Page 79 of Always Been You

Opening my eyesand seeing Olivia on the ice was weird, and if that didn’t totally out our relationship, me wrapping my arms around her, pulling her away from the guy who checked me and calling her babe definitely did.

I sit down in front of my changing station, take my jersey off and lean down to unlace my skates. When the door opens, Luke is the first to walk in.

“Fucking your best friend’s sister, dude, seriously?” he retorts as he makes his way to his change station.

I shake my head because, of course, that’s all he thinks it is, sex. Why could it be anything more? When everyone is in the room, Nick asks, “Matt, you’re okay with Josh dating your sister?”

Matt looks directly at Nick. “Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?”

Nick doesn’t say anything right away. “It’s your best friend and your sister. You guys have known each other for years.”

Matt sits next to me in his changing area. “Yeah, Liv and Josh have known each other for just as long. I know he’ll treat her right and protect her. I’ve seen him stand up for her firsthand. I’ve noticed a change in her since her stupid ex, too. She smiles more, has more fun, she’s obviously happy. Why would I be upset by that? Plus, seeing as my sister tells Zoey everything, and Liz and Han probably know, and they like Josh enough to hug him goodbye this weekend, my guess is they approve, and if they didn’t, well, I don’t even want to know what they might do.”

Grayson, being the shit disturber that he is, says, “Because, best sex of his life.”

Luke and Nick’s eyes go wide, and I shoot a glare at Grayson, who just grins back at me. I turn to see Matt’s reaction. He looks me in the eye, and points at me. “That. I don’t want to know anything about your sex life with my sister.”

I nod because honestly, I don’t want to share that with him. I get it. The last thing I want to know about is my sister’s sex life.

“So the night we all had dinner, and she said that her sex life was satisfying, that was you?” Luke says and I throw a roll of tape at him. He catches it laughing.

“That was Olivia knowing how to get under Matt’s skin,” I say.

“So her book boyfriends and book husbands don’t bother you?” Grayson asks.

Most of the guys in the room are staring at us with looks of confusion. “No, I feel secure in my relationship with Olivia, and I’ve listened to a few books with her. She played them in the car when we went to Banff, Calgary, and the ice fields two weekends ago, that was hours of books,” I look to Matt. “You’re not going to want to hear this,” I tell him and thenturn back to Grayson, “and knowing what books your girl is into can be very helpful. If you really listened to that book this weekend, I’m sure you could learn something. All four of the girls said that Garrett was one of their favourites.”

“Wait, you guys went to Banff and Calgary?” Matt asks.

“You remember the character’s name?” Grayson asks.

I look at Grayson first. “Yeah, because it’s important enough to Olivia that she remembers.” Turning to Matt next, I say, “Yeah, last weekend was our third trip this summer, the weekend before we camped in Banff and then we went to a concert in Calgary on Saturday and then drove up the ice fields stayed in Jasper and drove home. A few weekends before we went to Whistler, after doucheface, she made a list of things she wanted to do this summer. I said I’d help make sure she does them all. We are going to Victoria and Seattle this weekend.”

I reach and grab a water bottle out of my bag and take a large sip. I was hoping this conversation wouldn’t be taking place in the dressing room after a game, but here I am. “Why didn’t she ask me to help her with her list?”

I start instantly choking on the water and coughing. When I finally compose myself, I turn to Matt with a serious face. “Matt, you, under no circumstances, want to see that list.”

“Now I want to see this list,” Luke calls, and I give him the deadliest look I can. “No man, under any circumstances, will see it,” I growl.

“Oh, there is a sex list, isn’t there?” Nick says before laughing.

“Emily saw it, that’s bad enough,” I mutter, and Matt breaks out laughing. “Dude, your sister saw this list?”

“Yeah, and Zoey, Hannah, Liz, and probably Gi, so there’s that.” I guess I’m going to have to get used to all these women knowing details of my sex life.

“Three trips and she’s still living with you. Must be serious,” Caleb finally says, and that seems to quiet the room down a bit. I reach into my bag and grab the thing I hid in there last week and toss it to him. “Serious enough for you?” He opens the ring box in his hand and the entire dressing room seems to go to a standstill.

My body tightens as I wait for a response. I know Olivia and I haven’t been dating for a long time, but I’ve waited and wasted too much time. I’m not going to do that anymore. Caleb stands up and walks it back to me. I stand, and he hands it back to me and pulls me in, patting my back. “I’m happy for you, man, congrats.”

“Thanks, I haven’t asked her yet,” I say with a chuckle.

“She’ll say yes, based on how she fussed over you on the ice, the way she punched that guy who had several inches and pounds of muscle on her because of a dirty check, then had Hannah do concussion protocol.”

I hope so. I’m not sure that I could take her answer being no.

“Thanks, man.”

I sit back down. Turning to Matt, I pass him the box. “I’m not asking permission because she would kill me if I did, but I do want you to know that was why she asked you to dinner tonight. She was so worried about our relationship ruining yours and mine, but I love her. She will always come first to me and there is no one else I want to share my life with.”

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