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Axel exhaled slowly like the weight of the world was suddenly gone from his shoulders.

I pulled my left hand back to his chest. “What is the band made of?”

“It’s rose gold. I thought it matched your hair.”

I smiled. That was exactly what I’d thought. “I love it.”

“I love you.”

I was just about to kiss him when there was a knock on my bedroom door.

“Pumpkin,” my dad said. “Are you up?”

“Shit,” I hissed. I hit Axel’s shoulder so he’d set me down. “Hide.”

Axel set me down and started picking up all his clothes. He spun in a circle and almost tripped over one of his shoes.

“Pumpkin?” my dad said. “Is everything alright in there?”

I picked up Axel’s shirt and chucked it at him.

“See you for the game,” Axel whispered. He grabbed me around the waist and kissed me hard.

“Pumpkin?”

I shoved Axel off of me. “You need to hide.”

Axel laughed as he opened up the trapdoor. “See you in a few minutes, baby.” He walked down the steps and closed the trapdoor behind him.

“Pumpkin, I know you were a little mad at me last night, but...”

I threw open the door. “A little?”

My dad frowned as his eyes trailed down my body.

All I was wearing was Axel’s varsity jacket. I pulled it a little tighter around me, glad the sleeves were so long. I needed to talk to my mom. She said it would be better if she could give my dad a bit of a heads up before he found out I was engaged.

“Where are your pants?” my dad asked.

“I was overheated.”

“It’s freezing out. Let’s find you something more appropriate to wear.” He walked into my room. He was about to open the closet. Where my silky sex pajamas were hanging. “I think maybe something fleece would be good today.”

“Dad,” I said. “Give me a minute alone and I’ll change.”

“Okay. But hurry. Everyone is already arriving for the game.” He abandoned his quest to pick out a frumpy outfit for me.

“Wait, what time is it?” I asked.

“Just about one. You really slept in.”

Shit. That’s why Axel said he’d see me in a few minutes. I’d thought he meant he was going to come back up. But he was probably on his way to my front door. I needed to tell him that we had to tell my mom our news first.

“A little privacy please?” I asked my dad.

My dad sighed. “Pumpkin, if I could apologize a million times I would.”

“It’s fine. Really.”