Page 45 of Hot Rucking Canadian

“The best team in the world.”

“Uh…” He pursed his lips. “The New Zealand Women won the 7s.”

“And Canada took silver.” I sat a little straighter. See? I was paying attention.

“Women and men are currently third. But like we’re less than two points out of the top spot.”

“And Canada?” Apparently I hadn’t been paying enough attention.

“Women are second and men’s…” He sighed.

“Ah. So playing for New Zealand?”

“The All Blacks? Dream come true.”

“When’s the meeting?”

“Two days after Christmas.”

“Where?” My gut churned.

“He happens to be in Christchurch.”

“Well, do you want me to drive you?” A big joke because people here drove on the wrong side of the road and, although I was pretty adept at things, shifting with my left arm intimidatedme. There, I admitted it—I wasn’t keen to drive. Pretty much a first.

“He’s not going to ask me to join the squad.”

“But he might ask you to try out.”

“I’m Canadian.”

“You’re half Kiwi.”

“He probably just wants intel on the Canadian team.”

“Which you won’t give him.” I might not knoweverythingabout my boyfriend—but I knew that much.

He snagged my hand. “He’s not going to ask me.”

“You don’tknowthat. You’re one of Canada’s best fullbacks.”

“Who has to work a second job to pay the mortgage. I’m not even a full-time player.”

I scowled. I hadn’t realized how little some athletes were paid. I’d heard the salaries for professional hockey, baseball, basketball, and football players and had assumed other athletes were at least making enough to live off.

Spending time with Mallow had taught me how far off those assumptions were. “Are we arguing?”

He leaned over to press a kiss to my cheek. “It would be, like, our first time. So let it not be about something we can’t change.”

Could we really not change it? “If they ask you to try out, you need to. If you make the squad, you have to move here and play for them. Even if you’re on the bench a lot at the beginning, I think you need to do this.”

He held my gaze. “Do you want me to move?”

My scowl deepened.God, is he really this dense?Not even factoring that I wouldn’t have a home if he moved here, I didn’t want to lose him. I’d only justfoundhim. “I want you to be happy. If that means playing with one of the best teams in the world, then I’m supportive.”

“And if that means languishing with a lesser-known team?”

“You’re not exactly languishing. You play almost every game. You’re integral to the team. You’re—”

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