SIX MONTHS LATER
I watch in awe as Eden skates backward, her entire body lifting into the air as she spirals. I barely pay attention to how many spins it actually is before her skate is landing on the ice with her other leg out behind her. She makes it look so flawless, but there’s something captivating and artistic about the way she moves.
I love Eden when she’s in her element like this. Completely lost in what she’s doing. It’s amazing how she can immerse herself in the entire experience and truly experience it. Her performance is just as amazing as the first time I watched her skate.
And sitting here, watching her compete for the championship, I can’t help but feel a swell of pride in my chest. She’s been working her ass off, putting in so many hours to perfect her performance. It’s not an easy task either. All it takes is one move that isn’t the exact way it should be and you’re having points deducted.
Not to mention the constant threat of falling. Even though there’s so much time and practice put into figure skating, it doesn’t take much to have you landing on your ass. A simple misstep or your skate not landing correctly can easily make you fall.
Take it from someone else who practically spends their life on the ice. Even though I’m not springing myself into the air and spinning around like Eden, I know how easily you can end up falling. Although, it’s a little more acceptable in hockey. It won’t cause you to lose a game, like it could jeopardize an entire figure skating competition.
Eden skates back to the center of the rink as she finishes up her performance. With one skate behind her, she slides her leg down as she bends her other knee. She ends her performance with perfection and you can feel the confidence radiating from the arena as she bows her head.
I’m on my feet before the rest of the crowd and soon everyone is clapping for her. Eden rises up, her smile broad and her eyes shining. I’m a few rows off the ice, but from here, I can still see that she knows she fucking nailed it. Eden turns to both sides of the audience, bowing to them before she skates off to where her coach and teammates are.
After a few moments, the judges come forward with their score and the announcer informs the crowd that Eden is now in first place. And her score is practically untouchable. My throat constricts with emotion and my heart triples in size. I know how much work Eden has put in to get to this point and I know how important this day is for her.
Winning this championship just puts her one step closer to the Winter Olympics.
There are two more skaters left, but I’m not here for either of them. Rising from my seat, I slip out of the row and head down to where the competitors are. A guard stops me as I reach the last doorway, prohibiting me from coming through.
“I’m just trying to see my girlfriend,” I explain, motioning to where she’s standing with her coach. “I had a hockey game, so I wasn’t able to get a badge from her this morning to come back here.”
“I’m sorry, man,” the guys says, frowning. “I can’t let you through without clearance. I’m sure you understand.”
“Hayden!” I hear Eden’s voice as she calls out my name. She jogs over to me with her skate guards on, covering the blades. Her short dress sways around her thighs and I’m at a loss for words at her beauty. “He’s with me,” she tells the guard as she shows him a badge.
The man looks at it and nods before stepping out of the way. Eden stares at me for a moment, her eyes shining brightly before she practically squeals and throws herself into my arms.
“Oh my god, Hayden,” she breathes, a soft laugh falling from her lips. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
A chuckle vibrates in my chest. “There’s nowhere else I would rather be, baby.”
Eden releases my neck and takes a step back. Her hand is cold as she slips it into mine, our fingers lacing together as she leads me back to her little group. Her coach nods at me and the girls that I recognize all say hi. They’ve all seen a lot of me the past few months since Eden and I started officially dating.
I’m literally obsessed with her, sometimes I’m afraid it’s unhealthy. Even though we have our own things to occupy our time, I still can’t get enough of her. I need her around me all the time.
Who would have thought that the university’s playboy would become a stage five clinger?
“You looked so good out there, Eden,” I tell her as I pull her toward me. She lifts onto her toes, pressing her lips to mine before landing back on flat skates. “All of your hard work paid off.”
“Eden,” Winter whisper-yells at her. “The other skaters are done and they’re getting ready to announce who won.”
“Oh my god, okay.” Eden nods at her, swallowing hard over her nerves. She turns around in my arms with them still linked around her waist as she looks out at the ice rink. “I feel like my stomach is going to roll out of my body right now.”
“You did amazing, Eden,” I breathe, burying my face in the crook of her neck. “You blew their scores out of the water.”
“That doesn’t mean anything,” she argues, refusing to get her hopes up. “Things constantly change and I refuse to believe it until I know for sure.”
It feels like time is suspended as we wait to hear the judges. After what feels like an eternity, the announcer’s voice comes back through the speaker. He announces the first place winner and it’s Eden.
That’s my fucking girl.
I hear her breath catch in her throat as she spins on her skates to face me again. Looping her arms around the back of my neck, her eyes are filled with tears as they bounce back and forth between mine. “They said my name, Hayden. Winning this means I get to go to the qualifying competition for the Olympics.”
“I heard him, baby. You fucking did it.”
My face drops down to hers, capturing her lips with mine in a swift kiss. I release her as quickly as I kissed her, urging her away from me. “You better get out there before they give your medal to someone else,” I tell her.
The lilt of Eden’s laughter is like music to my ears. She jogs over to the door that leads into the rink and pulls off her skate guards before stepping out onto the ice. I walk toward the boards, stopping beside Winter as we both watch Eden skate into the middle of the arena.
“You better wife her up, King,” Winter says, smiling as we watch the judges hand Eden a bouquet of flowers and place her medal around her neck. I know it’s tradition to bring someone flowers when they perform, but I have something better.
I look over at Winter. “Oh, I plan on it.”
The judges announce second and third place and both skaters head out into the center of the rink, one of them being Winter. I stand by the door, watching my girl as she does a skate around the perimeter of the rink, and my heart crawls into my throat.
We’ve come a long fucking way and sometimes, it still feels like this is all a dream. Sometimes I have to remind myself that this is our reality now. That she’s really mine.
The three skaters all head back to the middle of the rink, all bowing one last time before heading off the ice. As Eden gets closer to us, the announcer asks her to come back to the center of the rink, and I know that’s my cue.
Breaking into a sprint, I slip through the door where the guard is, telling him I’ll be right back. I run as fast as I can, stopping where I hid my spare pair of skates in an unlocked closet I found. Grabbing them, I race back to where Eden’s coach and teammates are standing.
Winter tilts her head to the side, watching me as I lace up my skates quicker than I ever have before. “What the hell are you doing, Hayden?” she questions me, her eyebrows pulling together. “You can’t go out there.”
I had this all set up two nights ago. It took a lot of sweet talking and convincing to do… not to mention a little bit of money. But I got it accomplished and was able to get the officials on my side.
Eden’s eyes meet mine as I step out onto the ice and begin to skate toward her. A wave of confusion passes through her expression and she truly looks concerned. She starts to move in my direction and I push off harder, using the muscles in my legs to reach her while she’s still close to the center of the rink.
“Hayden,” she whispers, glancing around before looking back at me with concern. “You’re not allowed out here. You’re going to get us both in trouble.”
She tips her beautiful face back to look up at me, and I smile. I’m so gone and lost in her, words could never describe how much I love her. Taking both of her hands in mine, she continues to stare at me in confusion, but she doesn’t question me as she awaits for some type of response from me.
As I drop down onto one knee, releasing her hands as I reach into the front pocket of my jeans, I watch her face transform. Emotion swirls in her gold irises, and she brings both of her hands to her mouth as she lets out a gasp. Tears fill those beautiful eyes and I smile up at her as I hold out a small velvet box.
“I love you, Eden Finley, with every fiber of my being. I gave you my heart, when really you already took my soul. You worked your way into my heart and I never had a chance of stopping it. And even if I could have, I would never have wanted to. When I look at my future, all I can see is you. I want you to be my wife, to one day start a family together. You’re the only person I want to continue this journey with.”
Eden stares down at me, tears streaming down her cheeks as she slowly pulls her hands away from her face. “Oh my god, Hayden,” she breathes, her voice shaking. “You’re absolutely insane.”
“Insane about you, baby.” I smile up at her. “Will you marry me and make me the goddamn happiest man in the world?”
“Yes.” She nods, a strangled laugh slipping from her lips. “Of course I will marry you.”
Flipping open the box, she gasps as she sees the perfectly cut diamond that I had handpicked for her. Plucking the ring from it, I fold the velvet box and slip it back into my pocket before taking her left hand. We both watch, completely transfixed as I slide the ring onto her finger.
As I rise back to my feet, Eden throws her arms around the back of my neck, pulling herself flush against my body as she buries her face in my chest. The entire arena goes insane, the crowd clapping and cheering for us. Eden pulls away, her tear-filled eyes searching mine.
“You’re sneaky.” She laughs softly, shaking her head in disbelief. “You had this whole thing planned, didn’t you? What would you have done if I didn’t win?”
Dropping my face to hers, I nip at her bottom lip. “I knew you would win, Eden. We both play to win and right now, I think we’re tied.”
“I don’t know,” she breathes, her lips brushing against mine. “I think you might have just one-upped me. I need to come up with a better surprise than this, but I don’t think I can outdo this one.”
“So, I did good then?”
“You always do,” she murmurs as our lips connect, melting together.
Our surroundings fade away and no one in this entire arena matters except for the two of us. We’re lost in each other, in this moment that will forever be ingrained in my mind. Eden Finley is my entire world, and now she’s going to be my wife.
To have and to hold for the rest of my life.
