“Especially if it’s pink. Anything to get you more business. Besides, real men aren’t afraid of pink.”
She tries to fight a smile. “I bet you’d start a trend of rugged hockey players in pink cupcake shirts.” She reaches over and steals another waffle off the plate where I’m stacking them as they come out of the iron.
“Speaking of things to start, we could make this a tradition since you live right next door,” I suggest, looking out the window toward her place. “Saturday morning waffles, then hit the farmers’ market like two functional adults who’ve sworn off cold cereal.”
The picture comes easily: the quiet rhythm of weekend mornings, shared coffee cups, sleepy grins. Spending all my free time with her sounds exactly like the life I want.
She blinks. “We can’t go to the farmers’ market together.”
“Why not?”
“Because that’s something real couples do.”
“Right, usually right after one of them steals the other’s waffle and acts all innocent about it.”
She looks at the second waffle on her plate and then at my empty plate. “Lucian! Why didn’t you tell me you hadn’t eaten yet?”
“I want you to eat,” I say, feeling a rush of pride that she’s enjoying them so much. Grandpa was right. But when was he evernotright?
“You deserve to eat after that injury,” she says, forking the next hot waffle onto my plate.
I watch her take care of me and guilt swells in my chest, making my ribs hurt even more. “Neesha, about last night…” I begin reluctantly. “I know I should’ve told you I was a hockey player from the beginning. I was an idiot for keeping it from you.”
She pauses. “Yeah, you were.”
“I was afraid you'd write me off before giving me a chance.Let me earn your trust back? One real date where I promise to tell you everything.”
She pauses, laying down her fork. “I don’t give second chances, Lucian.”
“I know.” I move closer toward her, keeping my voice gentle. “But what if this wasn’t a second chance? What if it was just finishing what we started? Because that practice date at Maple Fest was nice, but we got interrupted by so many townspeople we might as well have been in the middle of a parade. It wasn’t a practice date, and you know it.”
She’s quiet, glancing at her waffle before she looks at me.
“Look, I get it if you can’t trust me,” I say. “But you trusted me enough to stay here last night when I was hurt. You trusted me enough to take care of me.” I pause, then play my last card. “Besides, you still owe me a real tour of Maple Falls. You can still use that escape clause if you want to bail. But I promise you, I’m not going to bring up icing or cake the entire night.”
Her lips twitch slightly at the recollection, and I know I’ve got a chance.
“Plus,” I add, leaning back against the counter with a slight grin, “think about it—one real date with me would prove to everyone in town that you’re completely over Nate. Before you leave for Seattle, you’d have shown the whole town that you’ve moved on. That’s worth something, right?”
She stares at me for a second, considering. I don’t love volunteering to be the guy she uses to make the town think she’s over Nate. But if that’s what it takes to show her how she deserves to be treated, I will.
“How about I plan us the perfect fall date—something unforgettable.” It’s a big promise, and I have no idea if I can live up to it. But Iwantto, more than anything.
She looks at me skeptically. “Is that why you asked me so many questions on our way to Maple Fest?”
“I may have been trying to get some good intel from you,”I say.
She studies me for a moment, and I can practically see the wheels turning in her head, measuring the risks of accepting my offer. Then she looks away, shaking her head. “I don’t know, Lucian.”
I take her hand in mine, the way I did when we danced at the Maple Fest. “Hey, I know Nate has made you scared of trying again. But I’m here to show you that you deserve so much better than him. With me, you don’t have to guard your heart. I’ll protect it like it’s my own.”
For a second, she doesn’t say anything.
“Is this still a practice date?” she asks, looking at me from under her dark lashes.
“If that’s what you need it to be,” I say, even though I don’t want a practice date at all. When it comes to her, I want the real thing.All of her.No masks, no safety nets.
She’s quiet for so long I think she’s going to say no.
