Page 59 of Sticking Around

I turn as a few more guys arrive, most of them alone, but a few of them with dates. I smile. It’s kind of nice to have this get together before we hit the ice hard for the season. I search out Melanie again, and while I’m excited about our upcoming conditioning camp scrimmage, I’m going to miss her like mad. She’s laughing with her friends and they all keep glancing at me. I’m not sure what they’re saying, but she does have a mischievous gleam in her eyes.

“So, what now?” Conner sets the fish onto the big tray, and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. “Aren’t I supposed to drink something?”

“Actually,” Melanie says coming toward us with her glass of wine. She shoves it against Conner’s chest and he takes it. “You did it wrong. You drink and then you kiss the cod. So, you’re not an honorary Newfoundlander, Conner, and if anyone here is going to be an honorary Newfoundlander, it’s going to be me.”

My jaw nearly drops to the floor. What the hell had come over her in the last five minutes? I’m not sure but I like it. I like her. “No way.”

Her chin lifts an inch and bobs it. “You don’t think I’ll do it?”

I love the challenging way she’s bobbing her head, and looking at me like she wants me to dare her, which reminds me of our game of truth or dare. I still owe her a truth. Should I tell her the truth of how I’m feeling? Is that something she might ask me?

“No, I’m pretty sure you’ll do it.”

The guys start chanting, “Do it. Do it!” and I pour her a shot glass of screech. She takes it from me and lifts her arm, raising her glass.

“Is ye an honorary Newfoundlander?” I ask and when she eyes me, I lean in and whisper, “This is where you say, “Deed I is me ol’ cock, and long may your big jib draw!” She laughs, and recites the words. I nod toward her glass. “Now shoot it back.”

She shoots it back and winces like she’s drinking paint thinner and when she pounds the empty glass on the table and smiles at me, pride fills my soul. I crook my finger, and Conner picks up the cod and holds it out.

“Now ye kiss the cod.”

She briefly closes her eyes, takes a deep breath, and gives the big ugly cod a kiss on the mouth. Cheers erupt and she throws her arms around me, pressing her fish lips to mine, but I don’t give a fuck.

I inch back and she asks, “What exactly was it that I said?”

I put my mouth close to her ear my words for her alone. “Just that every wish I make is yours to command. Apparently, you are now my sex nymph, Lanie.”

She whacks my chest even though her cheeks just turned a pretty shade of pink. “Stop it.”

Chuckling, I tell her the truth. “It means, yes I am, my old friend, and may your sails always catch wind."

She looks around. “Aren’t I supposed to get a certificate or something?”

Gina holds a piece of paper in the air and the crowd parts for her. “Right here.”

Melanie laughs and throws her head back. “You really thought of everything, didn’t you?”

“I’m a guy who follows through, Lanie.”

Gina hands me the paper and a pen, and I fill in Melanie’s name. “Where on earth did you ever get that cod?”

“It wasn’t easy.” I hand her the paper and hold a hand out to shake hers. After the shake, I lean in and kiss her and a few people tell us to go get a room and I’m pretty sure that’s not a bad idea. She puts both arms around me and presses her lips to mine.

When she breaks the kiss, she inches back. “Brady, I lo—” her words die abruptly as she glances around, like she’d forgotten we were in a crowd of people. “I love that you did this.”

Was she going to say she loved me? Jesus Christ. Does sweet Lanie Clark love me? Is that what I want. I have so many people relying on me, but dammit, I want this. Deciding to play it cool, I pull her against me.

“Glad you love it.”

“If I didn’t like you before, I sure would now.”

It’s crazy to think I asked her out many times and she said no. It took my friends going away and me thinking she was a burglar to bring us together. Did Noah and Brighton set that up? I’m not sure, but if they did, I’ll have to thank them. “I like you too, Lanie.” She smiles at me and something inside me gives. Fuck it. I cup her face, my heart pounding in my chest because dammit, I’m going for it. “That’s a lie,” I tell her.

She blinks rapidly. “It’s a lie?”

“No, it’s not a lie. I do like you…but…” I take a deep breath as emotions flood my body and this time, I don’t suppress them. “I love you, Lanie.”

She gasps, and tears pool in her eyes. “I…I love you too, Brady. I wanted to say it. I almost did, but I didn’t know.”

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