Page 30 of Offside and Off-Limits (Love in Maple Falls #2)
CADE
We park outside the sports facility’s ballroom for the Ice Breakers’ Inaugural Bash in our black tie best, me in a black tux with a crisp white shirt, and Clara in a deep blue, flowy dress that’s both sexy as heck and somehow kind of regal.
It hugs her just right at the waist and dips low enough to make me forget what I was saying when she pulled the door open at her house.
It’s simple, classy, and totally distracting.
She steps out of my car and smooths the skirt of her dress with her palms, looking up at me with an uncertain look in her eyes.
“We’ve got this, Triple,” I tell her as I pull her against me, planting a kiss on her forehead. “And did I mention how incredible you look tonight?”
Her pillowy lips lift into a smile. “Only about seven times.”
“Let’s make it eight. You look breathtakingly beautiful tonight, my love.”
She looks at me like I just handed her the stars. “I love it when you call me that.”
“My love? I only call you that because I’m in love with you.”
She laughs. “That’s a good enough reason, and you look beyond handsome in your tux.”
“Gotta look good for my woman,” I say in a caveman voice, which makes her laugh some more. I look over at the banner that reads Ice Breakers Inaugural Bash – Welcome to Maple Falls in letters so big you could read them from a plane at 30,000 feet. “I suppose we’d better get in there.”
“I suppose we had.” Her expression drops, and I know what she’s feeling.
Trepidation. Fear. She could lose her job come Monday, which is so much more than just a job to her.
It represents her independence and strength, her journey to reclaim her strength from her CFS and from her manipulative catfish of an ex.
Not that I want to go thinking about Dwayne Campbell on a night like this. Just the mere thought of him makes my blood boil, and if Clara would let me, I would tell him exactly what I think of the guy. He’s scum. End of story.
But she told me that she won’t let me fight all her battles, and I get that.
I’d still love to give that jerk a piece of my mind.
“Come on. We’ve got this,” I say, and together we make our way across the parking lot. They’ve rolled out an actual red carpet at the entrance, which is flanked by hay bales and fancy fall flowers, giving it a small-town flair. We pose for a few photos before we head inside.
Clara shrugs off her coat, and I pass it to the coat check and take the chance to drink her in once more.
Clara is always beautiful to me, whether she’s in her sweats, lying low at home on her sofa, her hair in a messy bun, or in her slim-fitted skirts and modest blouses for work.
But tonight? Tonight, she’s next level beautiful, and my heart is bursting with love for her as she slides her arm through mine, throwing me one final nervous look before we merge into the crowd.
The ballroom has been transformed into what looks like what happens when you give a decorator an unlimited budget and a serious obsession with ice.
Ice Breakers team colors are on every surface, and whoever was in charge of this event clearly subscribed to the “go big or go home” school of event planning.
But you know what? It looks great, and it makes me feel proud to be a part of this team, this community, and this town I now call home.
The place is packed. I’m told Maple Falls has ten thousand residents, and I'm betting at least nine thousand of them are crammed in here tonight.
“There’s Keira and Bailey,” Clara says. “Let’s go say hi.”
We make our way through the crowd, and I shake hands with Lucian, Weston, and Carson, all dressed up like me in their penguin suits, before we reach Clara’s sister and her friend, Bailey. Like Clara, Keira is in a floor-length dress, hers green, her hair in loose curls.
“Oh, my gosh, Clara. You look so gorgeous!” Keira exclaims as she and Clara hug.
“ I look gorgeous? Look at you! I love what you did with your hair,” Clara replies. “And Bailey, look at you! So beautiful.” She pulls her friend into a hug.
“Right back atcha,” Bailey replies.
“You all look crazy hot,” I say.
“Thanks, Cade,” Bailey says with a grin, and I take Clara’s hand in mine, giving it a reassuring squeeze.
With her job hanging in the balance, I need to be there for her every step of the way, which includes giving her encouraging touches. Which, let’s be real, isn’t exactly a hardship for a man newly in love.
Bailey and Keira both flick their gaze to our joined hands.
“Do you need to tell us something?” Keira asks.
“You guys are going public now?” Bailey adds.
“We told my boss yesterday morning,” Clara explains.
“Wow. That’s a big move,” Keira replies. “How did it go?”
“Well, it was meant to be just me, but someone decided to crash the party.” She shoots me a mock serious look, and I shrug, happy with my decision to turn up to Clara and Veronica’s meeting yesterday. I wanted to be there for her, and for a straightforward guy like me, that means literally .
“And?” her sister leads.
“And Veronica has taken it to Paul Vaughn, the CEO. My new career as the social media manager for the Ice Breakers is hanging in the balance tonight.”
Keira’s jaw slackens. “So, you don’t know if you still have a job?” Clara gives a small shake of her head, and Keira rubs her arm. “Oh, babe. I’m so sorry. You’re in total limbo right now. That’s terrible.”
Terrible is right. But I have a plan, and I’m going to put it into action tonight.
Afterall, Clara’s happiness matters so much to me, and after what she’s been through with “he who shall not be named”—yup, I just Voldemort-ed Dwayne Campbell, although seriously, the guy makes Voldemort look like Prince Charming—Clara needs whatever I can give her.
And I want to give Clara the world.
“Sometimes you’ve got to hold tight to the things that matter, and deal with the consequences,” Bailey says, and Clara nods.
“That’s what we’re doing,” I reply, smiling down at this beautiful woman I get to call mine. She smiles back up at me, and it makes my heart squeeze in my chest .
“Where’s Dan?” Clara asks her sister, but she doesn’t have the chance to respond as Troy Hart, the arena and team owner, steps up to the mic, Coach Hauser flanking him like a bodyguard, and the crowd falls into silence.
“Catch you soon.” Clara gives my hand a squeeze before she slips away, pulling her phone from her purse, ready to record. Troy begins his speech by assuring everyone that we're headed for an incredible season, puffing out his chest like he's personally suiting up for game one.
I get his passion. Troy Hart once played in the League, and he wants our new team to be a success, as does the rest of the town.
I also happen to agree with him. We may be new, we may have been a disparate group of players not that long ago, more used to battling it out against one another on the ice than working together to win, but we have some serious talent on the team, and a drive to achieve big things.
Coach Hauser says a few rousing words, taken right from the coach’s inspirational handbook, and when they wrap up, the room erupts like we just won the Cup, the cheers, hoots, and applause practically shaking the walls.
“Everyone believes in this new team,” Keira says as a waiter offers a tray of drinks.
I pick up a glass of water and take a sip.
“No champagne to celebrate?” Keira asks, lifting a flute to her lips.
“Can’t. The first game’s in four days, and Coach is pretty clear about us not drinking during the season, just like my Blades coach.”
“So, you and Clara are together now,” Keira says.
It’s not a question.
“She deserves a good guy, and you’re a good guy, right, Cade?” She gives me a questioning look, and I know she’s being protective of her sister. I may not be the guy I once was, but the rest of the world doesn’t know that.
Not yet anyway .
“I know I haven't known Clara all that long, and people might be suspicious of a guy like me, with the reputation I’ve got. But you can trust me when I say, I’m in love with your sister, and I will do anything to protect that love. You have my word.”
“But what about all those stories about you being a womanizer? You’re not exactly known as a steady relationship kinda guy, by the looks of things, and Clara has Benny and Hannah. She’s a package deal.”
“I gave up that lifestyle a long time ago, only the world hasn’t quite cottoned on.” I lean in a little closer to her. “Keira, I know you’re Clara’s sister and you love her, but please believe me when I say I’m all in with her. All in.”
She studies me for a beat, and I’m hoping she hears the sincerity in my words. When she finally opens her mouth to speak, her features have softened. “I believe you,” she says softly, her lips tilting upward. “Just make sure you treat her right. Got it?”
I grin at her because I have every intention of treating Clara right. “I promise.”
“Good,” she replies simply before taking a sip of her drink.
Asher catches my eye and makes his way past a few people to us. We shake hands, slapping each other on the back, before I introduce him to Keira.
“I know you. You’re the one who threw the bucket of water over this guy at the Drench for Defense,” Asher says.
Keira lifts her hands up in the air, grinning. “Guilty.”
“Nice shot, by the way,” Asher says. “So, you’re Dan Roberts’s wife, right?”
“And Clara’s sister,” Keira replies, throwing me a meaningful look.
“Clara’s sister, huh?” Asher says, also shooting me a look. “Cade knows Clara pretty well, from what I hear. Right, Cade?” he teases.
I slap him on the shoulder once more. “You might be my teammate, but off the ice you’re just a guy who uses my gym.”
He chortles and I glance at the stage where Troy Hart and Coach Hauser just gave their speeches. “As much as I’d like to stay here and get grilled by you, I’ve got something pressing I need to do.”
“You know I know where you live, right?” Asher says with a sardonic grin.