Page 131 of Coach's Temptation

"Oh, I don't know..." I tilt my head, pretending to consider it. "Maybe it was Connor trying to act casual, but somehow looking more like he was having a stroke. Or Lucy bursting into tears every time she looked at me during dinner. Or Logan practically shoving me toward the fountains while whistling the wedding march."

Hunter's laugh rumbles through his chest. "They were subtle then?"

"About as subtle as that time you pretended my apartment renovations were just a plumbing fix."

I squeeze his hands as Hunter groans and shakes his head.

"I should've known better than to trust this bunch with keeping a secret. Though in their defense, they've been sitting on this one since Boston."

"Boston?" My heart skips. "You mean when I thought-"

"When you thought I was leaving?" His eyes soften. "Sweetheart, I've never been more sure about staying exactly where I am."

"Hunter… are you—"

Hunter's finger presses against my lips. I'm surprised at how steady his hand is, because both my hands are trembling like a Jenga tower in the final round.

“Natalie,” he says, his voice rough, deep, carrying over the sound of the fountains. “From the moment you walked into my life, you wrecked me.”

His lips curve, the hint of a smirk in his expression, but his eyes… God, hiseyes, they’re softer than I've ever seen.

“You walked into my office like you owned the place. You challenged me. You frustrated me. You flipped my world upside down in a heart beat.” He exhales, shaking his head slightly. “And from that very first moment where you put me in my place, I didn’t stand a chance.”

My throat tightens around a laugh that seems to echo around us.

“I spent my whole life thinking I knew exactly who I was. What I wanted. That I had it all figured out, even when shit hit the fan. And then you came along, and suddenly, none of it mattered if I didn’t haveyou.” His fingers flex in mine as he squeezes them tight. “You made me better, Natalie. You showed me that loveisn’t about rules or timing or waiting for the right moment. It’s about knowing when something is worth fighting for.”

“Iron Ridge was just a place before you,” he continues, voice quieter now, like it’s only meant for me. “It was a town. A team. A job. Butyou? You made it home.”

Tears spill down my cheeks, but Hunter plucks a tiny packet of tissues from his pocket and dabs at it for me. I whisper a thank you, but when he dives back in his pocket again, something else replaces the crunch of the packet.

Hunter shifts, taking a small step back from me.

He beams at me and drops to one knee. Automatically I gasp, along with everyone else around us.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

I thought maybe, someday…maybe.

After the playoffs, after everything settled, after I had time to wrap my head around the fact that this man was mine for good. Maybe we’d sit down, figure out a plan, talk about what life would look like if he took Team USA.

If we had to make sacrifices. If I had to be the one to follow him for once.

But now? Right here, under the lights, with the entire world watching?

I never expected this.

Because deep down, I always thought I’d have to prepare myself for the inevitable. That something this good, thisperfect, wasn’t meant for me.

My hand flies to my mouth as he flips the small box open. Inside, nestled in black velvet, is the most stunning, vintage diamond ring I’ve ever seen.

My Grandmother’s ring.

A choked sob escapes my throat and Hunter's eyes glaze over.

“I love you,” he says, firmly but cracks start to form in his voice. “More than I ever thought I could love someone. And Ipromise, Natalie Hayes, for the rest of my life, I will never stop finding ways to prove that to you.”

The fountains explode behind him, water arching high into the sky, casting rainbows through the night air.

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