Page 66 of Hat Trick Holidate

We walk up the stairs, peeking in on Jolie who has her bear under her chin. Then we walk down the long hallway. When we come to the guest room he set up for me, I look in, interlacing my fingers with his and lead him to his master suite.

Forget boundaries. He needs me.

chapter 28

BRYCE

At eight in the morning,the contracting company has handled the water damage and gotten the cabinets and floors ripped out. They came as soon as Emmaline picked up her clothes last night. This morning, I call one of the floor companies in the metro area to help me out.

I show the contractor the exact cabinets that Emmaline wants. Roman says, “Did you just come out and ask her what she wanted? Because she’s very intuitive.”

“No, she was feeling down, and I just said what would be the details in your dream house. She thinks I’m shooting a commercial. Let’s do the little things we can do. Paint the living room before they put in the new floors. Once we do, we can’t walk on them.”

I hand him the faux fur Behr paint, roller, tin, and paint stick that I picked up on my way. “I’m going to put the fixtures in her bathroom and then put in thesecurity system.”

“Wynward, did your dad teach you how to do all of this?”

Glancing over my shoulder, I answer, “No. Self-taught.” Then I head straight for her bathroom, pull out my tools, and have her new faucets and handles on in a few minutes. Next, I tackle the Ring system.

I message her this morning.

Me: Thanks for last night.

My phone dings in my pocket, so I step off the ladder and slip it from my pocket.

Emmaline: I should be thanking you.

Me: I promise you, it’s the other way around. Other than Reed and Brooke, my ex, you’re the only one who has heard the full story.

Emmaline: Do you believe in signs?

Me: Don’t say it happened for a reason.

Emmaline: I would never. Can I stay again tonight? I want to talk after Jolie goes to bed.

I breathe out a sigh of relief because I had no idea how I would get her to stay another night to get this house done so she can have Thanksgiving dinner here.

Me: I’d love for you to stay.

I want to say forever but here I am making her dream house come to life. What I should be doing is changing my house, so she’ll never want to leave.

Emmaline: Roman called a company that handles water damage and is meeting them at my house to let them in. They want me to be gone for at least two nights.

Well, at least Roman is sticking with the plan.

Me: However long you need or want to stay is perfect. I love the get-to-know-you phase.

Emmaline: winky face.

Me: Gotta get back to the commercial shoot.

Emmaline: Try to temper the grumpy image. I know the real you.

Roman comes where I’m on the outside back patio and asks, “What next, Cap?”

“Let’s go pick up the pressure washer and buy an early lunch for the crew.”

We head to the local hardware store, and a man named Agner waits on us. “What are two professional hockey players doing in a hardware store? Don’t you have people to do this stuff?”

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