Page 51 of Much Ado About Hockey

And smiled.

“Ow… stupid lip,” he muttered, but the plan in his mind was already in motion, and nothing was stopping him – including his busted lip.

10

KAREN

Karen had awoken earlythis morning just as she heard the front door close and the slight whine of the elevator in the distance. Checking her phone, she saw the text messages from Jett.

Going to the Arena – be back in a few!

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oh - and for good measure?

?? Muah!

And laughed at the kissy faces he’d texted with it. Rolling over in the bed, she sighed loudly – and then let out a giggle. That was the stupidest, most insipid, love-struck sigh she had ever uttered in her life, and it was because of him. Those kisses, those looks, those words – and she sighed again in sheer exuberant joy that was bursting at the seams with love.

“I love him,” she breathed, sitting up and continuing to speak aloud to the silence as if the room was listening. “I love my husband – and I think he cares for me. Incredible… no, it’s a miracle. I’ve been given a miracle, and he’s six foot two, snarky, incredibly smart, and blows my mind every time he looks at me.”

Climbing out of bed, she dawdled for a bit before drawing a bath. If he was going to be a little while at the arena, she was going to enjoy this day to the fullest.

She put a capful of bubble bath beneath the water, pinned her hair up, and sank down in the glorious garden bathtub happily, turning on the jacuzzi function for a few minutes to really get the bubbles frothy.

“I feel like a Disney princess right now,” she whispered – and began humming some of her favorite songs. She wasn’t sure how long she was in the bath, but just as she realized her fingers were wrinkling up… she heard something nearby. “Hello?”

Silence.

“Huh, must be nothing,” she muttered – and went back to humming, unready to get out of the tub just yet… and paused again, looking at the bathroom door that was firmly shut and locked. Her eyes widened as she saw something on the floor, under the door.

“What the…”

And saw it pushed through, under the door, a moment later. There, on the bathroom floor, was a pink rose petal.

“Jett?” Karen called out nervously. “Are you here? Are you playing a joke on me?”

Silence.

“Hello?”

And another rose petal was pushed under the door, lying there beside the first one. She saw a tanned finger briefly as another rose petal was pushed under the door again. Now, therewere three rose petals on the floor – and one creative husband on the other side, playing with her.

“I know you are out there,” she called out, her voice wary yet amused. “What are you up to?”

Silence.

And another rose petal along with the finger pausing long enough to manage a slight wave before disappearing back under the door – and she held back a laugh.

Smiling widely, marveling at this side of him, she sunk down into the tub, pulling the bubbles over her, almost nervously as she waited, holding her breath for another petal… or for the door to crack open despite the lock.

And another petal appeared.

She chuckled – and heard his own soft laugh from the opposite side of the door. Just as she was about to say something or call out to him, she heard a crinkling sound. Her eyes zeroed in on the base of the doorway where that slight gap had become the stage for whatever her husband was doing and saw a piece of pink fabric appear – and then disappear – before it was pushed back underneath… using a butterknife.

There was another rose petal lying on the pink scrap of fabric, with a gap underneath. Was there something hiding under the petal?

“Jett? I know you are out there. What are you doing?”

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