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This is it for me.
She is it for me.
Lily Murphy, the woman who hit me with the force of a hurricane disguised as a wooden door.
The little cloud of happy chaos who giggles, talks, and smiles more than should statistically be possible.
Yup, Lily Murphy, I don’t know who you are or what you’ve done to me, but you’ve got me.
Bring on Saturday, then everyone will know she’s mine.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Lily
“This is awesome, the best seats in the house.” My sister, Gemma, claps with excitement as she chats away to my dad around the front row seats. My dad is equally excited, if not more, while I feel sick to my stomach as if a swarm of grasshoppers is bouncing around in my gut.
I could barely say two words to Ash’s mom, Judy, and his sister, Erika, when they introduced themselves.
Overwhelmed is an understatement, and the game hasn’t even started yet.
The place is buzzing; the atmosphere jumping with expectation and electric energy. From the noise of the crowd, the blinding spotlights, and the vibration of the music, to the eye stares from the fans and the whispers around us. So many whispers. They all keep asking who I am.
It’s all extremely wow.
It’s the only word I can think of.
“You’re quiet. Everything okay?” Judy rests her hand on my arm.
“Yeah.” I look over my shoulder to be met with at least a hundred sets of eyes on me. Whipping my head back around to face the rink, I do my best to avoid the glares from a line of puck bunnies seated five rows behind us. I recognize at least three of the girls from the coffeehouse.
“It’s quite intense.” I gulp, talking to nobody in particular. “And crowded.” I bite my now non-existent thumbnail I’ve devoured since we sat down.
Judy slowly removes it from my mouth. “He wouldn’t have asked you here if he didn’t think you could handle those girls. Or any of this.” Twisting herself to half face me, she takes both of my hands in hers. She has an air of authority around her that demands my full attention, which I give her. “He’s never asked a girl to sit with us before.”
“You’re special.” Erika points her oversized foam finger over Judy’s shoulder. “The chosen one.” She beams at me, and it’s so goddamn genuine I know she’s telling the truth.
“Zip it, Erika.”
I laugh when Judy gives her seventeen-year-old daughter a snipped telling off and Erika rolls her eyes at the same as she stuffs a mustard and ketchup covered hotdog into her mouth with her free hand.
Ash’s family is nice. And normal. Which I wasn’t expecting.
His family has led a life in the limelight. They are extremely wealthy; I know because I looked them up. Ash’s father was the GOAT; the greatest hockey player of all time, and yet, Erika and Judy were talking about how expensive the hotdogs were this season, and how much the season tickets had risen in price. They aren’t cheapskates with their money, they’re just normal, appreciating the value of something, which I find humbling.
“Ash has been different since his dad passed away.” Judy lets out a concerned sigh. “When he’s not at practice, working out, or playing hockey, he hides himself away in his apartment. You being here tonight is progress. You’re good for him.”
“I’m not so sure about that.” We’ve only been getting to know each other for a few days, although he did text me several times today, checking in with me, asking if I missed him yet and if I was still coming tonight.
He’s a secret stress head if ever I saw one. He sounded playful in his messages, but I could tell he was worrying.
“Eh, yes you are. He’s texted me ten times today freaking out about you. Questioning if you’d show up tonight and if you could handle all this and the speculation that will come after. He’s worried about you.” I knew I was right about him; he’s a closet worrier.
Judy casts a glance around the arena and points to the opposite end of the rink where dozens of paparazzi are positioned. “He’s concerned about how the press will treat you.” She gives my hand a squeeze, her warm eyes meeting mine. “How will you cope with some of the slightly overzealous fans. Those wretched bunnies.” She tilts her head in their direction behind us. “Trust me. I have been where you are. Ash is just like his father; he worried about me too and did everything to protect me. He’s doing what his father told him; don’t be afraid to shine and remember to take chances.” She gives me a knowing wink. “It’s time for Ash to come out of his shell, or his apartment more like it. And I think you might just be the girl to help him do that.”
My cheeks fill with air, and I let out a huge puff of breath. “No pressure then?” The force of a thousand cannonballs weighs heavy on my chest. “It’s just all so sudden, you know?”
Judy pats my hand. “When Ash’s father, Theo, and I met, we both just knew we were meant for one another. Theo asked me to marry him within three months of our first date.”
