Page 104 of O Goalie Night
Oh God.I hope he’s not going to propose.
Not today, anyway. I mean, we haven’t been together that long and as much as I love him and want to be with him, I’m not ready to be a wife.
But he doesn’t propose, thankfully. Instead, he holds out one of my slippers and, smiling, I place my hand on his shoulder for support as I slip my foot inside.
“Oh. My. God,” I moan as the warm fabric envelops my aching foot.
Foster grins up at me. “I put them in the dryer for a few minutes. Figured your feet would be sore after all that skating.”
I have no idea what I’ve done to deserve this man, but I’m keeping him.
After he slips the other one on, he stands and pulls me into his chest for a hug. “Better?”
“So much better.”
We stay like this for a few minutes, just holding each other. His broad hands stroke my back and I’m lulled intoan almost meditative state by his steady heartbeat. I could stay like this all evening.
“We need to leave for the airport soon,” Foster says, interrupting my tranquil state. “Do you have much to do to get ready?”
Reluctantly, I let him go and take a step back. “No, I finished packing this morning.”
“That’s good.” He clears his throat. “I’m going to miss you.”
“I’m going to miss you, too,” I tell him. Then, remembering what he said at the rink, I take a deep breath and ask, “What did you want to talk to me about?”
His mouth opens then closes again as he shoves his hands in his pockets and rocks back on his heels.
“You can say ‘no,’” he prefaces, looking a bit pale. “I know that you’re planning to move into the new spot next month, but,” he swallows as he meets my gaze, “what if you stayed here? With me? I know we haven’t been together long, but I’ve loved having you here and I don’t want you to go.”
I stop breathing. “Are you sure?” While I’ve been staying there for the past eight weeks, there’s a huge difference between that and him asking me to move in and share his home.
Foster’s eyes shine with sincerity as he reads my mind. “Beth, this wasn’t a home until you got here and it won’t be one if you leave.”
Throwing my arms around him I bury my face in his neck, breathing him in, and whisper, "Yes." It’s not just a word. It’s everything I’ve been waiting to say. "Yes," I repeat, my voice firmer now. I pull back just enough tolook into his eyes, my fingers tracing the line of his jaw. "There’s nowhere else I want to be."
But as the words pass my lips, I’m reminded that there is somewhere else I need to be—the airport.
“I wish you could come with me,” I groan into Foster’s neck.
“I can, if you want me to.”
I blink, my mind scrambling to catch up with what he just said. "Wait... what?" My voice comes out shaky, and I stare at him, half expecting him to laugh and tell me he’s kidding. But he doesn’t. Instead, he’s watching me with the soft smile that always makes my heart flip.
"I’ll come home with you, if that’s what you want."
My mouth falls open as he gently sets me down. "You... you’re serious?"
Foster brushes a strand of hair behind my ear. "Ben booked me a flight. It’s his way of apologising for being an ass. I can fly to the Island with you now and come back first thing on Christmas morning. But I told him it was up to you. Do you wa–"
“Yes, please!”
He chuckles as his forehead comes to rest on mine. “Yes, ma’am.”
I start to tear up again as I look up at the man I love. “I’m still not used to romantic gestures.”
“Then I guess I’ll have to keep coming up with them. How does that sound?”
Amazing. Wonderful. Perfect. Phenomenal. “Good.”
