Page 31 of Offsides

“Should I go change?” Logan asked.

“Shower first. I can wait. We can’t go into a jeweler’s establishment with your swamp ass, now can we?”

“When you’re right, you’re right, sweetheart.”

Logan

Rushing into the locker room,I showered and changed in record time. Sprinting back to Ari, I found her sobbing in her sister’s arms.

“Not again,” I exclaimed. “I was gone for ten minutes, max.”

Smiling up at me, Ari blubbered, “I don’t want a big wedding. I don’t want it to be a media spectacle.”

Relief washed over me as I took my new fiancée into my arms. “I’ll marry you at the courthouse right now if that is what you want.” I pulled her chin up to force her to look at me. “I love you, Ari. I will tomorrow and the next day and the day after that. We can wait years, we can wait seconds, but just know that even if you try to run, I am going to marry you.”

“Don’t we have wait a few days after applying for a marriage license?” she stammered as I wiped the tears off of her cheeks.

“Not in North Carolina, a law that is really going to work in my favor with how big of a flight risk you have proven to be,” I explained.

“I don’t want to know why that fact is stored in your brain,” Ari muttered.

“I honestly have no idea why I know that, but your sister is here and I am sure Roger would be our other witness.”

“I’ll go get him,” Josie yelled before sprinting off for the locker room.

“No girls allowed,” I called after her.

Whipping around, she held up her left hand. “This ring gives me the authority to break that rule for something as big as this.”

“Are we getting married today?” Ari asked sheepishly.

“If you’ll have me.”

“Are you sure?”

I kissed her forehead. “Why, darling, I don’t live at all when I’m not with you.”

“I’ll take that as a yes.” She giggled while sniffling a little.

“It’s one hell of a big yes, Ari. I am marrying you today.”

The End.