Season's Schemings (Cyclones Christmas, #1)

by Katie Bailey

“I’m a jealous man, Madelyn,” he whispers in my ear. “So you’ll be wearing my name tonight, or nobody’s.”

To make a certain someone in the crowd proud that she’s wearing my damn name on her back.

“You look at her like my daddy looks at my mommy. And they’re super happy together. So, I’m going to go with yes. She is lucky to be married to you.”

“You are too much.” But she’s not. She’s exactly the right amount of… everything.

“You can lean on me, Maddie. I promise I’ll help you bear the weight of this.”

“Well, I’m bringing a new tradition.” Seb shoots me a cheeky grin. “Voodoo cookies for anyone who upsets my wife.”

She might be my temporary wife, but nobody messes with the people who are important to me. Ever.

But even stranger than those unexpected warm feelings is the fact that thoughts of my marriage have begun to take center stage in my mind. For the first time in forever, hockey is background noise—Maddie is my focus.

She deserves better. And if I can help her get anything from this marriage, it’s the realization that she deserves a gentleman who treats her like a queen. After everything that she’s done for me, the least I can do is be the best husband in the world for her.

“Good. Because while I will choose to back down and support you in this madness for now, I also have no problem stabbing Sebastian Slater with his own hockey stick if he hurts you. Understand?”

Somewhere in the far, far distance, Dot applauds. “Now, THEY would get a sign that says ‘Live, Laugh, Love.’”

And all I could think was how happy I was that I’d made her happy. That I’d be happy every day to make her happy like that.

“Because nobody puts Maddie in the corner,”

“You deserve to be celebrated, Maddie. Deserve to be praised. Deserve to have all of those people look at you and talk to you with way more respect. And I’m pulling double duty as your husband to help you get everything you deserve.”

“You’re special, Maddie.” My voice is so full of gravel, I barely recognize it. “And I’m going to do everything in my power to show you just how special you are.”

“I’m making space for a meaningful thing in my life.”

“That kiss was well worth their wrath to me,”

“Well, Captain, it’s that… I think I might have accidentally fallen in love with my wife.”

“You’re what’s best for me, Maddie,”

“I don’t care. You come first. And I wanna do this with you. Prove that I’m in this for you, and for us. We’re a team now, you and me. That comes with both risk and reward… and you’re worth risking everything else for.”