Chapter 51

Chapter 51

D on’t throw up.

That was my first thought when I realized what Heath was doing.

Then I thought: No. Please, no. Not like this.

But with all those people watching, flashbulbs popping like fireworks, my face projected on a screen twenty feet tall, all I could say was yes.

I took the ring and we kissed and he spun me around and the audience cheered. When we got to the kiss and cry, the diamond was still gripped in my hand. Heath had to pry my fist open to slip it onto my finger.

More cheering. So many cameras pointed at us, I couldn’t even count them.

My hand stung. I’d clenched the ring so tight, the gold prongs gouged my palm.

Finally, our marks appeared, and we were officially the national champions.

We kissed again. We stood and waved and smiled until my face hurt.

As we lined up for the medal ceremony, Frannie Gaskell grabbed my hand and squealed with delight at the way the diamond sparkled under the arena lights.

At the press conference afterward, the first question was not really a question at all: “Show us the ring, Katarina.” I did what they asked, splaying my fingers so the facets flashed.

The ring was beautiful. It looked like my mother’s—the Art Deco family heirloom I’d sold to pay for our first trip to Los Angeles. Heath had it custom-made, based on his recollection of that piece. That’s what he told the reporters. He’d been planning this since before the season started, for when—not if—we won the championship. He had our costume designer sew a special pocket into his pants to hide the ring. He was so afraid it would fall out while we were skating, he kept checking it, making sure it was secure.

I smiled and laughed when I was supposed to, and tried not to think about how Heath’s distraction could have lost us points, maybe even cost us the title. I kept my hand hooked around his elbow, so the ring stayed visible in every picture. I answered question after question. None of them were about our performance.

Afterward, Bella approached. She gave me a hug—not something she did often, even when we had been closer. I’d never told her the real reason we left the Academy, never revealed my suspicions about her mother sabotaging us. Bella and I were friendly rivals still, but I wouldn’t have called us best friends anymore.

She kept her arms around me. She had to stand on her tiptoes to reach my neck.

“You okay?” she asked.

I stiffened. Then I slumped against her with relief. While everyone else was showering me with congratulations, Bella Lin saw through my feigned delight.

“Congratulations,” Bella said. “On the way you skated today, and only that. Any bitch can get married, but—”

“But it takes a special bitch to be national champion?”

“Exactly.” We both laughed, embracing again. “I’m coming for you at Worlds, though.”

I smiled. “You better.”

“And if you ask me to plan a bachelorette party or a bridal shower or any of that shit, I’m hiring a dude to whack you in the knee.”

“Seems fair.”

She squeezed my shoulder. “See you on the podium, Shaw.”

—

“You want to go out and celebrate?” Heath asked as soon as we were ensconced in our chauffeured car, heading back to the Ritz-Carlton. “Or stay in and celebrate?”

With a look so heated I was glad the privacy partition was rolled up, he kissed my knuckles, right above the ring. Again, my hand clenched into a fist.

Heath pulled away. “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know.” Truly, I didn’t. I loved him. I wanted to be with him forever, as far as I could understand forever at the ripe old age of twenty-five. But every time I looked at the diamond on my finger, I felt like there were icicles puncturing my gut.

“Shit,” he said. “You hated that, didn’t you?”

“I just…” It had been so much easier with Bella. “Why now?”

“Being back in Cleveland, winning the title—it’s like we’ve come full circle.” He sighed, raking his fingers through his hair. “I thought it would be romantic.”

I slid my hand across the leather seat toward him. “It was. ”

“I’m sorry. I honestly thought this is what you would want.”

Our relationship had become a public spectacle; it was no wonder he thought I’d want a spectacular public proposal too. I hadn’t even known the line was there until he leapt over it.

“If you don’t want to marry me,” he said, “that’s—”

I twisted toward him, seatbelt slicing into my collarbone. “Of course I want to marry you, Heath. You took me by surprise, that’s all.”

The car slowed, pulling up to the hotel.

“Let’s focus on winning Worlds,” I said. “Then we can figure out the wedding stuff.”

Only, after Worlds we were leaving for the Stars on Ice tour. As soon as that was over, it would be time to get ready for next season. The Olympic season.

“There’s no rush,” Heath said. “We have the rest of our lives.”