Page 25

T he River City Arena looms ahead of me, its sleek glass facade reflecting the streetlights and the beautiful full moon that explodes across the sky tonight. The place feels eerily quiet, stripped of its usual game-night craziness—no roaring fans, no blaring music, just the low hum of life in the off-hours. A few cars are scattered across the expansive parking lot, their dark shapes like punctuation marks against the wide, empty expanse of concrete.

I pull into a spot near the entrance and cut the engine, letting the silence settle around me for a beat. I scan the lot, looking for Ollie’s car. He said he’d meet me here, but so far, I don’t see him—or anyone else, for that matter.

There’s a soft thud as my sneakers smack against the pavement as I step out of the car, the late winter air biting at my cheeks. I glance around again, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear as I try to shake the nervous energy buzzing in my chest. Ollie isn’t exactly the punctual type, but still, I can’t help feeling like I’m being watched—or maybe it’s just the empty stillness of the place getting to me.

It’s been days since we’ve seen each other, and we’ve not spoken. Ollie was respectful: he’d done what I asked and gave me the space that I needed. Standing here alone now, I’m ready to tell him where I stand, why I wanted to take a minute to stay still. Because it’s all starting to fall into place now. At least, for me it is. I know what I want, and I can only hope I haven’t scared him off.

I head toward the entrance, my footsteps echoing faintly in the quiet. If Ollie doesn’t show up soon, I’ll just text him. But for now, I keep looking, my breath puffing out in little clouds as I search for any sign of him.

“He could be meeting you here tonight so he can tell you it’s over, Anna,” I mutter to myself as I stand on the sidewalk, my head swiveling. Seriously. No sign of life.

“Excuse me, hi,” a voice calls out from behind. I pivot on my heel to find a pretty brunette with bright blue eyes holding a bouquet of flowers. “You’re Anna.”

There’s something about her that’s familiar, in a way that you can’t put your finger on, but you know them. As I look at her perfect smile, showing off the whitest teeth I’ve ever seen, a memory of a photo in Ollie’s house of him with his sisters rushes to mind.

“You’re Mia,” I say, walking to her, arms outstretched. As I lean in to hug her, she tries to hand me the flowers. There’s a confused moment where I go to take the flowers, but she comes in for a hug until we both laugh and finally wrap our arms around each other.

“It’s nice to meet you,” she says, stepping away and now handing me the giant bouquet. “It’s been a long time coming. These are for you.”

The bouquet is an explosion of color, with golden sunflowers towering over velvety red roses and delicate white lilies that exude a soft, sweet fragrance. Wispy baby’s breath and trailing eucalyptus leaves soften the boldness, while vibrant orange gerbera daisies and purple irises streaked with gold add playful, elegant touches.

“They’re beautiful,” I whisper.

“Ollie had me pick them out,” she says, putting her hand to her mouth like she’s telling me some great secret I don’t know.

“I figured,” I say with a chuckle.

“You know, I’ve heard so much about you over the years, it’s still weird to think we never met.”

“If it helps, Ollie, your mom, and your younger sisters all said that we’d like each other once we did meet.”

She grins. “To tell you the truth, I think I used to get a little jealous of you. Here was this girl coming to my house that my mom and my little sisters liked. And then, my little brother started to do anything and everything he could to impress her.”

“Does it help to know the girl didn’t get it until about a month ago?”

“No,” she says as she winks. “But it counts that she’s here now.”

Mia takes off the long peacoat she wears in a dramatic fashion to reveal what looks like a butler’s outfit underneath: black jacket over a white shirt and paired with white pants.

“While I could talk to you all night, I have a job, and you,” she says as she tosses the coat over her arm and motions for me to follow her, “have someone waiting for you.”

I trail after Mia through the parking lot, her black butler outfit—complete with a crisp bowtie and shiny dress shoes—looking hilariously out of place against the cracked asphalt and scattered cars. She moves with purpose, glancing over her shoulder to make sure I’m following.

“Almost there,” she chirps, her tone far too casual for the bizarre situation.

We round the far corner of the lot, slipping behind a line of hedges where the concrete gives way to a little hidden nook. That’s when I see it—a vintage pickup truck, its polished red exterior gleaming even in the dim light. Strings of fairy lights wind around the truck bed, casting a warm, golden glow over the scene. A small table is set up with a pristine white tablecloth, candles flickering gently, and plates of food so beautifully arranged they could be straight out of a five-star restaurant.

And there’s Ollie, standing beside it in that perfectly tailored suit of his, the one that makes him look extra stinking hot on game night. It makes him look more like he’s heading to a gala than hanging out in a parking lot. When our eyes lock, he flashes a grin that’s both charming and a little nervous, his hands tucked casually into his pockets. My heart stumbles in my chest. What on earth did I just walk into?

We come to a halt directly in front of Ollie, his hands clasped in front of him.

He nervously pushes his fingers through his hair. “I’m glad you came.”

Be still my heart. “I’m glad you said you’d meet me.”

As we stare into each other’s eyes, I realize what the meaning of getting lost in someone is, because I could do it now. The tug in my stomach is an excited pull as my body reacts to his being near. It’s like chemistry, or dancing with some kind of fire element. It leaves me wanting to combust.

The sound of liquid pouring turns my attention back to Mia who stands at the truck filling two champagne flutes. She turns around and hands us each a glass, then looks at Ollie.

“I’ve got it from here,” he says, only his eyes never leave mine.

Mia snickers under her breath, in that annoying but loving way only an older sibling can, before she retreats. By the time I drag my eyes from Ollie’s to say it was nice meeting her, she’s already disappeared.

“So,” Ollie begins, bringing my focus back to him, this gorgeous night with a giant full moon that is so perfect it could have been painted into the sky, and the pickup truck drenched with fairy lights that is our backdrop. Can it get more romantic? “Do you like the truck I rented?”

My hand flies to my mouth as laughter escapes it. Of course he rented the truck for tonight. “I love it.”

He holds up his glass as if he wants to make a toast, but I put my hand on his forearm to stop him.

“Before we do that,” I say, my voice tiptoeing on the line of being serious, “can I say something?”

“Of course,” he says, lowering his hand. “I guess you were the one who texted to see me.”

“Very true, because I want to explain to you what’s been going on.”

Ollie holds his hand out for me to take, which I do, and he leads me over to the truck where he has the gate down as a proxy seat. I jump up and once I’m settled in, I look at him. Right into those yummy blue eyes where the gray flecks dance tonight.

“I gave Ben and Molly my two weeks, and it’s not because I’m taking the job with Sutton. I’m not doing that, either.” When Ollie’s eyes grow wide, I hold up a finger. “I needed time last week for me. I’ve felt like I was phoning life in until this whole fake-dating thing happened.”

Ollie cocks his head to the side, his eyes squinting quizzically. “But, I thought you loved your job?”

“I do, I did, but it was a Band-Aid.” I cross one leg over the other and stare at the ground. “Here I was with a business degree and I didn’t know what I wanted in life. I couldn’t afford to live on my own, so I moved home with my dad. He’s the one who helped me get that job.”

“It’s not that bad living at home,” Ollie says, teasing me with that easy, sexy grin of his.

“Well, I don’t want that for me. Which is why I’m moving out.” Ollie’s eyes grow wider still. “I’m not done.”

“You’ve been busy. How are you not done?”

“Because I know what I want to do now.” I clasp my hands together in my lap. “The one thing I noticed through this whole process is that I like helping people, and I also specifically know a lot about hockey from growing up around the arena. So, I’m going to start working for Travis Richards.”

“Travis? The agent?”

I nod, proud of myself. “He’s going to take me on and teach me how to be an agent. I’ll start working for him in a few weeks.”

Ollie stands still, staring at me for only a moment before he jumps off the back of the gate and grabs me, spinning me around in the air and cheering.

“That’s amazing!” he shouts as he sets me back down on the pavement, laughing. “You’ll be great at it. Actually, you’ll be the best…and Travis knows it or he wouldn’t be bringing you on.”

“That’s what Sutton said when I talked to her about it earlier. I had her help me negotiate.”

“I didn’t know he was hiring,” Ollie muses.

“He wasn’t,” I point out. “I talked him into it.”

“You’re incredible.” Ollie’s hands fly up to my cheeks, and he holds my face delicately. But even as I recount how I got my new job, there’s a rush of adrenaline through my body. I’ve missed this man. He’s part of me, and not being with him for this chunk of time made me see how much he means to me.

While Ollie’s energy is moving in chill mode, I can’t take our proximity any longer. Being this close is killing me, so I ramp it up to ten. Snaking my arm around his neck, I stand on my tiptoes and let my lips slide onto his so I can kiss Ollie Decker right on his mouth.

My sudden move takes him by surprise, but all I can think is—good. This whole #OllieAnna thing has taken me by surprise, too, so time for a little yin to his yang. My body presses against his as his fingers lightly stroke my cheek, sending a sensation of shivers and goosebumps dancing across my skin.

There’s a rush of blood inside me, a hurriedness in that push-pull of making out that feels absolutely amazing and also ridiculously scary all at once. Ollie’s hands are suddenly wrapped around my waist, giant arms bearing my weight as he easily picks me up, while I sling my legs around him, wrapping them around his middle.

I could do this all DAY. But this is the moment where the pace changes and Ollie takes control. My hands are busy exploring his biceps and sliding underneath his jacket so I can feel more, touch his smooth skin more, his low groan telling me he’s enjoying my touch as much as I’m hypnotized by his.

Then, the sound of something popping near us makes me stop, pulling away from our embrace suddenly. I freeze, thinking I’m hearing things when it sounds off again. Like popcorn in a microwave. “What is that?”

Ollie grins and shrugs, his gaze aimed at the night sky. More popping. When I tilt my head back and look up, I’m floored to see the most beautiful fireworks display beginning in the air above us.

“What is that?” I cry out, clapping my hands together. “I didn’t know there were fireworks tonight!”

“Well,” Ollie begins, “Mia insisted.”

“What?” I say, cracking up as I spin around and plant a hand on my hip as Ollie tells me about him, Mia, and the quest for the “grand gesture.” I take his hands and listen to every word, completely flabbergasted that this man had gone to so much trouble, and with the help of his sister, for me.

For. Me.

“So, I planned the truck,” Ollie finishes, waving his hand with a flourish at the scene behind him, “and she took care of some fireworks. Grand gesture moment activated.” He leans in and kisses my nose. “Did it work?”

“And then some.” I chuckle, wrapping my arms around his neck as we both look up at the show.

“Good.” Ollie tugs on my waist, pulling me tight, pressing his hard body against mine. “It was the best way I knew to tell you I love you.”

When I open my mouth to speak, Ollie pinches my lips closed. “My turn to tell you that I not only love you because of our history and all of the years we have together and because of all of the memories, but I am also very much in love with you. I think I have been since we were in high school.”

“Ollie.” I lean in and kiss his cheek. “I’m in love with you, too. And I have no idea when it began, I just know that if I’m awake, I want to be with you. There is something so miraculous about falling in love with your best friend.”

“Ah,” he says wagging a finger in the air, “but it’s not about miracles. It’s about a lifetime.”

“A reason, a season, or a lifetime.” My cheeks are sore from all the smiling tonight, but I put them through another rep. “How have I managed to luck out with you?”

“I know, right?” he says, puffing up his chest. “You landed a hockey player, you lucky girl.”

“I landed a guy who has a job that will take him out on the road more during the year than I’d like,” I say with a laugh as he tickles my sides. “But I’ll be here waiting for you each time.”

“And I’ll fly you to my games,” Ollie adds, punctuating his words with a peck on my lips.

“Yeah you will, because I need to pay rent with my new salary.” I laugh.

“I don’t want us to go more than a few days apart from now on,” he says, his tone serious. He hooks his fingers through my belt loop and tugs me in closer. “I love you and I want to make sure we stay like this.”

I tilt my head to the side, our eyes locking. “I think we can make that happen. Have your people call my people…”

I jump back playfully as Ollie takes a swipe, trying to grab me, both of us laughing. I see a chance and I run in a circle around the truck. I know he’ll follow me. I’d follow him. It’s what we do. We’re here for each other, and always have been.

A couple of months ago, if you had asked me what life looked like in the future for me, I would have laughed if anyone had tried to tell me it would look like this. Like two people, in love, laughing in a parking lot, who have their whole lives ahead of them.

I’ve got no clue where we’ll be in six months or a year, but as long as we’re together I know it’ll be great.

Because a love like this feels like flying.