McKinley puts a beer in my hand and clinks his bottle with mine. “Fuckin’ wild, bro. It won’t be the same without you.”
I huff in agreement, running a hand through my hair. “Yeah. It still doesn’t feel real.”
The next step of my future is about to start, but I’m going to miss this when I leave for Boston next month. Hanging out with people who have become as close as family.
College hockey is officially over for me. Part of me is still adjusting to that reality.
Madden and Elijah hustle by us, shoving each other with challenging smirks. They face off against each other with mini sticks on the play rink in the corner of the yard, some of our teammates heckling them.
Next year these guys won’t have me. It’s wild to think of them winning the next Frozen Four with me watching from the sidelines. They’ll be skating with new recruits to the team. Someone else will take over for me as captain. My money’s on Cameron, but he thinks it should be Noah.
Even though I’m moving up to the pros, I know these guys are my brothers for life.
Just like I know I want forever with Maya.
I head in her direction, led by the invisible tether she has tied around my heart.
“Hey, you.” I capture her wrist, reaching into my pocket for the folded piece of paper I’ve been carrying. “Want to sneak away with me for a minute? I got you something.”
“Ohh, mysterious,” she jokes.
I tip my head in the direction of the magnolia tree full of pink blooms. We only make it a few steps before someone asks if a phone is buzzing.
“Oh, hang on.” Maya grabs her bag off the picnic table, pressing it to her ear. “Yup, that’s me.”
She pulls her phone out and moves to the side of the yard. I follow, throwing a glance over my shoulder. I wanted this to be a surprise, but maybe I should’ve told some of our friends to help this go smoothly.
“What’s up, Ry?”
My gaze snaps back to her. Is this for real?
I snag the phone from her to talk to him. “Is this life and death?”
“What—Blake? Why are you always grabbing the phone when I’m trying to talk to my sister, man?”
Weird. Years of playing against this guy, and somehow he’ll go from being my rival to my brother in law.
If I can ever finish proposing to Maya.
“I can’t wait to get you back for this,” I mutter.
“Big talk, Blake.”
A competitive grin twists my mouth. “That’s rich coming from a second round pick. You’d better bring it, Donnelly. Now fuck off.”
While I’m getting off the phone with her brother, Maya takes the paper in my hand. I open and close my mouth, holding back a laugh at how this idea has fallen apart.
“What’s this?”
She unfolds it, finding the heart I drew on it. I picked out the ring I want to get her, but my signing bonus hasn’t hit my account yet to pay it off before today’s party. Even without the ring in hand, I’ve wanted to ask her for months, and being surrounded by our friends seemed like the perfect chance to do it.
I sigh, smiling softly as my fingertips trail down her arms before grasping her waist. “My heart, baby. Keep taking care of it because it’s all yours.”
Her eyes meet mine, crinkling at the corners. “You and your lines, hotshot.”
“I only speak the truth.”
“In that case…”
