“And in second place…the Sugar Plum Ladies.”
That’s us. “Yay,” I say, then gather Eloise and Aurora into a group hug.
“And the winner of this Snowman Fashion Show is…The Grinches.”
Who would name themselves that?
The answer is Rowan, who is fist-bumping with Oliver and JJ. A laugh bursts from me. Of course he did. And of course they won—you can’t beat a dog.
When Rowan scoops up Mia into a victorious hug, I’m not so sure he’s a grinch all the time. I am sure, though, that I like this side of him. The man he is with his daughter. But I liked the man he was last night too. Attentive, a good listener, passionate.
And consumed by me.
My stomach executes a loop-de-loop.
“Let’s give a big cheer for The Grinches,” the mayor booms, and I focus on the present, clapping for the winner.
As the town’s photographer snaps pics of the snowdog, then of each team, I can’t help but notice Aurora’s gaze sailing away to the other side of the town square.
To Rowan’s team.
But she’s not looking at him. She’s checking out the guy Rowan was peacocking in front of yesterday.
That night, I’m in the front row, center ice, rooting on the Sea Dogs with my parents, my brother, and his family, all while trying to figure out how to work my matchmaking magic.
I’ve been mulling over the Oliver–Aurora situation all night as the Sea Dogs thrash the New York team. It’s glorious—they’re up by four in the last period. The game’s been fast, loud, and rough—my favorite kind of hockey as the teams battle for the puck. Out of nowhere, Rowan slams a New York defender into the boards. The guy shoves back, hard, sending Rowan into the wall with a deafeningcrack.
My heart stalls when Rowan doesn’t move for a few seconds. Panic races through me until Rowan shrugs his shoulders. I breathe again, my heart starting up at a rabbit pace as Rowan shoots the guy a careless stare—his jersey tells me his last name is Karlsson, and I’m pretty sure I’ve heard my brother say he’s the biggest asshole in the league. I’ve heard the same from my friends—this guy is a notorious misogynist who insults women. Rowan attacks the puck, stripping it from the NY forward and flicking it to Wesley, who sends it sailing right into the net.
Boom! I’m up on my feet and cheering. Bubbles rush through my blood. My throat is raw from my cheers. I’m buoyant as I shout, “Take that, New York!”
The scoreboard shows another goal for the Sea Dogs—and an assist for Rowan.
A burst of pride floods me. He earned a point. After he claps Wesley on the back, he shifts his gaze to…center ice.
My heart stutters. Is he…looking for me? Is that a cocky grin on his handsome face? A knowing glint in his eyes as he holds my gaze? The crowd roars around me. I clutch the railing, high on adrenaline and some kind of dangerous hope.
Even though last night shouldn’t happen again. He might not want me to set him up right now, and I respect that—but I can’t date a client. I can’t just…give in.
But I’m still aching for him. And he looks at me like he knows it.
He skates off to the bench. As he hops over the boards, something about the clarity of that last play sticks with me through the rest of the game. There was no overthinking. Just action—decisive action.
As the team skates off with a win, Rowan tosses me a casual glance—and possibly a knowing grin that makes my pulse skip. I pop up. I saw Oliver here earlier, so I head up the steps, catching him as he’s gathering his coat. “Do you have a sec?”
“Sure. Just meeting Mum up there in a minute. She’s handing in her wineglass,” he says, nodding to the restaurants in the concourse.
Of course this new state-of-the-art, bougie arena serves wine. “I’ll be fast. Did you know our moms wanted to set us up?”
He chuckles. “Sounds vaguely familiar.”
“But here’s the thing—they should leave the matchmaking to me. Because I’d like to set you up with Aurora.”
He blinks a few times, like this is a shock to him. “Butshe’s a friend,” he says, but I don’t hear protest. I hear intrigue.
Sometimes, all you need is a little push. That’s my job. “Have you ever thought of her that way? Romantically?”
“I don’t know that I have,” he says, but he doesn’t sound uninterested.
