Chapter 18 Rodriguez #2
“I’m not speaking for her. I’m backing her up.” I step closer. “So either walk away or we’re going to have a problem.”
“Is that a threat?”
“It’s a fact. Leave. Now.”
Garrett’s hands curl into fists. His breathing changes, getting faster, and I can see he’s actually thinking about it.
Part of me wants him to. Wants the excuse. I fight for a living. I hit people while wearing blades on my feet. This guy has no idea what he’s starting.
“Come on,” I say quietly. “Do it. Give me a reason.”
“Rodriguez—” Juliette’s voice behind me.
“Stay out of this, Jules,” Garrett says.
Oh buddy, wrong thing to say. I step closer, getting right in his space so he has to tilt his head back to meet my eyes.
“Don’t talk to her like that. Don’t even look at her. You had three years and you fucked it up. She’s done with you. We’re done with you. So walk away before I make you walk away.”
“You think you’re better than me?”
“I know I am. Because I see what’s right in front of me and I don’t take it for granted.”
He raises his hand.
My body shifts automatically, weight forward, ready to take the hit and give back twice as hard. Years of hockey fights have trained me for this exact moment.
Then Melissa appears, grabbing his arm. “Honey, don’t. Let’s go get some air.”
She’s pulling him away. He’s resisting but she’s insistent, practically dragging him toward the exit.
The room stays quiet for another beat. Then conversations start back up around us.
I turn around and Juliette’s staring at me. “What was that?”
“That was me making sure he understands you’re off limits. That he doesn’t get to keep trying.” My heart’s still pounding. “And if he comes near you again, I’m done being polite.”
“Rodriguez—”
“No.” I’m still riding the adrenaline. “I’m done watching him try to get your attention. You said no. That should be the end of it.”
She’s just looking at me and I can’t read her expression.
“That was kind of hot,” she finally says. “Thank you. For standing up for me.”
“Always.”
We walk back to the hotel and I’m still wound tight. Still replaying the moment.
“You would have actually hit him,” Juliette says.
“Yes.”
“In front of my entire family.”
“Yep.”
“At my sister’s rehearsal dinner.”
“If he’d actually tried, yeah.”
She laughs softly. “Have you ever actually fought anyone? Off the ice?”
“No. But I would’ve figured it out.”
She laughs, louder this time. “You’re unbelievable.”
Back at the hotel we get ready for bed. She takes off her makeup, changes into pajamas. I brush my teeth, trying to shake off the adrenaline.
When I come out she’s already in bed, sitting up.
“I’m sorry,” she says immediately.
“For what?”
“For tonight. For you having to watch me walk with him. For Garrett trying to talk to me. For all of it.”
I climb into bed next to her. “You don’t have to apologize for him being an asshole.”
“I know but I saw your face. During the rehearsal. You looked—”
“Jealous?”
“Yeah. And something else. Like you were somewhere else entirely.”
Busted.
“I was thinking about something.”
She snuggles into my chest, into the spot that’s become hers. “Tell me?”
“Nothing. Just...” I pause, then say it casually, like I’m suggesting we order pizza. “Let’s get married, JuJu.”
She goes completely still. “What?”
“Get married. You and me.”
She pulls back to look at me. “Rodriguez, we’ve been together for less than twenty-four hours.”
“Yeah, but I like you. You like me. We’re good together.”
“That’s not how marriage works!”
“Why not?” Her face looks like she can’t decide if she wants to laugh or strangle me. “I mean, not tomorrow. But someday. When you’re ready.”
She’s fighting a smile. “You can’t just casually propose while we’re in bed after my sister’s rehearsal dinner.”
“I’m not proposing. I’m just saying... I know how this ends. It ends with you. With us.” I tuck hair behind her ear. “However long it takes to get there.”
“You really think about that? Marrying me?”
“I saw it today. When you were walking down the aisle. My brain just... went there.” I shrug like it’s no big deal, even though my heart is pounding. “Your hair would be down, you looked beautiful, like always.”
She’s quiet for so long I start counting my heartbeats. I’ve gone too far. Obviously it’s insane. I’m mentally calculating how much a last minute ticket back to Seattle will cost.
She hooks her leg over mine. “You’re insane.”
“You keep saying that.”
“Because you are.” She picks up my hand, threading our fingers together. “But I kind of love that about you.”
My heart stops. Everything stops. “What did you just say?”
“I said you’re insane and I—” She stops. Realizes what she almost said.
“JuJu.”
“I’m not ready to say it yet.”
“But you almost did.”
“I know.”
I wrap both arms around her. Hold her tight. “Take all the time you need.”
“What if I’m never brave enough?”
“You will be. I know you will.” I press my face into her hair. “And when you are, I’ll be right here. Thinking about our wedding like a complete psycho.”
She laughs against my chest. “You really saw all that?”
“Yeah.”
“That’s—” She stops. “That’s actually really sweet.”
“Or terrifying.”
“Maybe both.”
Her breathing slowly starts to even out as we lie quietly together.
“Rodriguez?” Her voice is barely a whisper.
“Yeah?”
“Tomorrow when I have to walk with Garrett I’m going to be thinking about what you just said.” She pauses. “Is that okay?”
Something in me feels like it might explode. “Yeah, JuJu. That’s okay.”
She falls asleep within minutes, her hand fisted in my shirt.
Tomorrow I’m going to stand in that church and watch her walk down an aisle with her ex-boyfriend. And it’s going to kill me.
But she’ll be thinking about us.
And that’s enough.