Ruin(64)

Her red hair matched her face as she made the final few steps to the middle of the field.
“Lamb,” I began. She rolled her eyes, but I could tell she was happy. I fought against the nerves and excitement I felt at finally being able to claim her as my own. “My heart was literally breaking when I met you.” The crowd fell silent. “It was getting slowly poisoned by something beyond my control — some think it is a miracle that I’m standing here, others say it was the drugs.” I gripped her hands. “But I know the truth.”
Kiersten’s brow furrowed.
“When I met you — somehow you healed me. From the inside out, the outside in. We conquered fears together, we learned, we laughed, and we loved. I swear, you caused my heart to soar more in the past few months than it has in my entire existence. My heart is whole because you chose to share yours with me, and it’s for that reason that I get down on not one, but both knees…” I knelt in front of her and gripped her hand. “And say thank you. Thank you for saving my life, thank you for loving me enough to treasure your own, and thank you for being my strength when I had none. I’d like to think our hearts are joined — forever entwined — but considering that’s not technically a legal joining, I have a question for you.”
Gasps were heard throughout the stadium.
“Marry me? Make me the happiest man alive.” I opened the box revealing my mom’s ring. The same one I saw when I’d closed my eyes before my surgery. It was a three carat antique-cut diamond solitaire, with the words My heart for yours engraved on the inside. Dad said when he engraved it, he had only thought of his love for Mom. Never once did he suspect that it would have a deeper meaning for all of us.
Maybe, just maybe, everything did happen for a reason. Maybe there was no such thing as a coincidence. I gulped, waiting for Kiersten’s answer.
With a shout, she threw her arms around my neck knocking me to my back. Her mouth found mine.
I tasted her lips and growled against them. “That a yes?”
“That’s a what the heck took you so long?” She smacked me on the chest and then looked away as tears streamed down her face. “I love you Wes Michels.”
“Oh, yeah.”
She grinned and pointed to her shirt. “You like?”
“I love.”
“I heart Wes Michels,” she whispered and kissed my mouth again. “I would have given you mine, you know…”
“What?” I asked confused, still holding her.
“My heart…” Her lower lip trembled. “I would have given it to you — to save you. I would have done anything.”
“I’ll still take it.”
“What?”
“Your heart,” I whispered. “I’ll still take it, if the offer stands. I want all of it, even the broken pieces, the shredded ones that no longer fit. I want all of them — all of you. I need it all.”
“You have it.” She tightened her grip around my neck as she jumped into my arms and wrapped her legs around my waist.
Camera crews were going crazy, trying to get every angle of our bodies, and then, exactly as I’d planned it, the fireworks went off in perfect tune with the song Beneath Your Beautiful.
“Wow.” She breathed, letting her head fall back as she looked at the sky. ”You do things big, don’t you?”
“I am a Michels.” I winked. “Now, let’s go win that game.”
We could have lost and I would have still been happy. Luckily, we didn’t. The green and yellow were no more. Gabe looked ready to cry tears of joy, and then he started trash talking, so we escorted him away from other fans.
“I grabbed Kiersten’s hand and kissed it.”
“I just wanted to get her home.”
Being named MVP? Meant nothing. NFL scouts? Nothing. But Kiersten? Hell, yeah. She was everything. I left early. I said goodbye to the cameras, the lights, the fame — I just wanted her. And in that dark tunnel as we walked out of the stadium, feeling my mom’s ring against her finger, I knew I was starting the rest of my life.



Uncle JoBob, when I think of you, when I hear your name, the word that comes to mind is brave. The next word? Hero. The next one after that? Peace. You are walking peace, you are a fighter, and you are a walking example of what I hope to be in my everyday life. I admire your courage so much. You don’t let cancer get you down; rather than allowing it to get you down, you use it as a way to lift others up. Words can’t express the impact you have made on my life.

To my dear mother-in-law who fought breast cancer, stared it in the face and didn’t back down — I love you.

To Monica — girl, you’ve got this. You’re going to beat this, and then you’re going to have a glass of wine and read a book.

To everyone who’s lost someone to cancer, to anyone fighting the war against it — to the doctors, to the families, to the loved ones who buried their soul mates.

My heart is with you.

This book —

This is for you.



First and foremost I have to thank God. This story wouldn’t be possible without his constant blessings in my life. It’s because of Him that I’m able to do what I do every day.
As many of you know, my Uncle Jobob has terminal cancer. I wrote this book as a dedication to him and to anyone whose life have been affected by this disease. I hope that, if this is something you are going through with your friends and family, that this book helps you deal with the grief and helps you heal if only in a small way.