Chapter 11
11
Winning the gold medal is amazing but winning it with him by my side makes it so much better. -Leah
Leah
I feel myself being lifted off my feet as soon as I jump off Stormy. Matt is swinging me around, laughing and yelling at the same time. I throw back my head and laugh too. This feeling is one of so much happiness that it borders on hysteria.
“Baby, you did it! You freakin’ did it!” Those are the only words I can make out as he finally sets me down and smothers me in kisses.
I giggle and nod. “I did! I really freakin’ did!”
Matt reaches out and pushes a stray blonde hair out of my face. His emotions are swinging now from happiness to pure awe. He looks at me with so much love and admiration in his eyes that I instantly melt.
This man. This man has been my side every step of the way.
“I’m so damn proud of you I could burst! I love you, Leah. I love you so much.” His lips meet mine, and what starts out as a little kiss soon turns into something that probably shouldn’t be quite so public.
I pull away reluctantly. I run my finger down his cheek. “We should probably save that for later.” I can feel the tears rising to my eyes as I take a deep breath and try to control my emotions. “You did this, Matt. You were here for me the whole time. I couldn’t have done this without you. Stormy and I couldn’t have done this without you.” My voice breaks on the last syllable, and I swipe at my eyes.
Matt grasps my chin and tips up my face so that I’m gazing into his emerald eyes. “You did this, Leah. You worked hard and made this happen. I cannot imagine ever being prouder of anyone.”
I can’t talk past the lump in my throat, so I just nod.
He grasps my hands with his own and heaves in a big breath. His voice comes out shaky when he speaks next.
“I wanted to do this months ago, hell almost two years ago, the moment I fell for you. But I waited because I knew you deserved this moment without distraction. You deserved to feel this glory and I wanted to be there to watch every step.” His eyes gleam with unshed tears. “This is the right time. I can feel it.”
He holds onto my hands as he fluidly moves to get down on one knee.
I gasp and bring my hand to my mouth.
“Leah Rebecca Charles, I can’t imagine loving anyone more than I love you. You are my world. You are my heart. When I wake up in the morning, you’re the first thing I think of, and when I close my eyes at night, your face is what I see. I want that to continue for the rest of my life. I want to be by your side for every obstacle and I want to share my home and my life with you.” He pulls a box from his pocket, and a sense of warmth and contentment fills me before he even opens the box.
He pops open the box with a click and I peer inside. It’s a beautiful ring, oval cut and antique-just the ring I would have picked for myself. But none of that matters. I would marry him tomorrow without a ring.
I finally lower my hand from my mouth. His smile is anxious as he looks up at me.
“Yes! Yes, I’ll marry you! I’ll marry you tomorrow if you want. Or next year, or whenever.” I choke again on my words, and he starts laughing.
He stands up and suddenly I’m swung in the air again. “We can wait sometime between a day and a year, but hopefully soon. I love you so damn much, Leah.”
He puts me down again and gives me along kiss on the lips. It’s not until the kiss ends that I realize everyone around us is clapping.
I duck my head, embarrassed.
“I guess it isn’t every day that they see a woman win a gold medal and get engaged in the same day,” he whispers, and I grin.
“Guess not,” I whisper back as I hide my head in his thick jacket.
When I raise my head again, I glance over at Stormy. She’s watching us with knowing eyes, as if she knew this would be the outcome the whole time.