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Chapter 2
“Do we have to go back?” Ali asked, nestling further against Cornell, his long legs framing hers.
He lifted sand onto her feet with his own. “For someone afraid of sharks, you sure do love the beach.”
“I do love the beach, just not the things lurking in the deep water,” Ali corrected him. “I mean, what’s not to love?” She looked out into the gulf, watching Mowgli run to and from the surf. The sunset hues of pink, orange, and red painted his ordinarily light brown, marbled coat darker. His half-Mastiff, half-Pit Bull lineage made him seem more like a small horse in the light. “We should come here more.”
Cornell adjusted, bringing a tattooed arm across her chest. “We should. If things don’t work well this season, I might have to leave Texas.”
And so it begins, she thought. The life of a football coach’s almost wife.
A year ago, Ali had nearly vowed to never be someone’s wife—or almost wife—again. She almost gave up on the dream she had since she was a little girl, the one with the husband, the home, the happily ever after. And there Cornell was, in the exact right place at the exact right time.
Their fairy tale didn’t begin with hearts and flowers. It began in an old, hole-in-the-wall bar where she already had too much tequila and was filled with too much heartbreak. It began with a kiss before Ali knew Cornell’s name. It kept going with stolen glances, hidden touches, and secret sex. And though their story was nearly cut short thanks to her own doing, Cornell’s limitless forgiveness and his unwavering love for her got them to this exact spot—sitting on the beach at sunset watching their dog chase after a seagull, making plans about their future.
I can’t believe I could’ve ever been so stupid.
“I’ll go where you go,” Ali said, glancing up with a smile.
Cornell dropped a kiss. “Packaged deal. Promise. Or we stay with the knuckleheads a little longer,” he joked, referring to his team.
Shrugging, Ali turned her head back out toward the water. “I don’t mind staying either.”
Ali didn’t. Because Hopperville Community College would always be a powerhouse junior college football program—and with that reputation came a plethora of kids who only believed in their athleticism or speed. Ali’s job was to convince them to believe a little more in themselves.
“You’ve got your work cut out for you,” Cornell said. “I’ve got the fastest offense in all of Juco. Which means they’re all knuckleheads.”
Ali laughed. “You could help me out, you know. It’s usually the knuckleheads that are looking for someone to look up to. On and off the field.”
“Maybe.”
Ali snuggled deeper against Cornell with a smile. A year ago, she knew he couldn’t have been more ready to leave as soon as he arrived. But Ali saw a change in Cornell over the course of the season and year. His care for his team might still be weighed down by a bit of a tough-love attitude, but Ali knew there was love there.
“A lot can change in a year.”
Cornell shifted in the sand. “It’s almost our anniversary, you know.”
“What day are you considering?”
He traced light circles along her bare arm. “The night we met.”
Ali snorted. “It wasn’t my finest moment.”
“Nah,” he told her. “It was your best moment. That’s when forever changed for me. I just didn’t realize it until later.”
“When?”
“When you became my something.” Cornell smirked down at her before whispering, “Close your eyes.”
“Why?”
He groaned. “Just do it. And sit up.”
Ali narrowed her stare at him before conceding.
“I was going to wait until our anniversary. But it’s a crime to waste a sunset like this,” Cornell began before circling her with both arms. “Open.”
Lifting her lids, Ali glanced down where Cornell’s palm was held face up with a small, velvet pouch sitting in the middle of his large hand. Ali held her breath.
