The world tilted.
Sound rushed out of my ears like water draining from a tub. My heart stopped, then slammed back to life so hard I could feel it in my throat.
I turned to Cam.
He was already standing, his eyes fixed on my face. And that look. God, that look. Nervous and hopeful and so full of love it nearly knocked me sideways.
“Cam.” His name came out as a whisper.
He reached for my hands. His fingers were trembling. This man, this solid, steady, unshakeable man, was trembling as he pulled me gently to my feet.
The stadium had gone completely silent. Forty thousand people holding their breath.
Cam sank down onto one knee.
My hands flew to my mouth. The tears came instantly, hot and fast, blurring my vision.
“Emily.” His voice was raspy. A little shaky. But it carried in the hush, clear as a bell. “A year ago, you needed some grumpy bastard to help you change a tire. That one moment turned my whole world upside down.”
A wet laugh bubbled out of me.
“You climbed a tree to rescue a cat that didn’t need rescuing.” He smiled, and his eyes were bright. “You taught my girls how to paint and how to keep score and how to love this stupid game as much as you do.”
I couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think. Could only stand there, tears streaming, heart pounding, completely and utterly undone.
“You walked into our lives,” he said softly, “and you fit. Like you’d always been there. Like we’d just been waiting for you to find us. You took a broken family and filled the cracks with gold.”
His thumbs traced circles on the backs of my hands. Grounding me. Keeping me tethered to the earth when I felt like I might float away.
I was shaking now. Full-body trembling that I couldn’t have stopped if I’d tried.
“I love every single part of you, Em. The bright parts and the broken parts and everything in between. And I want to spend the rest of my life making sure you know that. Every single day.”
Movement flickered in my peripheral vision. Audrey and Alice were standing up, holding a small box between them like it was the Holy Grail.
They held it out to Cam, their eyes shining. Alice was practically vibrating. Audrey had tears on her cheeks.
“Good job, monsters,” Cam said softly. “You did so good keeping our secret.”
Alice beamed. Audrey sniffled and nodded.
He took the box from them. His hands were steadier now. Sure.
He opened it.
A diamond caught the late afternoon light, sending tiny rainbows scattering across his fingers. Simple. Elegant. Perfect.
“Marry me, Emily.” His voice was quiet now. Just for me. “Be my wife. Be a mom to my girls. Be my family, officially, forever.”
The word was out before I even knew I was speaking.
“Yes.”
It came out broken. Barely a sound. I tried again, louder this time.
“Yes.”
And again, because I needed him to hear it, needed the whole damn stadium to hear it.
