“There was a carrot cake we bought because they were the only ones who liked carrot cake. A succulent we sent to Torrance with no card, because we wanted her to think it was from Seth. An impromptu swing dancing setup, during which Ari and I learned to dance, and I sweated so much, I was positive she’d lose any interest she might have in me.”
A few laughs.
“Then there was a couple’s massage. And a dinner cruise. But somewhere in the middle of all that, while Torrance and Seth were falling back in love . . . I fell in love, too. With the brilliant, magnetic girl sitting right here.”
I feel myself glow warmer than the Seattle sun.
“It’s been a good year,” Russ continues. “Right? It would be really awkward if you disagreed with me.”
Yes, I mouth, beaming at him.
“Both of us were over the moon when Torrance proposed. She and Seth are great together, and only partially because it might be impossible to find someone else with the same taste in music.” Torrance holds a hand to her heart, pretending to be wounded. “After a lot of thought, and after asking permission from the bride and groom, I figured out what I wanted to do with this toast.” At that, he turns serious, striding toward my chair, eyes never drifting from mine. He readjusts his grip on the microphone, and this close, I can see his hands shaking.
My heart is in my throat. I got a little weepy during the ceremony and had to touch up my makeup before the reception. At this rate, there’ll be none of it left on my face by the end of the night.
“And it felt kind of perfect, when I thought about it. Because our histories are pretty tightly intertwined at this point, wouldn’t you say?”
Torrance lets out a whoop, reaching across the table to give my arm a squeeze. I barely register it.
Now Russ is only a couple feet from me. And maybe the microphone is still in his hands, but it feels like he’s speaking only to me, like we are the only two people in this tent, on this beach.
“Ari Abrams,” he says. “Weather girl. I am so deeply in love with you. Will you marry me?”
It’s the easiest question I’ve ever been asked, one that requires zero second-guessing. “Yes,” I say, blinking back tears. “I love you so much, Russ. Yes.”
He slips the ring on my finger, a thin gold band with a small raindrop-shaped diamond, and it’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen—until I look back into his face and his eyes are shining.
Even if we’re going through darkness, I know we’ll always find our way back to each other.
* * *
? ? ?
IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO tear myself from his side the rest of the evening as we dance and drink and laugh, people clinking their glasses for Torrance and Seth to kiss and demanding we do the same. Because it’s an infinite Seattle summer, the sun won’t set for another couple hours. The whole day feels like a dream. The very best dream.
“I’m not sure I can dance anymore,” I say when another jazzy slow song starts up and Russ holds out his hand. I’ve been working on my second slice of cake. “You might have to drag my limp body around the dance floor.”
“Now, I don’t think that would be a good look for any of us.”
Russ bypasses the dance floor, leading me out of the tent and along the shore, toward a more secluded part of the beach. I slip off my shoes, letting my feet sink into the sand, and Russ rolls up both his pants and the sleeves of his shirt. Loosens his tie.
“I can’t believe that just happened.” I stare down at the ring, still awestruck. “Don’t get me wrong, I can’t imagine a better moment than the Hales’ second wedding. I’m mostly shocked you kept it a secret that long.”
“It’s been torture,” he admits, threading his fingers with mine. “I was so worried Elodie would tell you. She’s going to be so excited you said yes.”
I scoff at that. “Were you really worried? Because I’m kind of obsessed with you.”
He tugs me against his chest, tipping my face upward, and kissing me while Puget Sound laps at our ankles. “A little stage fright, I guess. But mostly, I’m just so happy,” he says. “So. Where should we go on our honeymoon?”
“Somewhere tropical, with summer rain. Or somewhere we can see a total eclipse. Any unique weather—I’m not picky,” I say. “Ooh, or we could become storm chasers. I still have Tyler Typhoon’s contact info.”
“The most on-brand honeymoon.”
“Don’t knock the brand!”
“I would never.”
Both of us fall quiet, basking in this world and this moment and the sheer magic of finding that person who gets you the way no one else does.
“When I first thought about proposing to you,” Russ says after a few minutes, drawing a hand through my wind-wild hair, “I imagined doing it in the middle of a rainstorm. The sky would open up, and I’d get down on one knee in the mud, probably, and we’d both still look amazing despite being drenched.”
“I’m not really that predictable, am I?”
“Maybe,” he says. “But it’s one of my favorite things about you. That, and the face you make when it’s just starting to snow.” He glances out at the horizon before his lovely gaze meets mine again. “You wish it were raining?”
I shake my head. “Perfect weather,” I say, and together we close our eyes and tilt our faces toward the sun.
Acknowledgments
Weather Girl is a deeply personal book in many ways, and I am beyond grateful to everyone who’s treated it with love and care. Tremendous thanks to my editor, Kristine Swartz, for immediately understanding what I wanted to do with this book and seeing its potential. You helped grow Ari’s story into something I’m incredibly proud of, and I couldn’t be happier with the final product.
Thank you to my agent, Laura Bradford, for continuing to be a fantastic partner in all things publishing. The team at Berkley/ Penguin Random House consistently floors me with their compassion and creativity: Jessica Brock, Jessica Plummer, Megha Jain, and Alison Cnockaert. Vi-An Nguyen, I feel so lucky to have two absolute beauties from you! This is my ultimate Pacific Northwest dream cover, and I love it to pieces.
This book would have been grayer than the gloomiest Seattle day without input from meteorologists Shannon O’Donnell and Claire Anderson. I have all the admiration for what you do—thank you so much for your time and expertise! Thank you to my sister, Michelle, who helped a great deal with the hospital details. And to the therapists I’ve had over the years, especially LZ: thank you for helping me understand my brain a little better.
The authors who blurbed this book: Helen Hoang, Sophie Cousens, Sonia Hartl, Annette Christie, Chloe Liese, Jasmine Guillory, Tessa Bailey, Alison Cochrun, Olivia Dade, and Julia Whelan. Your generosity and kind words mean the world to me. I’m also sending much love to Kelsey Rodkey, Courtney Kae, Auriane Desombre, and Lillie Vale, my early readers whose enthusiasm for Ari and Russell made all the difference.
As always, thank you to Ivan. I’m so glad you prefer rainy days, too.