It was Wednesday night, and Maverick had just finished a home game. The Dragons’ second win of the season—and long overdue. The team, from what Daisy-Mae had heard, was beginning to believe in curses.
And to make tonight’s win even sweeter, Maverick had scored the winning goal against the team that had tossed him aside—Lafayette.
Daisy-Mae had wanted to dance, and as the mascot handler, she had. All over the arena, getting the fans worked into a frenzy of excitement for their home team. Her enthusiasm had been contagious, and she’d never felt an energy like that before. It made her want to become a performer.
Daisy-Mae, still in her Dragons puck bunny outfit, left Violet to finish primping her hair after being in the costume and went to wait outside the team’s locker room for Maverick. He had to be crazy excited. The team, too.
The door opened, and he was the first one out, his hair damp from what must have been a quick shower. His jeans and light sweater clung to his muscles, and when he saw her his eyes lit up as he grinned.
“Hey, champ,” she said, rolling up onto the toes of her boots to give him a kiss right on the lips in front of everyone. He dropped his duffle bag and hugged and kissed her back.
They got a few catcalls as other men entered the hallway, and Maverick scowled at them, making Daisy-Mae laugh.
“I saw you in the stands,” he said, releasing her.
“Wow, you can focus on me and on making goals?”
“No. Not at all,” he admitted. “Sometimes I sit on the bench, though, you know.”
“Aren’t you supposed to watch the ice when you’re on the bench?”
“I told you back in October that you’re a mighty distraction.” He hefted his bag again, slinging its strap over his shoulder. “You’re probably the reason we lose so often.”
She gave a choked laugh. “The only wins this season have been when I’m up in the stands, buster.”
He smirked and kissed her again.
“So? Where are we going to celebrate?” She was practically vibrating with energy from the win. And she was just the mascot’s helper. She hadn’t actually been on the ice. He must feel so full of energy, too.
“Celebrate?”
“Yes! Don’t you feel good?” She ran her hands down his chest, then gripped his waist and pulled him closer.
He smiled. “Yeah. I feel pretty good.”
Understated as always. She could see the joy lifting him like the earth’s gravity had been reduced around him.
“You should feel amazing! And we need to be seen. We need to show you off because you just scored the winning goal against your old team.” Daisy-Mae snuggled against him and patted his chest with pride.
“Can’t we stay in?”
“Again?” Decorating the tree had been lovely last night, and she’d love to repeat having him all to herself, but they had a job to do. She’d noticed that sometimes after people recognized him, they grew cool, and she wanted to change that. She wanted the world to celebrate the Maverick she knew and adored.
She nudged him. “We’re supposed to be out in the world, spreading this amazingness and making people love you again.” She began pulling his hands, dragging him toward a cluster of teammates at the end of the hallway, just before the doors that would lead them to the press.
He resisted.
“What?” Didn’t he see this opportunity to change the way people saw him? Or was something else happening that she hadn’t picked up on yet?
“Can’t we? You know?” He was eyeing the group of men. He looked back at her. “Just you and me? Do something away from everyone else?”
“You don’t want to be seen with me?” Her words barely came out above a whisper as she caught herself. He was simply more private than many of his teammates and had been burned by the press. It wasn’t about her. “I mean, we have to go out. We have to celebrate.”
That lift she’d seen earlier seemed to fade.
“Let everyone celebrate you, Mav.” Then she leaned in, her hair brushing his neck as she whispered a reminder. “It’s part of the deal, right?”
She watched his expression, getting the feeling that he was really starting to hate that part of their relationship.
* * *
Daisy-Mae didn’t know what to think. She’d practically had to strong-arm Maverick into celebrating his own win. And then once they were out, he kept hiding away, refusing to pose for the cameras with her. The photos that had been released didn’t exactly exude love.
She didn’t get it. He smiled that special smile for her, was always dropping by her office when he was in the city, stealing kisses here and there, phoning her when he was traveling.
It no longer made any sense.
It had been several days since the win—the last time they’d seen each other—and now he’d asked her to meet him for coffee.
Something had shifted between them, and she wasn’t sure what it was. It felt like they were getting closer as a couple, but he was acting strangely, pulling back whenever they had a public commitment. Had she done something wrong? Was he afraid she was going to make him look bad?
It didn’t help that Louis had called her into his office two days ago, looking tired and asking for the scoop.
There was no scoop.
Maybe Maverick was getting pressured by Louis, too, and it was making him seize up in public. He’d said he’d try to get better at the publicity stuff, but it felt like he was getting worse.
Leo and Landon still didn’t have deals, and there were only four more months in the season since it would take a miracle to make playoffs, which would have extended their season by another two months and into June.
She slipped into the Longhorn Diner, scanning the room, which was decked out for Christmas.
She took a stool at the back, planning to order a coffee while she waited for Maverick.
“Hey, Levi,” she said, recognizing the man one stool down. Cowboy hat, dark hair, blue eyes. Wylder through and through. She unwound the scarf his sister-in-law April had knitted her last year and bunched it on the counter.
“Hey, how’s life?” he asked. “I barely see y’all these days.”
“Yeah, life’s kind of gotten busy,” she said, shaking out her hair.
“Who’s that gorgeous woman sitting alone?” Maverick said moments after she’d gotten herself settled.
“It’s like he doesn’t even see me when you’re around,” Levi joked, grinning at Maverick, who gave him a nod.
“Hey, stranger.” Daisy-Mae slid off her stool to give Maverick a hug. He responded by pulling her into his arms, giving her an extra squeeze, and landing a kiss on her lips.
It made her believe everything was perfect—as well as wonder why he couldn’t do this when the cameras were on them.
“Get a room,” Mrs. Fisher, the ancient waitress, told them from behind the counter. She waved her coffeepot at them and they nodded.
Levi reached over the counter, grabbing Daisy-Mae and Maverick fresh cups for Mrs. Fisher to fill.
“Thanks, hon,” she said, not even scolding him like usual for doing her job.
Maverick stole another quick kiss from Daisy-Mae as Mrs. Fisher filled the cups.
“You’ll turn off the customers with all that smoochin’,” Henry Wylder replied as he took a stool a few down from where they were standing. He jabbed a thumb toward his own chest. “Me.”
“We’ll be over here, Mrs. Fisher,” Daisy-Mae said, picking up the cups and gesturing at an empty booth.
“Want to order a bite?”
They shook their heads and made their way over to the booth.
“Is he still glaring at us?” Maverick whispered as they left the counter.
“Henry always glares at me.”
“He’s as ornery as Bill,” Maverick muttered, referring to the armadillo that terrorized the town.
“Did you notice they added him to the welcome sign?” she asked, sliding into the booth.
“Henry? Please, no.”
Daisy-Mae laughed. “One way to prevent the town from growing. But I meant Bill.”
Maverick pushed his cup of coffee to the side after taking a sip, then reached across the table, sliding her hand into his. “I missed you on the weekend.”
“I missed you, too. How was the game in South Carolina?”
“We won.”
“I heard. You’re on a streak.”
“I’m the luckiest man.”
“Finally, some good things are happening, right?”
“We even have some fans now.” He winked at her good-naturedly. “The pyrotechnics from the home game the other night were a hit. Everyone’s talking about the stuff you’re doing.”
She shrugged. “Anyone could have thought of that.”
“But they didn’t. It was like a rock concert within a sporting event, with parties in the parking lot like it was football before and after the game. Everyone wants Dragons gear.”
She brushed off the compliment. “Miranda’s getting slaughtered for the cost.”
“By the suits in accounting?”
“The press.”
“They just enjoy gunning for her.”
“They think she’s trying to buy team loyalty.”
“So?”
They chuckled.
“I’m glad you got that job,” Maverick said softly. “It’s fun out there again. And our fans are enjoying it, too.”
“That’s just the wins talking.”
“It’s not.”
“It’s weird. The press really hasn’t been talking about us at all. I thought we’d be getting somewhere by now.”
“You crave the infamy of dating me?”
“Yeah,” she said dryly. “I should have a medal for each date I successfully wrangle you into, shouldn’t I? How is that not noteworthy?”
“I meant to ask,” Maverick said, letting go of her hands and fidgeting with his coffee cup. “Do you want to go to the gala with me?”
“On Friday?” The team’s charity was holding a fancy fundraiser. Very black tie. She, along with most staff, was going. Although it was unlikely she’d be able to afford to bid on a single thing at the silent auction. “I’d love to.”
“I’ll pick you up.”
“I’m going to have to bring everything into work. I don’t have time to come home afterward.”
“Then I’ll pick you up from there. Did you get an invitation to Myles and Karen’s wedding?”
She nodded.
“Are you going?”
It was in February, on Valentine’s Day. And while she wanted to ask Maverick to be her date more than anything, it was further into the future than the time they’d spent dating so far.
“I keep hoping something’ll come up so I won’t have to go.” She scrunched her nose. “Does that make me a bad person?”
“What if you went with me?”
She inhaled, wanting to say yes, but afraid she’d end up going solo and staring at two exes that night.
“Come on, don’t break my average now. I’ve got an impressive track record of you saying yes to my dates.”
* * *
Daisy-Mae wasn’t giving him an answer about being his wedding date.
“What? You don’t want to go at all? Even with me?” Maverick asked, trying to sort out where her thoughts were.
“It’s two months away. Will we still be together?”
Her words hit him hard in the chest. “Are you planning to break up with me before then?” He hadn’t even considered that as a possible option.
“This fake thing isn’t really helping you or the team, so I understand if you wanted to…” She shrank in her seat, giving him a cute I-don’t-know look.
Seriously?
He thought they’d been making progress, and that she knew how committed he was.
He leaned forward, tamping down his frustration. He stroked her knuckles as he carefully chose his words. “We’re doing okay, aren’t we? Even though nobody’s gossiping about us?”
“I think so.” Her voice caught in her throat, and if it had been anyone else, he would have thought she was worried about being rejected or dumped. But this was Daisy-Mae, superwoman.
“Then it’s settled. There are no plans to break up on the horizon, so you’ll come as my date?” Maverick confirmed.
She gave a small nod.
Good. Nobody should go to their ex’s wedding alone.
“Wait. I have a condition.”
“Oh?”
“Will you wear a tie that matches my dress?”
“Sure.”
She gave him an evil look. “Even if it’s pink?”
“Even if it’s pink.”
“It won’t be pink.” She was studying him, and he had a feeling she was deciding what color they would wear.
He was good with whatever she wanted, but right now he had another question to ask.
“Do you want to come over for Christmas dinner?”
She blinked and stared at him.
“Come on, Daisy-Mae. I’ve got a great streak going here. Let me have the hat trick. Three yeses…” He was teasing, cajoling, and a tiny bit worried she was trying to find the publicity angle when he just wanted to call her a part of his family.
“Of course, yes, you silly goose.”
Three big dates. This was turning into a good coffee.
He had one more thing, though…
“You’re worried about our lack of publicity,” he stated.
“Well, it was part of the deal,” she said, taking her cup and winding her fingers around its smooth surface. “Louis was asking me about our plans.”
“The press hasn’t been as bloodthirsty lately.” Dating Daisy-Mae did seem to be quietly helping, even though there wasn’t any big fanfare about them.
“I’ve noticed.”
“Thanks for your help with that.”
She smiled. “It’s been my pleasure.” Her cheeks flushed slightly. “But we haven’t really been maximizing our opportunities. I know you’re not exactly an attention hound, but maybe there’s something we can do to give things a small kick.”
He narrowed in on her words, the opportunity that was coming his way.
“You want to maximize things?” he asked.
“I think we should.”
He leaned forward again. “How about this? If nothing moves the needle on my reputation or deals for Landon and Leo by New Year’s Eve…” He paused. Was he really going to put this out there? Take a risk and ratchet up the fake angle when all he wanted was real when it came to Daisy-Mae?
Yeah, yeah, he was willing to take that risk in hopes of winning all of her.
“What?” she asked, leaning closer, her gaze on his lips.
He swallowed hard, trying to will his voice to sound casual as he said, “I’ll propose to you. Publicly.”
* * *
Propose.
That meant engaged.
She’d be engaged to Maverick Blades.
He’d be hers. His heart, his time and attention.
But they’d be faking their level of commitment, wouldn’t they?
Although, a fake engagement where she had to kiss those frowning lips and have him light up when he saw her? Amazing idea. Even better than dating.
It would be a job. A duty.
But it was Maverick, and every moment with him felt like sunshine on her soul.
She held onto the beginnings of a smile.
It faded. It would suck when he broke up with her. She could only imagine her mother’s words about what a fool she’d been. Not only would Daisy-Mae carry the stigma of being a former beauty queen, but also the ex-fiancée of an NHL star. A star who didn’t date anyone more than once. And who had all but welcomed her into his woman-free zone—like she didn’t count?
No. She needed to clear her mind and focus on what she felt—what was real. She was already falling in love.
But it wasn’t a guarantee that he’d be falling, too. He was suggesting an engagement as a publicity stunt.
Daisy-Mae, say hello to a total Myles repeat.
Maverick reached across the table, his expression growing more and more worried as the seconds ticked by and she remained silent.
Being engaged to Maverick would be amazing. She was sure of it. He was sweet. And fun and easy to be with. He was a rock of muscle. Hot. Strong. Safe.
“I don’t think we’re quite there in our relationship,” she said, wincing. This wasn’t about their relationship or how either of them felt. They were real dating, but an engagement this soon wouldn’t be.
And possibly, it could ruin everything.
She really wanted it, though. But what could she do? Admit this had become very personal to her and she’d only ever say yes out of love?
“Yeah, it’s for a pop of publicity,” he said quickly, his Adam’s apple bobbing.
“If we get engaged and then break up, it’ll backfire. We’ll look stupid. Engagements are for people in love. Doing it for public approval is taking things too far.”
“Daisy-Mae, I don’t know if you know this, but I’m kind of falling for you over here.”
She laughed.
“No. I’m serious.”
She met his solid gaze and realized it was true. Maverick hadn’t led with it, but he had feelings. Serious, true feelings for her.
“It could help, but it’s a lie,” she said tentatively, hoping he’d correct her and confirm that this might be love for him, too.
“Maybe it’s not a lie.”
Her heart lifted like it was going to explode out of the top of her chest.
Maverick Blades.
This might shape up to become the best day of her life so far. She leaned over the table, kissing him firmly.
“I know it’s early,” he said when she stopped kissing him, “but maybe one day you might also––”
“Maverick Blades, you silly, dense man,” she snapped before she could stop herself. “I have been crushing on you for so many years. And dating you has only made those feelings stronger. I love the way you treat me, and you have been the best boyfriend. Ever.”
She waited for that to sink in.
He tipped his head slightly. “Ever?”
“I’m just sorry it’s taken us so long to get here.” She gave him another kiss, and Mrs. Fisher, who’d come by to give their cups a top up, quickly kept going.
“Well, I don’t know about you, but I want to move fast.”
She thought about it for a moment. They’d known each other as friends for a long time, so maybe this wasn’t so crazy after all. Maybe it wasn’t such a huge blur or a rush.
“I’ll let you think on the plan for the New Year, but just assume you’re going everywhere as my date from here on out, okay?”
She stuck out her hand, shaking his, unable to block her giant grin. “Deal.”
He gave her a funny look as she released his hand.
“Sorry. I might be a tad excited.”
“I think I finally understand why Myles and Karen got so deep, so fast.”
“Because when you’re as old as we are—”
“And been around the dating track so many times—”
“You just know.”
“You just know,” he echoed.
They shared a smile.
“So when are you moving in with me?” he asked.
She laughed, and he joined in.
“Too fast?”
“Just a tiny bit.”
“I want to go fast, but I also want to get this right. I don’t wanna skip any of the important steps.”
She nodded, understanding.
“We’ll have a long engagement then,” she said. She thought about it for a second. “Longish.” Not too long.
“And you and I?” he asked.
“We’re real. Nothing fake between us any longer,” she said softly. Not even a possible engagement.
“And we go at your pace.”
“Then you’d better go ring shopping.”