The late October wind bit into Winnie’s cheeks, but she snuggled closer to Beck as they strolled through the Independence Exhibition grounds before it closed next month. “Do you think Mr. Hires will sell his root beer? I’d like more than that small sample cup he’s offering.”
“I’m sure he will, and I’ll buy you bottles and bottles of it.” Beck chuckled. “Say, look where we are.”
The glass pavilion looked different in the autumn daylight than it had that June night when torches and lamps blazed golden light through it, but it was beautiful all the same. “I’m rather fond of this place.”
“Me too.” Beck cleared his throat, which sounded pinched all of a sudden. “I was thinking, Winnie. You had the right pitch, asking me to coach the Liberty Belles. But now I have a pitch for you.”
“Oh?” She grinned. “Creating another baseball team?”
“That wasn’t the sort of team I had in mind.” He peeked at her. “Remember our dance here, the night of the charity ball?”
His abrupt change of topics made her blink, but then her thoughts filled with the memory of being held by him while they moved in time to the music and how perfect the moment had been. “I’ll never forget it. I could have danced with you forever.”
“Your feet would have tired out eventually,” he teased.
“You’re not very romantic,” she teased back.
“I’m trying, believe it or not. This team I mentioned? Actually, I didn’t say team. You did. I said pitch, but—” He broke off, laughing.
Winnie didn’t catch the joke, but it was fun watching him laugh. Then her smile froze. Pitch. Team. Their dance.
This had nothing to do with baseball.
“Beck?” Her voice squeaked.
He took her hand and pulled her gently around the back of the pavilion, hidden from the view of others strolling the grounds, although anyone inside the glass building could see them if they happened to be watching—but the grounds were quiet this autumn afternoon, and the pavilion was probably empty. Beck cupped her cheek, rubbing his thumb over her lips and sending a trail of fire down to her stomach. For a moment, she thought he’d kiss her, until he lowered to one knee.
Oh!
“The pitch I mentioned?”
She nodded.
“I’ll love you for all our days if you’ll forge a team with me. I love you with all that I am, sweet Winnie.”
“Beck.” His name came out as a whisper, an endearment, as emotion filled her throat. “Yes, oh yes.”
He was standing and kissing her before she could take another breath, but too quickly he pulled back. “Are you certain? I have but one arm to escort you, one arm to work for you.” He paused. “One arm to hold a baby.”
“You hold me just fine.” She bit her lip. “More than fine—”
Her words were lost to his kiss. Then kisses. She was as breathless and weak kneed as if she’d run around the bases, but she wouldn’t stop for anything—
A loud thump tugged her out of bliss back to the autumn world. And she gasped.
“There are people in the pavilion?”
“The rest of our team.” Beck didn’t sound the least bit embarrassed as he tucked her into his chest. Through the glass, happy faces looked out at them: Lulu and Alonzo, Dru and Xavier, Nora and her new beau Gilby, and Papa, nodding his approval.
“I asked his blessing.” Beck kissed Winnie’s temple.
“Thank you.” She waved at her loved ones and then they disappeared, hurrying outside to join them. In moments, she and Beck were surrounded by embraces.
Her pitch to Beck those weeks ago had been the right one, indeed.
But his pitch to her was even better.
She popped to her toes and told him so with a kiss.