I trust her to keep my skeletons buried. My family trusts her. Whatever she’s hiding from me, whatever drove her here six months ago, no longer matters.
I’ve waited long enough.
She says her goodbyes to Chicken and follows me to the door. When I step outside and head toward the house, I don’t hear the crunch of her boots behind me. I stop and look back.
Standing in the doorway of the stable, she burrows down into her puffer coat, arms wrapped around her, and legs squeezed together. Her breaths huff out like white smoke from beneath the hat, and her entire body trembles.
It’s frigidly cold today, but she’s been working in wintry temperatures for over a month. I toss her an impatient scowl.
“What?” She glares at the snow. “Chicken doesn’t like it, either.”
“This is her first winter, so she has an excuse. But you…”
“Yes. I’m cold. I know it’s not nearly as cold here as it is in Chicago, but I’m still cold. Don’t judge me.”
“I’m definitely judging.” I pivot back toward the house and start walking.
Two strides later, a snowball slams into the back of my neck and crumbles beneath the collar of my jacket.
I turn, and she races past me, hurling more snowballs from a pre-made pile in her arms.
The sneaky, little—
A ball of white flies past my face, so close it grazes my cheek.
She squeals with laughter and speeds off toward the parking lot, grabbing a stash of already-formed snowballs along her path.
I don’t know when she set this up, but my insides alight with adrenaline at the prospect of playing with her.
Dropping to my knees, I pack and mold as pelting snow rains down on my head. I haven’t done this since I was kid, and dammit, I can’t stop the snowballs from falling apart. “How do you know how to do this so well?”
“I grew up in Chicago, baby.” She stands ten feet away, ammo clutched in each hand, and winks. “I know how to play in the snow.”
I finally figure out how to pack small lumpy balls and spend the next twenty minutes chasing her around the cars in the lot, ducking and weaving and volleying ice grenades back and forth.
I haven’t laughed this hard in years. She’s so damn invigorating and addictive, a flurry of energy and rosy cheeks, youthfulness and angelic beauty. Her love for life is magnetic, her spirit inspiring. I want to spend the rest of my days chasing her fire and basking in her heat.
When the pelting hail of snow falls quiet, I scan the lot, searching for her mischievous grin. She either used up her arsenal or she’s planning an attack.
“Maybe?” My boots crunch the snow as I circle the cars, heart pounding in anticipation.
Something stirs behind me. I pivot, and her chest collides with mine. Her arms encircle my back, and I hoist her up. She wraps her legs around my hips, and we sink into a kiss that scatters birds and melts snow.
Her lips are cold, her mouth wet and warm as I plunge my tongue in languorous strokes. There’s no biting. No bruising or urgency. No games or wars. It’s just us, feeling, tasting, and savoring the realism in our togetherness.
“I love you.” I snap my eyes closed, startled by the sound of the words I’ve said to her so many times in my head.
She lowers her feet to the ground and rests a gloved hand on my cheek, prompting me to look at her.
“I love you, too.” Her gaze slips over my face and returns to my eyes. “So much it hurts.”
Needle pricks stampede across my skin, and my heart pummels my ribcage. Chills and heat and the vibration of her declaration—it’s the best feeling.
It’s the right time.
The rock in my pocket burns to be removed. I’ve been carrying it around for so long, waiting, dreading, hoping.
I know that what I do next will upset the balance we’ve so carefully and diligently maintained. But I’ve only been delaying the inevitable. We share the same destiny, and I want the world to know it.
My mouth dries as I slide off my gloves and lower to one knee.
“Jarret?” Confusion creaks her voice.
My hand shakes as I shove it into my pocket and slip out the ring. I had it custom made months ago. A two-caret diamond set in a gold band with a delicate leaf pattern along the sides. It reminds me of an enchanted meadow, straight out of Alice in Wonderland.
I’ll be making payments on it for the rest of my life, but I don’t care. I just want her happy.
I lift my eyes to hers and hold up the ring. “Marry me.”
She stares at the diamond, and her mouth drops open. She closes it, opens it, and her eyes flood with horrified tears.
“Jarret…” She staggers back, shaking her head. “I can’t.”