*Three Months Later...*

We made it.

I've been waiting for this moment since the moment I picked up a football for the very first time. The countless hours of practice, the many times where I found myself on a field rather than hanging with my friends, finally feel worth it.

Why?

Because here I am playing in the biggest, most viewed game in the United States, the Super Bowl.

My heart is beating harder with every play we run. And although my attention should be solely focused on the game, my eyes can't help but drift to the heavily pregnant love of my life, and soon-to-be fiance.

Yes you heard correctly.

Fiance.

I have the ring picked out and everything, with the help of the guys of course.

~flashback to two weeks ago~

"I can't believe you're settling down man," said Luke with a firm clap on the back.

"Why's that?" I asked, overwhelmed by the sight of the many rings in front of me.

He laughed lightly, "Well because not even ten months ago you had never even spoken to a girl."

"He's right, it is kind of a shock that out of all of us, you're the one who already has a kid on the way and a fiance in the making," Jake interjected.

I guess they were right.

I mean before Harper I was completely focused on my career. There was no one else.

But now she's my everything, he and Harper have completely wrecked my life, but for the better. Now I'm not as lonely as I was before. I have a family.

"Hey man, I may be wrong but this ring has Harper's name written all over it," Teagan calls from the other side of the display.

I walk over to where he was standing and look at the ring he was pointing at. To my utter astonishment there it was, a beautiful ring, with the label next to it reading Harper.

The sales lady walks to us, assessing the ring we were admiring.

"Ah yes, Harper is one of our newer additions. She's beautiful isn't she?"

She sure is.

"I'll take it."

***

After all the paperwork was filled out and the ring was finally mine we exited the store.

"You headin' home to your girl," Jake asked wiggling his eyebrows.

I shook my head with a chuckle, "No actually I have one more stop I need to make."

***

I knocked on the front door of the Riley residence, hoping that they were both home.

The door opened and there stood Fiona, with a surprised smile on her face.

"Myles! Good to see you!" she exclaimed, bringing me for a warm hug.

"Where's Harper?" she questioned, a confused smile on her lips.

"Her and Kayla are going over different pictures to use for the Super Bowl promo shots," I said as she waved me inside.

Suddenly I hear loud sets of footsteps hurrying down the stairs and Reuben appears.

"MYLES!" he shouts happily as he embraces me in a "bro hug".

"Congratulations on going to the Super Bowl, we're proud of you."

Hearing those words made my heart happy. I never heard that a lot from my family growing up, and it means a lot coming from him.

"Thank you!"

"What can I do for you son?" he asked gesturing for me to sit down next to him on the couch.

"Well I have a question for both of you," I said, suddenly getting a little nervous.

"What is it sweetie?" Fiona asked, concern adorning her features.

I wipe my sweaty palms on my jeans and reach into my coat pocket, pulling out the box that contains the beautiful ring I just purchased.

"I wanted your blessing to ask Harper to marry me."

I watch as both their faces fill with surprise.

We sit in silence for a few moments before Reuben starts laughing, and by laughing I mean almost hysterically. Like the tears-coming-from your-eyes type of laughing.

My heart starts to beat loudly, and I know that my face must show the fear that I'm feeling.

Reuben must notice because he sobers up almost immediately, "Myles my laughing is not me saying no," he said, assuring me, "I was laughing because there is no reason whatsoever for you to doubt that I would say yes."

Relief floods over me, and my shoulders drop, loosing their tenseness.

" Myles we love how much you love our daughter, and we love you," Fiona said rubbing my back lovingly.

"Of course you can marry Harper," Reuben spoke with finality.

*back to present*

So yes, if everything goes according to plan, when we win this game I will run over to Harper and engulf her into a huge hug (but light enough not to hurt Riley) and then give her this big speech pronouncing my love, and finally bend down on one knee, pull out the ring that is currently being guarded with the utmost protection by Kayla, and ask the most beautiful women in the world to be my wife.

With five minutes left on the clock I look back over to Harper. She has her hand on her stomach, staring intently at it. She's been doing that a lot during the game, for reasons that is unknown to me.

We're up 53-42 against the Denver Broncos and it's looking pretty good, but still we have to make sure that they don't get too close to their end-zone during their possession.

Our defensive team give it their all and four downs go by without any damage being done, and suddenly there's less than a minute left and we have the ball.

The game is basically over. There's no way for them to score as much as they need in the forty seconds that's left. Especially with the ball being in our possession. All we have to do is run it to not risk any interceptions.

I look over to where Harper has been standing, trying to get a glimpse of her cute excited face, but my heart drops when I don't see her.

I look up and down the line, thoroughly combing through all the people, but I can't find her.

I run off the field, and a timeout is called.

I see Kayla and my questioning eyes burn into hers as we meet next to the fifty yard line.

"It's time."

My breath gets caught in my throat and I lose the ability to speak, or to even form the words to speak.

"What do you mean it's time? We still have a couple of weeks, where is she? Why didn't anyone tell me?" I ramble, my mind working in overdrive.

"Myles, everything is fine, we had the paramedics take her to the hospital not even three minutes ago. She didn't want us to tell you until after the game, she wanted you to have your moment."

The ref's start blowing their whistles, signalling for me to get back on the field.

"Well that's just too darn bad, because she is my moment, Riley is my moment, I don't want this without them here," I exclaimed, removing my helmet.

I jog back over to coach, "I have to go," I pleaded.

He gives me a small, understanding smile, "Go get your girl."

I give a big smile and nod my head before turning to sprint back to the tunnel.

"Myles!" called Kayla, stopping me in my tracks.

I turn and watch her jog towards me. She pulls something out of her pocket and throws it to me.

The ring

"Don't miss your chance, you're a Super Bowl champion. Make this your moment."

"Thank you!" I said hurrying off the field.

Once I get to my car I plug in the address of the nearest hospital and speed out of the parking lot.

I put on my hazard lights and start honking like a crazy person, trying to get away from the traffic.

Finally I make it to the reception desk of the hospital and ask for Harper's room number.

I burst through the door and see Harper hunched over in pain next to the bed.

She looks up at me and smiles, before she hunches back over with a small grunt.

I run over to her start stroking her back, "What can I do baby?"

She turns around and leans her head into my chest, her arms weakly wrapping around my jersey-clad waist.

"All I need is for you to be here," she whispered as I squeezed her against me tightly.

She looked up at me through her long eyelashes and wisps of untamed brown hair, "You won!" she said in a happy whisper, smiling her gorgeous smile at me.

"I'm so proud of you, you're amazing," she said cupping my face.

I leaned down and brushed my lips against hers, but was interrupted by the unfortunate occurrence of another contraction.

Harper hisses in pain, once again bending to relieve some of the pain.

Mid-contraction the doctor walks in and greets both of us.

"Alright Harper, I'm gonna have you lay down, we're gonna check your cervix to see how far along you are," he stated professionally.

She nodded her head and carefully laid down, pulling her knees up. I immediately stood next to her and held her hand.

After putting on gloves the doctor moves his stool towards Harper's feet, and quickly checks her dilation.

"Well I think it's time to start pushing," he said finally.

This is it. The moment we've been waiting for, for nine months.

When Harper's next contraction starts he tells her to push, and she does, effectively almost squeezing the life out of my hand.

Another push later the doctor announces that he can see the top of Riley's head.

"One more big push baby," I whispered to her, kissing the top of her head.

She gave us one more push, screaming out in pain, but finally letting out a sigh of relief as the pressure dissipated.

And then we hear the beautiful sound of our babygirl crying.

The doctor hurries and wipes her off slightly before laying her on Harper's chest.

"Congratulations, it's a girl," he said, as tears build in Harper and I's eyes.

She's perfect.

Absolutely stunning. Just like her mom.

Riley Dallas Cruz

They give us a few minutes with Riley before the nurses come in and take her to get cleaned up and take her measurements.

Now it's just the two of us in the room, all that can be heard is Harper's tired breathing.

"You did so good," I told her, laying my forehead against hers.

"I love you," I said, feeling overwhelmed by the rush of feelings around us.

"I love you too."

***

Two days later Harper and Riley were released from the Hospital.

I had a new plan. You know since the proposal didn't exactly work out how it was intended.

I've had the boys setting things up at the house while we've been here, so, today is actually the day I ask her to marry me.

We pull into the driveway of the house and I hurry out to grab Riley and her car seat before Harper could. When we get to the front door Harper finally notices two figures standing there.

She smiles widely and hugs both of my sisters, picking up Lily, as she laughs.

Swoon.

"What are you guys doing here?" Harper asked confused, but still smiling.

"You'll see," Ivy said with a knowing smile. Both of the girls then pull out a rose and hand it to her.

My poor little Harper is so confused, but never-the-less walks into the house.

I hand over the car seat to Ivy as I follow close behind Harper.

She let's out a tiny gasp as she takes in the sight of the trail of rose petals.

She follows them until she sees the next two guests, Fiona and Reuben.

They both hand over their roses and gesture for her to continue on her path.

Finally the trail leads us into the backyard where the whole football team awaits with a rose to give her. One by one they pass by her in a line and gift her a rose.

Meanwhile I sneak off to the lit up gazebo without her seeing me.

When all the roses have been passed out she looks around, presumably for me.

When she sees me she smiles widely and hurries over to where I stand.

"What is all of this?" she asked, her voice shaking lightly.

I take a deep breath and will my voice to be steady, and will myself not to cry just yet.

"Since the moment I met you, Harper, I knew we were meant to be together. I knew that if there was any women I was going to spend the rest of my life with, it was going to be you. You dazzled me the first time I saw you, and you only made me want you more within the first two minutes of our first conversation."

Harper had tears spilling down her cheeks, silently crying.

I bent down on one knee pulling the ring out of pocket and opening it, "You are the mother of my daughter, you are the most amazing person I know. Will you marry me?"

Tears threatened to escape my eyes.

"Yes."

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