He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box, the glint of a diamond ring catching the last rays of sunlight. Ciara's breath caught in her throat, her heart pounding a wild rhythm against her ribs.
"Ciara Mendez," he said, his voice trembling slightly, "will you marry me?"
Tears welled up in her eyes, tears of joy that flowed freely down her cheeks. The world around them seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of them, their love a beacon in the falling snow.
"Yes!" she cried, her voice choked with emotion. "Yes, Galen, a thousand times yes!"
He slipped the ring onto her finger, the diamond sparkling like a star in the twilight. He pulled her close, his lips meeting hers in a kiss that was as sweet and tender as the falling snow.
In that moment, surrounded by the bea
