It’s been two months since Lexi and I moved to D.C. The adjustment went smoother than I’d expected. I’d finally settled into my new role with the security company. I wish I could say it was a painless transition, but like most things in life, it required work. My days were getting easier and my nights were getting a helluva lot better now that I had things under control.

True to my word, my connections with the Attorney General had ensured that Colton was immediately arraigned and given his right to a very speedy trial. The Hunt family connections couldn’t hold a candle to the power of the judicial system, aided by eager and willing prosecutors. There was no bail and Colton never left jail. Laney and her dad called us to let us know that the judge had sentenced him to ten years in Baldwin State Prison for rape. Best of all, he wasn’t in my head or in our lives anymore.

This was the first time we had been back to New York since the move. There were times where I missed my job and my old life. I especially missed my friends as well as my family, but I thanked God every day that I had Lexi. Without her, this would have been tough, not to mention extremely lonely. I was convinced that as long as I had her by my side, I could get through anything. She was all I needed. I just hoped she felt the same way after my little surprise.

I’d been thinking about marrying her since the day she’d told me she was pregnant. I would have gotten down on one knee right there, but I wanted to get our life settled first. Also, I was afraid she would think my proposal wasn’t genuine. I never wanted her to assume I asked her simply because I felt pressured or obligated. The truth was, there wasn’t a person on this planet who I could picture spending my life with other than her. She was the only woman I wanted ‘forever’ with. As far as I was concerned, she was my beginning and my end. I couldn’t even remember a time where I didn’t love her. I knew the moment I laid eyes on her that she would be the one.

We’d been hit with a lot of changes in the past two months. The pregnancy, the move, the new job. It’d been stressful at times, but we’d gotten through it and we’d emerged stronger than ever.

Sweat beaded down my forehead. We were enjoying an early fall day at Giant’s stadium. I cursed myself for wearing jeans. It was so damned hot; I wished I had worn shorts. Although, I suppose my nerves might have added to feeling like I was sitting in a toaster oven on broil.

“Are you okay?” Lexi asked, while putting her hand on my bouncing knee.

My eyes found her stomach. She was only four months along, so there was only a slight bump at this point. But I loved knowing that my kid was growing inside her. The only thing that would have made it more perfect would be to see my ring on her finger.

“I’m good even though you’ve been ogling Aaron Rogers for the past half hour.” I clipped back. Once I saw the schedule and realized that the Giants were playing the Packers, I knew I had to get tickets. Now I just had to wait for my proposal to flash across the billboard. I couldn’t wait to see her face.

Laughing, she took a sip of her water. “Oh, is he here? I hadn’t noticed.” She looked around acting all cute and innocent. I just couldn’t help myself, so I reached over and kissed her.

Her mischievous blue eyes batted open. “What was that for?”

A smile came to life on my lips. “Because I think you’re adorable.” I told her. Words could not express how much this woman had me wrapped around her finger.

“Right.” She said, wiping the condensation from the beer off my top lip. “Let’s see if you can still say that once I’m big as a whale and won’t be able to even bend over to tie my own shoes.”

I took her finger in my mouth and sucked the beer off it. Her eyes grew wide. “I happen to find whales pretty hot. The bigger the better. Just promise you won’t crush me to death and we’re good.” I teased, as she smacked my shoulder.

“Oh, trust me.” She said with all seriousness. “I can make sure we are never in a position again where you will have to worry about me, ‘Crushing you to death’.” She air quoted me.

My jaw flung open for show. She was just messing with me but I was smart enough to know when to shut my mouth. “Baby, you can crush me anytime, just as long as you promise not to crush my heart.”

All playfulness left her eyes and as if on cue, the music started to play. The confidence I had earlier was gone. This girl was literally holding my entire future in her hands. Her head turned toward the field as I slipped the ring out of my pocket. In front of 80,000 people our image flashed up on the Jumbotron. I nudged her in the ribs, encouraging her to look up at the screen. With a trembling hand I watched as she saw the words, ‘Lexi Manning, will you marry me?’ flash across the bottom of the screen.

Lexi’s hand flew over her mouth, then her head swung to mine. I was now down on one knee and every fucking eye in the whole damn stadium was on me at that moment. What the hell was I thinking?

“Lexi, getting to where we are today wasn’t easy, but the best things in life rarely are. When I think back to the very beginning, from the moment I first saw you, it didn’t take me long to realize there was something different about you. The truth was, I didn’t want to acknowledge it, because it scared the crap out of me. Little did I know on that fateful night in the women’s restroom, I would be meeting the love of my life.” I took her hands in mine. “You and the baby are all I need. Will you marry me?”

Lexi stared down at me with my question hanging in the air. I took a moment to breathe— my nerves were out of control. But my heart had never felt more stable as she stared at the two carat, princess-cut diamond ring I had picked out for her. It was simple, elegant and priceless, just like her.

The crowd erupted into thunderous applause as she leapt towards me and wrapped her arms around my shoulders giving me a kiss I would remember forever.

I wiped a tear from her eyes. “Is that a yes?” I asked for clarification.

A smile came to life on her lips. “It’s a hell yes!”

I heard the stadium announcer call over the speaker. “Well, folks, that definitely looks like a yes to me!” The crowd’s applause and whistles grew louder as the people around us started to congratulate us.

Lexi’s eyes glistened with tears as I placed the ring on her finger. I bent down and pressed a kiss to her belly and then I stood up and held her face in my hands. “I love you so much. Maybe even too much. I look forward to us raising a family together, and spending the rest of my life with you. Even though I’m not ready to share you with anyone just yet, I know you are going to make a wonderful mother.”

“I love you, too.” She said before my lips descended onto hers. The cheers and congratulations continued. Lexi laughed then buried her face in my shoulder. I wrapped her up in my arms, never feeling so complete in my entire life. I closed my eyes to savor the moment. Life had changed us in so many ways. We had been through hell and back and proven that our love was strong enough to handle whatever it threw at us.

I looked at the clock at the end of the game; the final score was Giants 17 and the Packers 28. Lexi just smiled and pressed a kiss to my cheek. “You can keep the Lexus, I already have everything I need.”