Page 173 of The Single Dad

We all move over to the Ferris wheel together, and looking up at it, the tingling feeling of excitement intensifies. I remember the last time I rode this particular Ferris wheel.

Cole and I enter one of the Ferris wheel cars, and, eagerly, Archie pushes forward to squeeze between us. As the ride starts with a jolt, Cole looks over at me.

“You know,” he says, “the top of this Ferris wheel was where I first knew that you would change my life for good—even though I couldn’t admit it yet.”

I blush at the memory. “Really?”

He nods, reaching his arm over Archie’s head to drape it across my shoulders.

When our car reaches the top of the Ferris wheel, the ride suddenly stops turning. Archie’s eyes go wide, and he catches his breath.

“We stopped at the top!” he whispers, excited.

Cole gives me a loaded look over Archie’s head, the meaning clear. “I can’t recreate that moment exactly,” he says, “but I think I might be able to top it.”

He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a black, velvet box that fits neatly into the palm of his hand.

All of a sudden, I feel a rush of vertigo, like the whole world is turning far below us.

“Riley Winters,” he says, opening the box to reveal a beautiful, intricate diamond set into white gold, “will you marry me?”

For a few seconds, I’m silent, in shock. Then the tears start, and I’m powerless to stop them. “Of course,” I manage to choke out, a feeling of weightless elation filling my heart. I feel as though I might drift straight out of this Ferris wheel, up into the sky. “Of course I will.”

Cole smiles, pressing a kiss to my lips over Archie’s head.

“Yes!” Archie shouts, delighted, and Cole and I break apart. I smile at Archie through my happy tears.

“What’s up, bud?”

“You’re getting married to each other!” Archie exclaims, beaming. “This is the best birthday ever!” Then he frowns abruptly, noticing my expression. “Why are you crying? Are you sad?”

“No,” I assure him. “Sometimes, people cry when they’re very, very happy.”

The Ferris wheel lurches back into motion, and I feel Cole’s hand on my shoulder, his fingertips brushing my neck.

As we near the ground, I peer down at the crowd, my eyes widening when I recognize a few familiar faces. “Wait—Cole, is that Olivia?”

“I invited a couple of friends,” he says nonchalantly, a glint in his eyes. “I figured that this was going to be a very big day, and we might want a few people to celebrate with. The rest of the parents probably won’t give us the kind of reception we’re looking for.”

I chuckle and wave out of the Ferris wheel car at Olivia, who waves back. A man steps up beside her, grinning; Noah, I realize with a burst of joy.

I turn my hand around to show them the ring, the diamond gleaming as it catches the light. Noah gives me an emphatic thumbs-up, and Olivia bounces up and down, gleefully clapping her hands.

When we reach the ground, I run over to them, tears of happiness still streaming down my face. Olivia squeals in delight and wraps me in a hug.

“I can’t believe it!” she shrieks. “Let me see that rock!”

I hold out my hand again to show off the ring, and Olivia inspects it.

“Oh, wow, it’s gorgeous.” She looks up at Cole, who has approached us more slowly, Archie clinging to his arm. “You picked a good one.”

Cole nods. “Nothing less than the best.”

“Glad to hear it,” Noah says. He reaches out to shake Cole’s hand, his grip firm. He’s still smiling as he interacts with Cole, which is a relief.

The two of them were on the outs for a little while, even after Cole and I got back together; Cole had a harder time proving himself to Noah than he did to me. The “big brother” instinct was a little too strong, and Noah was pissed at Cole for more than a few weeks. Eventually, though, he came around, and the two are on good terms again.

Olivia gives me another hug, squeezing all the air out of my lungs. “I’m so happy for you!”

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