Page 42 of Penalties and Proposals

“I amnota fan.”

Sighing, I turn around. “Cecilia.”

“Don’t worry.” She rolls her eyes. “I get it, Noah, you don’t want me here. Fine. I just wanted to say congrats, but also let your girlfriend here know I called her boss atAthletic Edgeand made sure they knew about her and you.”

My eyes bug out so far I know I resemble an actual cartoon character. But, Willa steps in, literally, standing between me and Cecilia and puts her hands on her hips.

“Yes, I know you did,” she says, her voice light. Not filled with worry, that’s for sure. “Thanks for trying, but I spoke to them about it and your attempt to sabotage me didn’t do any good. In fact, I got a promotion.”

Cecilia’s once joyful expression slides away, morphing into irritated disdain. “What?”

Willa leans against me. “Karma’s a queen, Cecilia. Just know that.”

I don’t think Cecilia has ever been confronted like this before. Her lack of reaction is almost comical. She’s a woman who is used to getting her way, only this time it’s not happening.

“Well …” She looks down at her feet before suddenly grabbing her phone out of her pocket. “I need to go anyway. My ride is waiting. I’ve got a plane to catch, I need to get out of this podunk little town.”

“What?” Willa cocks her head to the side, a dose of ironic confusion clouding her features. “I thought when someone comes to Maple Falls, they never want to … leave?”

It takes me a minute, but when I realize she’s referencing the town motto I bend over and crack up, a deep chortle filling my belly as we share the moment—and Cecilia slinks away.

“Congratulations!” I grab Willa and spin around in a circle. “What does it mean?”

“I’m heading back to Harper’s Ferry for a little bit. I’ve been trying to get a loan to help Mom, but I can’t, so I hope that going back we can work together to get the business and her finances figured out. We’ll see.”

“But you have to be in New York?”

“Some. I can do video meetings with everyone, and I’ll come to the city for a three-day stint once a month. After I’m more settled, Frank said I can probably reduce that to every other month.” She laughs, clapping her hands together. “But I did it. It was all part of my master plan and it’s come to fruition.”

“Am I part of your master plan?”

She nods. “You bet you are.”

Her hand reaches out, and in a flash, she’s grabbed me by my jersey and is pulling my mouth onto hers. My breath hitches as she sighs, my fingers tangling in her hair as I clutch onto her like she’s the only lifeline I’ve ever known or needed.

The way my body responds to this woman whenever she’s near is like playing with matches. I never know when the fire could accidentally be ignited. This woman has the power to get anything and everything she ever wanted from me with a kiss like this. I hope she uses me and abuses me with them in the near future, if not forever.

For me, this kiss is laying a claim.Mine. She is all mine, and in return I’m hers. She is all the things I’ve always wanted, and there’s no way I’m letting her go. Not now. Not this time. I’m better with her, and as I pull her tighter and feel the rising of herbreath against my chest, it hits me: I needed to do what I went through to be a better man. For me. For my future.

For Willa.

My heart is still racing when she slows things down, pulling away and kissing the corners of my mouth as I let my fingertips tap dance across the flesh of her forearm. Releasing a giant sigh, I rest my forehead against hers.

She giggles. “You are quite the charmer, you know that?”

“Like a snake charmer?”

“You calling me the snake?”

“Never.” My lips press against her forehead. “Not that you asked, but I have a master plan, too, you know.”

“Oh?” she says, angling her head to one side. “Spill.”

I hold my shoulders high as I say, “I think this could be my last season on the ice. Playing defense.”

“Why’s that?”

“I’m going to talk to Travis about taking the assistant coach position on the team if he hasn’t filled it yet. I’m ready to step back and do something different. Find a new challenge.”

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