Page 111 of Blood Money

Nicky grinned, showing off a missing tooth.

With his heart about to beat out of his chest, Gray clasped Alex’s hands and knelt before her, squeezing in between the row of stadium seats. Nicky also knelt.

Gray looked up into the eyes of the woman he adored. “I love you, Alex. Will you marry me?”

Surrounded by thousands of fans in the middle of Yankee Stadium, all Gray saw was Alex. At first she didn’t say anything, didn’t move a muscle. She just stared at him.

Sweat trickled down Gray’s back. When he tugged the green velvet box from his pocket and opened it, displaying the diamond and white gold solitaire engagement ring, Alex gasped. More gasps came to his ears. His mother’s, Moira’s, Daisy’s, and suddenly everyone else in the stands within earshot was gasping.

An unrealistic hush came over the crowd, as if everyone in Yankee Stadium was frozen in time, waiting for Alex’s answer.

Jess pointed to one of the mammoth-sized screens positioned around the stadium. “Look, they’re on the Teletron.”

Gray knew they were on the giant, four-sided, flat screen monitors that displayed to every part of the stadium. He’d planned it that way. But he had eyes only for Alex.

Staring down at him from the biggest, bluest, most beautiful eyes he had ever seen, Alex covered her mouth with her hands. When she lowered them, tears streamed down her cheeks.

“Mommy, are you gonna say yes?” Nicky grabbed at Alex’s blue jeans.

Slowly, she nodded. “Yes. Yes!”

All around them the crowd clapped and cheered. When Gray slipped the ring from its velvet box onto Alex’s finger, the stadium went wild as the Teletron displayed Alex’s acceptance of his proposal for all of Yankee Stadium to see.

When he stood to kiss her, Alex threw her arms around his neck. He picked her up and held her close. Just before lowering his mouth to seal their engagement, he whispered, “Is this wild and crazy enough for you?” The smile on her face—the unabashed joy in her eyes—was all he needed.

Alex nodded emphatically. Then he kissed her. The woman of his dreams. The woman who made his by-the-book brain and heart go nuts.

“You can go wild and crazy on me anytime,” she whispered so that only he could hear.

Gray picked Nicky up, then hugged Alex tightly to his chest. Turning to face the Teletron, he saw on the big screen what he wanted. The woman he loved and a family. His.

Turning back to Alex, he whispered, “I intend to.”