Page 105 of XOXO, Summer
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 waitover?—”
“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 logisticsor 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?”
