Page 113 of Going All In

Tonight, they were celebrating. A clean sweep. The only team to do it. Vegas had closed it out last night in five and the Strikers would be facing them next week, so tonight they were celebrating. But he wouldn’t get too crazy. They had a late practice tomorrow, and being hungover while the coaching staff ran brutal drills knowing that some of the guys were hungover, was never fun.

“Finally. I think you guys are the last to get here,” Penny said, handing each of them a glass of champagne. “Ethan wants to make a toast.”

“Ahh. Pookie’s here,” Harty called out, and Jake glared at his friend.

“What? You brought this on yourself, man. You needed a nickname. Jakey and Northy are boring. Pookie is so much better.” Harty chuckled.

“Get on with it, man,” Jake muttered.

Harty glared at Jake, then turned to his guests. “I wanted to say that we played as a fucking team and a team I’m proud to be a member of. Vegas looks tight, but we’re better, and we are going to win the next series against them. But before we raise our glasses, I have something I need to do.” He paused and opened a drawer under the kitchen island counter.

Jake knew exactly what was happening and he couldn’t believe how calm his friend looked, especially with how nervous he’d been when he’d told Jake what his plans were on their flight home from Vancouver.

“I have something for my amazing girlfriend, Penny,” he said, handing her a book.

“Ooh, a present. What is it?” she asked, walking over to him, without a clue in the world. “Is that a guidebook? Wait. On how to get married?” She gasped. “Are you serious?”

Harty dropped to one knee. “Penny Connor, I’ve loved you since the day I met you on that wine tasting tour in Italy.”

He wasn’t lying. Jake had known his friend was a goner as soon as he’d sat down next to her.

“You’re doing this now?” she asked, her voice squeaking at the end. “I mean, we haven’t been together for at least two years. Studies show you don’t fully know someone until at least two years. Are you sure? This is crazy.”

“I wracked my brain trying to figure out the best way to do it. I know you love your guidebooks, and I love you more than anything. I know it hasn’t been very long, but you are my heart, and I don’t need two years to know that I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

Harty flipped open the guidebook. “Penny, will you marry me?”

The room was dead silent.

“You put it in the guidebook? You cut a hole in the pages. How am I supposed to know exactly how to plan a wedding?” she asked, her grin wide.

“You have to say yes first,” Baz yelled out, and a bunch of people laughed.

“I have another copy that I didn’t cut up,” Harty said. “So, will you?”

“Of course I will.” Harty was off his knee and kissing his new fiancée hard enough to make even Jake blush.

“Oh my god, that was perfection,” Darcy said, turning to look up at him, and in that split second, he wondered what it would be like to propose to her. To see if she would light up as much as Penny had.

For some insane reason, that thought—that image, didn’t freak him out. Not that they were ready for that, but maybe one day.

Growing up like he did, with advice from his mother to guard his heart and his father calling him a chip off the old block, Jake never imagined he would be in a situation where the words love and relationship didn’t scare the hell out of him.

Darcy had done that.

He was tired of holding back. Jake tugged her into his arms as his teammates and their girlfriends and wives congratulated Harty and Penny. Everything else faded away as he leaned down and pressed his forehead against hers.

“You are amazing, Darcy Collins. I know this probably isn’t the place for this, but I’ve fallen in love with you.”

He didn’t stop at her sucked in breath.

“I know this wasn’t supposed to happen, but I’m so fucking happy that you told your mother my name.”

“I could’ve meant any Jake,” she whispered half-heartedly.

He chuckled. “But you got this Jake, and I’m tired of holding this back.”

“Good. Because I’m in love with you too. I’ve been waiting for you to say it first. You took forever,” she said, her laugh soft, and he couldn’t resist her any longer—the rest of the room be damned.

He sealed his lips to hers, banding his arm around her waist, with the clear intention of never letting her go.

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