Page 109 of The Puck Bunny

Either way, the stakes are high.

If we’re engaged, the Brawlers will accept our relationship as serious and the media and fans will embrace the romantic story. The fact that we were breaking all the non-frat rules to get to this point will get glossed over.

Plus, this is the ultimate social media gossip to put Princess Anica in her place and keep her out of Quinn’s business. Maybe, now, she’ll look for someone else to haunt.

Until we’re not engaged.

On the other hand, if we don’t get engaged—pretend or otherwise—the organization’s lawyers will come down on us with who-knows-what kind of threat. Delaney may be okay with a Thanksgiving dinner between friends, but the Brawlers organization has traded players for less. I made it my business to know this when Quinn got traded here.

Which will then give the mighty Princess Anica a clear shot at harassing Quinn with nasty rumors, causing who-knows-what kind of problems to her heart’s content.

I had been planning to post a photo of me and Quinn on social media, not as Lola, but me as me, wearing his diamond, and that would be next-level-times-ten more effective than her silly rumors.

Family collapses around me, holding me up in their huddle and I get through dinner, but only because Quinn stays with me. Literally. Some part of him touches a part of me at all times. You’d think I was devastated by some horrible event, but maybe being traumatized by the surprise of your wildest fantasy coming true is just as bad.

I talk Billie Mae, then Mom, then Quinn into letting me stay at Billie Mae’s place tonight. Bobby’s going back to Rochester and Quinn has to get up early for a morning skate, so Mom is the toughest sell, but she lets me go.

Quinn drives me into Boston to drop me at Billie Mae’s. I can’t talk him out of it.

He stops the car at the curb in a no-parking zone, then turns off the engine.

“Living dangerously,” I say.

“Why stop now.? He blows out a breath. “You’ve been quiet. It’s been an eventful day.”

“For both of us,” I say. “The stop at the jewelry store was—"

“Unexpected,” he says. “The stop at the cemetery was—"

“Unexpected,” I say and smile.

He squeezes my hand. “I needed to do it. To face the loss and start unpacking the baggage.” His voice is heartbreakingly raspy. “I couldn’t have done it without you.”

He caresses my face and he lowers his mouth for a kiss.

I get that giddy feeling in my belly again and run my hand through his hair like I own it, sinking into his kiss and taking all he has. because, if this is a fairytale, I’m going to live it to its fullest. All the way to the ending, whatever that may be.

His breathing is heavy when he lets me go. “Good night, sweetheart.”

I jump from the car, feeling too much like Cinderella and wondering when the clock is going to strike midnight.

* * *

Billie Mae and I change into pajamas. I borrow some from her, covered in pink poodles.

She hands me a margarita, then joins me on the couch. “Give it to me. What the hell is up with this sudden engagement?” She studies me.

“I wish I knew.”

“That’s not an answer.”

“I’m worried.” The words fall from my mouth and I take a long gulp of my drink.

She follows suit.

I don’t wait for her to prompt me because, suddenly, all the worries come tumbling out, all those things that make the engagement feel not right, that have been piling up behind my wall of hope.

“I’m worried he’s doing this for his mother and to give us cover at work and not really because he wants to marry me. I’m worried he’s forcing our relationship past where it’s meant to be to make his life seem better before it really is.”