His Lucky Charm

Candles

Strip, Lynda, and Tex all met up in North Carolina right before the season started. North Carolina was where Strip was from.

Lynda loved visiting. It was a pretty state, and it was cool to be there.

Strip had a few errands to run at the garage that day, so Lynda hung out with Tex.

Tex took her out to go shopping for clothes, shoes, and they got ice cream.

The two sat on a bench eating their ice cream in town. "It's crazy... we've known each other for a year." Lynda said as she got a spoonful of ice cream.

Tex nodded a bit. "It is a wild ain't it." He said as he continued to eat his. He remembered finding Strip and her outside drinking lemonade. He just smiled a bit.

"It was the best year I've had in awhile." He said with a chuckle. Lynda looked at him. "How come?"

"I gained a daughter." He said as he looked at her with pride. Her eyes widened a bit. Tex felt he overstepped and was about to say something when she just hugged him.

"And I gained a dad..." she said tearing up.

Tex just put his ice cream down and hugged her tightly. "Hope a good one."

"Oh definitely."

She pulled from the hug and smiled as she wiped her eyes. "It's nice having a father again." She said as she sat back down next to him.

Her life had gotten flipped all around in her teen years, and it was hard. But being around Tex he felt truly like another parent. Especially since her mother wasn't well enough to travel with the team, he truly was her saving grace sometimes.

She smiled a bit as people walked down the street. "I like it here."

Tex chuckled. "Strip will love hearing you say that."

Later that day, she was wondering where the heck Strip was. Tex was also a bit confused. "Strips been gone for awhile." Tex said as he brought her bags inside Tex's house.

"Yeah... he has been." As she said that Strip rushed in. "Hey! Hun?" She said. He looked at her.

"Hey Sunshine." He kissed her cheek. She smiled a bit. "Wanna see some of the stuff I bought?" She lifted up the bags as she stood In Front of him.

"Uhh... I can't honey. I hm..." he just held her shoulders. "Later. I promise." Gently he kissed her forehead, grabbed his wallet and left.

She looked absolutely confused but just put the bags down. "Let's go get some lunch." Tex said.

"Sounds good!" She smiled a bit nervously.

Well, hours went by and the sun was setting. They ended up going to the park. As she was talking about something, Tex looked at his watch.

"Alright. Let's head back, and get all dressed up for dinner." Lynda was surprised by his sudden change of topic. "Alrighty!"

They got back to the house. Tex told her to hurry upstairs to change since they were running late.

She pulled on a blue sleeveless dress. A necklace. Pulled her dreads back into a ponytail and then grabbed her sandals.

As she came downstairs she noticed it was quiet. She immediately was confused. She dropped her sandals on the ground as she looked around. "Tex?"

She turned the corner and saw a candle lit on the table with a letter next to it. She opened the letter.

Come to the garden - S

She held the letter in her hands as she walked outside. The grass was soft under feet, the breeze was immaculate, and the sun was setting.

She caught sight of more candles leading to the garden. Obviously she followed them, but she paused when she saw strip.

He was standing there in jeans, his boots and a light blue button up. She saw him adjusting his cowboy hat as she walked towards him. "Strip? What's all this?"

He nearly jumped as he turned towards her. "Oh? This? Felt like decorating."

"Is there an occasion?" She said as she felt her heart rate pick up. He just nodded as he just looked at her.

"Um... yeah. Yeah there is." He said as he cleared his throat. He extended his hand to her as she stepped towards him.

She held his hand and stepped in front of him. Strip looked as if he was going to cry. Oh she could tell. Lynda squeezed his hand tightly.

"Lynda... you are..." he turned his head as he wiped his tears. "You are the most amazing girl I've ever had the pleasure of being I love with...."

Lynda suddenly realized. She covered her mouth as she teared up.

"... you made everything so bright. Brighter than what I'm used to. You made the races worth winning..." he squeezed her hand as he knelt down in front of her.

Lynda teared up and found her self kneeling down in front of him as well. She was tearing up. Both of them could neither get a word out. Strip just started to cry as he pulled her into a hug.

She hugged him tightly. "Marry me... Sunshine?" He said as he held her close. She just smiled brightly and nodded. "Of course. Yes." She said as she hid her head in his shoulder.

He just kissed her head. This was so much for them both. "Can I see your hand, Sunshine?"

She just laughed as she pulled from the hug. She nodded her head as she showed him her left hand. He put an oval cut ring on her finger.

She looked at it and then at him. "We gonna do this longer term?" She said with a teary smile. He just chuckled as he teared up more. "Yeah... you ready?" He asked quietly.

She just held his face and kissed him. He held her close as he kissed her back. She broke the kiss ever so slightly and put her forehead against his.

"I'm so ready."

A little while later, Tex appeared. He walked over and looked carefully gauging if there was a yes or no said

Lynda wiped her tears again and showed him the ring. Tex cheered and hugged the two of them, starting to cry himself

"Congrats kids"