Epilogue

Crew and I sat on the sofa in the beach house living room. We'd been on the Cape since graduating in May, and tonight was the night Crew had been waiting for since he was a kid.

"Is it on yet?" my mom asked, carrying a platter of food into the room where the flat screen aired the pre-draft commentary.

"Not yet," Gina said as Cody adjusted the laptop facing the sofa. Crew's reaction to wherever he went in the draft was being live-streamed.

Crew's knee bounced slightly. And even though he told his college teammates and his Sharks teammates who were there supporting him that he wasn't nervous, I could tell that he was.

"Am I late?" Crew's mom asked as she hurried into the house with a platter of cookies.

"Right on time," I assured her.

She placed her cookies down on the table, then moved to Crew's other side and sat down.

"It's starting," Sam said as the commissioner of baseball appeared on the screen. He stood at a podium with a draft banner behind him and welcomed everyone to the draft. The crowd at the event in Seattle cheered.

Crew slipped his hand into mine, linking our fingers.

"Take a deep breath," I whispered, knowing there was definitely something to be said for breathing.

Everyone in the room grew silent.

On the television, the commissioner announced, "With the first pick in this year's major league draft, the Florida Marlins select Crew Burke, a shortstop from the University of Alabama."

The room around us exploded with cheers. Crew remained still as his mother hugged him. Then, he turned to me with excitement in his eyes and wrapped his arms around me.

"You deserve this," I whispered.

His teammates crowded around him, patting him on the back.

"They're waiting in Seattle," Crew's agent said as he fist-bumped Crew. "You ready?"

Crew nodded and his agent clicked something on the laptop. Instantly, the view of our living room was on the television screen.

"Crew. Congratulations," the sports announcer at the draft said.

"Thank you," Crew said.

"What's it feel like to go first in this year's draft?"

"It's surreal. It's a moment I've wished for my entire life." He bumped my leg gently at the mention of wishing.

"The Marlins could really use your bat in their lineup," the announcer said.

"I'm ready for any job they see fit for me. If it's my bat they need, they've got it. If it's my glove in the field, they've got that too."

"You ready for Florida weather?" the announcer asked.

"I'm ready to play ball. It's a dream come true to be able to do it for my job, and I can't wait to bring my mom and my girlfriend along for the exciting ride."

"Crew Burke, we can't wait to see you play," the announcer said before the interview ended, and our living room was no longer on the television.

"Now, we can really party," Cody announced, and everyone in the room broke into laughter.

Crew stood from the sofa and grabbed my hand, pulling me to my feet. "Come with me."

We moved through the crowded living room, stopping every few feet so people could congratulate him. We eventually made it outside, and Crew led me across the back patio.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

He didn't answer; he just led me to the pool house. He pushed open the door and stepped inside. I followed him in, freezing when I saw what he'd done. Huge vases of flowers filled the pool house. Without releasing my hand, Crew stepped in front of me.

"This is the happiest day of my life," he began. "I got drafted with you by my side, and you agreed to spend the rest of your life with me."

I cocked my head. "That didn't happen."

He smirked before reaching into his back pocket and pulling out a diamond ring.

My heartbeat sped up as Crew dropped to one knee and held up the ring. The diamond sparkled like crazy under the skylights making it difficult to see anything else. "I'll tell you again what I told you last summer. When you're around, I'm incapable of seeing anyone but you. Because of you, I'm no longer the player you thought I was. Because of you, I'm so damn happy. So, marry me, Peyton. Be my lifelong teammate."

Heat pulsed in my cheeks as I stared at him kneeling in front of me.

"What do you say? Will you make another one of my wishes come true today?" he asked.

I thought about a life with Crew. All those away games. All those nights apart. All those video calls. Then, I did the only thing I could in that moment. I shook my head.

Fear shone in his eyes.

"This is my wish," I said. "Don't think you're gonna claim it."

He laughed, his fear morphing into hope.

"Thank you for making it come true," I continued. "Of course I'll marry you."

Crew's smile grew as he slipped the ring onto my finger.

I laughed as he scooped me up in his arms.

"I love you so much," he said, though he didn't let me respond because his lips captured mine.

"I love you two together!" Gina called through the door.

We pulled apart and turned toward the door. Gina, my mom, and Crew's mom stood outside the door smiling.

"I love us too!" I called, holding out my hand so they could see the ring.

Crew moved us to the door. I thought he was letting them in to celebrate, but instead, he closed the curtains so they couldn't see inside. Then he looked to me. "Now where were we?"