How did I get so blessed?I’m afraid this is a dream and I’m going to wake up alone in my own bed and Ollie will still be in Spokane.No engagement, no love, no family.That would break my heart.
Ollie pulls me closer, making me feel like his teddy bear with the way he hasn’t let go of me yet.I don’t mind it at all.Especially when he murmurs, “I love you, Phoebe,” and kisses the top of my head like he can’t help but kiss me.Tears flood my eyes.This isn’t a dream.This is my life.
“I love you too, Ollie,” I whisper.“We’re really going to do this?Get married and all that?”I shouldn’t be so insecure that I need to double-check, but part of me still doesn’t believe this is happening.
Ollie gives me a soft, sweet smile and I can see the truth in his velvety brown gaze.The thorough kiss he gives me further proves his point.
“Phoebe Albright—soon-to-be King, if you want to change your name—I love you so much, I’d marry you this morning if I could.But New Jersey has a seventy-two-hour waiting period after we apply for our license at the Shifting Pines clerk’s office, so if we applied Monday, the soonest we could get married is Thursday.”He scrunches his lips to the side before adding, “Hopefully we’ll have game five in New York on Thursday, so I don’t think that would work…but maybe Friday?”
I’m shocked.“How…how do you know that?”
He blushes.“I’m a nerd, Phoebs, I research things I’m interested in.”He wraps his arms around me again and drops a kiss on my forehead.“And I’mextremelyinterested in marrying you.”
I try to sit up, but Ollie tightens his hold.
“What the fuck, Ollie!You’re so interested in marrying me you’re googling the rules, but you can’t be bothered to tell me you love me and want to marry me?If a big-mouthed nurse never called you my fiancé, would we be here now?Ever?”
“Phoebe, we would be here.There’s no denying fate.Maybe not yet, but we would’ve gotten here eventually.”
I rest my chin on top of my hands stacked on his chest.“Ollie, I have to make a confession,” I whisper.
He stiffens beneath me.All his muscles, not just my new favorite part.
“I could have said sister’s brother-in-law that day in the hospital.I called you my fiancé because I wanted to pretend you were mine.”
His thick brown brows lift.“I could’ve said I was your sister’s brother-in-law too.I was going to enjoy being your fiancé for as long as you’d let me.”
And enjoy we did, two more times.Ollie is an incredibly quick learner and has incredible stamina.Yay for professional athletes.
28
PHOEBE
They did it.The Devil Birds won their next three games and advanced to the next round of the playoffs.Now it’s a best-of-seven round against the Salem Spellbinders.I’m glad the season is almost over.Between being back to work full-time at the bakery and getting up early, and Ollie’s game and travel schedule with late nights, we aren’t seeing each other that much.After our first night together, we talked about getting our marriage license so we could get married right away, but reality intruded.Our marriage license will only be good for sixty days, and depending on what happens with the playoffs, it could limit our choices for our wedding.Shelby’s due date needs to be considered too because, other than Ollie, she’s the only person I need at our wedding.
Pastry Pro is next weekend.Ollie has a home game the evening of the final day of our contest, so we may be able to attend each other’s events and support each other, but nothing is guaranteed.
This is the first night I don’t have to go to bed early to work in the bakery and Ollie doesn’t have a game for the next few days while the other series wraps up.
“Wow, this is so good,” I say, taking a bite of the Tuscan pork filet over pasta with garlic and zucchini we cooked together from the meal prep service we signed up for.
Ollie grins and points his fork at me.“I told you so!It’s delicious, and we don’t have to think about it.Only open and follow directions.”
We’re sitting at the counter, and I bump his arm with my shoulder.“It’s fun cooking together.”
He gives me a sexy wink, and my tummy flips.
“We do lots of fun things together,” he says.
Hell yes, we do.I feel the flush creep up my cheeks.Ollie is an incredibly fast learner, especially when it’s a subject he’s interested in.Fortunately for me, my sexual pleasure is something he’s extremely interested in.Ollie went from sweet but kinda clueless to sex god in a matter of days.
Ollie tilts my chin up with one big hand and licks some sauce from the corner of my lips.When he speaks, his voice is gravely, his eyes heavy-lidded.“And you don’t have to work tomorrow, so I can keep you in bed with me all.Day.Long.”
“Oh good, there’s a hard sudoku I can use your help with.”I’m teasing, but I’m also breathless.
He wraps his arm around me and leans down, his warm breath tickling my ear.
“My darling Phoebe, I have something hard I could use your help with too.”
