Page 115 of When Alec Met Evie
“No questions,” Alec says.
A light spring breeze brushes across my face, and the wind chimes hanging by my door play their familiar song. “Itismy house!” I say.
“Just a few more steps,” he says as I awkwardly shuffle behind him. “Okay, now sit.”
I do as he asks, and then…I’m swinging.
My eyes pop open.
I’m on a porch swing…on my own front porch.
Alec sits down beside me. “Remember when you first moved in?” he asks. “You mentioned the house had a porch swing in all the pictures. You were sad it didn’t have one.”
“You remembered that?” I say. “I barely remember that.”
“I decided right then I’d get you one.” He gives me a sheepish grin. “I just had to wait until it wouldn’t scare you off.”
“You wouldn’t have scared me off with a porch swing,” I say. “Never.”
“I don’t know. Felt like a pretty big gesture for a first date.”
I roll my eyes. “I was so far gone for you by date one, I promise it wouldn’t have mattered.”
He picks up my hand and tugs me closer, wrapping an arm around my shoulder as we gently swing forward, then back.
“What about an engagement ring?” he says gently. “Would I scare you off with that?”
I sit up, flailing with the motion of the swing and practically dumping myself out. As soon as I’m steady, thanks to Alec putting down his feet and holding us stationary, I fix him with my most intimidating look. “Alec Sheridan, so help me, if you are only proposing right now because of what happened at the Summit, I will…” My words trail off because I have no idea what I will do. “I don’t know,” I finally finish. “But it won’t be good.”
He grins. “I swear on my retired jersey number that I was always planning on proposing tonight.”
I bite my lip. “Really?”
He nods. “I’ve had the ring in my suit pocket all night long.”
“And you were never planning on asking me during the ceremony?”
“Absolutely not,” he says. “Though I do know what Parker was thinking of if she made you think something big was happening.”
“Really?”
He nods. “It’s a job. The Appies want to hire me as a player development coordinator.”
My eyes widen. “Really?”
“I would mostly be focused on helping players transition into professional hockey, filling the gaps in their training both on and off the ice.”
“So, just like what you did for Theo and Carter.”
“Partly. And more stuff too. The best news is I wouldn’t have to travel with the team. So my schedule would be a lot more flexible than it was when I was playing. Assuming I actually take the job.”
I lean forward and press a quick kiss to his lips. “Why wouldn’t you take it?”
“Because I wouldn’t be able to keep Juno,” he says.
“Okay, but…do youwantto do it? Would it make you happy?”
He shrugs. “Probably, yeah. But that’s not the only part of the equation here. I like Juno being with one of us. And I love her being with me. When I think about the time I’d miss out on, that just makes me sad.”
