Page 85 of Matched with Her Athlete Boss

Frowning, I pull out my phone, knowing I must be dreaming. “The note I got for today was that I would meet Bryce, who is an outdoor enthusiast.”

Trey laughs and pulls out a folded piece of paper. “I figured you wouldn’t believe me, so I had Meg print this off for you.”

“Meg? Did you see her or something?”

He nods. “Last night. She called me to talk about, um, a few things for this contract.”

The piece of paper is in my hands but I’m worried that whatever is inside, it will change my life for the worse. I count to three in my head and open it up.

The top of the page has the Love, Austen logo displayed and then a bunch of information. A quick glance only has me more confused.

Going back slowly, I see my name at the top with a bunch of other information that I don’t understand. I pull back the other third of the page and see several names there. All three of my former dates are there with their percentage of matching with me.

And then there is a name that makes me think I’ve died and gone to heaven because it says that Treydon Hatch is a 97% match for me.

My insides are having a dance party while I try to keep my composure on the outside.

“What do you think of this?” I ask, my brain going back to the insecurities that began with Donovan. But I shake them off. No matter if Trey is happy or he hates the idea, I don’t need to change to be seen.

“I have to say I’m very happy with how this turned out.” He’s searching my face, waiting for me to respond.

A few moments of silence pass and I say, “You’re happy that I’m here?”

“Kenzie, I’m not quite sure when it happened, but being around you the past couple weeks has made me want to be with you all the time. I’m constantly wondering what you would think about random things and wishing you were near me when you’re gone. Remember last night when I said we should just blow off the dates and go do something?”

I nod, biting my upper lip in an attempt not to cry.

“It’s because I want to be with you Kenzie. I want you to be my girlfriend and to have you there at all my games cheering me on. I want to be at all your games too, to make a go of this and see where it leads.”

He pauses and there’s no way I can say anything without my voice breaking like I’m going through puberty. I nod, trying to figure out if this is real or not.

“So, taking me shopping for furniture was…?”

“A way to get your opinion on it. I know, I’ve had a lot of trouble picking out things and looking like an adult when it comes to my house and other decisions, but you’ve helped me see that it’s okay to ask for help when you don’t know the answer. And it’s okay to like something, even if it’s not what other people would do. Thank you for giving me that confidence to make my own decisions. And I’m pretty sure I want your opinion to be the one that matters in my life.”

My mind is racing, making it hard to focus on any one thought or emotion for too long.

“But I was the dorky girl who had a crush on you all those years ago,” I say, hiding my face in my hands.

His fingers touch my hands, pulling them away. He ducks down and gives me a small smile. “Kenzie, we all have dorky times and what I remember of you was a girl who kept pushing, kept working to get what she wanted. You were the boss out on the ice during those camps and you’re basically the boss now, when it comes to organizing my house.”

I laugh, shaking my head at that. “You don’t remember the braces? The thick glasses and acne?”

Raising an eyebrow, Trey says, “I don’t. I was worried about my own acne and the chip on my tooth from falling down the stairs. Or the worry that the guys would laugh at me for not knowing everything they talked about. I was a bit sheltered, as you can imagine.”

Everything in his words rings true and I can’t help but let a tear slide down my cheek.

“Don’t cry, Mac—Kenzie. The last thing I ever want to do is make you cry.”

I sniff and take in a deep breath. “It’s not a tear of sadness, but of joy.”

Trey searches my face for something. Before he can ask another question, I say, “I’ve dreamed of this moment for way too long. When Dani married Miles, I figured it would be torture to see you all the time. But these past few weeks have been some of the best. Treydon Hatch, it looks like we match.” I giggle at the rhyme.

“So, will you be my girlfriend?” he asks, stepping closer and wrapping his arms around my back. Our faces are inches away and this whole thing seems like a dream.

“I would love to be your girlfriend.”

Trey leans down and brushes his lips across mine in a quick kiss. I’m about to protest the quickness of it when he kisses me again, only this time, I wrap my arms around his neck and pull closer, not wanting him to move away for even a moment.

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