The Game Changer (The Perfect Game 2)

I knew I was supposed to ask for permission to marry his daughter, but I didn’t want it. And I knew damn well I wouldn’t need it. He couldn’t stop me from marrying her if he tried. So I worded it a different way. “I just wanted you to know that I plan on asking her to marry me, and I wanted to ask for your blessing. ”

“Do you think she’ll say yes?”

What the hell kind of question was that? I gripped my hair with my free hand. “Yes sir, I do. ”

“Well, alright then!” he said happily into the receiver. “You have my blessing. ”

“Thank you. ” I smiled, and hearing shouting in the background I asked, “May I speak to your wife again quickly?”

“Oh sure, sure. Congrats! And let us know what we can do. We’ll pay for anything you need and handle anything you kids want. ”

I hesitated before realizing that he’d never follow through on those offers. Cassie was right about how easy it was to get sucked in by his charisma and enthusiasm.

“Jack? Tell me you asked him what I think you asked him!”

I laughed into the phone. “I did. ”

She squealed with delight. “When are you asking her?”

“I’m not sure, so please don’t say anything to her if you two talk. ”

“I won’t say a word. We’ll wait for her to call us with the big news!”

I exhaled with relief. “Great, thanks. I’ll talk to you later, OK?”

“Alright, Jack. And hey. ” She paused before continuing in a hushed tone. “Thank you for calling. I know you didn’t have to, but it was nice that you did. ”

I smiled to myself, finally convinced that I’d actually done the right thing for once.

Nerves rarely raced through my body, but they were having a field day as I waited to pop the question. I loved this girl more than anything in the world and we’d been through a lot.

I longed to make this girl my wife, and I hated sitting here at dinner, waiting to ask. Why couldn’t I just ask her now, while her mouth was filled with pasta? Should I get down on one knee? I wondered if she sensed what was coming. I’d never cooked dinner for her before and here I just went all Gourmet Chef on her ass.

What if she says no?

She won’t say no.

Fuck.

She’d better not say no.

Cassie

After dinner, Jack carried all the dishes into the kitchen and loaded them into the washer. He refused to let me help at all. I stared out the window at the skyline. I really did love living in New York.

Suddenly, Jack was kneeling next to my chair. As he placed my hand in his and started speaking, my heart began to race. “I don’t know any other couple who has been to hell and back more than the two of us. I feel like everything we’ve been through has only made us stronger. We’ve had to learn to work together. To be a team. To support each other and stand by each other. ”

I started to shake. Nervous energy consumed me, and I could barely hear half the words he said. My brain started to spin, and I couldn’t concentrate on anything other than the fact that Jack was kneeling next to me.

Jack

Her eyes glazed over, and knowing Cass the way I do, I wasn’t sure she could even hear me anymore, but I kept talking. “I promise to stand by you, to hold you up when you’re about to fall, and to always keep you safe. I never believed there was a girl out there for me. Until I met you. You changed everything. And I never want to live without you. I love you more than I ever thought possible. ”

I closed my eyes before taking a deep breath. All my confidence wavered in this moment as I realized Cassie held my future in the palm of her hands.

“Kitten. Be my wife. Marry me. ” I opened the black velvet Tiffany’s ring box.

Cassie