MasukALICEI placed my hand in his, wondering what he was up to. He gestured for me to stand, so I stepped away from my chair.He let go of my hand and shoved his fingers into his pocket. I stared at him, my curiosity getting the best of me as I wondered if he was going to propose. Before I could finish the thought, he pulled out a black velvet box."Devon, what are you doing?" I asked, my voice low. "You can't propose..."The words caught in my throat as he opened the box. A diamond necklace glittered under the light of the chandelier."Oh my goodness," I mumbled under my breath."I wanted to give you a gift," he said, his voice calm and smooth. "I noticed you do not wear necklaces, so I thought you might like this one." He lifted the chain from the box, holding it in his fingers before sliding the empty box back into his pocket."You got that for me?" I asked as he took a step closer to me."Yes. Do you like it?" he asked, his eyes locked on mine.I nodded, lost for words.He walked behi
DEVONThe look on Alice's face when she saw me in the waiting room before she got there was the exact shock I had expected. She stood by the door, her chin held high and her posture straight as her gaze swept over me. I couldn't be more grateful for her cheer and distraction out there. I was starting to worry when the Wildcats team came out fast and hit hard.They seemed like a tough opponent at first. Even Mac and I didn't know what to do, and the rest of our teammates were losing their edge on the ice. All we needed was for their confidence to fail so we could take charge and remind them of who they were playing against. Thanks to Alice, that happened."Took you long enough to get here, cupcake," I told her, leaning back against the couch.A small smile touched her lips, but she kept her composure. She walked further into the room and sat on the couch across from me, crossing her legs. "It's obvious you rushed here. Your hair is still wet."A low smirk pulled up on my lips. I got u
ALICEI stared at her as she walked closer to me, her assistant standing behind her like a bodyguard."It is quite a game today and I can see you enjoyed yourself," Mrs. Steven said with a smug smile, though her voice was softer than the way she spoke to me the last time she came to my mom's boutique."Yes, and Devon's team won, so I am happy," I replied with a fake smile to match her vibe."Yeah," she muttered. "They always win, but Dominic has his own way of making the whole team stand out." Her gaze lowered, taking me in from head to toe.I rolled my eyes, crossing my arms over my chest. "We both know it is not just his effort. So what do you want, Mrs. Steven?"She scoffed as if I had slapped her face. I wished I could actually hit her, since I had not returned the favor from her last visit. "You seem happy for a girl whose mother's shop is falling apart. I heard the city plans to tear down the building."My heart thudded against my ribs when I heard those words, but I forced my f
ALICEI rolled my eyes at Brea before handing her the jersey. "It's your call, so I wish you the best with it."She let out a breath, taking the folded shirt from my hands. "I hope so too, because if this turns out wrong, I might go crazy."I chuckled as we stepped through the wide gates into the stadium. The game had not started yet, but people were already filling up the stands, taking their seats in rows. Brea and I found two spots right in the front row and sat down. I kept a confident smile on my face as I looked around the smooth ice rink, watching for Devon as the rest of the hockey team skated out from the tunnel.Devon was the last one in line. He glided onto the ice with a steady presence that commanded the entire arena. His eyes searched the crowd until they locked right onto me in the front row. He held my gaze for a long moment before the whistle blew and the game started.Brea began shouting at the top of her lungs, cheering for Devon. I knew she was doing it mostly so s
ALICE"Mom, we shouldn't be talking about this," I said, trying to steer her mind away from Devon. "After everything that has been happening lately, I don't know if feeling anything for anyone is the right thing for me to do right now."My mom stared at me with a warm smile that I hadn't seen on her face in days. "I understand, Alice. We all get to a point where we try to deny what is right in front of us. But the way Devon looks at you... I can tell he cares for you, and you should open your heart to him."I forced a small smile as she chuckled. For once today, she was talking like there was no huge problem hanging over our heads. "Okay, Mom. We are married anyway, so of course we take care of each other."Cherry, who was sitting on the sofa near the window, let out a soft laugh. "That is what people say when they are in total denial of the real thing."I shook my head, shifting my focus back to my mother. "Why are we talking about this now? Let's focus on you getting better and ever
DEVONMy phone kept buzzing in my hand as I stared at Alice and her mother. They talked in an affectionate way that reminded me of my own family. It had been so long since I felt that kind of warmth, and I had almost forgotten what it felt like to care so much for someone.The only people I had in my corner were Alma and June. They were my family.The buzzing sound continued against my palm. I looked down at my phone screen, knowing fully well it would be Mac. He was probably calling to remind me that we had a major match against a team that traveled from out of state.I looked away from the screen, turning back to Alice and her mother before I stepped out to take the call."Mac, I'll be there in a few minutes," I said, pacing back and forth along the quiet hospital lobby. "I just had to stay with Alice and her mother for a while."Mac let out a long sigh through the speaker before he spoke. "Oh really? Now you are playing the husband role so well," he chuckled. "I know you have to be







