Page 91 of Sleepless Nights and Hockey Fights

Me: Definitely today then.

I’m literally running across the parking lot, my bag bouncing against my back as I book it to the locker room. Dan-O gives me a weird look as I crash through the locker room door and sprint for my stall. Druggy just shakes his head at my behavior, alreadyfully padded up for practice. As long as I’m not smashing faces, they don’t care if I’m acting weird. Then I think of a tiny detail that’s not tiny at all.

Me: Can you somehow bring Matthew?

Coco: Leave it to me. I can make a man do anything I ask. Go get your woman, stallion!

Practice is long and hard, but I barely register any of it. I could swear I’m gliding across cloud nine, not an actual sheet of ice. I have just enough time at our first water break to tell my teammates about Molly coming after practice. They swear to give us space and then file back out at the right moment. I know I can count on them to have my back and help this proposal to go smoothly.

I’m counting down the minutes until practice ends. Coach keeps us a little past quitting time, probably sensing I have stuff to do and purposely being an asshole. That’s the last time I bring him oysters. I was really hoping to have time to shower before Molly got here, but he blows the whistle right as Molly has a seat on the metal stands.

My heart is pounding away, far faster than when I’m out on the ice in the middle of a tie-breaking game. She looks fucking amazing. Her hair is down, soft auburn curls around her shoulders. Her sweater is a deep emerald green, which I know will make her eyes more green than hazel. The tight jeans with a slight rip at the knees make my mouth water. I drink her in like a starving man. Noticeably missing is her huge purse. She gives a little wave as our gazes lock, looking happy to see me. The boys all leave the ice, but I barely notice them. All my attention is on this woman I want to make my wife.

I skate over, barely stopping in time. Ice sprays across the boards before I hop off and walk over to her. I probably stink and my hair is a sweaty mess as I take off my helmet, two problems I can’t be bothered with right now. Molly hops up as I get near, her hands sliding into the front pockets of her jeans. Her cheeks are pink, and I hope it has more to do with me and not just the cold.

“Molly.” I say her name like my entire soul has been longing to hear it.

“Bobby,” she whispers back.

My whole body shivers hearing her say my name. Fuck, I love her so much. My gloves and helmet fall to the floor and even though I still have my skates on, I crush her to me, needing my arms around her more than I need air in my lungs.

She gasps, but I feel her arms come around my waist. She pulls back too soon for my needs, her head tilted way back to see me. I was right. Her eyes are sparkling green gems. “I wanted to say I’m sorry.”

“No, I’m sorry,” I say quickly. “I shouldn’t have asked so much of you without explaining my full intentions.”

Her hand comes up to my face, covering my mouth. “Shut up, Robert Rhodes.”

My eyes widen, and even though I should be mad about being told to shut up, my dick goes semi-hard hearing her use my full name. Why is that so fucking hot? I hear noises behind her, but I can’t look away from her sweet face to see what the commotion is. I don’t really give a damn. I just need to make things right with my girl.

“I love you, Bobby, so much. I’m just scared. You asked me to move in with you and I pulled away and probably made you feel like it was your fault. It took me a bit to realize that I’m scared by how much I feel for you. If you decided you didn’t love me anymore you’d absolutely crush my heart. So, I was a chicken.”

“I woub neber thop wubbing ooh.” Her hand only tightens on my mouth as I try to assure her of my feelings.

“Shh.” Oh shit, she’s using the mom voice. “I’m not done yet.” She tentatively takes her hand back from my mouth and rolls her shoulders back. “I was wrong to do that. I was wrong to not trust in your love, and I was wrong to walk away from you. It was all me, not you.”

As far as I’m concerned, she can do no wrong and that’s all behind us. I don’t give a crap about that, I just want her back in my arms. I take a step forward to do just that, but she steps back and I freeze. She holds my gaze, looking as frightened as I feel right now.

Then she drops to one knee, her eyes filling with tears, looking up at me like she’s pleading for something only I can give her. I’m so confused. I hear a tiny yelp and my gaze shifts to the swarm of people that have somehow formed behind her, all staring at us. Coach, every single one of my teammates, Kaitlyn, Chloe, Olivia, Roman, Ramona, Coco, Richie, and Matthew. Dan-O claps a hand to his mouth on another emotional sob. Druggy catches my eye and throws me the black box. I snag it out of the air, then stare down at Molly.

“I’ve never done this before, but I’m pretty sureI’msupposed to be on my knee, Molly.”

“Not if I propose first,” she snarks right back, pulling a simple gold band from her pocket and holding it up between us. “Bobby Rhodes, I love you. I love your fearless approach to life and the way you fiercely love me back. I love how much you love my son, and I want to see what a future looks like with you by our sides. I don’t like being the center of attention, but I asked all of your teammates and their wives to be here today because you deserve to have your family around you, supporting you, cheering you on. And I want to be part of that family. Will you accept all my insecurities and marry me anyway?”

My heart, the one that sped up when I met Molly, slowed down when she let me hold her throughout the night, and then thumped helplessly when I thought we were done forever, squeezes hard in my chest. She stares up at me, tears in her eyes and so much hope in her expression that I want to pull her to her feet and crush her to me.

“Dude, say yes!” Matthew whisper-shouts. Ramona shushes him, but I don’t ever want him to censor himself around me. I look over Molly’s head and shoot him a wink.

“I can do you one better.”

I drop to my knee, still taller than Molly, but way closer to looking her in the eye this way. Everyone behind her fades away, and it’s just her and me and a whole lot of love between us. I pop open the black box and hold up the largest diamond the jeweler had, set on a thin band of tiny diamonds. Because my Molly deserves the best I can buy for her.

Plus, I want every asshole within a ten-mile radius to see this huge rock on her finger and know she’s mine.

“Molly Sparks, I just have one question for you before I say yes.”

Chapter Forty

Molly

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