Page 194 of Check & Chase
I smile, typing back a quick thanks before joining Emma in the oversized hotel bathtub, sinking into the hot water with a groan as it soothes my aching muscles.
“Better?” she asks, settling between my legs, her back against my chest.
“Getting there.” I wrap my arms around her, holding her close. “Two more wins.”
“Two more wins,” she echoes, head resting on my shoulder. “Though I might not survive the stress.”
“Dramatic,” I tease, pressing a kiss to her temple.
“Says the man who thought the fate of our entire future rested on tonight’s game.” She twists to look at me, eyes challenging. “Still feel that way?”
“No,” I admit. “You were right. This is huge, but it’s not everything.”
She nods, satisfied, turning back to rest against me. “Good. Because I’ve been thinking about wedding dates while you’ve been focusing on hockey.”
The change of subject catches me off guard. “Yeah? What were you thinking?”
“Summer,” she says. “Small ceremony, just family and close friends.”
“That soon?” I’m surprised but not opposed. “Don’t these things usually take a year to plan?”
She shrugs, water rippling around her shoulders. “Maybe for normal people. But we’re not exactly normal, are we? Besides, why wait? Unless you’re having second thoughts…”
“Never,” I say firmly, tightening my arms around her. “As soon as we win the Cup, we’ll start planning.”
“Maya’s already volunteered to handle everything,” she admits with a small laugh. “She’s terrifyingly efficient.”
“Sounds like we’re in good hands.” I nuzzle her neck, inhaling the scent of hotel shampoo and the underlying essence that’s purely Emma. “Mrs. Mitchell.”
“Not yet,” she reminds me, but I can hear the smile in her voice. “A few more wins first, remember?”
“A few more wins,” I agree, the path forward suddenly crystal clear. Win the Cup. Marry Emma. Build our future together, one step at a time.
Nothing else matters.
Emma
Chapter Forty-Five
“Wait—lake house? Chase has a lake house?” Maya’s voice rises with excitement through the phone. “How did I not know this?”
“It’s about twenty minutes outside Pinewood, on Lake Evergreen. Modern but rustic, with this amazing deck overlooking the water.”
“Oh my god, we are SO having it there! Lakeside ceremony at sunset, reception on the deck, string lights everywhere… Emma, this is meant to be!”
I’m sitting cross-legged on the hotel bed in Seattle, laptop open to a Pinterest board I never thought I’d create. Wedding dresses. Flower arrangements. It’s surreal—planning a wedding while in the middle of the Stanley Cup Finals.
“Summer at the lake house,” Maya repeats. “That gives us what… eight weeks? Nine?”
“Yeah, give or take.”
“You realize that’s insane, right? Most people take at least a year to plan a wedding.”
“We’re not most people.” I scroll through dress options, clicking on a simple A-line with minimal lace. “Besides, why wait? Between his hockeyschedule and my new position with the Wolves, summer is our best window.”
The truth is, I can’t explain the urgency even to myself. It’s just once I decided I wanted to marry Chase Mitchell, I didn’t want to waste any more time.
“Fair enough. The lake house location actually simplifies things—instant venue, built-in scenery. How many people are you thinking?”
