“Are you ready?” I could hear the nerves in my voice and tried to quietly clear my throat.
“Yeah.” She picked up her purse off her desk and crossed the room. “See you later, Dani.”
Dani waved over her shoulder but didn’t take her eyes off her work.
I opened the door and held it as Jess walked out. Her sugary vanilla scent hit me, and I nearly leaned in after her.
“So where were you thinking?” She asked as she walked to my car.
“I was thinking Sprout for soup and sandwiches, but if you’re craving something else, I’m open to ideas.” I hurried to open the passenger door for her and watched as she settled in before closing it and making my way around to the driver’s side.
“That sounds perfect. Their tomato basil soup is my favorite. I went there once a week last winter because it reminded me of home for some reason.”
Well then, that was a plus for me. I didn’t know she liked that restaurant so much, but I knew she and Dani went there a few times a month.
“Where is home?” I couldn’t believe I didn’t know that about her.
“Boulder.” She smiled.
“I didn’t know that. Are you going home for the holidays?”
She shook her head, “No, this is the first year my parents are empty nesters, so they booked a cruise, and my little brother is going with his best friend’s family to Costa Rica for the break.”
“Wow. That sounds amazing.”
She huffed, “For them.”
I glanced over to see a small smile tugging at her lips.
“Jealous?” I asked.
“Incredibly.” She chuckled. “It's the first year I won’t be with them, so I’m a little sad.”
“Well, most of us are staying. Chloe and Reese are hosting a big dinner on Christmas Eve, so you can come to that.”
She ducked her head. “I’m not sure I’m invited.”
“You’re friends with her and the team. Why wouldn’t you be?”
“She hasn't mentioned it to me.”
I wasn’t going to let her feel down. “She might not know you aren’t going home. You can be my date.”
She snapped her head to me. “Are you asking me on a third date when we haven't even finished our first?”
I hadn’t intended for that to happen, but it was true. I burst out laughing, “I guess so.”
“Really pressing your luck there, Lance. You’re confident this is going to go well.”
I held up my hand. “My whole intent was this lunch was for it to be the icebreaker. If we get all the awkwardness out of the way before the party, we can have a fun time together. By the time Christmas Eve rolls around, we’ll be so far into our relationship you won’t think twice about being my date again.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Awfully cocky of you.”
I smiled. “If only I was that confident. I’m surprised you even said yes once. I know better than to push my luck.”
She bit her lip, but her eyes betrayed her. I could see the smile she was failing to hold back.
“Why did you say yes?” I was genuinely curious. She’d turned me down so many times I never thought it would happen.
She tugged on the end of her braid. “You asked if I wanted to go with you, and I realized that I did. I know we’ll have fun together.”
That wasn’t all. I could tell she was holding something back. If she wasn’t going to admit to having a crush, I wasn’t going to push her. I’d just let that secret power my smiles for the next month or so.
“You’ve never said yes before.”
She nodded. “I never wanted to. It never felt genuine, almost like you were expecting me to say no. Like it was just this game we played. It wasn’t until you showed up and asked me, without an audience, that I felt like saying yes.”
Huh. She hadn’t taken me seriously. She wasn’t wrong about me expecting to be turned down, but that was only because I didn’t think I had a shot. I didn’t think she saw me as anything more than a Fury player or Jake’s friend.
So what had changed in me? The possibility that she might actually like me. That dash of courage, even if it was just a rumor, was enough for me to make a true effort. To take me, and her, seriously.
“Thanks for giving me a chance.” I smiled and pulled into the parking lot of Sprout.
Instead of opening the door, she remained frozen in her seat.
“Are you okay?” Did she change her mind?
She slowly turned to face me. “This feels weird.”
“What?” There were a thousand possibilities running through my mind. Was she ill? Did she not want to eat here?
“You. Me. This.” She gestured between us. “It’s weird. Not in a bad way, but…”
She trailed off while I stared at her wishing I could read her mind. What was so weird? Sure, we had a history of playing cat and mouse, and she wasn’t a fan of my past reputation, but I wasn’t that man anymore. I wanted to be better. I wanted to be happy.
“But?” The word was barely a whisper.
She rolled her bottom lip between her teeth. “It’s nothing.”
I let out a huff of a laugh, “It’s obviously not if you’re this worked up.” I just wanted her to tell me. Open up to me. Make this more than a casual lunch.
“It just feels different.” Her eyes pleaded with me to understand. I wanted to. I wanted to feel whatever she was. She sighed. “It feels like this could be the beginning.”
Her words hit me square in the chest and through to my heart. The beginning? Of us? That was exactly what I wanted. I nearly jumped across the car and wrapped my arms around her. I wanted to scream. Yes! This is the beginning!
Before I could reply, she grinned and got out of the car. I followed and met her at the back. She gazed up at me and slid her hand into mine. At that moment, I felt it too.
Seven
Jessica
I must have seemed insane. Sitting there, stunned, by the realization that the nerves or regret I’d been waiting for never came. All morning, I kept my hands and mind busy with tasks, but more often than not, I caught myself smiling at nothing.
Excitement. That was it.
Even when he came and picked me up, I thought on the drive panic would set in. I thought this would be awkward. That something in my brain could click into place, and I’d tell him to take me back. That it was a mistake, but as I sat in his car, this feeling settled over me. A bit of relief mixed with anticipation. I couldn’t describe it any other way. My gut was telling me it was the beginning of something big.
I probably seemed a little crazy to him, but he didn’t react. He just smiled like maybe he felt it too.
Lunch was delicious, but it was the conversation that made the whole outing. Gone was the immature and teasing Lance I knew. Instead, he was smart and funny.
“I can’t believe you never got caught,” I exclaimed before sinking down. I didn’t mean to speak so loudly, but I was shocked.
“Coach never realized it was me. I swear he interrogated the entire team, but none of them ratted me out.”
He toilet papered his coach’s house every day for a week and somehow got away with it.
“Why didn’t he stay up and wait to see who it was?” I asked.
He shrugged. “I have no idea. It’s not like I was some mastermind. I went around one or two every night and just avoided the motion detection lights.”
“You must have felt like superman or something.”
He puffed up his chest. “Batman actually.”
I laughed for what felt like the hundredth time. I couldn’t remember a time lately that I’d so completely enjoyed myself. The best part was that his attention never left me. He didn’t stare at his phone or check out the women that walked by more frequently than necessary. Two fans stopped by for autographs, which he happily gave, but other than that, I was his focus.
It was so unexpected. Something that should be a bare minimum but was ridiculously hard to find. He made me feel li
ke I was the only person in his world. Like I could say or do anything, and he would go along with me. I didn’t feel like I had to be on my best behavior or fake interest. I could simply be me, and it was enough for him.
Days passed.
Long hours of planning and coordinating didn’t give me a chance to overthink what was happening with Lance. I spoke to him every day since our lunch date. Either he stopped by with lunch or dinner for me and Dani with Jake, he sent me texts throughout the day, or he called when he was done with training.
We found a rhythm. A routine.
Me and Lance. It was almost too weird to believe, even for me. But things were good. We were taking it slow. Getting to know each other without forcing the other to open up.
“How are you still smiling?” Dani groaned and fell into a chair at the table I was finishing. The party was just hours away, and our vision was coming together. Twenty-four stations were set up with the players, Coach Rust and Romney’s favorite things along with the perimeter of the banquet hall with tables surrounding a dance floor.
“She’s been smiling for a week. I’m pretty sure it doesn’t even go away when she sleeps.” Chloe moved the centerpiece vase two inches to the left.
“It’s because she’s in L-O-V-E,” Taylor added helpfully.
“I am not,” I argued. Love was far off on the horizon. Maybe in a few months, we’d get there, but not yet. “I’m just having fun.”
“Oh, please. You’re smitten,” Dani said with a laugh. “But so is he.”
“That’s true,” Amelia, one of the team trainers and Derek’s girlfriend, called from the next table. “You’re all he talks about.”
“That’s an exaggeration.” It had to be. We hadn’t been on another date since neither of us had time. There wasn’t much for him to tell.
“Like what?” Chloe leaned against the table and crossed her arms.
“How beautiful and sweet she is, and how grateful he is that she gave him a chance.” Amelia winked at me.
I ducked my head while pretending spreading paper snowflakes on the table was the most engaging task.
“Of course, he’s saying that. She made him work for it,” Dani said with a chuckle.
“Good for you,” Madi said as she walked by with a box in her arms. “These guys think they don’t have to try at all when it comes to getting the women they want. It’s best to keep them on their toes.”
Did every woman from the Pride know about me and Lance? It shouldn’t have surprised me, but I’d never been the topic of discussion.
“Okay, I’m calling it. We all need to head home and get ready,” Dani said with a clap as she stood.
I scanned the room and agreed. We were finished. The remaining tasks would be done by the vendors, not us, so it was time to go.
“Sounds good. I’ll see you all later!” Taylor called as she picked up her purse.
“Call me if anything comes up,” I told Dani. I walked by the displays and made sure the non-perishable items were all set up. A few of the players listed food or drinks as their favorite things, but most thought differently. We had ten TVs set up with different video games ready for the attendants to play. I was surprised how popular those responses were, but I was more surprised by Coach Romney’s request to have a golf simulator brought in. He and Coach Rust agreed to share theirs, so we found a way to make it happen. The most surprising were Nikolai’s chess set and Brandon’s model airplanes.
The dinner was sure to impress our more traditional donors that might not appreciate the displays, but I was proud of how our idea turned out. The younger audience would likely enjoy the effort, and as long as they remembered to open their wallets at the end of the night, that was what mattered. I wanted to be able to hand over a huge check for the children’s hospital at the end of the night.
By the time I got to my apartment, I had two hours to shower and get dressed. It wasn’t a formal event, so I picked out an emerald green sweater and dark jeans. I curled my hair into loose waves and put on a bit more makeup than I normally wear. I felt pretty when I was done and couldn’t wait for Lance to arrive.
A knock sounded right on time. I picked up my coat and purse and swung the door open. He beamed back at me, looking far too handsome in a cream sweater with green reindeer prancing across his wide chest.
“Hi,” He bent down and kissed my cheek, a habit he picked up over the week. It was the furthest we’ve gone, and although I appreciated him taking things slow, it was frustrating. I wanted him to kiss me properly. I wanted to know what it would feel like. If it was half as amazing as I thought it would be.
“Hey.” I gazed up at his blue eyes and nearly sighed. How had this man gone from someone that drove me a bit crazy with his mere presence to someone I found myself missing.
“You look absolutely beautiful.” His voice was just above a whisper, and I felt a tingle from my head to my toes.
“Thank you.” I slipped my hand into his and closed the door behind me. Thankfully, the women prepared me for the red carpet that led into the event. When I reserved it, I thought it was just a fun holiday detail to make the guests feel special. Oh no. It was a red carpet for the press to get pictures of the players and elite guests as they arrived.
“I think I’m going to slip in through one of the side entrances,” I mentioned as casually as possible when we were a few blocks away.
He glanced at me, “What do you mean?”
“I don’t need to walk the carpet.” Nor did I want to.
“You don’t want to be pictured with me?” He tried to make it sound like a joke, but I could tell he was actually bothered.
“It’s just that we aren’t like an official couple or anything. I didn’t think you would want to be photographed with me.” That was the truth. I didn’t want the rejection, so I decided to remove the possibility.
“What if I do?” His voice was quiet.
“You want the press to write about us? You know they’ll start rumors.”
He reached toward me and took my hand. “I don’t care what they do. You’re my . . . date. I’m not going to hide that.”
I wanted to question his hesitation. Was he going to say something else?
“So you’re ready for us to go public? As friends?” Ugh. I just wanted him to tell me what we were. It may have only been a week, but we were more than friends. Right?
“I am if you want to, Jess. I like you. I thought I made that clear.”
We were running out of time. We were less than a block from the valet. If I was going to dodge the cameras, I’d need to make a move now. But he didn’t deny we’re friends. Just friends.
Take a risk, Jess. I could practically hear Dani screaming at me.
“Okay,” I said.
“Okay? You’ll come with me?” He asked, and I nodded.
He brought my hand up to his lips and pressed a kiss to my knuckles. “Thank you.”
I didn’t think it would matter to him, but the smile that took over his face told a different story.
“Ready?” He asked once we were next in line.
“I think so,” I sucked in a breath.
The valets opened our doors, and I stepped out. Lance met me on the passenger side then took my coat and purse and handed them along with his jacket to the waiting attendants. The red carpet was lined with heaters so we could make our way without being cold.
“I’ll make this quick,” he whispered against my hair as he squeezed my hand.
He led us with confidence to the first of the flashing lights. I clung to him, trying not to let how overwhelmed I felt show. He was a pro and answered each question with a smile, never pausing in one spot for more than a few seconds. We were through the entrance within two minutes.
“Thank you,” he said while I surveyed the room.
I met his eyes and smiled. I was glad he asked me. Only a few reporters asked about our relationship, and Lance played it off perfectly. If rumors started, we’d deal with it, but I doubted people wou
ld care.
“This looks amazing.” He was scanning the area with a wide smile. “I can’t believe you guys did all this.”
That was the best compliment I could get. All of our work definitely paid off.
“Let’s go enjoy it.” I nodded across the room. “There’s a Philly cheesesteak stand waiting for you.”
His face lit up like a child on Christmas morning, and he tugged me to follow him as he carved a path directly toward the stall.
“This is the best team party ever!” he cried after he took his first bite.
“I agree. We should do this theme every year,” Wyatt, the Fury’s captain, announced.
I smiled at Kendall next to him. “Are you guys having a good time?”
She laughed. “I’ve never seen any of the guys have this much fun. You guys really raised the bar.”
What a relief. This wasn’t a failure. I was pretty confident, but you never really knew until the party was in full swing and you could see people’s reactions.
“I’m so glad.” I laughed as Lance pulled me against his side and draped his arm over my shoulder.
“My girl did good.” His laugh rumbled against my arms. His girl? When did that happen?
Wyatt and Kendall walked away, and I tipped my chin up toward him with my brows raised.
“What?” he asked with a twinkle in his eyes.
I was about to press him about it when Reese and Erik interrupted with Madi and Chloe following behind.
“Hey, guys!” Erik slapped Lance’s back, and I shifted to avoid getting hit.
We got swept up with the group and moved from stall to stall while also mingling with the donors.
I caught Lance watching me with an expression I couldn’t decipher, but we didn’t have another moment alone until we were leaving, and by then I was way too exhausted to have the conversation that needed to happen.
Tonight was perfect. That was all that mattered.
Eight
Snowflakes and Ice Skates: A Holiday Romance Anthology (Utah Fury Hockey) Page 15
