The Romance Line (Love and Hockey Book 2)

Everly

I open the door and slide in. It feels right to be in his car again. Max must like the sight of me here too, since he hums approvingly then bends down, tugs the seatbelt across me, and gives me one more possessive kiss once I’m buckled in.

He hustles around to the driver’s side, and when he shuts the door, I nod to the stoop—the scene of our very public reunion. “I feel like we got away with something.”

“Me too,” he says, then turns on the car and heads to the Sea Dogs home as I drink my latte. When we arrive, he parks right outside the arena. I still have at least fifteen minutes till my Zoom call. Max must realize that too because he glances at the time on the dashboard then picks up his phone from the console. “I have one more thing for you.”

“What is it?”

He swipes across the screen, then shows me an email. I blink when I see the name. I’ve never met her but it’s the woman who owns the pole studio. “This is from the owner of Upside Down?” I ask, just to be sure I’m reading it right.

His smile is pleased. “Sure is.”

The world slows. I read the short note like it’s a message from another world then look at this man. Searching his eyes for…confirmation. Because this is too much. “Is this for real?” I ask in a hushed voice, like saying it louder might break something.

“It’s not a done deal yet. We haven’t signed any paperwork. We just emailed overnight. But I made her an offer to buy the studio, and she said yes.”

My heart stutters, then beats in double time.

“I know how important that place is to you,” he says, and it’s good he’s talking since I’m not sure I can. “I emailed the owner late last night, and we exchanged a couple more emails this morning while I was waiting on your steps. Apparently, they’re struggling with rent. I wanted you to have something that’s just yours. So you always have a safe space to go to.”

I bring my hand to my mouth. I don’t even know what to think or to say. So I start with the simplest thing. A whisper. “I can’t believe you’re buying the studio.”

He shakes his head, adamant. “Just to be clear—I’m not buying it for me. It’s for you. It’s a gift. I’m giving it to you. It’ll be all yours, free and clear. You can always go.”

Tears of love, gratitude, and inimitable joy slide down my cheeks. I throw my arms around his neck. “I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you.”

I can’t stop saying it. But I’m pretty sure he loves the chorus of my words.

Max has never looked happier when he pulls back and says, “I’m not even ashamed about how ravenous I am for those words from you.”

I drop one more kiss to his lips. “Thank you,” I say, then with some reluctance, I reach for the handle. “I’ll see you at the interview.”

I get out, feeling overjoyed as I head across the concourse toward the main doors. But as I’m pushing one open, someone calls out, “Good morning, Everly.”

The sound of Elias’s voice crawls up my spine like a snake.

I turn around, bracing myself.

He’s the picture of smug. “Don’t worry. You don’t need to deny anything. All you have to do is step down from the promotion competition,” he says, then waggles his phone, like it’s a prize. “And if you do it by the end of business today, I won’t post the picture of you getting out of his car right now at…” He stops and makes a show of looking at a watch he doesn’t wear, then adds, “Seven fifty-one in the morning. There’s no professional reason for him to be driving you to work at this hour.” And really, Elias is right. Which is probably why he laughs victoriously. Or really, he cackles. “I can only imagine how it’d look as a woman who’s worked so hard to succeed in sports if everyone finds out you got ahead because you got under a hockey player.”

I’m cold everywhere, shaking in my bones from his threats.

And they just keep coming. “But it’ll be worse if all the press finds out that’s why you got a promotion.”