Page 23 of The Game Changer

Jill

“Damn, you clean up nice,” I tell John as he comes out of his room dressed for tonight’s event. Since he’s one of the bachelors up for auction, he decided to dress a little nicer than khakis and a polo. Instead, he’s dressed in slacks and a button down. His slacks look like they’ve been custom made to fit his thick hockey thighs, and thinking more about that, they probably were. My best friend, Julia, who also happens to be engaged to a hockey player, plus her dad, who is also a former player, all have mentioned how they often have to have clothes custom made or tailored because of how strong their legs and asses are from all the hours on the ice.

“Just trying to make sure the bids are high. I wouldn’t want to disappoint whoever wins me tonight.” He winks as he closes the distance between the two of us. I’m still nervous about his conditions on agreeing to being one of the guys up on the stage. I hate the idea that he wants me to spend his money, what if the bids get crazy high?

“Speaking of high bids, what’s my limit? I don’t want to bid too high if someone else is bound and determined to win you out from under me.”

“I’m not really worried about that happening. Just try and keep it under six-figures, how does that sound?” he asks, wrapping an arm around my waist and pulling me flush against him.

“I’m sorry, did you just say six-figures?” I stammer slightly, repeating him.

“Yes.” He shrugs like it’s not a big deal to drop one hundred grand at a charity event. “If it’s more than that, I’d probably have to set up a wire transfer and not put it on my credit card, and that’s just a hassle.”

“I can’t wrap my mind around all of that. You’re sure you’re up for this and okay with that kind of thing?” I ask, needing the reassurance.

“I wouldn’t have agreed to it, nor made the deal with you if I wasn’t. The cause is an important one, the money will do some real good for them, so I think it sounds like the perfect way to make a donation to a reputable charity.”

“I’m already getting nervous about bidding on something more than a few hundred dollars,” I tell him honestly.

“Just have fun with it, and remember that I only want to be leaving with you,” he says, cupping my face and dropping a quick kiss on the corner of my mouth. “We need to get out of here if we’re going to make it on time,” he reminds me. I grab my wristlet, tucking my phone inside it, and make sure my ID, debit card, and a few smaller bills are in it.

“Thank you,” I tell John after he opens the door and then helps me climb up into his truck.

“Did I tell you how beautiful you look tonight?” he asks as he leans in to kiss me before closing my door.

“Only about a million times before I kicked you out of the bathroom I was getting ready in,” I remind him. My dress is a light pink, has a semi-open back with a deep V-neck in the front. I love the details of the cross crossed straps that wrap around my torso before tying in the back. It’s sexy and revealing, but also elegant and sophisticated, and perfect for an evening as hot as it is tonight. It doesn’t hurt that it does wonders for the girls, showing them off quite nicely. Something that I don’t miss John’s eyes zeroing in on each time he looks at me.

* * *

“You ready?” John asks once we’ve parked.

“Of course, I can’t wait to see how the night goes, but most importantly, I’m excited to see Julia and Beckett! I can’t believe they’re engaged!” My best friend went off to Sweden with her boyfriend and came back as an engaged woman. He was so sweet and contacted me, and I got to watch everything go down thanks to technology, but I haven’t been able to see her since they got back the other day.

We make it inside, and I spot Julia and Beckett across the room and make a beeline directly to them. We wrap each other up in a huge hug, squealing just a little louder than probably socially acceptable in this type of setting. “Let me see it!” I exclaim, pulling back and grabbing her hand to see the rock that Beckett put on her finger.

“I love it!” Julia tells me. “It is perfect, he did so well!”

“He sure did!” I exclaim, holding her hand up and getting a good look. “I’m so happy for the two of you!”

“Thank you. So how are things?” she asks, looking behind me to where John is talking to Beckett. My eyes find his and it’s almost surreal how quickly we’ve fallen into this easiness with one another. Ever since that day I ran into him outside of my work and he randomly asked me out that night, we’ve become almost inseparable. We’ve spent every night after I’m done with work together, as well as the weekends.

“Things are good. A whirlwind, but really good,” I tell her honestly. “I’m not sure I even know what’s going on between the two of us, but I’m enjoying whatever it is and plan to let it play out, however that is. For now, we’re just enjoying getting to really know each other,” I tell her.

“I’m sure that getting to know one another is really fun,” she teases me, bumping her shoulder against mine.

“Like you’ve got much room to talk, Miss go on vacation and come back engaged.”

“I know, and it was so damn dreamy. I wish you could have been there in person,” she says.

“I know, but it was so nice that he thought to have me included over FaceTime.”

“It was. Now, I have to ask, will you be my Maid of Honor?”

“Like you even have to ask?” I tell her as I wrap her in another hug. “Have you guys started thinking of dates or locations?”

“Next summer at the earliest, and I think we want to do it in Sweden. Jill, I can’t tell you just how beautiful it was there! If I wouldn’t miss home so much, I could totally move there.”

“You can’t! I need you here!” I tell her, knowing that they would probably never move there.

---