Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13

COREY

" S ee? No muumuus!" Mel spun on the dance floor. When I arrived yesterday, I half-expected her to shove a box in my face as punishment for breaking things off with Ollie and not telling her until days after. But when I told her what Jackson said and showed me, I was sure I'd be getting a phone call to post bail for her or to bury his body, she was so furious.

"He'd better hope I never see him. Or that Kev is there to hold me back. Asshole."

"He wasn't wrong, Mel." I hated telling her this over the phone, and even more that she was trying to figure out how to pay the neighbor kids where we used to live when we were married to toilet paper the house and egg his car.

I might have been onboard with that plan.

Because as much as I hated admitting some of what he said was right, another part of me who had shown up loved hockey again and wanted to knee him in the balls.

"I am eternally grateful. And so was the wedding photographer. And Kevin."

"I am eternally sad you made me give up operation-TP-the-house. I hate seeing you sad."

I dance with her, forcing a smile. I had a few glasses of champagne. Ate enough so she wouldn't worry. And stuffed two pieces of cake in my mouth because the romantic setting was killing me. Dancing with Brett LeCavalier felt like an odd connection to Oliver, since his best friend, Noah, was Brett's little brother. And Brett'd been sweet, if not somewhat… off. Like he couldn't wait to escape. Which he had. But I wasn't telling Mel that, since she and Kev planned on sneaking out after our dance.

God, I love this song. Billie Eilish's ‘Birds of a Feather' had been on a playlist Noah sent Oliver, and I listened to it on my runs all summer.

A glutton for punishment.

"Sad isn't bad. But I'm so happy for you, Mel."

"Me, too. And horny. Damn champagne." The song ended, and she clapped her hands. "I love you, but I am off to jump my husband. I'll call you when we land in Ireland?"

"And send me pictures. But not x-rated ones, ok?"

She laughed, hugged me, and then I was alone. I walked over to the bar, ordered a vodka soda with lime, and waited.

A warm hand covered mine, and my body went on high alert. Oliver.

He slid a piece of paper into my hand and said, "Don't turn around until you read it, Blue."

I panicked for a second, then unfolded it. My fingers trembled as I smoothed out the paper.

"I love you, and I'll never let you be anyone but who you are. I'm not going to run from you, or try to make this something it's not. Because you're the first thing I think of, the breath I need or I'll drown, and the blue sky that makes all my dreams worth having at night. And I know you've been let down. But I'll catch you, stand behind you, next to you. But never in your way. If you think this is fleeting, then turn around and I'll show you it's more. So much more. More than lust. More than a moment. More than wanting. It's more than anything I've ever felt. You're more, Blue.

O"

Tears stung my eyes and I couldn't speak. I remembered to breathe and turned around to face him.

"Why are you here, Oliver?"

"Because I love you."

"But how did you-"

Realization dawned on me.

"Noah's brother. Brett. He's in the wedding."

He nodded.

"You flew here? From Seattle?"

Again he nodded, this time those damn dimples appeared.

"And I met with Coach Vaughn two days ago, who had me talk to HR. And I told him I wanted to marry you."

"Wait, what?"

"Not today. But maybe before the season starts. Or at the break. Or next summer. Whenever you decide. But yeah, I love you, Blue, and I want to marry you. The woman I spent hours on the ice with, whose smile lit up the room because she is so good at her job and loves hockey and lights up. Say the word. I'm yours, because you're more than I ever thought I'd find."

A wave of dizziness washed over me, and Oliver reached out to steady me. Green eyes twinkling, a lock of dark hair falling on his forehead. Dimples. My Cyclone.

"Plus, I think I still need to learn a few things, and there's no one else I want to teach me."

He got down on one knee and pulled out a ring. "Marry me?"

This. This was what people who loved each other did. Oliver never made me feel less than. If anything, he made me feel like more.

So much more.

I nodded. "Hell yes, Sutton. I'll marry you."