his hard exterior, Colton’s one of the good ones,” Blake adds and I nod. I got lucky with him.
Chase takes two steps forward, lining up with the others. He rarely speaks, so when he does, people listen. “I’ve never seen my best friend happier than when he’s with you.”
Nick joins the others. “You’re not so bad,” he says and we all laugh. “But really, we’re lucky to have you.
Finally, Kaitlyn. “You’re like a sister to me, Mia.”
This day has been one where many tears have been shed. I feel them falling as my friends all come together and celebrate our anniversary with us. I am so grateful for every single one of them, and I really can’t believe we managed to get so lucky to be together.
“Remember the day I saw you at the football game?” Colton starts as he stands in front of me. I nod. “You were wearing my shirt.”
We won the National Championship that day. The first time I met his dad. The first time I watched him play.
“I was,” I tell him, recalling the moment fondly.
He cups my chin, making me look him in the eyes. Silver. Metallic. Beautiful. That’s what I see when I look at him, but also so much more. “Do you remember what I told you when I saw you?” he asks.
He doesn’t wait for me to answer. Instead, he removes his hand from my face and gets down on one knee. “I told you that one day, my last name wouldn’t just be on the back of your shirt. It’d be following your name.”
COLTON
As I kneel in front of Mia, I watch her expression change.
“What are you doing?” she asks, searching my face.
There’s nothing I’ve ever been more certain of than this. “I want you to be my wife,” I tell her.
She drops to the floor with me, tears streaming down her face. I pull out the ring I’ve been carrying around with me for months.
“Mia Collins, in a world where so many things happen unexpectedly, where we have paths before us that we have to walk. In a life where we have so many expectations to live up to, so many things we have to do, there’s one thing I want more than anything. I want to wake up every day and find you sleeping next to me. I want to build a home with you—a family.
“We have many choices in life, but the one I’d regret forever is letting you slip through my fingers. Before you, I didn’t believe in love. I didn’t think it was meant for me. I also didn’t think I’d change my mind, but then you came along and shook my foundation entirely. You made me reevaluate everything. You made me better. You could’ve had anyone else, but you chose me. There’s nothing I want more in this world than you. Will you marry me?”
She stares at me, her expression unreadable, and I panic.
“I know I’m not good enough for you. I know I’ll never be good enough for you—”
Mia stops me by holding her finger against my mouth. She takes a deep breath, and I wait to hear what she has to say.
“Colton,” she starts and wipes tears from her eyes. I watch the girl that holds my heart, wondering what she’ll do with it. “When I got your letters today, I was amazed at your ability to love me so deeply. To care so much for me. I wrote you a few letters of my own too.” She chuckles. “I was going to keep one for a while longer, but I think you should read it.” She searches her bag for a few seconds, then pulls out a white envelope with the words ‘Bragan University’ on the front.
“Here,” she says, handing it to me. We’re both still kneeling on the floor and I have no intention of moving. I take the letter from her, and she gives me a look indicating I should open it.
“Right now?” I ask, more nervous than I’ve ever been.
She grabs the envelope back. “I’ll read it to you,” she says and then takes a deep breath. I follow it with one of my own. She clears her throat and starts to speak.
Colton Hunter.
Bragan University.
I got your letters, and this is my response.
I’m grateful for the fact that you bumped in to me that night at Eclipse.
I’m not much of a partier, but going to your home, getting destroyed at beer pong and getting drunk was probably one of the best things to have happened to me.
It allowed me to wake up in your room—and no, I didn’t sleep with you, but just so you know, I did search through the books on your shelf— you’ve got good taste.
I digress.
I’m happy you gave me a ride home and that I made you wait in the car.
Thank you for showing me your favorite diner and feeding me while judging my preference for cats over dogs.
I’m glad I got stuck working on a class project with you because it gave me the opportunity to get to know you better.
Thank you for letting me quit the whole gym thing. Coffee dates with you were way better.
I’m lucky to have had the privilege of being the person you shared your demons with. Thank you for trusting me. Thank you for being vulnerable.
You know what, I’m even grateful for the bad days. The tears. The pain. The drama. Those things made us realize how much we loved each other, how much we wanted to be together.
The days I spent without you were miserable and I never want that to happen again.
Thank you for fighting for us, for not giving up.
The last two years have made me realize something…
I never knew I’d want you as much as I do.
I never thought I’d love you as much as I do.
I want it all with you.
Mia looks away from the letter and says, “I want to be the person you wake up next to every day for the rest of our lives. I want to have a home with you. I want to be the mother of your football-loving children. We deserve each other because we make each other better—stronger—but we also allow each other the space to be vulnerable. There is nothing in this world I want more than to be Mrs. Hunter. I want to be your wife. I want forever with you.” Her declaration brings a lightness to the room, and at her words, I close the distance between us. Bringing my lips to hers, I show her how much her answer means to me.
Our family behind me hollers and cheers. I pull away from the kiss and take hold of Mia’s hand, putting the ring on her finger and feeling like the luckiest man in the world.
I don’t deserve her.
She’s too good for me. Too good to me. I’ll make sure I work on becoming the man she should be with every day.
“I love you,” I tell her, kissing her once again.
She looks at the ring on her finger then back at me. She has tears glistening in her eyes and she wipes away some of my own.
“And I love you.”
About the Author
Gianna Gabriela is originally from Rhode Island. She’s a small-town girl living in the Big Ol’ City of New York. She considers herself a writer of gorgeous alpha-males and strong heroines. She’s been reading for years and calls it her addiction. Her favorite genre is anything in the YA/NA Romance Realm.
She loves the saying that “a room without books is like a body without a soul.” Her favorite color is black, she loves most sports, and doesn’t like painting her nails because it takes a lot of work to remove the nail polish.
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Here’s what to read next…
Bragan University Series
Better With You (Book #1)
Fighting For You (Book #2)
Falling For You (Book #3)
Better With You, Always (Book #4)
PREORDER NOW
Waiting For You (Book #5)
COMING SOON
Fina
lly With You (Book #6)
The Not Alone Novellas
Not the End (Book #1)
Not the Same (Book #2)
COMING SOON
Not Alone (Book #3)
Stand-Alone
Just Because of You
I Fell First
Bragan Boys (Bragan University Boxset) Page 61
