Page 24 of Offside and Off-Limits (Love in Maple Falls #2)

Man, I’m in deep with this girl. And I haven’t even kissed her.

I make a mental note to remedy that as soon as possible.

“Speaking of which, you’d better get ready. We’re due to start in ten minutes,” Clara says.

“Catch you later when you’re dripping wet,” Dan says.

“I’m looking forward to it,” I reply as I flash Clara a smile before I make my way into the tent, closing the entrance over.

Quickly, I get changed into my swimming trunks and the T-shirts I had monogrammed with Ice Breakers Hockey: Saving Maple Falls One Splash at a Time .

I had a special little nickname added for each of the guys, including for myself, and it’ll be a fun surprise for Clara and everyone else when we don’t waltz out of here in our game gear.

“Mama’s Boy?” Weston asks, holding up his T-shirt with a look of distaste.

I shrug. “What dependable defenseman isn't a mama's boy?”

Weston laughs as he shakes his head before stripping down and throwing on the T.

“See? Totally suits you,” I say. “Right, guys?”

Asher barks out a laugh. “You are such a mama’s boy, Smith,” he says.

“I'm not even gonna ask why I'm Cuddle Bear,” Carson says, his tight features telling me he's not exactly thrilled with the name.

“Well, I'm happy,” Asher declares, his arms out to the side as he does a turn, proudly showing off his Snuggle Muffin T .

“You're the cutest Snuggle Muffin I've ever seen,” I tell him.

“You got that right,” he replies, and we fist bump.

I slide my own T-shirt into place and Carson, Asher, and Weston all laugh, eyeing me.

“You are so a Cupcake,” Asher says with a chortle.

I flash him my grin. “Loud and proud, baby. Loud and proud.”

“You saved the worst one for yourself. Respect,” Carson says.

“Whose is this?” Weston asks, pulling the final T-shirt from the bag. “It says Princess Sparkles.”

“That'll be mine,” says a voice from the tent entrance, and we turn to see our captain, Jamie Hayes, looking about as thrilled to be here as a rookie missing his first shot on goal.

“Yeah, it is!” I say as I pump the air with my fist. “Thanks for being here, Princess Sparkles. Me, Snuggle Muffin, Mama’s Boy, and Cuddle Bear appreciate your service.”

“Not exactly the way I like to spend my weekends, getting drenched in nothing but a T, but it's for a good cause, so I’m all in,” Jamie replies as he takes the T-shirt from Weston, who couldn't wipe the smile from his face if he tried.

“Good to see ya, Princess Sparkles,” Asher says with a grin, and wins a look from our captain.

Jamie arches a brow at me. “Why did you pick Princess Sparkles for me? Do I somehow give off princess vibes to you?”

“You sure do, Princess Sparkles. But you know what? It could have been worse,” I say, gesturing at my own T-shirt.

“And besides, a tough guy captain like you needs to get in touch with his feminine side every now and then, and what better way to do it than when you’re being publicly drenched in water for charity? ”

Jamie shakes his head, a smile teasing the edges of his mouth. “Not sure I have an eight-year-old girl feminine side in me.”

He pulls on his T-shirt and I waggle my brows at him. “You do now. ”

“Are you guys decent?” Clara calls from behind the closed flap, and Jamie hurriedly pulls on his trunks.

“Of course we’re not, but you can come in,” Jamie replies. “We’re a bunch of men wearing T-shirts that should probably have been given to a girl’s birthday party.” He throws me a meaningful look.

“All part of the fun,” I assure him.

The door flap pulls open, and as Clara steps inside her eyes rove around the tent. “You guys look so pretty,” she says, her lips quirking.

I do a little curtsy. “Thank you, miss.”

“I thought you were going to wear your game day gear,” she replies.

“We got a new plan, thanks to Lennox and his perplexing choice of nicknames for us all,” Jamie replies.

She raises her brows. “You're responsible for these, Cade?”

“You're welcome,” I say, my hands held out at my sides as I flash her my grin.

“Why does that not surprise me?”

“Because you know I’m awesome?” I tease.

“I guess it’ll all be part of the fun. I thought our socials would go nuts for this in your game gear, and now?” She gestures at our chests. “Tell me, Cade, did you purposefully choose white T-shirts?”

“The team name looks best on white, just like our game day uniform,” I go on to explain.

“You do know what happens to white T-shirts when they get wet, don’t you?” she asks.

When white T-shirts get wet they…. Right. I didn’t think of that.

“Lennox, you’ve made this event into some sort of a wet T-shirt competition!” Carson complains.

“Yeah, what’s with that?” Jamie says.

“I suddenly feel so objectified,” Asher adds, and I knit my brows together as I look at him. “Nah, just kidding. It’s all part of the fun, right?”

I push out a breath. “It’s not like any of us are slouches in the body stakes. I’m okay with it if you guys are?”

They look among themselves.

“Yeah, we’re good with it,” Jamie says.

“In that case, we’re ready to get this underway when you are,” Clara says. “There’s quite a crowd out there.”

“We're ready,” Jamie replies, and together, we follow her out of the tent, and a large crowd bursts into excited applause as we wave at them all.

A woman I recognize as Ashlyn, the mayor’s daughter, is standing on the podium, a microphone in hand. Her brows ping up to meet her hairline as she takes in our T-shirts, and I wonder where the mayor is.

“Okay?” she mouths at Clara, who shrugs before she gives her the thumbs up.

“Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, welcome to the first ever Maple Falls Drench for Defense, with our new local hockey team, the Ice Breakers!” she exclaims, and as everyone cheers, we wave at the crowd.

She throws her eyes over us. “And I see the guys have got dressed up for the event today in white T-shirts with cute nicknames, which tells me this is going to be one for the ladies,” Ashlyn continues, and there’s an appreciative murmur among the womenfolk of the town.

“I hadn't thought about that angle,” I call out, and it's clear either no one believes me or they simply do not care as they clap and cheer.

“If you haven’t already bid on a bucket, you need to do so right now. We're closing bids in one minute,” Ashlyn says and there's a rush.

I search the crowd for Clara and find her with her phone in hand, capturing everything going on. I lift my chin at her in acknowledgment, and she smiles back, her eyes soft. It does that weird thing in my chest again.

As I watch her as she chews on her lip, concentrating on getting the right angles for her videos, my heart tells me she’s not only who I want in my life, but she’s who I need , too.

All I’ve got to do now is tell her how I feel.

“First up, we have Carson Crane, whose usual nickname is Bama, but today he appears to be Cuddle Bear,” Ashlyn announces.

Carson waves at the laughing and cheering crowd as he steps onto the drenching stage.

“Is your bucket of water ready, Dan?” Ashlyn asks. “Mr. Dan Roberts, everyone.”

Dan Roberts steps forward, holding a bucket as the crowd cheers him on.

“We’re ready when you are,” Ashlyn says.

“This is for the town, Cuddle Bear,” he says, and the crowd begins to chant “Cuddle Bear! Cuddle Bear! Cuddle Bear!” He chucks the bucket right at Carson, who lets out a surprised yelp as the water makes contact before he coughs and splutters as he takes in a mouthful, getting drenched from head to toe.

“And that's what we call a direct hit on Cuddle Bear, ladies and gentlemen!” Ashlyn declares as Carson wipes his eyes, giving a begrudging smile.

His shirt has gone transparent but for the lettering and Ice Breakers logo, the damp fabric molded to his muscular torso, showing anyone who cares to look exactly how many muscles that guy has.

A bunch of people whistle and woot.

Yup, I have unwittingly turned this into a pervy wet T-shirt event.

“You're a good sport, Carson, and just by standing there and getting drenched you’ve already helped raise a lot of money for the town,” Ashlyn says.

The crowd cheers and Carson gives a final wave before he steps back for the next victim .

“Next up we have Asher Tremblay, defenseman for the Ice Breakers, and if my eyes serve me right, today he’s Snuggle Muffin. Is that right, Asher?” Ashlyn asks.

“Loud and proud,” Asher replies with a grin before he breaks into a quick dance on the spot, showing the rest of us up and making the crowd go wild, clapping and cheering and calling out.

“We love you, Asher!” a woman calls from the crowd, and he acknowledges her with a wave. “Who’s gonna drench this Snuggle Muffin?” he calls out, thrusting his thumbs at his chest.

A woman I don't recognize steps forward, bucket in hand, but I notice Asher seems to know exactly who she is by the way he squares his shoulder and throws her a flirty smile.

So, Asher’s met a girl. He’s kept that quiet.

“Go, Mabel!” a voice calls out, and the crowd begins to chant her name. Needing no further encouragement, Mabel steps forward and hurls the bucket’s contents right over Asher.

He rallies, dripping wet, pumping his muscles in a total body builder pose.

“Another direct hit! Mabel McCluskey, you are on fire, girl!” Ashlyn says, and I put two and two together. Mabel must be Mary-Ellen McCluskey’s daughter.

Mabel doesn’t even crack a smile, instead simply throwing the crowd a look of triumph.

Huh . I wonder what her beef is with my man, Asher?

But I haven’t got the time to ask as my name is called next.

“Cupcake, huh? That works,” Ashlyn says with a laugh, and the crowd cheers. “Now we have right winger Cade Lennox stepping up to get drenched to save the town, sporting a T-shirt that declares we’re to call him Cupcake from now on. Isn’t that right, Cade?”

“Heck, yeah! I’m a total cupcake!” I say as I punch the air.

The crowd responds by chanting my new nickname. “Cupcake! Cupcake! Cupcake!”

I search for Clara, wondering—hoping—she’ll be the one to drench me. But instead, I spot her still filming, smiling as her sister, Keira, steps forward with Benny and Hannah. Hannah’s holding the bucket, with a look of grim determination while her kid brother bounces around in obvious delight.

“Kids, how can you do this to me?” I ask, totally hamming it up, my arms splayed.

“Because you’re called Cupcake and you play hockey!” Benny says in kid logic before he shrieks with laughter.

I throw my arms out to the side. “Hit me with your best shot, Hannah!”

But instead of Hannah, or even Benny, it’s Keira who picks up the bucket, encouraged by her niece and nephew who are chanting “Cupcake! Cupcake! Cupcake!” along with the rest of the crowd.

I glance at Clara. She’s still filming, and she’s watching me with a quiet gaze, a smile quirking her lips. Man, I would do anything to have her look at me like that all day long, including getting drenched by her sister—which is about to happen right now.

As Keira lifts the bucket, ready to douse me, I hold Clara’s gaze, my heart telling me she’s the one for me, and even though I’m expecting it, the slap of the cold water against my torso, across my face, and running down my legs is a total shock.

But the cheer of the crowd and the chanting of “Cupcake! Cupcake! Cupcake!” helps me through it, and when I grin out at the crowd, I notice Clara’s eyes are still trained on me, that smile momentarily peppered with concern, before her lips pull up into the biggest and best smile I’ve seen all day.

With my T-shirt clinging to my body, I throw out a couple of poses and the crowd goes wild.

Next, Weston gets drenched by a woman called Fiona while the crowd chants for “Mama’s Boy” to a frenzied pitch. He takes it all in his stride, waving and smiling out at the crowd.

Finally, it’s the captain’s turn, Jamie Hayes, aka Princess Sparkles, who gets a huge cheer as Ashlyn temporarily hands over her MC duties, obviously relishing throwing her bucket of water over the guy.

I need to remember to ask my friend about what’s going on there later.

And then all of us hockey players line up, our shirts clinging to every muscle to whistles and hoots from the crowd, and I throw Clara a wink as we pose and ham it up to the tune “It’s Raining Men,” the crowd loving every single moment.

As the adrenaline from being drenched wears off and the cold begins to seep into my bones, I'm grateful when Mrs. McCluskey passes me a towel as we return to the tent to get changed.

“Is Mabel your daughter, the one who drenched Asher?” I ask.

“She is,” she says, beaming at me. “You've got a thing for Clara Johnson, huh?” she asks in my ear, her eyes twinkling.

“What makes you say that?”

“Oh, I notice things,” she replies with a smirk.

“Shared looks, the way your eyes always find her. And you, young man, have quite the reputation with the ladies.” I open my mouth to defend myself but don’t get the chance when she adds, “You take care of Clara’s heart, now. That girl has been through enough.”

“Yes, ma’am,” I reply.

Mrs. McCluskey’s words stick with me as I towel off in the tent and change back into my clothes from earlier.

She's right, I do watch Clara constantly.

The way she laughed when Carson yelped as the cold water hit him, how she grinned when Asher struck a dramatic pose, the way she was momentarily concerned for me after my drenching until she saw I was okay.

The genuine joy on her face as she captured every ridiculous but fun moment of the event.

Clara has been guarded with me, and for good reason. But what she doesn't know is that somewhere between her resistance and me watching her fierce love for Hannah and Benny, I stopped being the guy who never gets serious with a woman.

This is about me wanting to be the man who earns the right to be a part of her world. The man who gets to make her laugh until she snorts, who gets to kiss away the worry lines that appear when she's stressed. To rub her feet when she’s tired at the end of a long day.

I've spent most of my adult life purposefully and successfully avoiding exactly this kind of complication. But I'm not avoiding it anymore.

I’m running straight toward it.