In October Sky, Jake Mosby says to Sonny that the two things that every woman wants a man who truly loves her, and a man who is not going to stop loving her. (If you need further evidence or direct quotes, they can be found in Chapter 9 of the novel).
Bruno is the protagonist.
<span>to make lasting
The act of smoking a ham to preserve it means that they are trying to make the meat good for storage for a long time. So in this context 'preserved' refers to the attempt to make something lasting. Presumably, since it's a full smokehouse, the ham is just one thing of many that they are trying to preserve.</span>