Chapter 37
Six months later
“Amber,” Matt calls out, his face glistening with sweat.
The NHL Saints' newest right wing looks stressed, despite what seemed like a solid practice.
My gaze flicks to Madison Wilder, and I can't help but marvel at how this gorgeous, whip-smart woman has become such an unexpected ally.
I consider myself lucky that Michelle did what she did, otherwise, Maddie would be here with Matt, and I would be miserable elsewhere.
“This has been great,” I say, wrapping up our now-routine post-practice chat. It's become our thing since Matt and Grey started playing for the same NHL team. The coincidences of that are crazy.
Maddie's lips curve into a warm smile.
“Meet you at home,” Matt hollers, as if I've been deliberately ignoring him. Whatever's crawled under his skin today, I guess I'll find out soon enough.
Maddie's eyes dart to Matt, concern flashing across her features before she turns back to me with a reassuring look. As I watch the guys disappear into the locker room, I'm left wondering if Matt is okay.
Maddie feels her pockets and says, “Crap. I left my phone in the car. Can I borrow yours?”
I nod, fishing my phone out of my back pocket. “Sure.”
Maddie takes it, her eyes meeting mine in a way that feels... off. Before I can process it, she's bolting down the hallway.
“What the—Maddie?” I call out, hands raised in bewilderment. She disappears into the locker room, leaving me standing here like an idiot.
“Maddie!” I try again, my voice echoing in the now-empty corridor.
Great. Why would she do that? I'm thoroughly confused. She can’t get away with stealing my phone. And I can't exactly leave without it. Sighing, I start towards the locker room. “Maddie?”
That's when I spot it—a sign reading “This way” with an arrow. Is this some kind of joke? Against my better judgment, I follow it down the hall.
I round the corner to find Clifford—or Cliff, as the guys call him—standing there with a white silk... robe? His tan skin and tattoos make for a strange contrast against the delicate fabric.
“Here,” he says, holding it up like he's about to wrap me in it.
“What?” I ask, bafflement clear in my voice.
As Cliff drapes the robe over my shoulders, I notice Trevor nearby, clutching a pair of boxing gloves. He gestures for me to hold out my hands, sliding the gloves on my hands as if this is all perfectly normal.
“Okay, seriously,” I laugh, a mix of amusement and confusion. “What are you guys doing?”
This is so absurd, I can't help but play along. But part of me is wondering what exactly I'm walking into—and where the hell Maddie went with my phone.
As I'm trying to make sense of the situation, Quinton appears, brandishing a boxing helmet. Before I can protest, he's already fitting it onto my head.
“Okay.” I splutter. “I just need to find Maddie. She ran off with my phone. Did you see her?”
But they're not listening. Instead, I'm suddenly being ushered through the locker room door, plunged into darkness. A bright flashlight beam hits my face, momentarily blinding me as the guys push me further in, the door shutting behind us.
A loud voice rumbles through the silence, “Introducing Amber Hughes, also known as Mike Tyson! She can smash two cookies in one day, loves a beach walk, and is going to put your ass in jail when she becomes a lawyer! Her specialty is Superman-ing fellas down the stairs!”
My stomach does a somersault. I can't see a thing beyond the blinding light, but I can feel sweat starting to bead under these ridiculous boxing gloves. What in the world is happening? I'm sweating nervously, yet there's an undeniable thrill of excitement coursing through me.
Suddenly, the spotlight swings away from me and onto... Matt? He's shirtless, bouncing around like he's Rocky Balboa or something.
“And introducing her opponent,” the voice booms through the darkness, “known as Magic on the ice, but whipped for his girlfriend, Amber Hughes!”
As my eyes adjust, I realize we're surrounded by a circle of Matt's teammates. They're all grinning like idiots.
“He loves raisins, and let's be honest, he is a proud man of his four inches!”
I nearly choke at that last bit. Oh my God. Is this really happening? A mix of embarrassment and amusement washes over me as I lock eyes with Matt across our makeshift boxing ring. Whatever this is, it's clear I'm in for one hell of a surprise.
I can't help but laugh, my gloved hand muffling the sound. These boxing gloves are surprisingly comfy. I flex my fingers, making a fist as Matt dramatically cracks his neck under the spotlight.
Suddenly, the room transforms. Disco lights start flashing and a smoke machine kicks in, creating a surreal haze across the locker room floor.
Matt's eyes find mine, and for a moment, it's like we're the only two people here.
The realization hits me– he orchestrated all of this.
It's beyond any prank we've ever committed. I smile. It's… oddly romantic.
I spot Maddie in the crowd, grinning as she records everything on my phone. So that's why she asked for it. Clever, girl. I can't believe she was in on this.
Matt taps his gloves together, fixing me with a playful glare.
“It's a showdown between Matt and Amber. Let's get ready to rumble!” the announcer bellows.
Matt approaches, tapping my gloves. I hesitate, shaking my head. Boxing in front of his entire team? Really?
“Come on,” Matt goads, tapping my gloves again.
“Okay,” I relent, unable to suppress my smile. He knows I can't resist a challenge, and after all this effort, how can I not play along? His grin is infectious as I step forward.
“You wanna play? I can play.” I raise my hands, moving towards him. I tap his gloves first, and he playfully swats my hands away.
Matt starts bouncing around, throwing punches at the air like he's Rocky warming up.
“Are we going to do this for real?” I ask, throwing a mock punch that intentionally misses him.
The energy in the room is electric, a mix of excitement and absurdity. I can't believe I'm about to box my boyfriend in front of his entire team, but here we are. I’m smiling, ear to ear. I will never forget this moment.
The announcer's voice cuts through the chaos. “Oh, we forgot the best part!”
Suddenly, the team's hauling out a stepping stool. “Ladies and gentlemen, we have the iconic stairs scene reenactment.”
I can't resist playfully tapping Matt's cheek with my glove.
“You're going to regret that,” he warns, but I'm already moving. I rush him, and we tumble to the ground. He ends up on top, and I'm pretty sure he engineered that fall to the ground. Sneaky.
I wiggle out from under him – he's definitely going easy on me – and manage to straddle him.
“Don't look, ladies and gentlemen. Things are getting heated between the couple,” the announcer quips.
“What is this?” I whisper, confused but intrigued.
Matt's reply is low and teasing. “Be a good girl and play along.”
He twists, and suddenly we're grappling, my head between his legs.
“It looks like she is confirming the four inches. It looks like their firstborn might be a girl!” The announcer's really getting into it now.
“Dude, what?” someone in the crowd asks.
“Small dicks give girls. It takes longer for the sperm to travel up the canal,” comes the ridiculous reply.
“Tap out,” Matt demands as I swing my legs around his face.
“Things are getting spicy!”
“Tap out,” Matt repeats, tightening his grip. I finally relent and tap out.
Matt helps me up, then gestures to the stool. “Sit on there,” he instructs.
I perch on the stepping stool, watching Matt's abs flex as he catches his breath. He's hovering over me, still in character.
“Cut!” Matt calls out suddenly. “Lights.”
I'm breathless, sweaty, and thoroughly confused, but I can't deny the electric tension between us. Whatever Matt's planning, I'm all in.
The lights flicker on, and suddenly Grey's there, handing Matt a small box.
My heart starts pounding so hard I swear everyone can hear it.
Matt drops to one knee, and I feel like I've been hit by a truck. This can't be happening. Not here, not now, not like this. There’s no fucking way he’s asking me to marry him without me having any idea.
Matt looks up at me, his eyes so full of love it almost hurts. “I love you, baby. Will you marry me?”
I cover my mouth, overwhelmed. My eyes dart around, taking in all the smiling faces.
My stomach's in knots, a mix of excitement and sheer panic.
My first instinct is to scream 'yes' at the top of my lungs, but another part – the part that always wants to keep Matt on his toes – takes over.
I notice the team's smiles fade. The silence that falls is almost comical.
“You think I wanna–” I start, but my hand flies to my mouth. My mind's racing, torn between our usual banter and the overwhelming reality of this moment. “You think?”
Matt's eyes are locked on mine, seeing right through me. He knows me too well. The air in the locker room feels electric, charged with anticipation. I can hear a few of the guys shifting nervously, their excitement turning to confusion.
“Baby,” Matt warns.
I try to keep up the act, but as I stare at him on one knee, ring in hand, I feel myself crumbling. The sight of him there, asking to be mine forever, it's like every dream I've ever had come to life. I can’t make a joke right now.
I nod, unable to hold back my smile any longer. The tension in the room breaks instantly.
“I can't say no to you,” I manage, cupping his face.
“You want to say no?” he asks, echoing our past.
I shake my head, grinning as I remember when he first asked me to be his girlfriend. Same words, different stakes.
I smile. “It would be a privilege to be yours forever.”
The locker room erupts. It's like someone's flipped a switch, turning the nervous energy into pure joy.
“Fuck yeah, Pearson!” someone yells over the chaos.
Matt kisses me, spinning me around as the guys whoop and holler. When my feet touch the ground again, he takes my hand, sliding the ring onto my finger. It feels right like it was always meant to be there. It’s oval and sparkles under the light.
“It's perfect,” I whisper, feeling tears threatening to spill over. I pull Matt into a hug, still admiring the ring over his shoulder.
The team swarms us, a tidal wave of congratulations and laughter. Cliff's voice booms over the rest, “Let's hear it for the future Mr. and Mrs. Pearson!”
Grey's there too, clapping Matt on the back. “You did good. You did good. Congratulations.”
It's a whirlwind of hugs and handshakes, the excitement in the room palpable. Maddie appears, still clutching my phone, a smile on her face as she pulls me into a hug.
“You knew?” I ask her, laughing through my happy tears.
She nods, grinning. “Someone had to make sure this moment was captured forever.”
As I look around at all the smiling faces, Matt's arm wrapped securely around my waist, I can't believe this is my life. God, I love Matt so much. I pull him for a kiss as everyone roars in excitement.
I pull away from Matt and ask, “Is there a speaker?”
“Where's the speaker?” Matt calls out. We rip off our gloves and toss it aside. I remove the white silk robe.
Trevor's voice cuts through the excited chatter. “Yup. On it.”
“Give me your phone,” I say to Trevor as he connects it to the speaker, my fingers already itching to set my plan in motion. “I need to play a song.”
He hands it over, and I quickly pull up YouTube, then turn to the guys. “Turn off the lights.”
The room plunges into darkness, the disco ball springing back to life. An ad fills the silence, building the anticipation.
Then, the unmistakable beat of "Short Dick Man" by Gillette and 20 Fingers blasts through the speakers.
The locker room erupts in laughter and cheers. Bodies start moving to the catchy beat of the song, the energy in the room skyrocketing.
Matt grabs me, his body shaking with laughter. “You would!”
I can't help but sing along, grinning up at him. “Haha. Don't want no short dick man.”
He silences me with a kiss, both of us laughing against each other's lips. As we break apart, I see the pure joy in his eyes, mirroring my own.
“I love you,” I whisper, just loud enough for him to hear over the music. “Four inches and all.”
Matt's laugh rumbles through his chest. “I love you too, you ridiculous woman. Even if you have terrible taste in engagement music.”
I wrap my arms around his neck, pressing close as dance to the beat. “Excuse you, this is our song now. Hope you're ready to dance to it at our wedding.”
The guys are laughing their heads off, and it’s clear that they don’t know he’s not a short dick man. Matt and I smile at each other because it’s a funny inside joke.
“Nobody will ever forget this moment,” Matt mutters, eyes bright as he watches everyone dance.
As we dance, surrounded by his teammates, all celebrating this moment with us, I'm struck by how perfect it all is. It's not a fairytale proposal on a beach or somewhere beautiful. It's us – messy, ridiculous, and absolutely perfect.
We dance until the song ends and when it does, someone turns on the lights.
The guys begin to clean up everything.
“So,” Matt murmurs. “Were you surprised?”
I lean back, meeting his gaze.
“Yes and no,” I say, my heart so full it feels like it might burst. “I’m not surprised to spend my life with you, but I was surprised you did all of this to ask me to marry you.”
As Matt leans in to kiss me again, the world fades away. In this man, I see our future - the good days, the bad days, and everything in between. And I can't wait for all of it.
Forever's looking pretty good from here.