Still kneeling, he handed me my skates. I slipped my foot into the left, but when I put my foot into the right, my toes hit a solid barricade. Probably a roll of tape that had been floating loose in his bag.
“Hang on.” I stuck my hand into the skate, finding a small square object wedged in the toe. “There’s something stuck in my—” I tugged it free, revealing a small polished wooden box.
My heart skipped a beat or three. Was this what I thought it was? I didn’t want to get ahead of myself, so I sucked in a deep breath to compose myself.
“There it is,” Chase said. “I was looking for that.”
He took the box from my hand and opened the hinged lid. I let out a woosh of air when my eyes landed on what was inside. The center stone from his mother’s ring, re-set into a plain gold band.
“Carter,” I whispered. My breath snagged, and tears flooded my eyes, threatening to overflow. This was it. My love, my life, my future. My everything.
The slightest hint of nervousness crossed his face, so faint that no one but me would have noticed it.
“I’ve made lots of mistakes along the way, but you’re the one thing that’s always been right. Will you marry me, James?”
“Yes.” A warm tear escaped and traveled down my cheek. I sniffled, wiping it away with the back of my hand. “Of course I will.”
He slipped the ring onto my left ring finger, and only then did I notice his hands were trembling. Cupping my face, he leaned in and kissed me like I had never, ever been kissed before. It was gentle but firm, asking but claiming, a promise of forever.
We pulled apart, and he rested his forehead on mine, dragging his thumb along my jawline. My heart was speeding, violating some law of nature. Time stopped, like a flashbulb moment I’d remember forever.
“I’m so fucking pumped,” he said. “I can’t wait to marry you.”
“Won’t that make me a Carter, though?” I teased.
“You’ll always be my James.” He heaved a heavy sigh, and his posture relaxed, his broad hands still wrapped around my waist.
“Were you nervous?” I whispered.
Chase’s lips tugged into a half smile, his dark eyes holding mine. “Little bit. You’re my once in a lifetime.”
He was right. I never thought I’d find someone like him.
“You knew I’d say yes.”
“Yeah.” He broke into a full grin. “Like I’ve always said—we’re endgame.”
THE END