Emma felt tears threatening. "You're giving up playing at your peak to stay?"
"I'm not giving up anything," Nathan corrected gently. "I'm choosing my future. Hockey careers are short. What we have... that's forever. At least, I hope it is."
Before Emma could respond, Nathan reached into his pocket again. This time, he retrieved a small velvet box. Her breath caught as he dropped to one knee.
"Emma Blackwood," he said, his voice steady despite the magnitude of the moment, "you once suggested we meet at midnight to improve our hockey skills. Instead, we changed the course of two families, merged rival teams, and somehow fell in love along the way."
He opened the box, revealing a ring with a stunning sapphire surrounded by diamonds.
"I chose sapphire instead of a traditional diamond," Na
