Chapter 54 Ryan #2
He smiled again, this time softer, almost shy. “You’ve kind of been like my dad for the past year anyway. I mean, I like you way more than my real dad. You actually… you’re there for me. You care about me and Mom. I like that we’ll really be a family now. Officially.”
I had to look away for a second, blinking fast to fight back the tears threatening to spill over. His words hit me harder than I expected. I didn’t speak right away; I just tried to steady myself.
Finally, I managed, “That means a lot to me, Connor. You have no idea how much.”
He grinned again, practically bouncing on the bed. “Can I help you pick out the ring? Or help you ask her?”
I laughed, ruffling his hair. “I think I’ve got the ring part covered, but I’d love your help planning how to ask her. We’ll figure something out, okay?”
“Okay!” he said, practically vibrating with excitement.
I pulled him in for another hug, holding him tight. In that moment, it felt like everything in the world was exactly where it was supposed to be.
Just as I let Connor go, the front door opened, and Harper walked in, her cheeks flushed from her run, her ponytail swinging behind her. She paused in the doorway, glancing between us with narrowed eyes.
“What’s going on in here?” she asked, wiping the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand.
Connor froze like a deer in headlights, his eyes darting up to mine. I could practically see the gears turning in his head, and for a moment, panic surged through me. Please don’t say anything, please don’t–
“Nothing,” I said quickly, maybe a little too quickly.
Harper’s eyebrows shot up, clearly unconvinced. “Uh-huh,” she said slowly, giving us another look that was equal parts curious and suspicious.
Connor, to his credit, gave her his best innocent smile, though it was about as convincing as a poker player with a terrible hand. I grabbed a bottle of water from the counter, trying to look casual as I took a long sip, buying myself a moment.
“You guys are terrible at keeping secrets,” she said, smirking as she snatched the bottle out of my hand.
“What secrets?” I asked, feigning offence, though it came off more like a bad poker face of my own.
She rolled her eyes but didn’t push any further. “I’m gonna go shower,” she said, giving us one last suspicious look before heading upstairs.
The moment her footsteps faded, Connor let out a breath like he’d been holding it the entire time. I clapped him on the shoulder. “Close call, buddy.”
He grinned up at me, his excitement practically radiating off of him. “We’re gonna pull it off, though, right?”
“Absolutely,” I said, a smile tugging at my lips. “Now let’s make a plan.”
The city of Stockholm was a dream in December, its streets adorned with twinkling lights and dusted with a light layer of snow. The cold air carried the smell of roasted chestnuts and mulled wine from the Christmas markets, and everything around us felt like it was straight out of a storybook.
Harper walked beside me, her cheeks rosy from the chill, her gloved hand tucked into mine.
We’d spent the evening wandering through Gamla Stan, the historic old town, marveling at the cobblestone streets and colourful buildings glowing in the soft light of lanterns.
She’d been especially enchanted by the market stalls, lingering over handmade ornaments and tasting samples of gingerbread and glogg, her laughter filling the air every time she tried something new.
I’d arranged for us to have dinner at a cozy restaurant overlooking the water, the kind with candlelit tables and windows that framed the city skyline.
Harper had smiled at me from across the table, her eyes sparkling as she sipped her wine, completely unaware of the ring burning a hole in my jacket pocket.
Now, as we walked along a quiet, snow-dusted pathway near the Royal Palace, my heart was racing.
The city felt like it was holding its breath with us, the night still and perfect in its quiet beauty.
Connor and I had planned this moment down to the last detail, but now that it was here, my nerves were in full swing.
My hand brushed over the ring box in my pocket for the hundredth time, making sure it was still there, feeling its weight like it was both a promise and a dare.
“Ryan,” Harper’s voice pulled me back to the moment. She stopped walking and turned to face me, her brows knitting together with concern. “Are you okay? You seem… off.”
I forced a laugh, scratching the back of my neck, trying to shake off the jittery feeling swirling in my stomach. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just thinking.”
She tilted her head, studying me with that familiar knowing look–the one that always seemed to read me like an open book. “About what?”
I glanced around, taking in the scene: the glowing street lamps, the distant hum of the city behind us, the quiet beauty of the snow-clad buildings. This was it. The moment I’d been dreaming of, planning, and waiting for. I could feel my pulse quicken, my voice suddenly steadier than I expected.
“About you,” I said, taking both of her hands in mine. The leather of her gloves felt cool against my skin, grounding me. “About how much you mean to me. How much I want this–us–to be everything we’ve dreamed of.”
Harper frowned slightly, her brow furrowing in confusion. “Me?”
I nodded, my gaze softening as I looked at her, my chest tight with emotion “Yeah. You. When I think about my life–what it was before I met you, and what it’s been since–I don’t even recognize the guy I used to be.
You’ve changed everything for me, Harper.
You’ve made me want to be better, to do better.
Not just for you, but for Connor, too. The two of you… you’re my whole world.”
Her eyes softened, her lips parting slightly as she listened, her breath visible in the cold air, mingling with the stillness of the snow around us. The weight of everything I was saying hung between us, and I could see how much it meant to her, how much it meant to me.
I took a deep breath, my heart hammering in my chest. “I’ve had a lot of amazing moments in my life–winning championships, playing at the highest level–but nothing compares to the feeling I get when I’m with you and Connor.
Coming home to you, being part of your lives…
it’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me. ”
Her eyes were shimmered now, and I could see the emotion welling up in them, the quiet storm she always tried to hide.
“I love you, Harper,” I continued, my voice thick with emotion, every word heavy with meaning. “And I love Connor like he’s my own son. I want to spend the rest of my life making you both happy, being there for you, building a life together.”
I let go of her hands and reached into my jacket pocket, my fingers brushing against the smooth box, and pulled it out, holding it between us.
The soft glow of the lanterns caught on the polished surface, making it seem even more surreal.
Her breath hitched, her wide eyes locked on the box, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still.
Then, I dropped to one knee in the snow, the cold biting into my skin, but I barely felt it. Everything in me was focused on her.
“Harper,” I said, my voice thick, the words tumbling out with everything I had inside me. “You’re everything I never knew I needed. And I can’t imagine my life without you in it.”
I opened the box, revealing the ring inside.
The diamond caught the glow of the city lights, scattering shards of brilliance across the snow.
It wasn’t flashy or overdone–just simple, elegant, timeless.
A slender band of white gold, set with a single round diamond framed by two smaller stones, delicate and luminous, like it had been designed with her in mind.
Something strong, yet graceful. Something her.
“Harper,” I said again, my heart in my throat now, my voice a whisper. “Will you marry me?”
For a heartbeat, she was silent, her hands flying to her mouth, her eyes wide in shock. Then, the tears started, streaming down her cheeks as she choked out, “Yes! Of course, yes!”
She fumbled with her glove, tugging it off with trembling fingers before holding out her hand. I slid the ring onto her bare finger, my hands shaking almost as much as hers, the cold air forgotten in the warmth of that moment.
I stood, pulling her into my arms, and kissed her deeply, the world around us falling away. The city, the snow, the cold–it all disappeared as I held her close, her heart beating wildly against mine, both of us breathless with joy.
“Connor!” I called out, my voice bubbling with excitement as I pulled back, the joy making me feel like I was floating.
From behind a nearby tree, Connor came barrelling toward us, his face lit up with a huge smile. “She said yes?” he asked, breathless, his excitement obvious as he looked between the two of us.
“She said yes,” I confirmed, my heart soaring. Connor didn’t hesitate, throwing his arms around both of us in a tight hug.
“Finally!” he said, his voice full of exaggerated relief, making Harper laugh through her tears. “I’ve been holding that secret for days!”
Harper hugged him tightly, her voice thick with emotion. “You were in on this?”
“Of course I was,” Connor said proudly, his grin widening. “Ryan couldn’t have done it without me.”
I ruffled his hair, feeling a rush of love for this kid and the woman I was about to spend the rest of my life with. “I told you, Harper. We’re a package deal.”
She smiled up at me, her eyes full of love, her face glowing with joy. “And I wouldn’t want it any other way.”