“There was a moose. In the road. I swerved and hit a tree.” He took a shaky breath. “Passenger side is totaled. My phone was on the seat. Crushed.”
“Oh my God,” Jason said.
“I’m okay. Just bruised.” Roan looked around at all the faces staring at him. “I would’ve called but the phone was destroyed. So I just started walking toward the lights.”
“Walked?” Grace’s hand flew to her mouth. “From where?”
“About two miles up Rabbit Run Road.” He looked up at Reese. “I couldn’t let you think I’d bailed on you. I had to get to you.”
“You walked two miles?” Walter asked. “In this storm?”
“Yeah.” Roan’s voice was getting stronger. “And then there was a whiteout. I got disoriented. Fell into the retention pond by Miller’s farm. Went through the ice.”
The room gasped collectively.
“You fell through ice?” Reese’s voice came out as a squeak.
“Just for a minute. I got out. Kept walking.” He kept looking at her, his gaze intense despite his exhaustion.
Reese's gaze traveled over him—wrapped in blankets, his bare chest visible where they'd stripped off his soaked shirt, his pants removed to prevent further heat loss. He was still shivering despite the heater's warmth.
“Wait.” Roan’s eyes suddenly went wide. “My jacket. Where’s my jacket?”
“We had to take it off,” Dr. Lawrence said. “It was soaking wet?—“
“The inside pocket.” Roan tried to sit up straighter, panic flashing across his face. “I need—the inside pocket?—“
“Easy,” Dr. Lawrence said. “What’s in the pocket?”
Roan looked directly at Cody, his voice urgent despite his weakness. “Inside left pocket. Cody, please. Check it’s still there.”
Cody didn’t hesitate. He grabbed Roan’s destroyed jacket from the pile of wet clothes nearby and dug into the inner pocket. His hand emerged holding a small, soaking wet, velvet box.
“It’s safe,” Cody said.
“Is it okay? Open it. Check it,” Roan said.
Cody opened the box. Inside, nestled in wet velvet, was something that sparkled, glinting under the twinkling Christmas lights strung across La Danza’s ceiling.
Reese stared at it, her mind not quite processing what she was seeing. A piece of jewelry? Something shiny. Why would he be so panicked about that? Then it occurred to her. Oh my goodness. That was a diamond. A diamond ring. A solitaire. An engagement ring.
Her ears started ringing. She could no longer feel the tips of her fingers. He was going to propose. Tonight. He’d been carrying an engagement ring when he crashed, walked through the storm, and fell into icy water. He’d almost died with this ring in his pocket. By some miracle, it had not fallen out along the way.
“You …is that for ….” She couldn’t finish the sentence. Her throat had closed completely.
“Forget you saw that,” Roan said, smiling at Reese. “It’s kind of ruining my big moment.”
“That’s the least of your troubles right now.” Jason’s voice cracked.
“It’s meant to be,” Emma said, eyes shining. “He had to get here with the ring.”
“That’s right.” Roan’s eyes never left Reese. “It’s for you. To make sure we’re never apart again.”
Cody closed the box carefully, protectively. “We’ve got it, Roan. It’s safe now.”
“Keep it,” Roan said. “Until … after we dance.”
Marcus moved closer to Cody. “Don’t worry. It’s safe now.”
