13. Brock

The streets of Boston are alive with energy as I walk hand in hand with Layla, the glow of the city lights casting a warm, romantic ambiance over everything.

I glance over at Layla, her eyes sparkling with excitement as we make our way towards the restaurant I"ve chosen for our date. She looks stunning tonight, her hair cascading in loose waves around her shoulders, her smile lighting up the night. The green dress she's wearing hugs her curves and makes her eyes pop.

As we approach the restaurant, I can feel my heart pounding in my chest. I"ve planned every detail of this evening down to the last minute, determined to make it a night she"ll never forget.

The restaurant is a cozy little bistro tucked away on a quiet side street, its warm, inviting glow beckoning us inside. I hold the door open for Layla, a smile playing at the corners of my lips as she steps inside, her eyes widening in surprise at the sight of the flickering candles and soft, romantic music.

"Wow," she breathes, her voice barely above a whisper. "This place is amazing."

I grin, feeling a surge of pride swell inside me. "Glad you like it," I say, leading her towards a secluded table in the corner of the room. "I thought it might be the perfect spot for a romantic dinner."

"You"re full of surprises, aren"t you?" she teases, sliding into her seat and tucking her napkin into her lap.

I chuckle softly, taking my seat opposite her. "You have no idea," I say, my voice laced with playful mischief. "But enough about me. Let"s focus on the important things, like what we"re going to eat."

The waiter approaches our table, a friendly smile on his face as he hands us the menus. He takes our drink orders – a glass of red wine for Layla, and a beer for me – before disappearing into the kitchen to give us some time to decide.

I glance up from my menu to find Layla watching me, her eyes dark with desire. "So," she says, her voice low and husky. "What do you recommend?"

I grin, feeling a surge of confidence wash over me. "Well," I say, leaning across the table towards her. "The steak here is supposed to be incredible. But then again, so is the seafood. I guess it just depends on what you"re in the mood for."

"Hmm," she says, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "I think I"ll go with a filet mignon. But only if you promise to share a bite of your seafood with me."

"Deal, and maybe we can split a dessert too. You know, just to make sure we leave room for everything."

Layla laughs, the sound like music to my ears. "Sounds like a plan," she says, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "But only if you promise not to steal all the chocolate."

I raise my hands in mock surrender. "You drive a hard bargain," I say, grinning from ear to ear. "But I think I can manage."

The waiter returns to take our orders, and soon our meals arrive – a perfectly cooked filet for Layla, and a plate of seared scallops for me.

"This looks incredible. How did you find this place?"

"I asked your brother for the best restaurant in the city."

"Did you tell him why you were asking?"

"Yes, I told him that I wanted to take you someplace nice for dinner so that people, Tierney and Randy, would believe our engagement."

"Is she still in town?"

"Yup, my mother and she are plotting to win me back according to my sister-in-law, Beth."

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault. This too shall pass, right?"

"Exactly."

"Tell me more about your marketing job."

"I own my own company. I do a lot of work for the local businesses, but I also have clients in Boston and surrounding areas."

"That's so cool. What made you choose that?"

"Well, after the accident they told me that I had been accepted to medical school and that I'd always dreamed of being a doctor. At the same time I learned I was pregnant with Breckin and didn't know who the father was. I didn't think going to med school and being a doctor would give me the time I wanted with my child."

"You're probably right. Was that a hard decision?"

"No. It was like it was someone else's dream anyway. Eric started playing for the Bruins and I began making highlight reels and different things for him. He asked me to take over his social media, that he'd pay me and it kind of was born there. It's really good marketing for yourself when you tell people that a professional athlete is a client."

"I could see that," I laugh.

"I make my own schedule so it gives me flexibility with Breckin. I don't miss out on important moments with him. My parents and Eric are Godsends though. And other parents have stepped up to help out if I'm in a bind too. Mom and Dad travel a lot to Eric's games so I don't have them to fall back on during the season."

"Your mom said Stetson Falls had been good to you guys."

"Very much so."

"I'm glad. It's such a great small town. I spent so much of my life hating it and wanting to get away and now all I want is to come back."

"Why did you come back? Eric said it's been years since you were home for more than a day or two."

"I can't tell you, honestly, because I don't know. When I ended things with Tierney I just wanted to come home. Something kept pulling me back here. I guess I was kind of done with city life, with people always wanting to hang out with you or whatever because of what you do not for who you are."

"Yeah, Eric always says it's refreshing to leave Boston to come back to Stetson Falls."

"The first day I was back, I'd been in town thirty minutes tops and I ran into you. In that moment it felt like you were the reason why I was home."

"Me? But…"

"I have thought about you a bazillion times since I left you in that hospital room. I'd ask Eric about you from time to time, but he never gave me a lot because he didn't know we were more than acquaintances."

"He's ridiculously overprotective too."

"That too," I laugh.

"What happens if the DNA test says you're not Breckin's father?"

"Nothing changes. I still want to get to know you and him better. I can't tell anyone else this, but I've been in negotiations with the Bruins to be traded here. You're the only person other than my agent who knows that."

"So next season you'd be in Boston, not Nashville?"

"That's the dream."

She smiles widely back at me. "I'd like that."

"Me too."

The waiter comes to the table and offers us our choice of dessert. We decide to split a slice of cheesecake.

"What happens if Breckin is your child?"

"Then I'll take the steps, under the radar, to make it official. I'm not going anywhere anytime soon."

She nods slowly. "Okay."

The waiter brings our cheesecake and we share it.

"Would you like to walk around a bit?"

"I'd love to. It's such a nice night."

I settle the bill and the two of us step out onto the bustling streets of downtown Boston. The city is alive with energy, the air buzzing with the sounds of laughter and music, the scent of street food wafting through the night air.

I take Layla"s hand in mine, feeling a surge of warmth and affection as we stroll along the cobblestone streets, our footsteps echoing in the quiet night. The city lights twinkle overhead, casting long shadows on the sidewalk as we make our way through the crowded streets.

As we walk, I steal glances at Layla, her beauty illuminated by the soft glow of the street lamps. She looks stunning tonight, her hair catching the light as it falls around her shoulders, her eyes sparkling with laughter and excitement.

I squeeze her hand gently, a silent gesture of affection as we navigate our way through the throngs of people. We pass street performers and artists, their talents on full display for all to see, adding to the vibrant tapestry of sights and sounds that surround us.

Layla"s laughter fills the air like music, her infectious joy lifting my spirits and warming my heart. We stop to watch a group of dancers performing in the square, their bodies moving in perfect harmony to the rhythm of the music.

As the night wears on, we find ourselves wandering aimlessly through the maze of streets, lost in our own little world. We duck into a cozy coffee shop when it starts to rain, the warmth of the cafe wrapping around us like a comforting embrace.

We order lattes and find a quiet corner to sit in, sipping our drinks in comfortable silence as we watch the world go by outside. The cafe is filled with the soft murmur of conversation, the scent of freshly brewed coffee filling the air, and I feel a sense of peace settle over me like a warm blanket.

Layla leans in close, her breath warm against my ear as she whispers something in my ear, her words sending a shiver down my spine. I turn to look at her, my heart pounding in my chest, and I can"t help but smile at the sight of her, her eyes sparkling with mischief and desire.

We linger in the cafe for what feels like hours, lost in conversation and laughter, our worries and cares melting away with each passing moment. As the night draws to a close, we reluctantly make our way back out into the drizzle, the memory of our perfect evening together still fresh in my mind.

"This couldn't have been a more perfect night," Layla says as she leans into me.

"I agree," I reply as I slide my arm across her shoulders and pull her into me.

I stop and turn in, taking the moment to kiss her softly. When I pull away she gazes up at me with a smile."That made it even more so."

"There's more where that came from," I flirt.

"Can we take it slow?" she asks as she glances down quickly.

I tip her chin up so she's looking into my eyes again. "Absolutely. I'm in no rush because we have forever."

I kiss her sweetly again before we start for my car again. "Thank you, Brock."

"For what?"

"For tonight. For agreeing to go slow. For not making me feel like I'm asking for too much."

"You don't have to thank me for being a decent human being."

"It's rare."

"Maybe, but you'll never know that again. All you will ever know from here on out is what it's like to be treated like a princess."

When we make it back to my car, I open the door for her and pull her into another hot kiss. She melts into me, pulling away breathlessly.

"You make it hard to go slow," she giggles as she leans her head against my chest.

"Not on purpose."

I help her in the car and then cross over to the driver's side. As soon as the car is started and we're on the road headed back to Stetson Falls, I take her hand in mine.

"Oh, by the way, I thought we should have this so people believe we're really engaged."

I reach into the console and pull out the diamond engagement ring I picked out at Tiffany's yesterday. Maybe I shouldn't have spent this much money on a fake engagement ring but the look on her face makes it worth it.

"Brock, why would you? Oh my goodness. This is gorgeous."

Tears roll down her cheeks as she looks at the platinum solitaire diamond. It's bright and shiny and beautiful.

"You deserve it."

"Brock, it's too much. It's from Tiffany's."

"We have to make it believable," I laugh dismissively. "I'm a professional hockey player with multiple endorsements."

She sighs and gazes at the ring adoringly. "I don't…"

I take the ring out of the box and slide it onto her finger. She's holding her breath as she stares back at it in awe.

"Perfect," I breathe as I lean in and kiss her.

"Please tell me you told my brother about this."

"He would have hunted me down by now if I hadn't," I laugh as I pull out of the parking lot.

"What did he say?"

"It was his idea after all, well that's how I played it anyway. He said he was okay with it as long as we didn't drag Breckin through our charade. He didn't want me to pretend like we were one big happy family and then leave for Nashville in a few months."

"He doesn't know about the Bruins?"

"No, like I said, I technically can't tell anyone until it's a done deal."

She nods. I see her out of the corner of my eye still looking down at the ring. I smile. Getting to see the way her eyes are shining in awe makes my day.