Page 81 of Perfectly Complicated
“I wanted you to have it early so you could put it on the tree.”
Her brow knits before she glances up. “But how did you get this?”
“I bought it when you were shopping for Aria. I wanted to surprise you with it.”
She takes out the glass star and holds it in the air. The ornament catches the light, casting tiny beams around the room.
I study her face, how she’s gone completely silent. “Janie…is something wrong? If you don’t like it?—”
“No,” she says, shaking her head. “It’s not that. I love it so much. It’s just…” Her throat bobs. “I don’t understand—I thought you hated that festival. The crowds, me dragging you from booth to booth. I thought you couldn’t wait to get away from the place.”
“Janie,” I say, pulling her into my arms. “I did feel that way at first. But when I saw you hold up that ornament and smile…I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life trying to put that look on your face again.”
Her eyes flick from the ornament to me, like it’s finally sinking in.
“Seeing your joy…” My arms tighten around her. “Was like finding what had been missing my whole life.”
“Rourke—” She shakes her head. “This is the most beautifulgift anyone’s ever given me.” Then her face crumples slightly. “And here I am, the woman who supposedly loves Christmas more than anything, and I haven’t even gotten you a single present yet.”
“You don’t have to get me anything.” I rest my cheek against her hair. “You are my favorite gift.”
“Come on,” she insists. “I bet you can think of something.”
“Well, there is this one thing…”
“What?”
I hesitate, knowing once I say this out loud, there’s no taking it back. “The Crushers Christmas party is coming up…and I need a date.”
“Rourke Riley…” She draws back enough to meet my expression head-on. “Are you asking me out? Like, for real?”
“Yes. But that means stepping into my crazy world.” I search her face, needing her to understand the weight of what I’m asking. “Once we walk in there together, there’s no hiding what this is.”
She’s quiet for a moment before a smile pulls at her mouth. “If I say yes, does this mean I’ve lost the bet?”
“Oh, Bennett…” I brush a finger along her sleeve. “I lost that bet the moment I realized I was completely gone for you.”
“Then I’ll gladly throw out the whole bet,” she says, grinning as she loops an arm around my neck, “if it means I get a Christmas date with you.”
“That’s fair,” I say with a nod. “But this date comes with one serious drawback you should know about upfront.”
“What’s that?”
“It’s going to be next to impossible to spend the entire night with you and not kiss you in front of my teammates.”
“And that’s a problem because…?” She lifts an eyebrow.
“Because they’ll never let me hear the end of it.”
She tips her face to me. “Rourke, I’m a kindergarten teacher who manages twenty-two terrors. I’m not afraid of a bunch of hockey players.” She pats my arm.
“And one more thing—” I glance over at Ariawho’s playing with her new bear. “When we get tired of the party, can I take you somewhere else afterward?”
“Where?”
“The arena.” I wait for her reaction. “Listen, I know you’re not ready to attend a game yet. But I thought this could be a first step toward showing you my world.”
She’s quiet for a moment. “Like a private lesson?”
