Page 171 of Something Like Winter

“Okay.” Tim stood there awkwardly. Maybe this wasn’t the right place. The right time. But of course it was. Where else could this happen but in their own little world. “Uh, could you sit up for a second?”

Ben looked puzzled, but he sat up, swinging his legs over the side of the deck chair. “Are you okay?”

Tim chuckled madly. “Ask me that again in a second.” Then he reached into his pocket, took out the ring, and fell to one knee. The words he had planned were lost in his throat. He simply held up the ring and gave Ben a look of such hope that it was enough.

And then Ben cried, and Tim was sure he had made a terrible mistake, but as the sun came back out again, so did Ben’s smile. Looking just as embarrassed as Tim felt, Ben nodded and held out his hand.

“Oh!”

Jace’s ring was still on Ben’s finger, but this didn’t bother Tim. These days he felt a bond with the man who had been smart enough to love Ben from the very beginning. After all, Jace had been there for Ben at a time when Tim couldn’t, and for that he was eternally grateful. Tim never expected Ben to take off that ring, so instead he reached for Ben’s other hand.

“There’s a reason God gave you two ring fingers,” he said, sliding on the platinum band.

Ben stared at it in wonder for a moment before throwing his arms around Tim’s neck and kissing him. Ben’s tears gracing his cheek, Tim hoisted him to his feet and held him near. As the wind blew through the trees, the first leaves breaking loose to fly free, they swayed together to a song only they could hear, their love perfect now, as it would always be until the end of their summer-filled days.