Page 39 of Gamechanger

"Morning," I replied, unable to keep the grin off my face. "Sleep well?"

Finn nodded, a soft smile playing at his lips. "Better than I have in weeks."

As we settled into our usual morning routine, I felt a sense of rightness wash over me. This—us—it was worth fighting for. And come Valentine's Day, I was going to make sure Finn knew just how much he meant to me.

***

Valentine's morning dawned crisp and clear. I woke early, my stomach a knot of nerves. I busied myself with last-minute preparations, hanging fairy lights around the living room and making sure I had all the ingredients for dinner.

The clock ticked closer to seven, and I found myself obsessively adjusting the lights draped around the living room. The soft glow they cast felt intimate, transforming my usually stark apartment into something almost magical. Candles flickered on the coffee table, their vanilla scent mingling with the aroma of herbs and roasting chicken wafting from the kitchen.

A knock at the door sent my heart racing. I smoothed down my shirt—a deep blue button-down that Finn once said brought out my eyes—and took a deep breath before opening the door.

Finn stood there, a vision in a charcoal sweater that hugged his athletic frame. His curls were slightly tamed, and he held a bottle of wine in one hand, a small gift bag in the other.

"Hey," he said, his eyes widening as he took in the transformed apartment. "Wow, Moose. This is... incredible."

I felt a flush of pride mixed with a twinge of anxiety. "Come in," I said, stepping aside. "I hope it's not too much."

Finn shook his head, a soft smile playing at his lips. "It's perfect."

As he moved past me, I caught a whiff of his cologne—the same one from our first real date. The familiarity of it eased some of my nervousness.

"Something smells amazing," Finn said, sniffing the air appreciatively.

I grinned, leading him to the kitchen. "Chicken parmesan. I remembered you mentioning that place back home..."

Finn's eyes lit up. "You didn't! God, I haven't had good chicken parm since I left Minnesota."

We fell into an easy rhythm, Finn insisting on helping me finish up dinner preparations. Our hands brushed as we worked, each touch sending little sparks through me. The tension from the past weeks seemed to melt away, replaced by a comfortable warmth.

Over dinner, we talked and laughed, the conversation flowing as easily as the wine Finn had brought. I found myself mesmerized by the way the candlelight danced in his eyes, highlighting the flecks of gold in the warm brown.

"I have something for you," I said as we finished eating, suddenly feeling nervous again.

I retrieved the carefully wrapped package from behind the couch, handing it to Finn with slightly trembling hands.

He unwrapped it carefully, his eyes widening as he pulled out the scarf. "Moose," he breathed, running his fingers over the soft wool. "You made this?"

I nodded, watching his face anxiously. "I know you're always cold at the rink, and I thought... well, I wanted you to have something to keep you warm when I can't."

Finn's eyes met mine, and the emotion I saw there took my breath away. Without a word, he leaned across the table and kissed me, soft and sweet.

"It's perfect," he murmured against my lips. "Thank you."

We moved to the couch, Finn insisting I open his gift. Inside the bag was a framed photo, a candid shot of us at a team event, heads bent close together, both of us laughing at some shared joke. I hadn't even realized someone had taken the picture.

"Quinn snapped it," Finn explained. "I just... I love how happy we look. How real."

I traced the edge of the frame, overcome with emotion. "I love it," I said softly. "And I love you."

The words slipped out before I could overthink them, hanging in the air between us. Finn's smile was radiant as he pulled me close.

"I love you too," he whispered.

We spent the rest of the evening curled up together, reminiscing about our early days and dreaming about the future. As the candles burned low and the playlist I'd made looped for the third time, I found myself marveling at how right this felt.

The evening had been everything I'd hoped for. Finn's happiness was evident in every smile, every touch. But as I held him close, I couldn't shake the fear that someday, somehow, I would mess this up. That I wasn't worthy of this kind of love.

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