Checked Into Love (Evergreen Cove #2)

Chapter 1

Mac

Ryan MacKenzie was going to ask Rachel Morrison out today.

He'd been planning it for weeks, ever since Cole had looked at him during practice two weeks ago and said, "Just ask her out already. What's the worst that could happen?"

The worst that could happen was rejection. Public humiliation. Never being able to show his face in the library again, which would be devastating because Mac had discovered he actually enjoyed reading, and the Evergreen Cove Public Library had an excellent mystery section.

But the alternative, not asking, felt worse.

Mac skated through morning drills on autopilot, his mind already at the library. He had a plan and he needed flowers. Lots of them. Then a genuine compliment. How hard could it be?

His skates cut across the ice, muscle memory guiding him through the warm-up while his brain spiraled through worst-case scenarios. What if she laughed at him? What if she said no? What if she said yes out of pity?

Coach Davies blew the whistle, the sharp sound cutting through Mac's anxiety spiral. "Water break! Five minutes!"

The Evergreen Cove Eagles skated to the bench in a chaotic mass of navy and white jerseys. Mac grabbed his water bottle, trying to look casual, like he wasn't internally panicking about asking out the most stunning woman in Evergreen Cove.

Possibly Vermont. Possibly the world.

Jamie Lawson appeared beside him, all easy confidence and mischief.

At twenty-seven, Jamie was technically the team's equipment manager, but really he was the team's unofficial therapist, occasional prankster, and Mac's second-best friend after Cole.

His dark hair was somehow perfectly styled even during practice, and his grin suggested he knew exactly what Mac was thinking.

"Today's the day, right?" Jamie asked, elbowing Mac in the ribs. "You're finally asking out the hot librarian?"

"Her name is Rachel," Mac said, taking a long drink of water to avoid Jamie's look.

"I know her name. The whole town knows her name. She's the librarian. There's only one." Jamie wiped his face with a towel. "So? You doing it?"

"Yeah. Today. After practice."

"Nervous?"

"Terrified."

"Good." Jamie's grin widened. "That means you actually like her. When's the last time you were nervous about a woman?"

Mac thought about it. "High school?"

"Exactly. This is good, man. Nerves mean you care." Jamie clapped him on the shoulder hard enough to make Mac stumble. "Don't overthink it. Be yourself. She'll say yes."

"How do you know?"

"Because you're Mac MacKenzie. You're a good guy who volunteers at the youth hockey clinic and tips thirty percent at Sophie's Café. What woman wouldn't want to date you?"

Before Mac could respond with the extensive list of reasons Rachel might not want to date him, Cole Hansen skated over.

His dark-brown hair was slightly too long, and his presence commanded respect without effort.

He was also Mac's best friend and about to marry Ellie Winters, their PT, in two months, which made him an expert on relationships, allegedly.

"Talking about Rachel?" Cole asked, his tone suggesting he already knew the answer.

"Does everyone know?" Mac groaned, letting his head fall back.

"It's a small team, Mac. And you've been talking about her for a month. So yes, everyone knows." Cole's expression softened in that big-brother way that made Mac simultaneously grateful and embarrassed. "You ready?"

"I don't know. What if she says no?"

"Then she says no, and you'll survive. Just be honest. Tell her you think she's amazing and you'd like to take her out. It’s simple."

"Simple," Mac repeated, like the word might make it true. "Right."

The locker room after practice smelled like sweat and old equipment. Mac showered quickly, his mind already racing ahead to the library. He pulled on jeans and his favorite green henley, the one Ellie had once said brought out his eyes, and ran a hand through his damp sandy hair.

Jamie emerged from the equipment room, where he'd been organizing hockey sticks with the kind of meticulous attention usually reserved for museum curators.

His obsession with equipment management was legendary; every stick sorted by player, flex rating, and curve pattern.

Mac was pretty sure Jamie knew more about the team's gear than he knew about actual people.

"You need a pep talk?" Jamie asked, leaning against the lockers.

"I need to not vomit."

"That's the spirit." Jamie grinned. "Okay, here's what you do. Walk in. Make eye contact. Give her flowers. Tell her she's beautiful—"

"I can't just say she's beautiful!"

"Why not?"

"It's too forward!"

"It's a compliment!"

Cole intervened, still toweling off his hair. "Mac, ignore Jamie. Here's what you actually do: be yourself. The real you. Not some smooth-talking version you think women want. Rachel will appreciate genuine over practiced."

"What if genuine is rambling and awkward?"

"Then ramble and be awkward. If she likes you, she'll find it endearing." Cole pulled on his shirt. "RELAX."

Mac looked at his phone. 11:30 AM. The library opened at noon. He had thirty minutes.

"I need flowers."

"Sophie's Café has flowers," Luke offered, appearing from the showers with his usual impeccable timing. "Good ones. She always has fresh bouquets by the register."

"Right. Flowers. A bunch! I can do this." Mac grabbed his jacket and truck keys from his locker.

Jamie tossed him a stick of gum. "For fresh breath. You've got this, MacKenzie."

"And if you don't," Luke added cheerfully, "we'll help you plan your next attempt!"

"Not helping, Luke," Cole called as Mac headed for the door.

Mac took a deep breath of cold March air and headed to his truck. He could do this. He was twenty-six years old, a professional athlete, a functioning adult. Asking a woman out shouldn't be this terrifying.

And yet.