Her arm wound around mine. “I’m so sorry.”
I leaned my cheek against her hair and tried to distract myself by reciting “The Litany Against Fear” fromDune.
I must not fear.
You love her. You’ve loved her since the moment you met her. How are you going to live if she’s married to another man?
Shut. Up.
I closed my eyes and pressed on.
Fear is the mind-killer.
You’re going to be alone for the rest of your life.
Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
You’ll never love anyone like you love her.
I will face my fear.
Do something! Grab her. Take her to the lobby, tell her how you feel, and make her listen. Do not let him slip that ring over her knuckle.
I glanced at Tally. She was right there. All I had to do was lift my hand and?—
“Tally, could you join me down here please?” Madden’s voice boomed through the speakers.
It was no use. This was happening whether I liked it or not. The crowd erupted in approval.
An image of our old yellow lab, Giddyup, slid into my mind. May he rest in peace. It had taken that dog forever to potty train, and whenever he messed up, Mom would shove his nose in the mess so he couldn’t forget.
I was Giddyup, this was my mess, and I would never forget this moment. It would be seared into my memory until I was only a pile of bones in the ground.
Tally’s ears were even redder than before. She sat stone still, her eyes wide in shock. Was it a happy kind of shock? A rethinking all her life choices kind of shock? I couldn’t tell. Ms. Hawkins rubbed a quick circle on her back and gave her a gentle shove. Tally stood and started walking. Charlie tried to follow her but Ms. Hawkins hooked her arms around her waist. An usher was at the bottom of the stairs, waiting to guide Tally to the rink entrance.
Persephone leaned over and whispered, “This is exciting.”
I grunted. It was all I could do.
When Tally reached the glass door, Madden was there waiting. He handed her the roses, which was awkward because she was fumbling to get her feet under her on the ice. Five steps in, her legs went cross-wise like a pair of open scissors. Madden scooped her up and carried her, making everyone laugh. Everyone but me. And Anna. She rubbed my arm.
I hadn’t even realized Ford had exited the ice until he camejogging up the steps to our group, waving and high-fiving fans as he passed by.
Peyton snorted at his attention-seeking parade. Normally I would’ve found it amusing. Not today.
Ford’s gaze locked on mine. He gave me a pity smile. I wanted to punch him. Traitor.
I looked back at the ice. Madden faced Tally, his hands out to catch her just in case.
Then he dropped to one knee.
Lemon slid her hand over my shoulder and gripped me in a silent show of support. I’d never spoken my feelings for Tally out loud. Not a single time. It wasn’t something we talked about. But my family knew. Every single one.
“Tallulah Hawkins.” Madden’s voice poured through the speakers. “I’ve loved you for what feels like forever. Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
That was it? I snorted in my head. After four years of dating, this tool didn’t know her at all. Tally didn’t want this proposal. She wanted to be somewhere private, just the two of them. And she wanted the words to be well thought out. Maybe throw in a quote from classic literature. Something Brontë—heaven help us—or Jane Austen or Thomas Hardy.
Fine. Madden wasn’t a tool. He was a good guy. But still, he should’ve known better. Had he not paid attention at all?
