Page 35 of Hockey Player Seeking Fan (Billionaires Seeking Wives Club #2)

I open the attachment and show it to her. She licks her lips nervously and blinks rapidly.

“But… this is me.”

“Exactly,” I say.

“It’s me, but where’s the heart?”

“You are the heart. You’re my heart.”

I look at her, steady and serious.

“I love you, Erica. You’ve inspired me. You make me happy.

You make me realize that life isn’t just black or white.

It’s not all good or evil, or marriage or sex, or one-night stands.

It’s one big, lovely, complicated mess. And when you meet the one, you don’t need to put a label on things.

You don’t need to be right. You just need to be with them. ”

“You think I’m the one?” she says, grinning widely.

“I think you’re the one. Yes, I do.”

“So what, there is no anatomical heart painting?”

“No, you goof,” I say as I grab her head and kiss her heart. “You are the painting. You are my heart.”

“I’m your heart?”

“Yeah. And I love you.”

“You love me?”

"I love you.”

“I love you more than words can say. I love you so much that I’m going to be really mad if I don’t hear you say the word soon, seeing as Coach is about to kill me.”

“I love you, you stupid idiot,” she says, running her fingers across the side of my face. “I have loved you since?—"

“Don’t tell me since the day you met me. I won’t believe you.”

She giggles. “Maybe not since the day I met you… but when I saw you that first time, I did think you were hot. I’m not gonna lie.”

“I knew you had a thing for me.”

“No, you didn’t,” she says.

“Yeah, I did. Because I kinda had a thing for you.”

“If you tell me you threw that drink on me on purpose, it’s over.”

“I would never do such a thing to you, my darling. I love you. I love you so much, and now I better get on the ice before I have no love left to give.”

She stands up and runs her fingers across my lips.

“You play your heart out. And tomorrow, you win that game.”

She smiles.

“Because I want to say that I’m married to the MVP of the NHL… or is it NFL?”

She wrinkles her nose. “Or is it NBA?”

“Oh my gosh, really, Erica?”

She bursts out laughing.

“Gotcha. I know it’s not the NBA. Now go. Scoot. Make me proud.”

“Always,” I say. “I love you, Erica Carrington.”

“I love you, Tyler Kane. Now go.”

I run down the steps and back toward the ice. Coach looks at me, shaking his head.

“Are we going to have to have a serious talk here? Am I going to have to ban?—”

“No, Coach. I’m good. I’m real good.”

“Oh?” he says, tilting his head and eyeing me. “You’ve never had a girl come watch you play before.”

“I haven’t.”

“You’ve never had a girl at your games—at least not one you were dating.”

“I haven’t.”

“You dating her?”

“I hope so,” I say with a wide grin.

“You hope so?”

“Yeah. I kinda love her. And I think she kinda loves me.”

Coach rolls his eyes and shakes his head.

“Is that what this was all about? You got bit by the love bug?”

“You got a problem with that, Coach?”

“No. But you’re gonna play good hockey?”

“I’m gonna fucking kill it,” I say. “Trust me.”

“Good,” he says. “Now get on the ice and show me why I’m paying you the big bucks.”

“Yes, Coach.”

I skate onto the ice and glance over at Elliot. His jaw is wide open, and he looks pissed. I skate toward him. If he’s staying on the team and I’m going to be with Erica, we need to have words.

“I fucking knew it,” he says. “You just wanted to?—"

“I’m going to say this one more time, Elliot. Because obviously Erica is my woman. I didn’t know when you were going on a date with her that this was going to happen. However, I still don’t think you treat women well, and I will be watching you. You hear me?”

He blinks.

“Whatever.”

“Yeah, whatever. Don’t you look at Erica again. Don’t you look at her friends. Don’t you even think about saying anything to her. Because if you do, you’ll be off this team and you’ll never play hockey again.”

“Whatever,” he says.

“You want to test me?” I move closer and whisper in his ear. “I know people. And when I say I know people, I can make it so that you’re done.”

I am very much exaggerating and trying to channel someone from The Godfather , but he doesn’t need to know that.

He steps back, and I see fear in his eyes.

“Yo, it’s not that important to me. Whatever. If you want to be with her, have her.”

“I don’t need your permission. Now let’s play some hockey. We’ve got a game to win tomorrow, rookie.”

“Yeah, we do,” he says, nodding.

“And Elliot,” I add.

“Yes?” He sounds pissed.

“Just remember—if you need any advice on how to treat a woman, or how to date, or whatever… you can come to me. I’m not going to bite your head off.”

He looks unsure.

“What? I don’t understand…”

“I mean, I was you once. Maybe not as cocky and full of myself, and maybe not such a jackass to women, but I was you. I thought I was the shit. And I would’ve liked to have met someone like me—someone with their head on straight—who could inform me about some things in life.

Anything. Money management. How to treat a woman.

How to give back to the community. You need help, you come to me. ”

His face softens slightly.

“You mean it?”

“Yeah. I don’t hold grudges.”

“I mean, I might have some questions about investments and stuff. If you’re down to have a conversation.”

“Always,” I say.

In fact, I nod over to Erica.

“Her brothers are very good investors. I’m sure they might have even more words of wisdom for you.”

“But they hate me.”

“Nah. You’re good. You’re my teammate now. Let’s play some hockey.”

I skate in the other direction and glance back. He’s got a small smile on his face. I feel at ease. I feel really, really good.

I don’t really like Elliot, but he is my teammate.

And I was being honest with him when I said I’d been a bit of a jackass, too, when I was younger.

I would’ve appreciated someone reaching out to me.

Maybe he isn’t a bad guy. Maybe he just needs to grow up.

Maybe I can help him. Maybe I can’t. But at least I’m trying.

I look up into the stands and see Erica.

She’s waving and blowing kisses. I watch as Wes and Miles come in and look at her.

They look slightly confused. She says something to them, and Wes shakes his head while Miles bursts out laughing.

I guess they know now. I’ll have to deal with the heat in the kitchen after the game.

But now I need to focus.

Because I’ve made a commitment to the team.

I’ve made a commitment to myself.

I’m going to see this through.

And we’re going to win.

And then… I’m going to get the girl.

Because sometimes in life, things do go the way that you want.