Page 14 of Proposal Play

She rises on tiptoes, cups my ear, and whispers, “Miranda Blush was going to bid on you and claim she was your girlfriend. Use you to build up her new beauty line. Probably spin a ton of lies. I couldn’t let that happen. That would be bad luck. So, I told Beckett, and he put up the money. And I saved you from her.” She steps back, meeting my gaze after serving up well more than a hint. “Just like you saved me earlier.”

“That was hardly an even trade,” I say, but holy fuck. Maeve has quite the protective side. It’s...sexy. But I shouldn’t find it sexy. Maybe it’s just...captivating? Yeah, that’s it.

And sure, it was nice of my friend. I’ll need to pay Beckett back. He shouldn’t be putting up that kind of money.

Either way, maybe there’s no forced luck after all. Just quick thinking from both of them. I let out a relieved breath, glad that debate is resolved.

Everly finishes taking down the details of Maeve’s bid then gives her friend a pointed look. “Girls’ breakfast soon—I’m going to need all of the details of your big surprise,” she says.

“And you’ll get them,” Maeve says, her voice brimming with mischief.

Everly looks to both of us. “That is, if you can fit me in before you guys take off for Vegas next weekend.”

Wait, what? “We don’t play the Sabers till next month,” I point out, reminding Everly of the hockey schedule thatshe usually has memorized. Our game against the Vegas team isn’t till February.

“I know. I mean the date package we assigned to you, Asher,” Everly continues with a professional smile. “It was donated by Outrageous Record. They have a week-long stint in Vegas, so there’s a whole package—flight, a night at a hotel, dinner on the Strip. It’s next weekend, which is perfect since you have two nights off from hockey. Have fun.”

She spins around and heads to Miles’s highest bidder to handle the details of his date, leaving me standing there, trying to wrap my head around this new wrinkle.

I look back at Maeve, and my thoughts feel like they’re tangled up in knots even though a quick trip with her should be no big deal. We’ve taken lots of trips—it’s kind of our thing. So why does this feel different?

It shouldn’t feel any different simply because my best friend looks ludicrously sexy wearing my vest. It shouldn’t be any different no matter how good it feels when I wrap my arm around her and Leighton snaps a picture for the team’s social feed.

But Vegas?

Vegasisdifferent. It’s like walking into a carnival and getting swept up in the crowd right away. It’s a vortex for all varieties of luck, good and bad, forced and natural.

And for troublemaking.

We’ve never needed help finding trouble—but in Vegas, trouble usually finds you.

6

NO HARD FEELINGS

Asher

I seriously appreciate Maeve playing the role of goalie tonight. But now I’ve got to handle the fallout. She takes off, and as the crowd thins out, I grab my phone from the back pocket of my pants and toggle over to my banking app. I don’t think twice. I tap a few keys, setting up the transfer. Then I cut through the lingering groups and make my way to the front entrance of the Cartwright Mansion, where Beckett’s picking up a pair of jackets from coat check.

Reina’s probably in the ladies’ room, so I stride over, determination in my step. “Hey, Beck. About that bid—thanks, but I can’t let you drop that kind of cash just to save my streak.”

Beckett looks up from tipping the woman behind the counter, one eyebrow quirked. “It wasn’t about the streak.”

“Fine, you were looking out for me, which isawesome.” I clap his shoulder. “I appreciate it, man. But I can’t let you cover that. I’m going to pay you back.”

Well, I already did, but he’ll find out soon enough. Semantics and all.

Beckett laughs, low and easy. “You don’t owe me anything, Ash,” he says, thanking the woman and stepping away from the counter and next to a scalloped mirror that looks like it costs five figures. “And I’m not taking your money.”

I give him a stern look. “You can’t just drop that kind of cash and brush it off. I can cover it.”

“And so can I,” he says. “Look, that situation was going to be messy, and neither one of us needs that right now, but especially you. You’re the face of Total Teamwork, man. Maeve came to me with the situation, and Reina and I made the decision to put up the money. It was for a good cause, and we’re always happy to give to charity. Besides, I didn’t want Miranda Blush anywhere near you. That woman’s trouble.”

“I appreciate that,” I admit, but I can’t let this go. “And yet…I still felt like I owe you something.”

My best friend’s a smart man. He shoots me a searing stare. “No, you don’t. We’re all good. We’re in this together. You hear me?”

He makes a fair point, but sometimes I just like to get my way. Fine, fine. Most of the time. “I do. But sometimes a man’s got to do what a man’s got to do.”