Grady Benson, reckless downhill skier, had actually been good for the reserved owner of a small-town flower shop. Who would’ve guessed?
“I’m not big on public displays of affection.” He spoke into a microphone, his voice echoing down the block. The crowd had stilled. The parade had stopped. Anyone within earshot was now looking at the Olympic gold medalist who’d infiltrated Harbor Pointe only a year before and only because his community service demanded it.
“But I thought I’d make an exception this one time because when you feel the way I do about you, you can’t help but make sure the whole world knows.”
Quinn covered her face with her hands, and Carly glanced at Jaden, who’d broken character to turn and watch as the man who’d barreled his way into their lives a little over a year ago hopped off the float. As he approached Quinn, he never took his eyes off her, and Carly wondered if anyone would ever look at her like that. Genuine happiness, tinged with the slightest trace of jealousy, bubbled inside of her.
Quinn had found what most people never do—a man who kept his promises. A man who now got down on one knee in front of her, with a bevy of onlookers whom he seemed unaware existed. A murmur made its way through the crowd as people visibly strained to see what was happening.
“I want you to spend the rest of your life with me,” Grady said. He turned to Carly. “Will you hold this?” He handed her the microphone and pulled a small, blue velvet box from his back pocket.
People grew even quieter, as if they could hear what was being said without the assistance of the mic.
“Let’s get married.” Grady opened the box and set it on Quinn’s lap.
Quinn stared at the ring for several long seconds—seconds that felt like an eternity, even to Carly—then she nodded.
“Yeah?” Grady’s face lit.
“I thought you’d never ask.” Quinn stood and threw her arms around his neck as he picked her up and spun her around. The happy moment ended, as it should, with a kiss that was slightly too intense for public consumption.
Carly’s dad, Gus, stood. “Okay, okay, that’s enough. You’re holding up the festivities.” But their father’s eyes crinkled into a bright smile.
A smile reserved for his youngest daughter.
Quinn pulled away, but her gaze was still fixed on her new fiancé. “I love you.”
He kissed her again, then turned to go back to the float, but as he did, the crowd let out a collective gasp and someone from behind Carly shouted, “Is that boy okay?”
Carly followed the pointed fingers back to the float, expecting to find Jaden still in position, but instead she found an empty spot where her costumed son had been.
“Where’s Jaden?” Her heart kicked up. “Jaden?”
“He was just there,” Quinn said. “Grady, where’s Jaden?”
“We need a doctor over here!” someone from the other side of the float yelled. “This kid just fell from the top of the float.”
The world turned to slow motion as anxiety clenched Carly’s heart like a vise. She sprung forward into the street and followed Grady around to the other side of the float, where Jaden lay on the ground, lifeless.
“What happened?”
Grady knelt at Jaden’s side. He glanced up at Carly and shook his head. “I don’t know.” Then out to the crowd he yelled, “Someone call 9-1-1.”
Carly knelt down on the opposite side of her son. Grady had pulled the ski goggles off him, and his cheeks were red. She smacked her hand against his cheeks, shaking him and praying that he would open his eyes, that this was all just a big joke they would laugh about later.
But none of those things happened. He lay there, unmoving, unresponsive, a crowd of people closing in as the sirens from an ambulance wailed in the distance.
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