Page 177 of Small Town, Big Storm

Mostly I can do this because he looks relaxed as he, Knox, and Joey all gather near the home bench talking.

His smile is easy.

His shoulders aren’t tense.

I move toward the bleachers, start to climb them, heading for my and Holly’s seats, but before I get more than a couple of steps, sticks start tapping on the ice, and Holly tugs at my hand again.

“Mom!”she stage whispers.

“We should sit down, baby girl.The game’s about to start.”

“Mom!”Another tug, fiercer this time.

I turn back.“What—?”But the rest of my question stoppers up in my throat when I process what I’m seeing—the door to the ice open, Storm standing there, his gaze on me.

“We have a surprise for you,” Holly says, hopping from foot to foot.

Clover plunks a flower crown on my head, nudges me toward the ice.“Go on, Pop.”

On shaky legs—and acutely aware of the multitude of eyes on me—I walk over to the man who owns my heart.

“What are you doing?”I ask as I reach him, placing my hand in his upturned gloved one.

He winks at me.“Finally giving Cedar Hollow something worth talking about.”

“I—”

He bends, kisses me…and then suddenly I’m in his arms and the crowd is whooping, the cool air whipping through my hair as we move across the ice.

A moment later, we’re stopping and he’s setting me on my feet.

“Figured this was easier than making you put on skates again,” he teases.

“And safer for everyone else,” I say, my lips curving as I look around.“So, this is what you see, huh?”The crowd seems somehow both bigger and smaller at the same time—like there are more eyes on us but also like they’re farther away.

I wonder if Storm feels the same when he’s surrounded by twenty-thousand-plus fans.

“What’s it like—?”I begin as I glance back.

Then freeze, my mouth dropping open.

The crowd begins to murmur, all those eyes laser focused on me, on Storm?—

Who’s now kneeling at center ice.

For a second, he just stares at me.

“What are you doing?”I hiss.

“Living,” he says, his eyes bright with emotion as Shep skates over in a flash and deposits something in his hand.

No.Notsomething.

A small velvet box.

“Storm,” I rasp, tears clogging my throat.

He opens the box, shows me the most beautiful diamond ring I’ve ever seen.The center stone sparkles and is surrounded by gray sapphires.