Page 58 of Body Checked By the Defenseman

“I’m happy for you, Charlie,” I tell her.

“I’m happy for you too. Now let’s get some sleep. I’m exhausted.” she urges.

“Me too.” I yawn again since we are on a roll.

“Oh, I know, babe. We could hear how good your chemistry is with Mack.” She laughs.

I pause, my eyes feeling like they are almost popping from my head. “You could hear? I thought all the loud music would drown us out.”

“I mean, Finn’s room is next door to Mack’s,” she reminds. “But I think you were safe with everyone downstairs, and Aaron is drunk. Hopefully, he doesn’t remember you and Mack coming downstairs with ‘I just got fucked glowing faces.’”

“Damn.” I blush. I am glowing from Macklin.

“Okay, let’s go to sleep. Tomorrow is a big day.”

“Good idea,” I tell her. We hug one more time and then we head back into the main room. Finn and Macklin are talking quietly and Aaron is still asleep on the couch.

“It’s probably better I sleep in my bed tonight,” I say to Macklin.

“Night, guys,” Charlie says, and she heads upstairs with Finn, who gives us a small wave.

“Is Finn okay with everything?” I ask Macklin. He is Hayden’s captain.

“He thinks I need to be honest with your brother. It was my plan anyway. I’m not walking away from you, Periwinkle.” He leans in to kiss me.

“Is that a promise?” I ask.

“You bet your life it is,” he replies. “But you’re probably right about tonight. Best you sleep in your room just in case Aaron barges into my room, which he sometimes does in the morning.”

“Charlie said she and Finn will be scarce tomorrow to give us some privacy. She also said they’ll take Aaron with them,” I inform Macklin.

“That’s a relief,” he says.

“Yeah,” I agree.

“Get some sleep, beautiful. Tomorrow is a big day.”

“When you put it that way, it makes me nervous. I’ve waited a long time for this,” I confess.

He leans in to kiss me. “Me too.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

INeed a Full Bouquet

Macklin

I go out for a morning jog and head over to the flower shop. When I get there, they are just opening.

“Hi again,” the lady, who I think is the owner, says to me.

“Hi, I hope you have irises in periwinkle blue because I am going to need a full bouquet,” I say.

“Ah! I’m happy things have worked out. You said you didn’t think they would last time,” she replies.

“Yeah, I had things all wrong,” I admit.

“Well, I’m happy for you.” She grins. “Now how full would you like the bouquet?” she asks.

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