“This Never is for you, Pip,” I said.
She shook her head once, tears falling faster now. “Cade.”
“For the Never you are going to wish your mom was here for.”
The sound she made went through me so sharply I almost forgot the rest.
Her dad made one rough noise behind us, but he did not interrupt.
I kept my eyes on Bliss because if I looked at Daniel Bennett right now, I might not make it through the next part without breaking in a way my pride could not afford in front of Briggs.
I closed her fingers gently around the marble, both of my hands covering hers.
“And with your dad’s blessing,” I said, my voice breaking just enough to piss me off, “and your mom’s memory standing right here with us, I’m asking you to be all fifty-five reasons I’ll always love you more than hockey.”
The entire room disappeared.
Bliss stared up at me like she had forgotten how the world worked.
I swallowed hard.
“Pip, will you let me make you a Mercer and finally make this official before I regret not planning a more reasonable proposal?”
Silence.
Then Bliss burst into tears.
Not graceful tears. Not soft, romantic movie tears. Full Bliss Bennett devastation, one hand clutching the marble to her chest while the other slapped lightly against me beforeimmediately hovering in panic because apparently even in an engagement meltdown, she remembered I had scars.
“You cannot do this after almost dying,” she sobbed. “That is illegal.”
“So that’s a yes?”
“You are so annoying.”
“Yes?”
“You got stabbed and decided, hmm, perfect time to emotionally ruin her in front of both our families?”
“Correct.”
“Cade.”
“Pip.”
She shook her head, crying harder. “I hate you.”
“No, you don’t.”
“No, I don’t.” Her voice broke completely. “I love you so much I can’t breathe.”
“Careful,” I said. “Breathing is apparently important. Recently learned that.”
She laughed through the tears, then covered her mouth because the laugh turned into a sob.
Behind her, the room was an emotional mess. Charm was fully crying into Aura’s shoulder. Aura had one hand pressed over her mouth. Ryan wiped his face with the heel of his hand and muttered something about all of us being impossible. My mother was crying into my father’s chest, and Harrison Mercer, coldest man in Manhattan, had his hand over his mouth like he needed it there to keep himself together.
Daniel Bennett stepped forward, and Bliss turned toward him, still crying, still holding the marble like it was breakable.
