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“Are you going to tell me why I’m out here now?” I ask.
He hands me the roses, “It’s Valentine's Day. Perfect day for a grand gesture,” he says, his green eyes pop against the bright white of the ice below us.
“Is it now?” I ask, pulling the roses up to my nose to take an inhale.
I’ve always loved the smell of fresh roses.
“Have you made a decision on my proposal?” he asks, his eyes searching mine.
“Is that why you brought me out here? To apply the pressure of thousands of fans to my answer?”
His lips uptick at the left corner of his mouth. He thinks this is funny.
“Couldn’t hurt.”
I take another smell of the roses to distract myself from the crowd all watching us. Whistles and cheers ringing out and echoing off the ice below our feet. It’s loud out here with the rink acting as a sound board.
“Yes… I have.”
“So you have an answer to my question?” he clarifies.
“What question?” I ask.
Ryker drops gently to one knee and the crowd in the stadium erupts with cheers. I’ve never heard something so loud but the only thing I can think of is him.
Down on one knee.
Those honest eyes of his staring up at me.
He reaches for something tucked under her jersey or pants… I’m not sure but the second my eyes catch on the small box, I feel my heart thump wildly against my rib cage.
I’ve never been proposed to before, and I never expected Ryker would do it. This is a business arrangement if anything. But he went as far as to buy me a ring before he even knew my answer?
I didn’t expect this.
He holds up the ring but he stops before opening it.
“Juliet Di Costa, will you do me the honor of marrying me?”
The moment his long fingers open the box, a diamond far bigger than he should have bought for me glimmers in the florescent blue stadium lighting. The facets are so brilliant they’re almost blinding.
My free hand flashes up to cover my mouth and dropped jaw as I stare down at the ring and then at him.
“Be careful what you say… they can read lips,” he warns just loud enough for only me to hear.
I glance from him to the crowd and my eyes catch on the camera man who has a portable camera on his shoulder and is out on the ice with us, only a few feet away. I never noticed him until now.
This was planned… in great detail.
That’s why he wanted to make sure I was coming tonight.
The world is watching and I can’t turn him down now. Not after I already decided to go through with this.
My brother deserves better care and Ryker can ensure I have the funds to make that happen.
If I say no, I’ll be booed out of this arena and I’ll lose my brother his chance at a better life.
I nod, “Yes, I’ll marry you.”
