Chapter 62Avery
Chapter Sixty-Tw o
Avery
The chill of the ice rink seeps through my jeans, but it's nothing compared to the jolt that zaps through me when Victor, center ice and spotlight-grabbing, drops to one knee. The murmurs of the crowd crescendo into a stunned silence. I blink hard, certain I'm hallucinating from the cold.
"Victor... what are you..." I trail off, words failing me.
"Avery Bennett, will you marry me?" His voice echoes through the stadium speakers, clear, confident, and oh so public.
"Is he serious?" Emily whispers next to me, her eyes as wide as the hockey pucks skidding below.
"Girl, this is nuts," Jessica mutters, her hand flying to her mouth.
"Shh!" Samantha shushes them both, gripping my arm. "Answer him!"
I can't move, can't think. My heart races like it's trying to win a marathon, and I'm stuck, frozen in place. This isn't how I pictured a proposal – not that I've been doing much picturing lately. But then again, with Victor, everything's been unexpected.
"Say something, Avery!" Samantha nudges me, her excitement a palpable force.
The crowd seems to inhale one collective breath, and then, it's like someone hit play on their voices—the chant starts small but swells until it fills every corner of the rink.
"Yes, yes, yes!"
I glance around at the sea of faces—strangers who suddenly act like they're invested in my love life. And despite the absurdity of it all, a laugh bubbles up from my chest. It's wild and a little hysterical, but it's real.
"Mommy, say yes!" That's Olivia’s voice piercing through the cacophony, and that does it for me.
"Okay, okay!" I stand, heart still pounding out of control, and throw my hands up, thumbs pointing skyward. "Yes! I agree, alright?"
The roar that follows is deafening, a tidal wave of cheers and applause. Victor stands, the relief on his face melting into that rare, heart-stopping smile that first made me look past his frosty exterior. It's the same smile that eventually thawed my own wariness .
Samantha's voice cuts through the noise, "Go to him, Avery! Don't keep the man waiting!"
I laugh breathlessly, feeling every eye on me as I stumble toward the stairs leading down to the ice. My feet hit the slick surface, and suddenly, it's like a newborn deer trying to find its legs. The crowd's cheers turn into a low murmur of anticipation. Are they expecting a fall? Because I sure am.
"Mom!" Olivia's voice is my anchor, and she's at my side in a flash, her small hand gripping mine. With surprising strength for a ten-year-old, she steadies me, her skates carving confident arcs on the ice.
"Thanks, Liv," I pant, half skating, half sliding toward Victor, whose eyes are locked on mine with a mixture of amusement and adoration.
"Gotcha, Mom!" Olivia giggles, pulling me forward while the crowd surges with excitement.
As we near him, Victor opens his arms, and soon we're wrapped up in a group hug that feels like home. Olivia squeezes us both before popping out of our embrace with a grin, darting off to high-five the opposing team's players.
Victor chuckles, his warm breath tickling my ear. "She's got your spirit," he says, guiding me to the edge of the rink. There's a tenderness in his touch that still surprises me sometimes, considering the walls he's built over the years.
Victor's fingers brush against mine, and I look up to find him holding a ring—a simple band with a glinting stone that catches the dimming lights of the stadium. Without a word, he slips it onto my finger, and the fit is perfect. It feels like another piece of the puzzle falling into place.
"Wow, Victor..." Words fail me, but maybe that's okay, because what we have goes beyond words. His blue eyes reflect the same promise that now rests on my finger—steady, unyielding, and shining with hope for our future together.
I'm holding my hand out in front of me, the ring catching the light in a way that makes the whole world around us seem to fade. The stone is like a tiny galaxy—endless and mesmerizing. Victor watches me, his eyes full of something vulnerable and raw.
"It's beautiful," I breathe, almost afraid to blink as if the moment might shatter.
Victor's gaze doesn't waver from mine. "It was my mom's," he says quietly, the noise of the crowd behind us now just a distant hum. "The only thing I had from her. She left it for me in a lock box—got it when I turned eighteen."
A note comes with the memory, and his voice catches on it. "She said she was sorry...that she loved me very much."
My heart clenches tight, tears brimming unexpectedly. I curl my fingers around his, feeling the cool metal press into my skin. "Victor, I'm honored to wear this. "
"Really?" He sounds almost surprised, like he can't believe someone would cherish a piece of his past so deeply.
"Of course, really." I swipe at a stubborn tear that escapes down my cheek. "Have you ever tried to find out more about her? About your family?"
He shakes his head, the faintest tremor in his smile. "No, it was too painful. Like opening old wounds."
"Sometimes wounds need air to heal," I say softly, thinking of my own past, the scars I've hidden away.
"Yeah," he agrees, his thumb tracing circles over the back of my hand. "Maybe it's time for a push, huh? Just like with skating."
"Maybe." I lean into him, my head resting against his shoulder as we stand there, two people bound by love and the courage to face what comes next.
Victor's lips meet mine, and it's like the world falls away. Just us here, in the cold air that somehow feels so warm. His arms wrap around me, solid and sure, as my tears mingle with our kiss. It's a moment full of everything—love, promises, futures blooming like spring after the harshest winter.
"Mom!" Olivia's voice slices through the cheers still echoing from the stands, her small figure skating towards us with determined grace. She throws herself into our embrace, and suddenly it's not just two, but three hearts beating together in this hug .
"Knew I did good," she mumbles into my coat, her words muffled but proud.
"Interfered, you mean," I laugh, pulling back to look at her.
"Same thing." Olivia grins up at us, her eyes sparkling with mischief and delight.
Victor chuckles, ruffling her hair with affection. "You're a matchmaker now, huh?"
"Guess so." She shrugs, pretending nonchalance, but I can see the joy dancing in her gaze.
We all share a laugh, the echoes of it joining the melody of the crowd's celebration. It's pure happiness, unfiltered and radiant, lighting us up from the inside out.
The End.