“Is that when you started dating?”Daphne asks.
“No,” I say.
Stone sighs.“Put us out of our misery.Tell us when you started dating.”
I have no idea what to say—lying is not something I’m good at.I went on a date with Stone, so I can’t say Ollie and I were dating while I was dating guys on the team.
To buy time, I giggle and rest my head on Ollie’s biceps, and he lets go of my hand to wrap his arm around my shoulder.
“Honestly, we never dated,” I admit.
There’s a break in the drill, and everyone is staring at us.At least, that’s how it feels.I’m afraid to meet anyone’s gaze.
“We’ve never been in the same place at the same time until now,” Ollie says.
“Wait, wait, wait, wait,” Bedard says from his spot further down the bench.“You’re engaged, but you never dated?You weren’t engaged when you were on the show, which was like a week ago.So you got engaged this week?”
Ollie and I both nod.
“Saturday night,” he says.“After the Sasquatch game.”
“And now we’re engaged.”I have a huge smile meant only for him.
“Aww…” Mallory’s and Daphne’s sighs make Ollie’s cheeks burn even more.
“Have you set a date yet?”Mallory asks.
I shake my head.
“I haven’t even gotten her a ring yet,” Ollie grumbles.
“I don’t need a ring, Ollie.”I set the tip of my chin on his padded biceps.“I can’t wear it when I’m working with all the doughs.It’s not practical.”
“I’m getting you a ring, Phoebe Albright,” he says sternly.
Everyone laughs when I blow a raspberry at him.“Fine, if you insist, Oliver King.”
“Do you want a long engagement?”Mallory asks.
“No,” Ollie and I say in unison.
I say no because I want to be married and have a family.With Ollie.The sooner the better.Did Ollie say no because he wants it over with so he can focus on hockey?Dare I hope my plan to woo him is having an effect and he wants to move to the next level with me?We’ve almost kissed multiple times.I know Ollie well enough to know he’s not kissing women randomly, so if he wants to kiss me, it must mean something, right?Or am I interpreting things how I wish they were and not how they really are?
“Are you thinking during playoffs?You won’t be able to take a honeymoon or anything like that,” Mallory says.“That’s why we’re waiting until this summer.”
Ollie shrugs.“Honestly, haven’t thought about it too much.Phoebe has always been the woman I wanted to marry, and now that we’re both single and in the same place, I decided to shoot my shot.Shocked the hell out of me when she agreed.I’m here to play hockey, and that needs to be my focus.Phoebe understands that.Right, honey?”
He looks down at me, and I try to show happiness and not how his words hurt me.Of course he’s here for hockey.We’re only in this mess because I got high on basic pain meds and said something stupid.I hope he can’t tell that my smile is trembling slightly at the edges.
“Of course!I know how much hockey matters to you, Ollie.What’s important to you is important to me.I think the most important thing is to wrap up the season, win the Dickinson Cup, and then we deal with wedding stuff.”I turn my attention to the ice and the drill they’re running.
I don’t want to talk about any of this anymore.My heart hurts.“Hey, Ollie, don’t you need to get back to practice?”
Coach smacks his stick on the ice.“Let’s get to work!”
Ollie clears his throat.“Okay, that’s more than I usually say in a month.Please don’t take it personally if I crawl back in my shell and grunt in response for a while.”
That makes everyone laugh, but hopefully they realize he’s not joking.He’s so introverted that being around this many people and constantly socializing must be exhausting for him.Ollie stands and gets ready to go back on the ice.
