Chapter 19
NINETEEN
ALEC
I opened the front door of my house and smiled at the couple on the doorstep. “Mr. and Mrs. Dufresne, thanks for coming.”
Mrs. Dufresne rolled her eyes. “I’ve told you to call me Daisy.”
“Thank you for inviting us,” Mr. Dufresne said, offering me a bottle of wine.
I took the bottle and thanked him. He smoothed his palms down the front of his neat, white-striped suit—he must have come straight from work—and asked, “Is Tally here yet?”
“Not yet. According to Keysha, they should be about five minutes away.”
“Perfect.”
I moved aside and they stepped into the foyer. The hum of chatter filtered through from the living room. “Everyone else is through there.”
They followed my gesture and preceded me to the living area, where most of my team, their partners, and my family were already gathered. I’d had to buy extra seating because the sofa and pair of armchairs I’d had came nowhere near to fitting everyone.
Mr. and Mrs. Dufresne joined my parents near the kitchen and Mom offered them each a drink.
I’d forewarned all the parents about my plan for the evening, which had required me to come clean about how Tally and I really had been pretending at the beginning.
It had been uncomfortable but I didn’t want them to be blindsided.
They’d taken it well, although I could tell Mom, in particular, was bothered by our deception. I hated that, but all I could do now was be honest and hope that would be enough to earn her forgiveness.
I placed the bottle of wine from Mr. Dufresne on the counter and wandered over to the door closest to the front of the house, so I’d be able to hear when the next car arrived.
“Nervous?” my sister, Jane, asked from her cross-legged position on an armchair.
“A little.” I spoke quietly. I didn’t mind Jane knowing that I was anxious—out of anyone, she would understand—but I’d rather not get ribbed about it by my teammates.
“You’ll be fine.” Her brown eyes were warm and encouraging. “You and Tally are perfect for each other. It’s going to work out.”
I hoped so.
I couldn’t deny that the fact Tally had been holed up in her apartment since we’d returned on Sunday worried me.
According to Keysha, they’d had some hate on social media—which I was certain Tally was agonizing over—but nothing particularly troublesome happening at the shop itself, with the exception of a couple of cancelled orders that were small enough they didn’t really harm the bottom line.
Still, Tally seemed afraid to trust that things would work out.
I’d visited her after training each day but I still wasn’t completely sure what was going on in her mind other than a big, messy shame spiral. I just hoped that, whatever it was, she’d find my surprise sweet rather than embarrassing.
My stomach knotted. “What if I got it wrong?”
“Then you’ll fix it,” Jane said simply.
I wished I had as much faith in myself as she did.
The doorbell rang. The knots in my gut tightened. That must be them.
“All right, everyone.” I raised my voice to be heard. “We’re on.”
The chatter died momentarily before starting back up, this time with a more excited edge to it. A little uncertain about whether I’d done the right thing, I went to the door and opened it, a chasm of doubt looming ahead of me.
Tally greeted me with a smile, but her eyes were fogged with confusion. “What’s going on? Keysha insisted on driving me here after work and I have no idea what’s happening.”
Beside her, Keysha smirked. “I did my part. Time for you to do yours.”
“Thanks, Key.” I flashed her a grin. I really was appreciative to her for getting Tally here. “Feel free to stay. There’s plenty of food.”
“Food?” Tally’s confusion deepened.
I ushered Keysha past her, into the house, but remained in the doorway with Tally. “I’m having a bit of a gathering. There’s, uh, going to be a surprise for you later.”
Please don’t let her be mad.
A furrow formed between her brows. “A surprise? Like what?”
I took her hand. “You’ll have to wait and see. Come in. We’ve been cooking all afternoon.”
The place smelled incredible. Even better than it usually did during our postgame dinners. Mom, Dad, and I had gone all out, and in addition to the home cooked food, there was also a selection of baked treats from a nearby bakery and a platter of Tally’s favorite chocolates, provided by Keysha.
Tally followed me into the living room. Mom had finished arranging platters of food along the kitchen counter and plates, glasses, cutlery, and drinks were on the dining table. I chose a plate and began to fill it at the counter. When I handed it to her, she watched me, obviously baffled.
“For you,” I said.
She took the plate and headed to the sofa, which had thoughtfully been left clear. Jane leaned over and said something to her. I let everyone know they could grab whatever they liked, then I filled my own plate and sat beside Tally.
Tally bumped my shoulder. “I’ve had three people tell me how glad they are that we’re together.”
Jane nodded. “I was just telling Tally that as soon as I heard, I knew that the journalist was wrong about it being fake, no matter how it might have started out. You two belong together.”
My heart warmed and I held Jane’s gaze, silently thanking her for putting Tally at ease. My sister may not be outgoing, but there was something about her that calmed those around her.
“Of course it’s real,” Gallagher said, flopping cross-legged onto the floor in front of us. “I knew you two were destined for each other when Alec warned us to back off.”
Tally’s eyebrows flew up. “He what?”
“Oh, yeah. He said we were all a bunch of fuckboys and that if any of us touched you, he’d…” He trailed off, apparently catching sight of my glare. “But hey! All's well that ends well, right?”
Tally stared at me. My face heated and my shoulders crept up to my ears as embarrassment set in. In hindsight, it was obvious that I’d wanted Tally long before I admitted it, even to myself.
“You’re mine,” I murmured, flushing deeper.
She shook her head, chuckling. “Apparently so. Alec, what is all of this?”
I scratched my jaw, the bristles rasping against my fingertips. “I might have, kind of, done something. Just watch.”
Across the room, Dexter switched on the TV, which I’d already connected to the appropriate talk show.
Everyone fell silent.
On the screen, the hostess—a middle-aged blonde with a pixie cut—invited me to sit on the sofa opposite her. I was wearing the same ocean blue suit I’d worn to Lake’s wedding, which I hoped would make me come across as fun rather than a show pony.
“Oh, my God.” Tally turned to me, her lips parted, eyes wide. “Seriously, what’s going on? You were on—” She cut herself off, her hands covering her mouth.
“Listen,” I urged, shifting closer to her so that our bodies were pressed together from knee to hip to shoulder.
The hostess introduced me to the audience and settled more comfortably onto her seat. She crossed one leg over the other and rested her palms on them.
“So, Alec,” she began, leaning slightly toward me, “rumor has it you’re not really off the market, is that right?”
“That is absolutely not correct,” I said crisply.
Someone in the living room cheered.
“I’m in a very committed relationship with a woman who has been my best friend for many years. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for her.”
The hostess’s eyes twinkled. “Including a nationwide interview, when you’re a notoriously private person?”
I nodded. “Including that.”
She whistled. “She must be special.”
“She is.”
In real time, Tally shuffled closer. “I can’t believe you did this! When did you even have the time?”
“Coach let me out of practice this morning,” I whispered back. “He’ll probably kick my ass for it in training tomorrow, but he knew this was important to me.”
On the screen, the hostess asked me about Tally, and I explained who she was, how we’d met as teenagers, and the truth of how I’d fallen for my best friend bit by bit over the years but was too foolish to see it until I’d seen what I could have with her.
I took a brief detour to talk about her delicious chocolate creations and how they were my absolute favorite to indulge in during the off-season, hoping that would ease some of Tally’s concerns about her business.
Finally, I relived the kiss that changed everything. Several of the women present swooned.
“So, what does this mean for your hockey?” the hostess asked.
The virtual version of me straightened. “Just that it’s no longer my number one priority. I love hockey and always will. I’ll give it everything I can. After all, I want a championship ring. But Tally comes first. Always.”
“Do you mean that?” Tally asked, her eyes shining.
“Every word.” I watched her face, wondering what she made of all of this. Had airing my love for her to the entire nation been too much? Was she embarrassed? Or did she like that I’d been willing to do that for her?
Whatever the case was, I couldn’t bring myself to regret it. I’d put everything on the line for love and I was proud of that.
“I—” She started to speak, but when the hostess asked me about the man who’d gone running to the tabloids about our fake relationship, she spun back to the TV.
I smirked as I watched the recorded version of me tell the whole country what a vindictive, cheating asshole Thad was, spewing toxic bullshit to anyone who would listen because he was furious that she’d had the audacity to move on and find someone better than him.
Tally clapped her hand to her mouth a few seconds too late to hide her laughter.
“Wait for it,” I murmured.
A moment later, a photograph of Thad appeared behind the hostess. It was terrible. His face was twisted like he’d sniffed shit, and his cheeks were red from sunburn.
A snort burst from Tally. “Oh, no!”
A spiteful wave of glee rose within me. “Oh, yes.”
The photo had come from Coral, who’d been pissed at how he’d behaved during her sister’s wedding and eager to make amends for what she’d done, in any way possible.
Finally, the interview ended. The room was startlingly silent, with over a dozen pairs of eyes on us.
I waited for Tally’s reaction, my heart in my throat.
Her lips curved in a wide smile. “I can’t believe you did all this.”
“What do you think?” I asked, nerves rioting through me.
“I think you’re crazy, but that was the sweetest thing anyone has done for me.” Her eyes sparkled and I had the almost irresistible urge to kiss her.
“You’re worth it,” I told her. “I’m falling in love with you Tally, and I want the whole world to know.”
But mostly, I wanted her to know, and to never have any reason to doubt me. Hopefully, this would help with that.
Her expression was fond as she wound her arms around my neck. “Oh, you sweet, ridiculous man. I’m falling for you too.”
With that, she kissed me while our guests whooped and cheered.
I smiled against her mouth, my heart beating furiously. “Be mine, Tally?”
“Forever.”