Page 46 of A Good Puck

“Come walk with me?” she asked.

“Anytime,” Charlie responded.

As she led them out of the restaurant, Olive’s heart raced. She was walking them towards her place, and though she knewCharlie would not say no to spending the night together, she was starting to feel nervous that she wouldn’t agree to every night after.

The spring weather was perfect, not too hot but not too chilly either, and after their required commentary about the weather, Charlie finally asked, “So where are you taking me?”

“To my place,” Olive said.

“Oooh,” Charlie responded. “I’m excited. I still remember the last time I was there.”

Olive shook her head at the mischievous look in their eyes, but it didn’t last long. She remembered it too, and she had to admit that there was a part of her that was curious about how else they could explore her collection of toys. But that would be later. First, she had to get theromanceon.

“When’s your next trip?” Olive asked, realizing she wasn’t sure how long Charlie would stay in town.

“I don’t know. Soon though, probably. Depends on some things.”

Charlie was being vague for the first time that evening, and Olive wasn’t sure what to do about it. It was unusual for her to be that cryptic. “Like what?”

“Like what my girlfriend thinks about it.”

Olive paused mid-walk, causing the people behind them to nearly bump into her. Charlie apologized for them both and led Olive to the side of the street.

“Sorry, baby. I shouldn’t have said that.” Charlie was rambling now. “It’s just that’s what I’ve been saying when my agent and managers ask, and I know I should’ve asked you first, but I think it was easier to say that than ‘the woman I see every time I’m in Toronto and am sort of committed to, but we’re not really official yet but I really want to be’ and?—”

Olive kissed Charlie, recognizing that was the best way to shut them up.

“You’re so mean.” Olive pouted. “I wanted to be the one to ask you. That was the whole point of this.”

“Awww.” Charlie grabbed Olive’s face in their hands. Olive couldn’t stay mad at them when they were like this, and she felt the slight annoyance already leaving her body.

“You can ask me now,” Charlie said.

“Fine. Will you let me be your girlfriend?” Olive asked.

“Of course.”

Their celebratory kiss may have earned them cheers from passersby, and Olive tuned them all out as she focused only on the feel of Charlie’s lips against hers. She was about to bite their lip when Charlie broke up their kiss, panting slightly as she leaned her forehead against Olive’s.

“And I can be your…boyfriend?”

“Whatever you want to be, darling.”

“Thanks, baby.”

They managed to stop kissing long enough to realize they should probably take the next part of their evening private, and as they walked hand-in-hand to Olive’s place, she couldn’t help but think fondly of that spontaneous night she had with a hot hockey player. She had no clue that that one magical night would turn into this, now walking together towards the rest of her life with the person of her dreams. If it was a fairytale, she never wanted the story to end.