Page 67 of Snowflakes and Ice Skates

Dani leaned against the back of the couch and crossed her arms. “Yeah, Jess, anything else?”

“If you guys already know, why are you drawing this out?” I asked them.

“Because you didn’t call or text us to let us know! Do you know how annoying the guys are when they have some tasty gossip before us? They’re unbearable,” Chloe whined.

“How did Reese know?” He and Lance were friendly, but I didn’t think he would be the first one to know.

“Lance told Jake who told Brandon who told Derek and Jason, then Jason called Erik, and Erik told Reese,” Dani explained the chain like it was completely normal to involve half the team.

“Well, I guess everyone knows now.” I shouldn’t be that surprised. I’d seen news spread like wildfire through the team or Pride before. It was extra fast when it was a new couple. They were desperate for developing information. I think it was their own boredom with all being stable, healthy couples. They lived for the drama of others. Hopefully, Lance and I wouldn’t have any of that. It was just one date. To a team event. Nothing for people to get too excited about.

“But we don’t know the details! Tell us exactly what happened.” Dani did a mini dance with her shoulders.

I already decided I wasn’t going to tell anyone about what we talked about after the initial date was agreed upon. That was his story, his truth, to disclose only to those he chose. I was honored he trusted me, and I wasn’t in a hurry to break that.

“He came by just a few minutes after you left. I thought he was looking for you or Jake, but he said he wanted to talk to me. Then he asked if I had a date already, and when I told him no, he asked if I’d like to go with him.”

“And you said yes?” Chloe sounded stunned. “Just like that?”

I chuckled. “Well, I thought about it for a few seconds, but I didn’t have any reason to say no. I’d rather go with someone to the party than go alone, and he asked if I wanted to go with him. The truth was that I did. I knew we would have fun together.”

“But what about him being a player?” Taylor asked. “I thought that was the deal-breaker for you.”

I shrugged. His past was a bit concerning, but he hadn’t been like that for months. I couldn’t actually remember the last time I heard about him showing up with some random girl. “It’s one night, not a commitment for something long term.”

They seemed to accept that answer, and the topic changed to what they were planning to wear.

I went back to the storage room to finalize the gift bags we were giving all the guests. Each item was from a local supplier or store including hot chocolate mixes, peppermint candies, crystal bracelets for the women and handmade bill clips for the men, and of course Fury memorabilia.

We had two hundred bags to make, and that didn’t include the gift baskets we would be giving the sponsors of the event. Since it was a charity fundraiser, almost everything we needed was donated in exchange for publicity. The money raised would be donated to the children’s hospital that the team visited throughout the year. Over the years, the patients and families there had become an important part of the Fury organization. They were a part of the team. It was one of my favorite things about my job.

“Jess?” Dani called, and I went back to the lobby. “Those just came for you.”

She pointed to the floral arrangement sitting on the corner of my desk. I approached the stunning full blooms of white and red roses. A white envelope was nestled in the middle, and I pulled it out as the woman crowded around me.

“Two guesses who those are from.” Chloe laughed.

I ignored them and took the tiny card out.

Jess, I don’t think I can wait a week. Lunch at 1? -Lance

I read the words several times, but they wouldn’t sink in. Was he asking me out? Again? He couldn’t wait a week. For the party? He wanted to see me sooner? Why? Something must have happened. Maybe he changed his mind and wanted to tell me in person.

“Oh la la!” Taylor teased. “Someone has a crush on you.”

I shook my head. “You don’t know that’s what this means.”

I set the card down next to the vase and faced them. “He could have decided he doesn’t want to go with me anymore. He’s just softening the blow.”

The three of them stared back at me like I’d sprouted another head.

“What?”

“What?” Chloe repeated. “Are you insane? No man on Earth would send flowers and ask to go to lunch to say he changed his mind about a date. One, that would be cruel. Two, that’s too much effort to dump someone. And three, men avoid confrontation and awkward situations. They don’t create them.”

I nodded. She was right. It didn’t make sense for him to spend the time and money to send me flowers when a simple text would have worked just as well.

That meant … he wanted to see me today. He didn’t want to wait until the party.