Page 48 of Charming Crosschecks

“I don’t want to go to Calgary because I don’t know anyone there,” she confessed, her voice trembling. “And… I’m scared.”

The admission hit him harder than he expected, but he masked his guilt with a brusque tone. “Then we won’t go,” he snapped, the words coming out harsher than intended.

For a moment, silence enveloped them. They stood staring at each other, their gazes locked, both their chests heaving from the unspoken tension that filled the room. Slowly, the fight drained out of them, leaving behind only weary vulnerability.

“If you don’t want to go,” Gerry said, his voice softer now, “all you had to do was say so.”

Molly’s expression faltered, her eyes glistening as she looked down at her hands. “I like being a part of the Coyotes team,” she whispered.

“Me too,” he replied, the corner of his mouth twitching in a bittersweet smile.

“Then why even consider it?”

“Because of the money,” he admitted, a shadow passing over his face, “and… you.”

The weightof those final words hung heavy in the air, unspoken questions and emotions simmering beneath the surface. Gerry reached for her hand, gently intertwining their fingers, silently hoping that the connection between them would be enough to steady her trembling resolve.

“Me?” Molly whispered, looking at him as he held her hand and slowly knelt before her. Her eyes widened slightly as he stared up into her beloved gaze, speechless.

Gerry took Molly’s hands in his, his thumbs brushing softly over her knuckles as he looked into her eyes with a vulnerability she’d rarely seen before. His voice trembled slightly, heavy with sincerity and raw emotion.

“Molly, I love you more than you will ever know or imagine – and can’t picture living this life without you by my side.” He paused, his chest rising and falling with the weight of his confession. “You bring me joy and hope and make me feel like I could move mountains… and that is what matters.” His voice softened, as though each word was being pulled directly from his heart. “I don’t care about Calgary unless it’s something that you want. If something ever happened, I could find a place on another team – but those guys are my family, you know? I want to see my friend Batiste marry his girl, to celebrate their happiness, just like I would prefer those we care about to share in ours.”

Molly blinked back the tears pooling in her eyes. “Oh, Gerry…” she whispered, her voice barely audible over the pounding of her heart.

Gerry’s grip tightened ever so slightly, as if anchoring himself to her in that moment. His breath hitched, and his Adam’s apple bobbed as he struggled to find the courage to continue.

“I’m not the greatest guy,” he admitted, his voice cracking. “Not some hotshot fancy hockey player. I don’t go out and party, I’m probably too dumb to stand up for myself sometimes, but if you want someone to loveyou, to cherish every smile casually tossed in his direction…” He paused, his gaze dropping briefly before meeting hers again, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. “And someone who would lay down their life to make you happy… well, I’m your guy.”

The raw emotion in his voice cut through her like a blade, sharp and undeniable, making her throat tighten and her chest ache. Gerry’s lips trembled as he continued, his voice now barely above a whisper, thick with feeling and edged with vulnerability. “Molly, I want to marry you and spend the next fifty years making you smile as much as you have made me, sweetheart.”

The words hung in the air like a delicate melody, wrapping around her heart. She just stood there, rooted in place, her mind spinning in a chaotic swirl of fear, disbelief, excitement, and joy. Her breath hitched as she tried to process what he’d just said. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined meeting someone like him—someone who didn’t just tolerate her quirks but seemed to treasure them. She’d always known she could be bossy, even infuriating at times, with her relentless need to plan and organize, her fixation on the little details of life. Yet here he was, looking at her as if she were the only thing in the world that mattered.

To have someone as sweet, tender, and utterly wonderful as Gerry love her? It felt like a miracle she didn’t deserve. And because of that, she was terrified. Terrified that one day, the pedestal he’d put her on would crumble. Terrified that she’d somehow fail him, that the cracks in her would eventually drive him away.

“Say something…” he urged softly, his dark eyes searching hers with a nervous smile that didn’t quite reach his lips. “You’re scaring me, Molly.”

His quiet plea snapped her from her spiraling thoughts, and she blinked rapidly, realizing how long she’d left him hanging. Her pulse thundered in her ears as she opened her mouth, then closed it again, words tumbling over each other in a rush.

“What if I let you down?” she stammered, her voice trembling as she stared into his earnest gaze. “I mean, what if you change your mind? What if you want to trade to another team because you get tired of my nagging? Or my constant attempts to make us eat healthy? What if…” She laughed nervously, shaking her head. “What if I come up with something even worse than ‘frownies’?”

A crooked smile softened the tension in his expression. “I don’t think there is anything worse—and why would you even want to do that?”

Her shoulders sagged as the floodgates opened, emotion pouring out in waves. “Because I never want you to leave my side,” she whispered, her voice breaking. Tears brimmed in her eyes, spilling over as she took a shaky step toward him. “I don’t think a lifetime would ever be long enough to love you the way I want to, and the thought of being without you? Gerry, it hurts just to imagine it. I want you with me until the end of eternity—if you can put up with me.”

He chuckled, the sound thick with his own emotion, and his mock frown was so endearing it made her heart squeeze. “I think I can handle that. And what did I tell you about making decisions for me?”

“That I’m gonna do it repeatedly as your wife?” she shot back, a hint of a smile breaking through her tears.

“Fair enough,” he said with a grin that lit up his whole face. Rising to his feet, he reached for the small chain hidden beneath his shirt, tugging it free with a flourish. A delicate box dangled from the chain, and he winked at her. “Figured my surprise would be ruined if you found this early.”

Her jaw dropped, her hand flying to her mouth as laughter bubbled up through her tears. “I’ll admit—I was looking for it.”

“How’d I know,” he laughed glibly, sliding the ring onto her finger a moment later as he met her eyes. “Marry me?”

“Yes.”

“Oh man,” he breathed, his voice trembling with a mix of overwhelming emotion and nervous energy as he pulled her into his arms. His hold was firm yet tender, his heart pounding so loudly she could feel it through his chest. Leaning down, he tilted his head to press his lips to hers, his breath brushing her skin and igniting a spark that made her heart race.

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