GRAYSON

 

Operation: Meet the Family couldn’t be going any better. He watches as Adriana and Kay sit together by the pool, talking and laughing, thick as thieves. Adriana looks up, sensing his eyes on her, and she smiles at him. It’s one of those smiles that makes him feel like his heart has just skipped a beat, and he grins like a fool.

 

Willow and Tommy are busy by the outdoor bar, trying to pretend that they’re not flirting with each other. Grayson wonders how long it’s going to take for them to figure out what he and Adriana already know.

 

West is fixing Grayson’s mother another drink and telling her some story that makes her throw back her head and laugh. He doesn’t think he’ll ever get tired of seeing his mom happy, not after he spent years seeing her do little else apart from cry and cower in the corner.

 

This is his family. All the people whom he loves are in one place, and it’s the best feeling in the world. He takes a swig of his beer, his eyes return to Adriana and the lines of her face and body that he knows so well. God dammit, she’s beautiful. He shakes his head like he can’t quite believe his luck.

 

“I’m so proud of you, Grayson.” His mom has snuck up beside him, and she clinks her fresh glass against his bottle. “The national championships…it’s amazing.”

 

“Thanks, Mom.” Grayson throws an arm around her shoulder, barely able to believe it himself. This is what he’d been working towards and what he’d wanted for as long as he could remember, but it all paled in comparison next to what he could have lost.

 

“West was telling me that it’s a lot of traveling, fighting the champions of different states, a lot of days on the road.” She’s clearly going somewhere with this, and Grayson looks at her, waiting for her to ask the question that she’s circling around. “How does Adriana feel about it?”

 

“She understands. We’re talking about her taking an extended holiday from the hospital so she can come on the road with us. We’ll make it work.” Grayson shrugs, not because he doesn’t care, but because he’s completely certain that there’s no reason to worry. He and Adriana can get through whatever life throws at them; they’ve proven that already.

 

“She’s lovely, Grayson.” His mother’s voice brings him out of his thoughts.

 

He smiles at her. “She is. She’s everything I want. She’s my soulmate.” It sounds so simple, but there’s a world in that one phrase.

 

The night that he’d gotten Adriana back, they’d talked about his past and his history with Morrison. He’d told her everything from beginning to end, not leaving anything out, not wanting there to be any more secrets between them. He’d seen where secrets had gotten them.

 

She’d been silent throughout his whole story until he reached the end, soaking in everything he was telling her. When everything had been said, she hadn’t raged at him for waiting all this time to tell her. She didn’t call him a monster or a murderer or any of the things that he had been afraid she would call him. She didn’t tell him that she needed time or space to think about it. All she did was look straight into his eyes and plant a kiss on his lips that was so soft and so full of feeling that he felt like his heart would explode with love for her.  He’d held her so tight that night, barely sleeping. It was as if he was afraid that she’d be gone again in the morning. But she wasn’t. She was right there by his side, as she had been every day since.

 

“So what are you going to do about it?” His mom raises an eyebrow at him in an expression that he recognizes as one he’s inherited from her.

 

“How did you know?” He can’t believe that in the short time she’s been here that she’s managed to figure things out so completely.

 

“Mothers know these things.” She reaches over and takes the beer bottle out of his hand. “The sun is about to set. This would be a good time.” She nudges him slightly, encouraging him with a smile.

 

He takes a deep breath, preparing himself for what he’s about to do, not because he’s unsure, but because he feels like all his future happiness hangs in the balance of a one word answer. He feels in the pocket of his board-shorts, checking for the umpteenth time that the square box is still there. He’d been carrying it around, waiting for the perfect moment and life, as it does, had gotten in the way. Now, there are no more excuses. Now is the time.

 

He stops in front of Adriana and Kay who look up at him curiously. “What’s up, Gayson?” His sister laughs at the expression on his face. “You look like you’re having a moment.”

 

Adriana tilts her head as she looks at him and he sees concern cloud over her beautiful face. “Gray, is everything alright?” She gets to her feet, looking around as if there were some danger threatening them yet again. He wonders how long it will be for her to let go of that fear that’s followed her around since Morrison took her. She still doesn’t sleep through the night. When she wakes from one of her nightmares, he holds her, his heart breaking. The bruises and scratches on her body have faded, but the emotional wounds ran deeper and would take much longer to heal. But they would get through it; together they would find a way through.

 

“Nothing bad. At least I hope not.” Grayson reaches out and strokes her soft cheek, unable to be close to her without there being some contact between them.

 

She looks at him questioningly, her green eyes curious, unsure of what’s coming next. Here we go, he thinks, as he gets down on one knee.

 

“Grayson.” She breathes his name as she watches him, her eyes widening.

 

“Holy shit!” Kay’s whispered exclamation breaks the tension a little.

 

“Adriana, I love you more than I thought I could love anything or anyone. I can’t imagine my life without you. I found you ten years ago, and I messed it all up. Then, I was lucky enough to find you again. I’m not going to let you go this time. I know now that I can’t be without you, that being without you isn’t anything close to what living should feel like.” Grayson pulls the box out of his pocket and his hands shake a little as he opens it, showing her the ring set with diamonds and emeralds that match her sparkling green eyes, eyes that now look like they’re filling with tears. “Adriana, will you make me the happiest man alive? Will you be my wife?”

 

The silence is deafening and for what feels like the longest seconds of his life, he starts to wonder if he had scared her, if she thought they were moving too fast. But when he looks up into her eyes, he can see that there are no questions in them, only answers.

 

She kneels down in front of him, taking his head between her hands and resting her forehead against his. “Yes, Grayson. How could my answer be anything but yes?” She laughs and a single tear tracks down her cheek. He wipes it away, like he will all the tears that come after them—for the rest of their lives.

 

THE END

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