Epilogue
Trevor
Eight Months Later
Loretta blows on her party horn as Kenzie opens another birthday present.
With all the colorful streamers crisscrossing through the living room and the balloon arch leading to the kitchen, our home is a vibrant contrast to the drab February day.
Outside, the brutally cold, overcast weather resembles a gray blanket of despair.
With the heater on full blast, our bellies full of sushi delivery, and the elaborate cake I ordered on the kitchen island, we’re all smiles.
Jet uses her claws to shred discarded wrapping paper as Banks enjoys belly rubs from Buck. I’d be slightly miffed that my cat took to Kenzie’s father immediately if I hadn’t noticed upon meeting him that he and his daughter share the exact same energy. It’s no wonder Banks likes him.
A warm bubble rises in my chest as Kenzie hugs her mom, the Waves fuzzy socks she just received flinging over her mom’s shoulder. I’m so happy Kenzie’s parents were able to come visit for her birthday.
I’d had an incredible time visiting over Thanksgiving weekend after we’d clinched the World Series title.
Buck and Loretta put us to work, teaching me how to milk their dairy goats in addition to harvesting kale, pumpkins, and late potatoes.
Buck and I repaired fences while Kenzie and Loretta worked in the greenhouse.
On Thanksgiving, we puzzled our hearts out before enjoying a delicious home-cooked meal.
We also celebrated my new two-year contract with the Waves.
I’ll officially be one of the oldest catchers in the MLB, but I’m happy to have my knees in the dirt as long as they’ll have me.
Patrick mentioned transitioning into a different role within the franchise after those two years are up, but for now, he wants me to focus on having the best seasons possible.
That should be a lot easier now that Aaron signed a lucrative contract with the Seattle Admirals. I inwardly cheered when Aaron took his attitude and his new bride clear across the country. Last I heard, she was making his life difficult by contesting their divorce. Serves him right.
My gaze shifts to the display case Kenzie bought for my World Series ring.
She also insisted I move my Golden Glove and a few other awards into the common room, saying I should be proud of my hard work.
When I complained that we couldn’t have a case just for me, she had trophies made.
World’s Best Accountant and All-Star Girlfriend sit next to Best Lap Cat and Zoomiest Kitten Around.
My mouth quirks at the gold kitten figurine wearing running shoes with a sweat band around her pointed ears.
I don’t think I’ve ever felt as supported as I have in these past months.
Kenzie made it her personal mission to get a rotating group of people in the stands cheering for me.
It was the best surprise when my old friend Jacob arrived out of the blue with his wife and kids in July.
His mom, Trish, and her new husband visited in early August. When Kenzie wasn’t encouraging people to fly in, she convinced Noah and his friends from Wilks Beach to drive to “the mainland” for a game.
I knew how difficult that was for Noah. The last time he’d been in the Waves Stadium was the night that destroyed his baseball career.
Kenzie catches my line of sight. “Do you want to put your ring on and add a little extra sparkle to this party?”
I chuckle. “No. I’m good.”
“You could wear it twenty-four seven like Tenny does,” she says with a growing grin.
“He’s the one with all the necklaces? Your first baseman?” Buck looks up from scratching beneath Banks’s chin.
I nod. “He officially has more jewels around his neck than any living monarch.”
My teammate bedazzled himself more than the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center after our World Series win, buying a second sapphire tennis necklace and another aquamarine one.
He’s convinced that his shiny adornments will help him find a girlfriend.
When I tried to point out that character, not carat count, is what’s important, he slapped my back and told me I obviously didn’t understand the importance of peacocking.
“Should we have cake?” Kenzie casts a longing gaze toward the four-tiered birthday cake.
“Not yet.” Loretta claps her hands, accidentally startling Banks, who races over to me. “You have one more gift, right Trevor?”
Picking Banks up, I set a kiss over his missing ear before tucking him into the crook of my arm.
“That’s right.” I pull my phone from the pocket of my jeans. “My present is more of an experience.”
Kenzie’s brow wrinkles adorably as she accepts my darkened phone.
The timestamp switches over to 1:00 p.m., and it rings with a video call from an unknown number.
My girlfriend’s eyes dart to mine, and I nod for her to answer.
The second the screen goes live, Kenzie screams, drops it, then fumbles the couch cushions to find it.
Banks hops from my arms as Jet runs circles around the room, yowling.
“Oh my gosh, it’s Paul Rudd!”
“Hello?” Paul says from his fabric crevice.
“One second. We’re having minor technical difficulties,” I tell him while restraining a chuckle.
Kenzie finally snatches the phone and hoists it above her head like a trophy before realizing her favorite celebrity is on the screen.
“It’s you. It’s really you.” Her words are little more than a puff of breath as she cradles the phone inches from her face.
“It’s me.” Paul laughs good-naturedly. “I heard it was your birthday…”
While Kenzie is distracted by conversation with Ant Man himself, Loretta gives me a wink.
She and Buck know what comes after this birthday gift, because when I called to arrange this visit, I also asked for their blessing.
My hand finds the ring in my pocket, but there’s one thing missing.
I glance around the room, but both our cats have disappeared.
Banks is an integral part of my engagement plan because he’s what brought Kenzie into my life in the first place.
While Paul jokes about being upset that his beloved Kansas City Royals didn’t make it to the series this year, I go searching for Banks. Only Jet is in their shared room, splayed out on the hanging cat bed.
I ruffle her soft ears. “Where’s your brother?”
Jet’s meow is unfortunately unhelpful, so I continue down the hall to Kenzie’s room. My pulse upticks when I don’t find Banks—even after making kissing sounds and softly calling his name. He likes to make himself comfortable on her pillow when she’s not at home, so I thought he’d be in here.
I know that sometimes proposals don’t go to plan.
I’ve heard horror stories of proposing on a dock only to drop the ring in the ocean, or hiding it in the bride-to-be’s favorite cheesecake while she unknowingly swallows it whole.
Not being able to attach this ring to Banks’s blue bowtie collar and have him be a part of asking Kenzie to be my forever wouldn’t be the world’s worst travesty, but I have my heart set on it.
As stealthily as I can, I move toward my side of the house.
Maybe he’s in the gym? Banks usually steers clear of that room, but maybe his routines are off with Loretta and Buck occupying one of the remaining guest rooms in the house.
The largest one, I converted to a billiards room for Kenzie and me to enjoy.
I kept the other rooms untouched, because if all my plans fall into place, I’ll be remodeling those into kids’ rooms sometime in the future.
As a last resort, I check my room. My heart expands past the confines of my ribcage when I find Banks snuggled atop my pillow, his paws beneath this chin.
“Hey, buddy.” I sit on the bed and run a hand over his soft fur. “I need your help for something really important. Do you think you can help me ask your favorite person to be a permanent part of our family?”
My lips hitch up when Banks purrs loudly.
I unclip his collar, slide the yellow-gold, oval-cut, five-carat diamond engagement ring beside the bowtie, and reclip it before gathering him to my chest.
“Thank you so much for bringing her to me,” I whisper into his fur as we head back down the hall.
Kenzie is saying exuberant goodbyes as we enter the living room.
Outside, the Virginia weather is trying its very best to ruin everything, but inside glows warmer than the summer sun.
Kenzie’s parents smile at her as she goes down a tangent instead of hanging up, Jet jumps after a cat wand Buck is haphazardly flicking around, and Banks purrs against my chest as we watch the wholesome tableau.
A happy sigh leaves my mouth.
When my girlfriend glances at me, she remembers she was supposed to be saying goodbye.
“Thank you so much for your time, Mr. Rudd.”
“Please. Call me Paul.”
After they hang up, Kenzie squeals and then jumps in place for four solid seconds.
“I take it that was a good gift?” I can’t help the smirk hitting my lips.
“The best!” Kenzie runs over to kiss me.
I keep the kiss chaste because her parents are watching, and my heart is trying to scale my windpipe.
Now that the moment is here, I’m more nervous than my first at-bat in the majors.
My hands shake as I extend Banks toward Kenzie.
She takes him with a happy nuzzle before I draw in one last steadying breath and fall to one knee.
“I’ve got one more thing to give you.”
Kenzie’s free hand flies to her mouth as her eyes glisten.
“Actually, Banks is holding it for me.”
She gasps when her eyes catch on the diamond sparkling on Banks’s collar.
“Baseball taught me how to be patient, how to fight through the hard days, but Kenzie—” I swallow when my voice breaks. “Loving you has been the easiest thing I’ve ever done. I can’t imagine my life without you right there beside me in fuzzy socks.”
A tear slides down her cheek as she laughs.
“It would be my absolute honor to love you forever, to be your husband.” I reach up and take her free hand with both of mine. “Kenzie Rogers, will you marry me?”
“Yes,” she breathes. “Yes! Yes!”
Then my fiancée is kissing me with Banks sandwiched between us.
He lets out a low growl of protest, and we laugh, tears on both our cheeks.
It’s only then that I remember my future in-laws are videoing and photographing the whole thing.
They make an absolute ruckus with the noisemakers from the birthday party.
Banks twitches, but I catch him before he jolts away.
“I wanted Banks to be a part of our proposal because he’s what brought us together.” Holding him steady, I remove the ring and gently set him down.
My fingertips tremble as they slide the ring on her hand.
Kenzie glances at it for half a beat before rising on her tiptoes to kiss me again, her fingers in my hair.
When we separate, I hold her close, my forehead to hers. “I know I’m the one that did the asking, but I still can’t believe you’re mine.”
That confident smile graces her lips. “I’m going to have so much fun listening to you introduce me as your wife.”
If her parents weren’t feet from us, chatting amongst themselves, I’d groan aloud. Already, I can’t keep my hands from gripping her waist and drawing her in for another kiss.
“Maybe I should get a custom jersey that says Mrs. Chapman across the shoulders.”
“Stop.” I flick at glance toward her parents as they look through the pictures they took using Kenzie’s phone. “You’re torturing me.”
“We could always make it a short engagement, to not prolong your pain.” The devious little gleam in her eye is what dreams are made of.
“You’d want that?”
I expected Kenzie to want to take it slow.
We’ve only been dating for nine months, even though we’ve known and lived together for two years.
It’s just…I couldn’t go another day without Kenzie knowing that I’m here for the long run.
Some primal part of me needed my ring on her finger more than I needed her in my jersey.
Even if that meant an extended engagement, I’d count my lucky stars every day I got to stumble into the kitchen and see Kenzie’s smiling face.
“I just want you.”
Even though she’s looking at me like I’m everything she needs, the need to double-check pulses in my throat. I’ve been thinking about this for months, but this is all new for her.
“You’re sure? Maybe you should take some time to think about it.”
She shakes her head, her smile jubilant. “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life. I’d been seriously considering making a Will you marry me? sign to bring to spring training.”
My laugh warms me from the inside out.
“My parents don’t leave for three more days. I’m betting we can get a courthouse appointment before then.” She pauses, biting her lip. “Unless you’d rather—”
Kenzie doesn’t get to finish that sentence because I pick her up and swing her in a circle.
“Yes,” I say against her giggling lips as she slides down my chest, her toes not quite touching the ground.
“We should probably let them know,” she whispers, eyeing her parents.
My smile hurts my cheeks, it’s so wide.
I set Kenzie on the ground, gather her ring-laden hand in mine, and we turn to break the happy news that, in a few short days, we’ll officially be each other’s forever.
Thank you so much for reading!