Page 95 of From Wink to Kink

InPride and Prejudice, I leave a pressed orchid, a reminder of the flowers that grew outside our bungalow in Costa Rica.

InThe Old Man and the Sea, there's a ticket stub from the first Aftershocks game I ever played in, which was also the first time I met Ruby.

To Kill a Mockingbirdholds a photo of us at Tyler and Lucy's engagement party, when she spilled her drink all over my shirt.

With each clue, my resolve strengthens. This isn't just about winning Ruby back. It's about showing her that I see her, really see her. That I've been paying attention all along.

Finally, I take my place at the end of the Classic Literature section, Ruby's favorite spot in the library. In my hands, I hold a bouquet of her favorite flowers and a leather-bound, first edition ofSense and Sensibility. My palms are sweating, and I'm pretty sure I'm more nervous now than I've ever been before a playoff game.

I hear the library doors open, and a voice rings out. "Oh, Ruby! Before you start your shift, could you check on something for me in the fiction section?"

My heart leaps into my throat. This is it.

I can't see Ruby from where I'm standing, but I can hear her footsteps. I can almost feel her presence as she moves through the library. There's a pause, and I know she's found the first clue.

"What the..." I hear her mutter, and I have to suppress a grin. That's my Ruby, always curious.

I listen as she moves from section to section, following the trail I've left. With each clue, her footsteps become more hurried, more eager. She's figuring it out.

Finally, I hear her approaching the Classics section. I take a deep breath, straighten my shoulders. Game time, Newcomb.

She rounds the corner, and for a moment, time stands still. She's beautiful, her cheeks flushed with excitement, her eyes bright with curiosity. When she sees me, she freezes, her mouth forming a perfect 'O' of surprise.

"Chuck?" she says, like she can't quite grasp seeing me out of context.

I step forward, my heart pounding so hard I'm sure she hears it. "Hey, Ruby Brooks."

She laughs, the sound a mix of disbelief and joy. "What... what is all this?"

I hold out the flowers and the book. "This is me, fighting for us. The way I should have from the beginning."

Ruby takes the offerings, her hands shaking slightly. "Chuck, I..."

"Wait," I say quickly. "Before you say anything, I need you to know something. Ruby, these past few weeks without you... they've been hell. Nothing feels right. Hockey, the thing I've built my whole life around, it doesn't mean anything if I can't share it with you."

Tears gather in her eyes, but I press on. I need to get this out.

"I know we're different. I know it won't be easy. But Ruby, I love you. Every bit of you. Your brilliant mind, your sarcastic wit, the way you scrunch up your nose when you're thinking hard about something. I love how passionate you get about books, and how you're not afraid to call me out when I'm being an idiot. I love that you challenge me, that you make me want to be better."

I take a deep breath, reaching out to take her hand. "I'm not asking for forever right now. I'm just asking for a chance. A chance to show you that we can make this work. That our differences don't have to define us—they can make us stronger."

She’s quiet for a long moment, and I feel my heart sink. But then she squeezes my hand, and when I meet her eyes, I see a smile there.

"You know," she says, her voice thick with emotion, "for a hockey player, you're pretty good with words."

I laugh, relief flooding through me. "Well, I may have practiced that speech a few times in the mirror."

She grins. "A few times, huh?"

"Okay, maybe more than a few," I admit. "So... what do you say, Brooks? Willing to give this meathead hockey player another shot?"

Instead of answering, she rises up on her tiptoes and kisses me. It's soft and sweet and full of promise, and I pour everything I'm feeling into it.

When we break apart, we're breathless. "I'll take that as a yes?"

Ruby nods, her eyes shining. "Yes. God help me, but yes. I love you too, Chuck. Even when I was trying not to, I couldn't stop."

I pull her close, burying my face in her hair. "I'm not letting you go again," I whisper fiercely.

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