The Hang Up (First Impressions) Page 19

  “Let’s go, boys! Almost there!”

  With hands linked, the three of them ducked under one of the last obstacles in the course. Jason’s lungs worked overtime as he maneuvered through the slippery terrain, laughing as Henry stopped to roll around in an extra-deep puddle.

  The little boy was quick to break free on the other side, and he let go of their hands to scurry ahead toward the finish line, where Ellie stood with her arms outstretched and a big grin on her face.

  Miriam squeezed Jason’s hand. “I still can’t believe you got the officials to agree to let him run the last quarter-mile with us.”

  “As soon as I told them it was his one wish to celebrate being cancer-free, they were all over it.” Jason watched with pride as Henry crossed the finish line with his mud-covered legs pumping as fast as they could go.

  “Wooohooo!” Ellie shouted as she clicked off a photo on her iPhone, then dropped to her knees in the mud to wrap her son in a sloppy, wet hug. “I’m so proud of you, baby!”

  “I’m not a baby. I’m a Tough Mudder.” But the little boy seemed to relish his mother’s embrace anyway, and Jason clutched Miriam’s hand tighter as the two of them rushed across the finish line together.

  They stood panting for a moment while other competitors moved past them, but they were off to the side now, out of the way of traffic. Ellie and Henry were still hugging in the mud while Henry chattered excitedly about the race. Jason took a slug of water from the bottle he’d stashed in Ellie’s day pack, watching as Miriam did likewise. They were sweaty and filthy and breathing hard, and Jason couldn’t imagine a moment more perfect for what he had planned.

  He set down his water bottle, then reached out and tousled Ellie’s hair before rumpling Henry’s. “Good job, champ!”

  The little boy squealed as Jason lifted him up and gave his nephew a fierce hug. He shifted him to one arm and reached down to help his sister to her feet. “You have to get up now.”

  “Bossy jerk,” she muttered without any real venom as she took his hand and let him hoist her up.

  Jason set her son back on the ground beside her, then ruffled her hair again. “You know it.” He turned to Miriam and grinned. “I figure only one Sanders at a time should be on their knees in the mud.”

  With that, he knelt in front of Miriam and reached for her hand. She gasped as he picked up his water bottle again and used it to rinse off her fingers. He set it down and held out his palm to his sister.

  As Ellie placed their grandmother’s diamond ring in his hand, he looked up at the beautiful dirt-streaked face of the woman he loved.

  “Miriam Elena Ashley,” he began as he wriggled the band onto her gritty finger. “Will you make me the happiest guy on earth and marry me?”

  Tears pooled in her green eyes, spilled down her cheeks, and made wet rivulets through the mud covering her face. She was breathing hard, and Jason felt pretty sure it wasn’t just the exertion of the race.

  He felt it, too.

  “Say yes, Miriam,” Henry urged. “Then you can come over and play anytime and I can teach Phuzeei more tricks and also we can do Legos together.”

  “That’s a pretty good proposal,” Ellie added. “I mean, Jason’s okay, but Legos? That’s a no-brainer.”

  “Do you guys mind?” Jason said, though he really didn’t mind at all. Having his family be part of this moment was the best thing he could possibly imagine. “I believe the lady still needs to answer for herself.” He looked up at her again and smiled. “So what’ll it be, Miriam? Will you marry me?”

  She swiped at the tear streaks on her face and grinned so broadly he couldn’t believe she didn’t have a mouthful of dirt. “Yes,” she choked out, laughing a little as she looked down at the ring and wiggled her fingers. “Oh my God, yes!”

  She pulled him to his feet and Jason went willingly, then wrapped her in a warm, muddy embrace. He kissed her hard, not caring about the dirt or the sweat or the cheers from the sidelines, or even the fact that Holly seemed to be zooming in on his ass with the video camera he’d handed her at the start of the race.

  Leave it to Miriam’s best friend to know exactly what sort of footage she’d want captured at this special moment in her life.

  “Come on,” Jason said as he broke the kiss and turned to his sister. “This should be a family affair. Besides, you’re the only one not covered in mud here.”

  “Ugh,” Ellie grunted as he pulled her into their grimy little huddle. Henry twined himself around the grown-ups’ legs and giggled.

  “Congratulations,” Ellie said. “Since I’m definitely never getting married again, I suppose it’s only fair that I get to be part of your filthy marriage proposal.”

  “That’s the spirit.” Jason looked at Miriam, who had a funny gleam in her eye. She grinned, then wrapped a mud-caked arm around her soon-to-be sister-in-law.

  “Never say never,” Miriam said, and she gave Jason a wink.

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  Acknowledgments

  Huge thanks, as always, to my marvelous critique partners and beta readers. I’d be a bumbling mess without Linda Grimes, Cynthia Reese, Larie Borden, Minta Powelson, and Bridget McGinn.

  Much love and thanks to Shelby King for all the brainstorming help, and to the fine team at Wanderlust Tours for all the inspiring outings over the years. Extra thank yous to James Jaggard for the awesome cave tours and your vast underground knowledge. Thanks also to Miriam Aschkenasy and Jason Faler for letting me pick your brains and borrow your names.

  I’m ever grateful to the stupendous team at Entangled Publishing, including my awesome editor Stephen Morgan, along with Heather Howland, Liz Pelletier, Debbie Suzuki, Jessica Turner, Melanie Smith, Crystal Havens, Erin Crum, Heather Riccio, and anyone else I might have inadvertently forgotten here. You guys are rock stars!

  Eleventy-jillion thank-yous to my incredible agent, Michelle Wolfson of Wolfson Literary Agency. I’d be lost without you steering this ship and doling out seasickness bags as needed.

  Thank you so much to my awesome family, Dixie and David Fenske, and Carlie and Aaron “Russ” Fenske, and to my fabulous stepkids, Cedar and Violet. You’re the best support system a writer could ask for.

  And thank you to Craig Zagurski for being an amazing website updater, shoulder massager, newsletter producer, brainstorming buddy, cat feeder, tax guru, research partner, dinner maker, and sex-scene inspirer. Love you, baby!

  About the Author

  Tawna Fenske traveled a career path that took her from newspaper reporter to English teacher in Venezuela to marketing geek to PR manager for her city’s tourism bureau. An avid globetrotter and social media fiend, Tawna is the author of the popular blog, Don’t Pet Me, I’m Writing, and a member of Romance Writers of America. She lives with her husband in Bend, Oregon, where she’ll invent any excuse to hike, bike, snowshoe, float the river, or sip wine on her back deck. She’s published several romantic comedies with Sourcebooks, including Making Waves, which was nominated for contemporary romance of the year by RT Book Reviews. She also writes heartwarming series books for Entangled Publishing, and tender, funny romances for Montlake Publishing. Tawna’s quirky brand of comedy and romance has won praises from Kirkus Reviews, which noted, “Up-and-coming romance author Fenske sets up impeccable internal and external conflict and sizzling sexual tension for a poignant love story between two engaging characters, then infuses it with witty dialogue and lively humor. An appealing blend of lighthearted fun and emotional tenderness.”

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