Free Lost in Us by Heidi McLaughlin Page B

Jessica’s best friend. Since Ryan and I started dating, she’s been cordial, but can’t get over the fact that Ryan and Jessica broke up because of me. I know Jessica has told her that’s not the case and if she and I can be friends, surely her best friend can get over it. No such luck.
    When I get to Ryan’s office, his lights are off. Reluctantly, I have to ask Wendy where he is, and this never goes well. I stop in front of her desk and paste a nice fake smile on my face. “Hi, Wendy, can you tell me where Ryan is?”
    She rolls her eyes and doesn’t hide her distaste for me. “Mr. Stone asked that you meet him on the field. If you follow – “
    “I know the way, thank you,” I cut her off before she can finish. I’m growing impatient and don’t understand why he wouldn’t be in his office.
    As soon as I’m through the tunnel that separates the field from the club house, I spot Ryan standing on the pitcher’s mound. I climb the steps slowly and step out onto the warning track.
    “Hey, Hadley.”
    “Hey, Ryan.”
    “Why don’t you come here for a minute?”
    I nod and step onto the grass, hopping over the white chalked lines. Usually the field is covered so the rain doesn’t damage the grass, but today, it’s open like a playground. I want to take off my shoes and run, but I refrain.
    Reaching Ryan, he pulls me into his arms and kisses me deeply. “Turn around,” he says, but doesn’t release me. He faces us in the direction of the jumbotron, the same one where we’re caught on the “kiss cam”.
    “I love you, Hadley,” he whispers in my ear as music starts playing. Tears well in my eyes as a slideshow starts. There are images of us when we were babies and growing up and finally of us together, even when he was seventeen. I wrap my arms around him, leaning into his shoulder.
    “I love this.”
    “Me too, but it’s not over.”
    The music changes into Canon in D as the words “Will You Marry Me?” appear on the screen. I gasp and cover my mouth as the tears flow. I turn in his arms and nod feverishly, words escaping me in this very important moment.
    Ryan sighs. “Is that a yes?”
    “Yes! Yes! Yes!”
    “Phew, I was getting a little worried.” Only he would make light of an important moment like this. “So, I was thinking we’d get married tonight.”
    “What?” I deadpan.
    He moves a few steps to the right to show me what’s going on behind him. My parents, his mom, Alex, Cole and Hayden, Dylan and her daughter, Carrie, and a few of our friends are all standing at home plate.
    “What’s going on?” I ask.
    Ryan shrugs. “Well, from the looks of it, we’re getting married tonight.”
    “Right here?”
    “Is there a better place?”
    I shake my head. “No there isn’t, but how? We don’t have a marriage license.”
    Ryan runs his hand through his hair. “Minor technicality that Carrie was able to fix for us. I assure you, if we get married right now, it’ll be legal.”
    “So, what are we waiting for?” As soon as I say those words, music queues up again and Ryan takes my hand in his arm and walks us to home plate. Our friends and family move aside and a minister appears ready to make us official.
    In only a few short minutes, with traditional vows exchanged, Ryan and I are husband and wife, and while this may be the most nontraditional wedding in the history of nontraditional weddings, the fact that it’s mine makes it the most perfect.

A sk me nine years ago, when I was sitting on my bed listening to my best friend, Dylan, go on and on about the concert tickets she won, if I thought I’d meet my wife that night, the answer would be a resounding no. I owe so much to Dylan – even if she refuses to acknowledge her part in my life when it comes to Hadley – that I’ll never be able to repay her. Yes, some of the best and also most troubling times in my life are because of Hadley, but I wouldn’t trade them for anything. Nothing can compare to what I’m feeling