Page 97 of The Player's Obsession

“Darn, we should have had Prosecco with our orange juice!” Emily says. “We need champagne to toast.”

“I have some in the cooler,” Oliver says, returning a minute later with a bottle of bubbly. He adds it to the orange juice in our glasses, and toasts are made.

“It looks like we’ll be planning a wedding, after all,” Theo adds as he looks at his wife. I see the twinkle in her eyes as she meets her husband's gaze.

I hope we’ll be just like them.

* * *

We were sobusy moving my belongings out of the apartment and reorganizing Oliver’s closets and setting mine up. Oliver said he wanted my closet filled, so I bought a new Chanel outfit with wide-legged pants and a matching jacket, among many other things. But this suit makes the story of our first meeting more of a fib than a lie. Lucinda was over the moon with my news. We had a fun shopping day. I wore a black turtleneck under the jacket to show off the pearl necklace Oliver gave me. Apparently, his mother was saving it for the right woman, and now it’s mine.

It took a few weeks to get into the posh restaurant where Oliver wanted to celebrate our engagement. It’s a well-known place near the ice hockey arena and near the stadium. The players often book private rooms for events. We had the best service, and drank the same champagne we loved at RusLuxe. The food was phenomenal.

As luck would have it, we run into Melanie.If she hates the weather in Maine, why is she still here?

CHAPTER 36

Oliver

“Hi, Melanie. How are you?”

“Good, thank you. I had a meltdown of sorts, but I’m fine now. It’s better to head a mistake off at the pass than to marry the wrong man.”

“True. I hope you find someone.”

“I will. How are you two? Still, together, I see.” She looks Penelope over as if she’s jealous of her wearing the pearl necklace. It could be the fact Penelope is on my arm, and obviously, we’re happy.

“I see you had champagne. What are you celebrating?”

“Our engagement. Everyone thought we were married before, but we’re officially going to set a date.”

“Congratulations,” she says, and if I had been on my game, I would have noticed Penelope in distress. Penelope makes a gagging sound, and before I can react, I notice her dinner has landed unceremoniously on Melanie’s Jimmy Choo’s.

“Oh my God,” Melanie panics and begins to cry as she screams for help to clean her shoes. “These shoes cost over a thousand dollars!”

Penelope is doubled over and clenches the side of the dinner table for support. My concern is for her as I reach for a cloth napkin from the table so she can wipe her mouth.

“I’m so sorry,” Penelope says. “I don’t know what made me sick,” she explains.

I slip my arm around Penelope and help her stand.

“Send us a bill, Melanie, I’ll replace your shoes. I have to get Penelope home.” I take a step as Melanie speaks.

“I’m so happy I didn’t marry you. You’re more concerned over her than my priceless shoes. You might have a billion dollars, but one would never know by the way you travel in the same circles. You’re so predictable. I thought we’d travel the world, and you settle for this woman who is a nobody. Like I said, predictable,” she huffs. “I wanted more, Oliver.” She raises her voice in anger. “I wanted to travel. I wanted to follow the jetsetters. You were happy playing football and hanging out with your teammates. One summer vacation and a week hanging out on your wretched yacht was all the excitement I was ever going to have with you. It wasn’t enough.”

“My brother was right. You never did like football players. Thanks for clarifying how incompatible we were, but I have to attend to my future wife. I wish you luck.”

We leave the establishment, and the valet pulls up in the new Maserati I bought this week. Penelope needs a larger car; I want her to be safe on our icy roads in winter.

We’re on our way home, and I know what’s going on as I’m a bit obsessive, but Penelope is oblivious to the fact she’s pregnant.

“Well, Melanie may never forgive us for that,” I chuckle.

“I doubt it. She’s not living here, is she?”

“I doubt it. I wanted to talk to you about your birth control pills.”

“What about them?”

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