"This place taught me a lot of things," I say. "Discipline. Focus. How to take a hit and keep going."
"Okay..."
"But it also taught me to never show weakness." I brush a loose wave away from her face with one hand while keeping her steady with the other. "You taught me something different."
Scout's expression softens. "Silas..."
"You taught me that strength isn't about walls. It's about choosing to stay open even when it's scary. It's about letting someone see all of you, not just the parts that are easy to love."
Her eyes are bright with tears that don't fall. "If you're about to make me cry on ice skates, I'll never forgive you."
"Too bad."
I drop to one knee on the ice, which is exactly as uncomfortable as it sounds. Scout gasps, one hand flying to her mouth, the other reaching for my shoulder instinctively.
"Scout," I say, pulling out the ring I've been carrying for months, waiting for the right time. "You see all my sharp edges and choose to stay anyway."
"Baby, of course I do."
"I love your terrible dancing and your aggressive morning energy. I love how you take care of everyone but still protect your boundaries. I love that you turned my cold condo into a home just by being in it."
Tears stream down her face now. Definitely crying.
"Will you marry me?" I ask. "Keep teaching me how to be better? Let me watch you heal hockey players? Be my partner in absolutely everything?"
Before I even finish, she says yes. She brushes away a tear. "Yes to all of it. Yes, I will."
The ring slides onto her finger while my hands shake. It's huge, an exquisite yellow diamond. She'll have to take it off when she does yoga or Mobility Mondays. But I need other people to look at her and realize how very married she is to someone who cares enough to get her a rock the size of a small moon. For a moment she just stares at it, then launches herself at me.
Both of us go down hard.
Freezing ice presses against my back while Scout's on top of me, laughing and kissing my entire face. I'm mainly concerned about protecting us from skate blades.
"We're going to die," I point out between kisses.
"Worth it."
"Your engagement story is going to be that I proposed and then you ended up with a concussion."
"Still worth it."
I somehow manage to get us vertical again, though Scout's laughing too hard to skate properly now. I keep her steady as we make our way to the boards, both of us grinning like idiots.
"I can't believe you proposed on the ice," she says.
"Where else would I do it? This is where I learned to be tough. You're where I learned to be soft. It felt right to finish my story as a bachelor here."
She kisses me again, slower this time, and I can taste her happiness mixed with tears.
"I love you," she whispers against my mouth.
"I love you too."
We sit on the home bench while Scout immediately pulls out her phone to look at the ring in better light. "How long have you been planning this?"
"Bought the ring months ago. I've been carrying it around like an idiot ever since."
"Why tonight?"
