Page 91 of Find Me in the Rain

He laughs. “You didn’t actually break your ass.”

“Well, it felt like I did.” I nudge his arm, skating into him.

He reciprocates. “Okay, well, now that you’re basically a pro, let’s try again.”

He turns around and finds his place next to me.

Competition ignites in my veins. I know I won’t beat him, but I might be able to trip him and win. I laugh to myself at my scheming tactics.

Alec grabs my hand and spins me around, pulling me against his chest. His fingers brush my hair out of my face, and my heart skips a beat as he leans down and kisses me.

“Not fair!” I shout at him, knowing he’s just trying to fluster me. I retake my spot by his side.

“You ready? From here to the edge.” He nods across the small pond.

I crack my neck. “Ready.”

He counts down. “Three, two, one,go!”

I take off, digging the blades into the ice. He’s in my peripheral vision, but I think I’m slightly ahead. Only five more feet to go.

I drop my focus on Alec and give the last few feet everything I have before quickly stopping, reaching the edge.

Holy shit, I won!

I spin around to rub it in his face, and all air huffs out of my lungs. My hands fly to my mouth, which has dropped open. And my eyes become blurry from the tears welling as I look down to Alec on one knee with a black velvet box in his hand.

His smile is so big as he speaks, emotion thick in his voice. “Laura, the first day I brought you to this pond, I told myself,I’m going to marry that girl one day. We got lost somewhere along the way, but you were brought back to me with the best gift the universe could have ever given me—Jack. Through a lost letter and years apart, I never stopped loving you. That day that I saw you at Fireflies, I vowed I wouldn’t let you go again. And I will uphold that vow for the rest of our lives. There has never been anyone other than you, Lu.”

He lifts the lid of the box, showing an elegant ring with one large diamond and a plain platinum band. “Will you marry me?”

Nothing could have prepared me for the heartache I faced this last year. And nothing could have prepared me for the love that I found again. But that’s the beauty of life. It’s messy, and it’s hard, but if you have someone special by your side, nothing else matters.

I fall to my knees, taking Alec’s hands in mine. “Of course. Of course I’ll marry you.”

He takes the ring out of the box and slides it onto my left ring finger, and it’s a perfect fit.

He throws the velvet box on the ice and grabs my face, his hands sliding around my jaw. He brings my lips to his, sealing our fate.

All of a sudden, I hear cheers coming toward us. I turn and see Charlotte, Josh, and Jack carefully running our way.

Plumbing issues, my ass.I laugh.

They slide into us, wrapping their arms around us. And in that moment, I feel like I just scored the game-winning shot.

A raindrop hits my cheek, and I look up just in time to see the sky split, rain pouring down on us.

And in that moment, I can’t help but think,Those are my mom’s tears of joy, her way of letting us know she’s right here. She always has been and always will be.