Page 47 of Icing the Enemy

Dasha giggles. “You two are too cute. I love couples who constantly banter.” Winnie and Chloe agree.

I didn’t expect the time to come so soon, but she deserves a real proposal. One that she’ll remember even after we’re divorced. She hasn’t talked about her mom much, just the facts—my mom died. I had to work to pay the bills at fifteen, but she hasn’t discussed how she felt then or now that her mother is gone.

Spinning her around to face me, she throws her head back with her eyes closed, laughing. I’m glad she likes my teammates and their partners. I tug on her hand, and she opens her lids, revealing the most beautiful eyes dancing with happiness. The same expression I saw on her face at Bryce’s wedding.

“Hey,” I say.

“Hey.” She continues to smile.

I drop to one knee and pull my other hand from behind my back. As I open the brushed velvet box, she gasps. “Oh my God.”

She’s a great actress. It’s just what I would have expected from a real girlfriend. But the way my heart is pounding, it seems to think this is an actual proposal.

Oakley looks down at me with tears in her eyes, and the crowd of people quiets with only whispers floating from our friends.

“Oakley James, you did more than steal my truck. You stole my heart. I know this is quick but in the short time we’ve knowneach other, you’ve brought a new dimension to my life. One I didn’t think I needed until after my hockey career. But I want you by my side until you realize that you married down and that I’m not good enough for you.” I take the ring from the box and ask, “Will you marry me?”

CHAPTER TWENTY

oakley

“Is this really happening?”I choke out, not because I’m unhappy. For the first time in a long time, I’m enjoying life and it’s all due to the man in the swim trunks and his bare chest holding a ring that cost more than my car.

“It is. I know it’s sudden, so if you need time…”

“I don’t need time. Just you. Yes, I’ll marry you. Now Dixie will have a daddy, and I’ll have a husband.” Her words trail off like our arrangement is just hitting her.

“And I’ll have a wife and a dog to go on runs with. To eat dinner with. To make love to.” He slides the ring on my finger and pulls me down on his lap to a chorus of cheers. God, how I want that last one to be true. It doesn’t go unnoticed by me that he doesn’t utter the words I love you. Damn, he’s a good actor.

Corbin gives me a panty-melting kiss, and I push him onto his back on the pool deck. His hands swarm my back, and I feel him getting hard against my stomach. Knocking us out of our moment, a voice I haven’t heard before says, “Get a room.”

Gently, Corbin lifts us to standing, and he doesn’t look happy.

“Dousier, go home,” Corbin demands.

“This isn’t your house. You’re not the captain of the party.” He slurs his words. Corbin comes chest to chest with him and whispers something in his ear with his jaw tight.

Dousier says, “I’ll leave this time, but why are you asking this girl to marry you when you’re busy with Gloria?”

A hush falls. “Out. If you don’t leave now, I’m talking to management.”

Dousier leaves but on his way out, he throws out a bombshell. “Have fun with the owner’s daughter. I’m sure he’ll be pleased you asked his daughter to marry you in a pool.”

“What?”

“You’re the owner's daughter?”

And many more questions come from his friends and their girlfriends or wives.

“Mr. Beech is my father, but I just recently found out. I don’t know him—at all,” I explain.

“Is this to fix your reputation, Shearer?” Baker asks.

“Of course not. I met Oakley before she knew he was her father. He has no say in this,” Corbin says in a defensive tone.

For a moment, everyone quiets but then Winnie yells, “Champagne. We need champagne.” And just like that, we’re drinking champagne and celebrating our engagement.

We tell the story of our truck stop meet cute. He gives them the play by play of the wedding we attended. Then he says, “But when she stole my truck, she stole my heart.”

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