CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

“I need your help,” Chris said, fidgeting with the salt and pepper shakers sitting on the table in front of him. They would either think he was nuts or be happy. In truth, he’d been fluctuating between the two himself. It wasn’t that he wasn’t sure about his decision, but rather, he was absolutely certain, and despite Tori’s claim that it wasn’t important, he wanted it to be perfect.

Ryan and Claire exchanged worried looks.

He cleared his throat and continued, forcing his eyes up to meet Ryan’s. “I’d like to ask Tori to marry me… with your blessing of course.”

Ryan stared straight ahead at him. His face gave nothing away. Any trace of the playful, easygoing demeanor Ryan usually exuded was gone.

“You’re sure about this?”

Chris swallowed, trying to dislodge the lump in his throat. ‘I’ve never been surer of anything.”

Ryan leaned back, his elbow propped on his chair and one leg extended forward. “Two things.” Ryan lifted two fingers. “One — I’ll kick your ass, or find someone who can do it for me, if you so much as look at another woman after that ring is on her finger. Two — I want to be there when you propose. She’s either gonna be so excited she does cartwheels or turn you down and make a damn fool of you. Either way, I’d like a front row seat.”

“Gee, thanks,” Chris mumbled and nodded his agreement.

“If it makes you feel any better, I’m pulling for the first scenario.” Ryan winked and a big, toothy grin stretched his mouth.

“O-o-oh! I’m so excited.” Claire bounced in her chair. “How can I help?”

Chris scrunched his face up and looked to Claire. “Know anything about rings?”

“This is amazing!” Susan wrapped her arms around Tori’s neck and squeezed tightly. “I can’t thank you enough.”

“I can’t take credit for this. This is beyond anything I ever dreamed.”

Susan rushed off with a smile, and Tori glanced around the packed room. It seemed the entire town had shown up to support Susan and Dax. Women stood in groups, holding drinks and chatting happily, while the men huddled around the ring, which was currently occupied with ring girls circling around with the handmade cards Claire had created raised over their heads. She looked for Charlie in the crowd and wasn’t surprised when she found him front and center. He whistled and cheered as the ladies passed by him.

With a shake of her head, she hustled to the front of the building in search of Ryan. Since last night, she’d been walking around with Chris and proposals on the brain. It had festered all day until she felt like she might explode if she didn’t find Ryan and tell him everything now. If she had any hope of a future with Chris, then she had to make sure her brother would sign off on it. If he wouldn’t— She couldn’t even think about that.

Turning on her heel, she nearly collided with a wide-eyed Claire.

“Hey, what are you doing here?” Tori asked, giving her a quick one-armed hug.

Claire sighed. “I ran out on Reed. I was sitting there, and he was saying all the right things, and he looked, ugh, perfect, but all I could think about was Jake.”

Tori held back a smile.

Claire grinned and linked her arm through Tori’s. “Also, I wanted to be here tonight. This is incredible.”

Tori led Claire to the makeshift bar. “I’m glad you’re here, but I am sorry about Reed.”

Claire shrugged her shoulders and scanned the room.

“Jake is with Chris out back. He’s helping him warm up.

Claire’s shoulders wilted, and she lifted the wine glass to her lips.

“Come on, let’s get you a front-row seat.”

Claire motioned with a nod. “I think Ryan is looking for you.”

Tori turned to see her brother waving to her from the second-level stairway. Ah, perfect.

“Go. I’ll save you a seat.”

Tori squeezed Claire’s hand and then weaved her way through the gym. Ryan had already fought tonight and had since changed into a suit that made her grin with sisterly pride.

“Wow, look at you.”

“Come with me. I wanna show you something.”

“Now? I need to talk you. It’s important.”

“It’ll only take a minute.”

She followed him up the stairs. The noise fell away and the clicking of her heels echoed through the hallway. The tarps and tape were gone.

“Oh, good. Are the repairs done? I’ve been so busy with the fundraiser I haven’t had a chance to check it out since you took the tarps down this afternoon.”

“I have a confession.” He stepped in front of her, blocking the view of her office. “There wasn’t a roof leak.”

She pushed past him. “I don’t understand.”

She flipped the switch, and light flooded the room. “Oh, my God,” she whispered as the area opened up before her. She walked into the center of the room and turned, taking in every detail — her sensory equipment was hung and placed around the room, her desk sat in the back corner, and still more space existed in every direction she looked.

“Is this my office? It’s huge. How did you pull this off?” She punched him in the arm and then squeezed him hard.

“I had a little help. What do you think? This is your new office-slash-sensory-training room. You’ll probably need to move the equipment around and get it how you like, but I wanted to surprise you.”

“I’m surprised,” she admitted. “Thank you.”

Ryan held his hand out to silence her. “You hear that?” He turned and walked out of the room.

“Hear what?” she asked, following behind him. She broke into a nervous sweat when she realized a chorus of voices chanted her name from below. She held on to the cold metal railing and looked down over the crowd.

Chris stood in the center of the ring, microphone in hand, leading the entire gym in a chant for her. The room erupted in cheers when they spotted her, and Tori laughed with the absurdity of the situation.

She turned to Ryan, who was grinning and clapping beside her. “What is all this?”

“Go to your boyfriend and find out.”

His smile grew, and Tori held her breath, waiting for him to lecture her. “You don’t look pissed.”

“Pissed? I’m ecstatic! Go get your man!” He waved her off.

“I don’t understand. You know?”

Ryan shook his head. “Of course I know.”

“How? When? Did Elle tell you? She promised.” Tori stomped her foot.

“No.” Ryan tugged her hair softly. “I gave Chris my blessing on the day you moved in and again today.”

“Your blessing? He told you? And you’re okay with—” She pointed between her and Chris.

“Are you kidding? I’m thrilled. Finding someone good enough for my baby sister isn’t an easy task, but Chris — well, he’s the best man I know. And pretty damn perfect for you.”

Tori held on to the railing for balance. Ryan had known all along.

“He did all of this — tonight, the new space, everything. He loves you, and he’ll take good care of you.”

Tori shot him a pointed look. She didn’t need to be taken care of. She’d spent the better part of the last ten years trying to prove that to her parents, Ryan, and anyone else who thought differently.

“You are incredible and are capable of doing it all on your own. We all know that by now. And if you want to keep on conquering the world on your own, then I have no doubt you will, but isn’t it more exciting to think about doing it with someone else at your side?”

Tori hugged him hard and whispered how much she loved him in his ear before turning to Chris. Their eyes locked as she descended the stairs. She took her time, knowing the entire place was watching her. Falling down the stairs would be a terrible way to ruin this moment. Autumn was practically bouncing with excitement at the bottom of the stairs, holding out a bouquet of red roses.

She hugged Autumn and lifted the roses to her nose. “Thank you.”

The room cleared a path for her as she walked to Chris. Instead of the boxing shorts and robe he should have been wearing, he was dressed in a suit that stretched out over every inch of his ripped frame. He met her at the side of the ring and made a hole in the ropes for her to enter.

Silence fell over the crowd.

“Thank you, everyone, for coming out tonight. We’ve raised over five-thousand dollars.”

The crowd cheered, and Chris dropped the microphone to his side, smiling at Tori. When the room quieted down, he held out a hand in Tori’s direction. “Let’s also give a big round of applause to Tori for all the great work she does for Autumn and the rest of the community.”

The noise inside the gym exploded, and Tori felt a sting of pride.

“Before I fight my older brother, Charlie…” Chris pointed to Charlie standing outside the ring. “…and embarrass him back out of town, I need to settle another match, once and for all.”

Tori laughed uneasily and looked from Chris out into the crowd. She was surprised to find her parents standing next to Ryan. Her mother had the same look of pride and adoration on her face that Tori had seen flashed in Ryan’s direction many, many times. She hadn’t realized how much it meant to have their respect until now. Her father stood next to Ryan and the rest of the crew — Elle, Claire, Charlie, Travis, and even Jake. Her insides squeezed with happiness. She was where she belonged, and it had everything to do with the people in this room. She didn’t want to live a life by herself; she wanted to live it surrounded by her people.

Tears stung her eyes as she let the moment sink in. She turned to Chris. He had done all of this. Against all odds, they had found their way back to one another and had put the past behind them. She couldn’t imagine loving anyone more, nor did she want to. Chris fell to one knee beside her, and she gasped as he pulled a red box out and opened it.

“Victoria Ann Calloway, you are beautiful and smart and good. You’re also the most stubborn woman I have ever met. You challenge me and give me a reason to wake up and fight every single day. Marry me?” His eyes pleaded, and his grin taunted in their familiar act.

She wiped the tears from her face and laughed. “Yes!” she shouted to a room of applause. The whistles and screams grew louder as Chris swept her up into his arms and kissed her.

“Pack your bags, little lady. We’re moving you back in tonight.” He placed the large square-cut diamond solitaire on her finger and dangled a silver key in front of her face.

“You couldn’t just toss it over the breakfast table?” she asked, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Laughing, he crushed his mouth to hers.