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Ruby rolls her eyes, but she’s smiling good-naturedly.
“Son,” my father shouts, moving through the crowd of cheering, crowing Rovers players and their wives and parents. He pulls me into a crushing bear hug.
“Dad,” I groan. “Wow. You’re stronger than I thought.”
“Never forget it. The old man’s got some life in him yet.” He releases me and beams, stepping back. Rowan hurries over and hugs him too, but he’s much more gentle with her.
“Why doesn’t she get the squish treatment?” I demand.
“She’s fragile, and precious.” He reaches out and tousles my hair. “Did I mention, good game?”
Yes, my hockey-hating father came to see our team win our first ever Stanley Cup.
It’s so bitterly ironic that my former coach could have had that notch on his belt—but instead, he’s only recently been released from serving a sentence for fraud.
Well, I’m not going to think about that right now.
We’re in the hockey arena’s events room, and the mood is off the roof. There’s shouting, screaming, champagne, tears. I’ve already had buckets of ice dumped on me.
And this I know—this is how I want to go out.
I’m going to tell my dad tomorrow.
I pull Rowan away from the crowd and move to the far edge of the room. What I’m about to say, and do, is just for her and me. “Hey,” I say to her. “How would you feel about me asking the Rovers to release me a year early?”
She does a double-take. “If that’s what you want. Is it?”
I nod. “It is. I just want some time. I’d like a four-month honeymoon in Europe before I take over the reins of my father’s company.”
Her eyes widen. “A ... honeymoon?”
“You heard me, babe.” I swallow hard. I’ve been working up my courage to ask the most important question of my life, and trust me to spew it out in the most awkweird fashion possible.
“So you’re getting married?”
“God, I hope so,” I say fervently.
She grins and looks around. I know some people like to make a big public display of their proposals. Not me. I deliberately moved her away from everybody else because this is our moment, just for her and me.
“Do I know the lucky bride-to-be?”
“She’s gorgeous, smart, funny, and kind, but doesn’t take any bullshit, and she’s the best thing that ever happened to me.”
“Wow.” She smiles at me. “Sounds like someone I should marry.”
I fumble in my pocket and pull out a black velvet box, then drop it on the ground.
I pick it up and open it. I take the ring out. I drop that too. It’s a square-cut dazzler, and I scramble to pick it up. “Rowan James, love of my life, will you set aside your good sense and do me the incredible honor of marrying me?”
I look up. Tears are streaming down her face. “Tell me all your reasons for doing this,” she says, a huge smile on her face as she reaches down and accepts the ring.
“That’s a yes, right?” I ask anxiously. “Because I’ll happily give you a million reasons if that’s what it takes.”
She shakes her head. “Yes, Mason. That’s a million times yes.. I love you so much.”
She slides the ring onto her finger, and I jump to my feet and sweep her into my arms and hug her, lifting her off her feet and spinning her around in a circle.
“Come with me,” I order her, setting her down.
