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“Didn’t need it. You’re amazing.”

“Istillwant to see you use it, though,” she said, coyly biting her lip. “Next time, promise?”

“Yeah, I promise.” I snickered.

We stared at each other, smiles anxiously fleeting, because webothknew I had to start getting ready or I’d be late for the morning skate.

“I don’t wanna say bye!” she said, frowning.

“Me neither. But I gotta get moving,” I said. “Hey, you want to keep talking while I get dressed?”

Her eyes lit. “Sure!”

I set my phone up on the wardrobe so we could still see each other. We joked around and made small talk while I hopped out of bed, cleaned up, and hurriedly tore through my suitcase for an outfit. We liked talking to each other so much, we didn’t want to hang up once I finished dressing—instead, I took her with me as I left the hotel room.

“So whatisa morning skate, anyway?” she asked as I made my way down the hallway. “Is that what you guys call practice?”

“Nah, we call practice ‘practice,’” I chuckled. “We do morning skates on gamedays only. We skate around a little, shoot a few pucks, maybe. But we don’t go hard in the morning skate. It’s more of a free style, just to stretch out the legs, so we’re loose and ready for the game later, ya know?”

“Aaaaaah, okay, I get it now,” she said, smiling.

I’d never been with a girl who I felt so comfortable around—we could be silly, funny, sexy, whatever we wanted. Most of all, around McKayla, I didn’t feel like I was “Showtime, the professional hockey player” or whatever. I felt like I wasmyselfaround her; just a regular guy.

I liked her.

I liked her alot.

Which I already knew. But a sudden realization struck me as I made my way to the elevator—that I wanted her to know how much I liked her, and cement it to everybody else, too.And before I could stop and ask myself if it was a good idea or not, I opened my mouth and started asking her a question.

“Hey, McKayla?” I asked as I stepped into the empty elevator.

“Yeah?”

“Would you be my girlfriend?”

She blinked at me, her face blank. “Seriously?”

Shit.Did I fuck up? Did I ask too soon? I felt exposed and vulnerable, which totally sucked, but I wasn’t going to turn back now.

“Yeah, er, seriously,” I murmured.

She covered her mouth and giggled.

Ah shit.My ears burned red hot.

“What?” I asked, embarrassed.

“Nothing! It’s just … I dunno …” she trailed off, unable to say.

The elevator dropped, which didn’t help the sinking in my stomach. I was sure she didn’t want me. I just needed to hear her say it, to put me out of my misery.

“C’mon, what is it?” I asked.

“I don’t think anyone’s ever actuallyaskedme to be their girlfriend before. It’s always been a situation where we eventually sort of stumble into it.”

“Well, if stumbling is how you prefer things …” I gulped, hoping things could still be salvaged.

“No no no! No more stumbling.” She vehemently shook her head. “I prefer this. Truly. So much.”