Page 32

Beth Bowen

It’s been thirteen months since the Beaumont wedding, and James and I are still head over heels for each other. He flirts with me every single day—in fact, he implemented a mandatory flirting rule, so whether he’s here or on the road, I always get a few one-liners worthy of an eye roll.

We’re at the Raptors game tonight, and the arena is roaring with fans who are high on adrenaline.

James hasn’t stopped hugging his fans—I know they need him as much as I do—but he’s giving them out more sparingly.

He’s also switched to a one-arm side hug when it comes to women.

Which is more than fine by me. Even if I know James is devoted to me, I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to seeing so many women vying for his attention.

Unfortunately, the boys lost the cup in the finals again last year.

It was difficult to accept, even if Coach Martin reassured the team that if history repeats itself, the cup will be theirs again next season.

I guess it wouldn’t be too bad, winning the Stanley Cup every other year.

The crowd goes wild as the puck drops, and the raptor sound plays over the speakers. It’s meant to go off just once, but there must be some kind of glitch, because it keeps going in a loop, distracting the players and making everyone laugh.

I search for James on the ice, and when I spot him, he’s grinning at me. It’s still his favorite sound, although he hasn’t really mastered it yet.

“That’s hilarious,” Hayley says, drying her tears.

We all grip our sides, laughing as it keeps repeating for at least another full minute before it finally stops, and the crowd erupts into cheers as the game starts back up.

“What is even that sound, anyway?” I ask. “It’s so strange. Doesn’t even sound like an animal.”

“I know,” Marissa laughs. “I’ll have to talk to my dad about that.”

“Actually,” Hayley says, look ing at her phone. “It says here it’s a turtle mating noise.”

“What!” Marissa and I exclaim. No wonder it’s so hard to imitate. I can’t wait to tell James.

“That’s too funny,” Marissa says. “And they just blasted it on repeat for all of us to hear.”

Suddenly, a shattering noise and a general gasp in the crowd catches our attention.

At first, we can’t tell what’s happening, but then we look up at the jumbotron and see one of the Raptors draped over the broken board surrounding the rink, his body limp, the glass shielding panels shattered around him.

My heart accelerates as I sit frozen, transfixed by the accident displayed on the screen. Then, I whip my head toward the rink, trying to spot James, but I don’t. I stand up, shuffling closer to the ice, craning my neck to see which player just crashed over the boards.

“It’s Hawthorne,” someone sitting above us shouts. I know it’s wrong, but I let out a relieved breath. The feeling lingers for only a second, because Caleb is a good friend, and I’m still worried about him.

I exchange a look with the girls, and I know they’re just as concerned.

“How did this even happen?” I breathe, still staring at the screen, which now shows a group of staff members helping to extract him.

His upper bo dy landed on the first row, where we’re seated, and medical staff are rushing onto the scene, but it turns out they’re not focused on Hawthorne, but on a woman who was hit by the impact.

“Strong hit, I think,” Marissa mumbles, eyes fixed on the screen. “I’m guessing they’ll review the play to see if it was a good hit or not.”

“It has to be a bad hit,” Hayley exclaims, shaking her head.

Marissa shrugs. “Not necessarily. Just strong. It put pressure on the glass, and it broke. It’s not the first time this has happened, and it won’t be the—uh-oh. They’re evacuating the woman. I hope she’s going to be okay.”

“Oh my,” I whisper as they’re lifting her onto a stretcher. She doesn’t seem conscious. Caleb is being checked by a doctor too, but he’s already sitting up, and from what I see on the screen, he only has a few cuts.

Still, it’s a reminder that this game can be dangerous—even if you’re not on the ice. Hopefully, the girl will pull through.

“That was scary,” Hayley says as we’re sitting down.

I shake my head slowly. “Tell me about it. We’re already worried for the players. Now we have to wonder about the fans too.”

“You guys are overreacting,” Marissa says. “It’s fine. Besides, everyone knows that’s a risk you take when you get glass seats.”

“Um,” Hayley says, her wide eyes matching mine.

My jaw drops. “Yeah, you definitely never told me about that.”

Marissa blushes. “Oops. Well, I figured it was obvious. Plus, would you give up these seats? I mean, you’re right here in the action. It’s exhilarating.”

“Yeah.” I blurt out a chuckle. “Until you’re being taken out on a stretcher.”

“Right.” She winces. “Well, I’ll check with my dad after the game. Hopefully it’s nothing too serious. They’ll probably give her season tickets after this.”

I sigh. “Let’s hope she’s as much of a die-hard hockey fan as you, then. Because I don’t think even a lifetime of tickets would be worth a hit like that.”

When the game ends, no one is in the mood to go to the bar after what happened—not to mention their loss—so we just go home. Yes, home . I still live with James, but I pay rent now. Although I’m pretty sure I’m only paying for his home fragrance addiction, but at least I'm participating.

“Are you okay?” I ask him, ha nging my coat on the hook in the entrance.

He's focused on his phone, a deep frown etched on his face. “Yeah. Hawthorne’s at the hospital with the girl he hit. He just sent a text in the group chat.”

A shiver runs through me. “Oh, is she hurt bad? That was so scary.”

“They’re still running tests, and he's staying there to see what he can do.”

I release a sigh. “He's a good guy.”

“Yeah. Feels terrible too.” James puts his phone on the console and takes his coat off. “But who knows? Maybe the hospital will bring them together, just like it did us.”

A small laugh escapes me. “Right.”

His face grows more serious. “Actually, I was going to do this tomorrow at Golden Age, but after this reminder that life can shift in an instant . . .”

I furrow my eyebrows. “What—”

He raises a finger before turning away and jogging down the hallway. “Hold that thought. I’ll be right back.”

A few minutes later, he returns clutching something in his large hands, a grin spreading across his face.

“What are you up to?” I ask, crossing my arms.

“Elizabeth.” He gets down on one knee, and everything around us fades. Wait a second. Is he doing what I think he’s doing? His eyes plunge into m ine as he says, “Will you marry me?”

“Oh, James,” I say, my gaze roving to the ring he just revealed. Set on a minimalist white gold band is the most mesmerizing light-pink diamond I’ve ever laid eyes on. “It's gorgeous.”

“I know it might seem premature, but I've been in love with you for so long, I'm ready for the next step. But if you’re not, we don't have to get married right away. Just the promise of being with you forever is enough for me.”

I sigh, my arms falling to my sides. “James. Who knew you were so sweet?”

“I know.” He smiles. “You could eat me up, right?”

I chuckle and fall into his arms. “Definitely.”

He wraps his arms around my waist, bringing us both up.

“You're the most amazing man I’ve ever met, James Adler. I love you so much, and I would be honored to be your wife.”

His smile widens into the biggest grin he’s ever sported, and he dips me low before kissing me, as though we’re at the end of a movie.

As I giggle against his lips, I know I made the right choice. Marissa couldn’t have said it better. James is the perfect man for me.

He brings me back up, then takes the ring out of its box. “Now, I don't know if it’ll fit, but we can always resize it.”

I put it on, and it’s a little loose. “We should put it back for now. I’m afraid I might lose it.”

“Shoot. I was hoping you'd have her finger size,” he says, caressing my hands.

My forehead creases as I meet his eyes. “Um, what are you talking about?”

“Look inside the ring.”

When I bring it to my eyes, I see that it’s engraved. “ To my Diane. Now and forever .”

“James, what—” I gasp, a hand flying to my mouth. “Your grandma!”

“Yep.” He nods, his eyes glassy. “It was her wedding ring. My grandpa gave it to her before leaving for the war and, well, he never came back.”

My heart falls. “Oh no.”

He takes my hand and squeezes it softly. “But she loved that ring—and my grandpa—all her life. When she was in the nursing home, she gave it to me and said, ‘One day, you’ll find the perfect woman to give it to.”

I shake my head slowly, my heart nearly bursting. Could this man be any cuter? I don’t even know how I’m still standing at this point. He was on the ice, body checking other tough guys, merely two hours a go. And now, my boyfriend is opening his heart to me. No, my fiancé.

My eyes stay glued to the treasured ring. “I—this is beautiful, and perfect. I'm so honored that you're giving such a precious heirloom to me. I promise to take care of it.”

“I thought about giving you that ring the first week I met you, Elizabeth Bowen. I always knew you were the one. I just had to make you see it too.”

“It's crystal clear now,” I say, brushing my fingertips over his jaw before dropping a long kiss on his lips. He kisses me back before dragging his lips along my jaw, exploring every inch of me.

Out of nowhere, he makes the Raptors sound, and I chuckle, pulling back to look at him. “By the way, did you know they use a turtle mating sound to create that raptor call in the movies?”

He freezes, still holding me. “Well, that’s disturbing.”

“So, are you gonna stop now?” I ask, defying him with my gaze.

He bumps his forehead with mine, a smile on his face. “Not a chance.”

As he lifts me up, his lips blaze a trail of heat down my neck, and I burst into a fit of giggles. This is exactly how I imagine our future together. F ull of kisses and giggles—and probably a few turtle mating sounds.