In Your Wildest Dreams (Wildcat Hockey, #4)

by Rebecca Jenshak

“Shouldn’t you be, I don’t know, skating around?” Her stare lifts over my head to my teammates warming up behind me. “Can’t. I just met my future wife and I need to know if she’s single.” I can’t hear it, but her body language tells me she laughs quietly. “Yes.” “Yes, you’re single?” “No. I meant, yes, that’s my boyfriend.”

His stunning blue eyes sparkle with excitement and disbelief. “I can’t get over it. You’re really here.” I can’t get over it either. My stomach is doing a series of somersaults that make it hard to catch my breath. “I’ve looked for you at every home game.”

Hannah tips her head to the side. “With Gabe?” Bridget says nothing but gives her coworker the tiniest of nods. “Is that the boyfriend?” My jaw clenches remembering the way that asshole talked to her. I’d forgotten about him in my excitement at seeing Bridget again. “Ex-boyfriend.” Hannah’s big grin matches mine.

“Good. He didn’t deserve you. I’m glad you broke up with him. You should date someone that treats you a hell of a lot better than he did that night. Even if it’s not me, though I think it should be me.”

He laughs. “If I do, will you have breakfast with me?” “You just don’t give up.” “Never.” Against my better judgment, I find myself nodding. “Fine, but just coffee.” “Really?” His obvious glee makes my stomach flip. “I’ll stop by once I clock out, but I only have thirty minutes before I have to leave for classes.”

“She’s coming to the game tonight.” “O-kay.” She comes to most home games to support her brother. “You want me to check on her? Where’s she sitting? Usual spot?” He sighs, acting all annoyed because I can’t read minds and didn’t correctly guess whatever the hell he’s trying to tell me. “She brought her roommates.” The S at the end of the last word hangs in the air while my brain connects the dots. Roommates. More than one. Roommatesssss. Plural. Both of them. My heart skitters to a stop. Hell yeah. Bridget is here.

The best kiss I ever had was with this smoking hot girl I met at work. Yep. Yep. That’s jealousy making the sugar cookie turn bitter in my mouth. Me Wow. At work? Scandalous. I guess mine was probably this guy I dated briefly my freshman year of college. Ash Jesus, woman. I meant you. I met you at work. Brb, gonna go jump off a cliff.

Barely. Me If I’d said you, would your ego have launched you to space? Ash Fuck yeah it would have. I smile harder at his honesty.

For the next half hour, I try on various pieces from my closet and Ash helps me decide whether to keep them. Or he tries. He doesn’t put a single thing in the throwaway pile. I draw the line at an old tube top that is so tight across my chest it hurts my boobs. “No way. It barely fits anymore. I was a few sizes smaller then.” I pull at the top. “From what I can tell, it fits perfectly.” I laugh. “You’re no help.” “I can’t help it if everything you put on looks good.” “You’re full of crap.” “Nope. Straight facts. You’re a ten. Own it.”

But when Everly and I walk into the party, that all goes to hell. Ash is standing in the living room. He sees us immediately and his blue eyes widen as he walks over to greet us. “Fucking hell,” he mutters, stopping in front of me. He slowly brings his stare up to my face. “My heart just stopped for a second. I forgot how gorgeous you are. Damn, it’s good to see you.”

“She’s pretty.” “Probably.” “Probably?” “Yeah. I was too busy checking you out to notice.” “Oh my god. That was bad even for you.” “Even for me?”

“Hey, remember the first time we met?” I ask him and walk over to the bed with it behind my back. “Mmmm.” He hums. “You had on a black sweatshirt and a bunch of rings and I kept moving closer, trying to figure out what color your eyes were. You didn’t want to give me the time of day. It was a real ego hit, babe.”

“Oh, and one more thing,” I say. “I lied to you once. Actually twice.” His brow quirks up. “My best kiss…you. And my favorite celebrity crush is…also you.” Instead of the cocky retort I was sure was coming, his face softens. “I love you.” “I love you too.”

“Can we talk about Ash’s Instagram page?” Everly turns her phone around to show me the screen. “It’s basically a shrine of you.” She’s sitting on my bed while I get ready. “I’m serious. Here’s one of you two at Wild’s last week, another at the arena. You in his T-shirt, you in your scrubs, you, you, you.” She scrolls, calling out recent photos Ash posted. In the weeks since Gabe was fired from the Wildcats, we’ve been enjoying dating in public. And kissing in public. We’re the obnoxious couple holding hands and kissing everywhere we go, and I love it. I can finally shout how great he is to anyone that will listen, but as usual, Ash is one-upping me.

“Always showing off for the ladies.” “Nah, just for you now, babe.”

“Not even in my wildest dreams did I imagine loving someone as much as I love you, Bridget. I didn’t know it was possible, and yet somehow, I know I’ll love you even more tomorrow. I thought I had everything I wanted before I met you. A great job, an awesome family, the best teammates.” His buddies all cheer again and Ash chuckles softly before he continues, “but these past few months have been the best of my life. You’re it for me. I knew it from the first time I saw you. Marry me?” We’ve attracted the attention of the entire bar at this point. Someone yells out, “Say yes!”

“Yes.” I nod and a tear slides down my face. “I’ll marry you, Ash Kelly.” Everything he said—I feel that too. So much better than my wildest dreams. He pushed past every wall I tried to build around myself and in return, he’s given me everything. He gets to his feet and kisses me. The bar erupts in shouts and cheers. Ash slides the ring onto my finger, and someone thrusts a glass of champagne into both of our hands. “A toast.” Jack lifts his glass. “To Ash and Bridget.”