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My lips part, and he groans, his hold on my hands tightening?—
Abruptly, the music changes. Boomer blinks, the connection gone like it never existed.
He grins as he drops my hands. “They’re playing my song.”
My brows lift. “‘Gangnam Style’?”
“Don’t go anywhere,” he says, gliding backward a few feet and then hop-skipping over the ice in the other direction.
Like I could.
He’s skating to the beat, pulling one over-the-top dance move after another, clearing a wider and wider space around him.
Until somehow, his maneuvering has opened up center ice… leaving only Bowie and Piper in the middle. Out of nowhere, Boomer drops to one knee and slides like some ballroom dancer across the ice until he stops in front of a smirking Bowie.
What the heck?
And then, I’m coughing out a laugh as Ben reaches into his pocket and pantomimes opening a ring box and holding it up in offering.
What a goof. Such a relief to see him more relaxed than he’s been these last couple days. Maybe all he needed was to cut loose on the ice with his friends.
Bowie reaches down to pull his buddy up.
It’s all silliness… or is it?
There’s something in Ben’s face as he stands, an emotion that doesn’t quite match the moment.
And in the next second, Bowie pulls him into a hug that tugs at my heart and tightens my throat.
Piper is standing by with a look on her face that says she may be thinking the same thing. When the two men part, Ben is smiling his brilliant smile as he begins to skate backward.
His eyes flick to mine, and my heart skips. It all makes sense… because then it’s Bowie going to one knee. He holds up a pale blue box.
Oh wow. Wow.
A hush falls over the arena. Piper’s hands fly to her mouth. And then she’s nodding, wiping at teary eyes as she answers with a breathless, “Yes!” that carries across the ice.
The crowd goes wild.
Bowie bursts to his feet, and she flings herself into his hold, burying her face in his neck.
He holds her against him, hands fisted in the denim of her jacket, as his shoulders quake once.
My eyes return to Ben. He’s got a hand over his chest and he’s blinking hard. Those joyful blue eyes find mine and lock. He points to his sister and best friend before mouthing a single word: “Love.”
Smiling through tears, I nod.
It’s beautiful. It’s why he asked me to come tonight. He didn’t want me to miss this. And also it’s one more reason Ben Boerboom will always take up more room in my heart than I mean to let him.
8
Ben
Bowie, Piper, and I stick around the arena a few minutes to say goodbye to my parents and thank the staff who helped coordinate the big event. The guys in PR look like Christmas came early this year and are still throwing rapid-fire ideas about coordinating team promo with wedding ideas as we wave goodbye and hit the sidewalk.
It’s a gorgeous night, too warm for the light coats most of the friends and family were wearing on the ice. So I’ve got Piper’s over my arm since Bowie’s are filled with her… and she hasn’t stopped kissing all over his face since he stuck that giant-ass ring on her finger.
I risk a backward glance and wince, once again confronted by the reminder of why Bowie was trying so hard to avoid a party after skating. He wanted to be alone with her. So they could celebrate. Privately.
