Chapter 34
SUMMER
“Oh, thank God,” I say, panting as Fall’s car comes into view. It’s still there.
I stop, planting my hands on my knees to catch my breath.
I’m no runner, but I did my best running impersonation all the way from the arena for fear that the car would be gone before I made it back.
It didn’t hurt anything that running got me farther away from Daniel, making it that much harder to turn around.
The sky is dark too soon for the hour, with gray clouds hovering above, threatening rain. At least I’m in my sneakers if it starts to pour. I shove off my knees and start down the sidewalk again as a bolt of thunder strikes in the distance.
I pick up my pace as even darker clouds roll in. A woman walks toward me with a concerned look on her face. I give her a small smile as I grow closer, wondering if I should say hello or nod kindly as I pass. I don’t know the etiquette in New York.
“You should run,” she says as the distance between us diminishes.
Huh? “It’s not raining yet.”
“A man is chasing you. Run!”
What? A man chasing me? My heart leaps as my feet falter, and I look over my shoulder and find Daniel blasting toward me still in his Breakaways uniform.
“Summer!” he shouts.
“Daniel? What are you doing?” I ask, coming to a full stop. I glance back at the car to make sure it hasn’t been towed.
The lady marches by, muttering something under her breath.
He covers the distance twice as fast as I did. At least he has the decency to gasp for breath as he takes me in his arms. “You can’t leave—”
“I have to,” I say, taking in the way his eyes scrunch at the sides as he peers down at me. “I don’t want to. But Fall needs her car for—”
“No. I mean, you can’t leave before I tell you . . .”
“Tell me what, Daniel?”
He licks his lips as rain begins to sprinkle from the sky like glitter. He searches my eyes, looking for something that I can’t exactly name. I stare back at him, trying not to lose myself in his beautiful browns like I usually do.
I snuggle in closer. “Not that I mind being in your arms this long, but what do you want to tell me?”
He takes a deep breath and closes his eyes.
The wind picks up, and so does the rain.
It pelts the top of our heads and splashes into little puddles at our feet.
We should be running for cover. No, I should be in the car and driving away.
But he ran after me for a reason, and rain and deadlines aren’t keeping me from finding out why.
“Daniel?” I prompt again.
He takes a breath as his eyes open. This time, they’re steady. Like he knows exactly why he just raced down the sidewalk to find me in a rainstorm. “I needed to tell you that I love you.”
Cupping his cheek, I kiss the other. “I know. I love you, too.”
The statement sounds more like a question than anything because, while it’s true—I love him with my whole heart—I don’t think that’s what he really wanted to say.
My mouth goes dry as I consider all the ways this could go. “You can tell me anything, you know.”
A big raindrop lands on the tip of his nose. It doesn’t faze him.
“I was planning to do it this weekend, but you’re here now. And I read your letter, and yeah, I want that with you, too. The home, a place for Roman, and . . .” He stares into my eyes, and a smile slips out. “And kids. With you. I want it all with you, Sunshine.”
Oh, my gosh. Chills break out across my skin as his words sink into my brain.
Slowly, he releases me. Then he drops to one knee in the middle of Brooklyn.
I gasp, my right hand covering my gaping mouth as he stares up at me like I’m the only girl in the world.
“I got this for you,” he says, smiling softly.
My heart is too big to fit in my chest, the beats so loud they drown out the rain that’s falling harder.
A black velvet box is tucked safely in his hands.
“My apartment hasn’t felt the same since you left.
You gave it soul with your sweet smile and brought it to life with your laughter.
You brought it—brought me to life, Summer.
You are my home. My heart. My love. My everything.
” He chuckles. “Those were some good lines.”
I laugh as tears flow down my cheeks.
“But it’s how I feel,” he says earnestly. “I don’t want this life without you in it. My career, the penthouse, the contracts. Nothing makes me whole the way you do.”
Carefully, he takes a ring out of the box, then drops the box into his jersey.
My hand falls to my heart as I watch him hold the physical representation of the biggest promise a man can make between his fingers. A platinum band and a gorgeous diamond? It’s too much. He’s too much.
He’s … mine.
“Daniel …” I say, my voice cracking from emotion. “I would’ve said yes with a Ring Pop.”
He grins. “I’d already fallen in love with you. But seeing you with my son and watching how quickly you cared for him like he was your own, and how you two bonded, I knew you were the perfect partner for me. You’ll also be an amazing mother to our children like you are with Roman. Summer Season—”
“Yes?” I reply too fast for him to finish.
He chuckles. “Will you marry me?”
I crash my mouth into his, and my arms hook around him as we come together. Our tongues touch and caress, slowing the frenzy as his hands hold me to him. We’re left breathless and still grinning when we part again.
Sitting on his knee, I say, “Yes, Daniel. I’d love to marry you more than anything.”
I look down to watch him slide the ring on my finger when we hear, “Hey man, sorry to interrupt. Are you The Maverick of Hockey?” When Daniel looks up, the guy says, “Shit, it is you. Can I get a picture—”
Daniel’s eyes narrow at the intruder, losing his smile. “I’m kind of busy. I’ll give you a photo if you can give me a minute here.”
“Sure. Sure. I’ll just wait over—”
“Yeah, you do that,” Daniel says. When his eyes return to mine, he kisses me gently. “Sorry.”
“It doesn’t matter. We’re engaged, babe.” Nothing could ruin this for me . . . Lightning cracks, startling me as the sky opens with torrential rain. Except for that.
“What color is your sister’s car?”
“Blue. Why?” And the car getting towed . . .
Daniel lifts me to my feet and runs with the speed of, well, a professional athlete, catching up to the truck that’s backing up to Fall’s car.
I slip between two other parked cars to catch up to Daniel, who’s already talking to the driver by the time I reach them. I stop with my hands on my hips, huffing to catch my breath.
“This her?” the guy asks, eyeing me. I’m sure I’m quite the sight, soaking wet with my makeup running down my face.
“It is. This is my fiancée.” I didn’t expect to be called that so quickly after it happened. But, man, do I like it.
He tries to be a hard-ass, but eventually breaks. I get a smidge of a smile. “Congrats. Lucky woman.”
“I am.”
Daniel says, “Trust me, man. I’m the lucky one.” He glances at the car before looking at the driver again. “Think you can release the car? There might be box seats in it for you.”
The man grins this time. “What car?”
They shake hands as my shoulders sag in relief.
“Thank you. Thank you. Thank you,” I say, sighing. “I appreciate this so much.”
We wait on the sidewalk as he unhooks Fall’s car.
As much as I want to be celebrating, I still must leave. Getting engaged is amazing, but it doesn’t change the logistics or erase the promise I made to my sister to return her vehicle.
Daniel wraps his arm around me, not caring one bit that we’re wet and running into one catastrophe after another. But, really, I don’t care about that, either. It doesn’t matter. I have everything I ever dreamed about. I have Daniel. I found my true home.
I lean my head on his shoulder, looking down. “You ran after me in socks?”
With a quick shrug, he laughs. “We only get one shot at this life. I had to go for it.”
I turn, wrapping my arms around him just as the rain gives up. “I’m so glad you did.” I kiss him, and this time, there’s no rush. Until I remember I must get back . . . “I wish I could stay with you and celebrate.”
“There’s no one who can take Fall to work?”
A thought crosses my mind. Why didn’t I think of this earlier?
I smirk. “You know what? There might just be.” I dig my phone out of my pocket. “Hang on. I need to make a call.”
I walk away as he supervises the car situation, and call the one person I know who will be more than happy to help. “Brandon?”