Page 44

The arena buzzes with excitement as the Covey Crushers glide through their warm-up routine. I wish I could say my nerves are from the contagious energy crackling through the air, but it has nothing to do with that.

I’m here.

Wearing Cade’s ring and sitting next to the players’ bench, knowing that he’ll be sitting on the other side soon. That thought should comfort me, but instead it amplifies my anxiety because it means I'm completely exposed to his teammates.

This is my debut performance as his fiancée, which feels surreal considering we skipped straight past casual dating to till death do us part .

Cade mentioned telling his friends, but conveniently left out their reactions, and now I'm spiraling about what they think of the girl who somehow landed their golden boy.

Actually, scratch that. I know exactly what the goalie thinks. He fucking hates this. Even with his mask hiding his expression, I can feel his judgment burning through me from the moment I sat down.

“I love you, D!” Madison shouts through cupped hands, bouncing beside me like an overzealous cheerleader as she blows kisses toward the ice.

Okay, maybe I’m being a little paranoid.

The goalie, Dash, isn’t staring at me at all.

He’s looking at her . His girlfriend . Not at me.

I’m not that important, and if I think like that, then maybe it will be easier to get through this night.

My fingers twist the hem of my jersey into knots, my pulse beats unevenly as anxiety floods my system. The game hasn't even started and I'm already falling apart.

Did Cade know I would be this nervous? Is that why he made sure Madison was here with me?

I exhale slowly, feeling ridiculous, but before I can talk myself down, a sudden BANG rattles the plexiglass right in front of me.

I jolt, my head snapping up just in time to see Cade smirking at me from the other side of the glass. His green eyes are sharp, glittering with amusement as he pushes a puck through the little hole in the plexiglass.

“It’s for you,” Madison says, elbowing me.

I take it and mouth ‘thank you’ to him. Then he lifts his gloved hand and gives me a thumbs-up, then a thumbs-down, asking if I’m okay. My breath catches at the simple gesture, the way he’s checking in on me even in the middle of his warm-ups.

I hesitate for a moment before giving him an honest answer, my hand hovering in the air as I wave it in a so-so gesture.

The smirk on his lip falters slightly, his expression shifting into something fierce and protective.

He can’t speak through the glass, can’t pull me into his arms and promise everything will be okay, but he doesn’t need words.

Instead, he presses his palm flat against the plexiglass, holding it there for a few seconds. It’s a simple gesture, loaded with meaning.

I’ve got you. You’re not alone. I’m right here.

My throat closes up as I mirror his movement, placing my hands against the cold surface so our palms align. Even with the barriers between us, I feel his strength and his unwavering support flowing through that connection.

“Awww,” Madison coos right before a pack of his teammates descend onto him, shoving him away from the glass with merciless ribbing.

I glance over at Madison and immediately want to disappear into the floor, embarrassed about how I acted in front of his sister.

Is that normal? Acting like lovesick teenagers in front of his family? I have no fucking clue. I've spent so many years locked away in my own protective bubble that I don't know how real couples behave. How engaged people are supposed to act.

“That was the sweetest thing I've ever seen,” Madison gushes, completely oblivious to my internal spiral. “You two are absolutely perfect together.”

Perfect. Right. The girl who doesn't know how to exist in normal society and the golden boy who probably deserves someone who can handle a simple hockey game without having a breakdown.

“Thanks,” I manage as I force myself to look up and smile.

God, I really need to get my shit together before I embarrass him in front of his entire world.

“I like the jersey,” Madison says, wiggling her eyebrows. “And the ring.”

“Uh, thanks.”

“Gotta admit, when Dash told me my brother asked you to marry him, I didn’t believe it. I thought he was trolling Dash after…” She trails off, shaking her head. “I guess that doesn’t matter since it’s not the truth.”

I look down at my ring, the emerald sparkling, grounding me in a way.

“You do love him, right?” The question comes out softer than her usual confident tone, laced with a vulnerability I haven't heard from her before.

Madison seemed so fearless when I met her, all sharp edges and unwavering self-assurance.

But now there's something almost fragile in her voice.

“Because my brother deserves that. He's one of my favorite people on this planet, and I think you're sweet, so I really don't want to have to threaten you.”

“Uh.”

My throat goes completely dry. I haven't even said those three words to Cade yet, haven't found the courage to voice what's been burning in my chest for longer than I want to admit. It feels wrong to confess to his sister before I confess to him.

But the truth sits heavy on my tongue, demanding to be acknowledged.

I love him so much it terrifies me. I love him in ways I didn't know were possible. I love him with every broken piece of my soul.

“I…” I start, then stop, my fingers twisting the jersey fabric again. “I care about him. More than I've ever cared about anyone.”

It's not the whole truth, but it's all I can manage without completely falling apart.

Madison studies my face with those sharp eyes that remind me so much of Cade's, searching for something I'm not sure I'm brave enough to show her.

“That's not what I asked,” she says quietly.

Thankfully, the game starts before I have to answer her loaded question, saving me from spilling my heart to his sister before I’ve had the balls to spill it to him.

Then I’m left trying to find Cade amongst the hockey players, a task that’s much easier for Madison since Dash is planted between the goalposts, buried under enough padding to survive a small explosion.

She can stare at her boyfriend to her heart’s content while I’m left squinting at the ice, desperately trying to follow the streak of motion that might be mine.

Cade is fast. Faster than I expected, and I can barely keep up with his movements, let alone understand what the hell is happening.

Ten minutes in, I've come to one conclusion: hockey is complete chaos.

Its speed, violence, and skill all wrapped into one with a constant battle of motion and force.

Madison tries to explain the rules, but she's talking too fast and I keep losing sight of the damn puck anyway.

One second it's in the corner, the next it's flying toward the goal, and I'm left wondering if I blinked and missed something crucial.

“Where did it go?” I ask for the third time, feeling like an idiot.

“Cade passed it to—oh shit, did you see that hit?”

No, I didn't see the hit because I still don't know where the puck is.

One of Rome U’s players is just on the other side of the plexiglass and there’s a moment he looks up at me with a smile.

Without warning, the player gets demolished against the boards, crumpling until he falls onto the ice. And standing behind his fallen body, is Cade grinning. He winks at me before casually stealing the puck and skating away like he didn't just commit legal assault.

Then he’s off, his skates carving deep lines into the ice, shifting the puck from side to side with precision. It’s beautiful to watch. Every movement is calculated, and there’s so much controlled aggression wrapped in pure athleticism.

And it’s hot as hell. As if I needed another reason to be completely gone for this man.

Another player closes in, aiming to slam him into the boards, but Cade anticipates it.

He pivots at the last second, angling his body to absorb the crushing impact without losing an ounce of momentum.

The collision echoes through the arena and I wince in sympathy, but Cade barely blinks.

Instead, he digs deeper, using his weight to kick the puck to a teammate.

Of course, Rome U intercepts and suddenly the puck is racing toward Dash, who crouches low as he slaps his stick against the ice.

The play unfolds fast. Too fast for me to follow completely. I’m not like Madison. I haven’t grown up on the benches beside the rink. All I know is my heart is pounding as I try to keep up.

Cade breaks into open ice, his eyes locked on the puck as his teammate Hendricks manages to steal it and skates fast back to the other net.

Cade’s right there, waiting for the pass, and when he gets it, the entire arena falls silent.

He winds up, his weight shifting to his back leg and then— snap .

The puck rockets off his stick like a frozen bullet slicing through the air. Rome U’s goalie lunges desperately, his glove snapping up in a futile attempt to stop the inevitable.

Too slow.

The shot sails past him and slams into the back of the net with a thunderous thunk that I feel in my bones.

The horn blares. The red light blazes.

The entire arena erupts.

I barely register the explosion of cheers as Madison jumps to her feet beside me, shaking my arm as she screams, “Did you see that?! Holy shit, that was insane!”

I can’t move, can’t speak, can’t breathe. I didn’t play a second of this game, yet I’m so invested.

Cade is swarmed by his teammates, their gloves hammering against his helmet in celebration, but just as the celebrations start to settle, he breaks away from the pack.

He finds me instantly and as our eyes connect, he smirks. Smug and lazy, there’s something else hidden in his expression.

His chest heaves with controlled breaths as he lifts his stick and taps it once, deliberately, right over his heart.

Then he points

At me.

I breathe out a smile, not knowing how to feel about the fact he just called me out to everyone in this damn arena. I’m his, and that goal was for me.

My stomach flips, heat curling up my spine despite the ice-cold air around me. My fingers clench tighter around the hem of Cade’s jacket as my heart pounds against my ribs. It’s not just the way he looks at me, but the way it feels .

Beside me, Madison whistles. “Damn. I see it now.”

“See what?”

“Why he’s so desperate to marry you. My brother’s got it bad. I’ve never seen him like this.”

I don’t answer. I can’t. My throat is tight and my pulse erratic, because I feel the same way. I love Cade Bright, and even though we’ve only known each other for a short time, I don’t think I will ever make a better decision than marrying him.