Kaleb

I'm not a patient person.

My knee continues to bounce up and down while I stare out the bay window, searching the quiet street for signs of Melody's car. Whenever there's a flash of headlights or red, my heartbeat jumps to my throat. I've been living without Mel for a month. Despite being busy, it hasn't been easy. Chatting over Zoom isn't enough. I need the warmth of her body pressed against mine throughout the night. To see her beautiful face every morning when I'm not on the road.

Gnawing on my thumbnail, I push away from the couch and begin pacing the length of the coffee table. Mel drove across Canada to get here, and it has done nothing for my mental health.

I know the dangers of being a woman. It's my responsibility, as an ally, to study and learn. Knowing Mel was staying in hotels and filling up her vehicle at gas stations or walking downtown in a big city to a restaurant alone?

Don't fucking remind me.

When I wasn't on the ice or travelling to another city, I was texting Mel or chatting with her though Zoom. It's not that I don't believe she can defend herself. She's taken several self-defence classes with Ella and Brenna. Different types of bad people exist. She could be threatened at gunpoint or drugged. I want to believe it sounds like an exaggeration, but I can't. Men cause bad things to happen to women.

Plus, I'm worried she's gotten into an accident. People can be stupid when they're driving.

I'm on the brink of self destruction.

Suddenly, the taste of copper fills my mouth.

Stopping, I glance down at my left hand. The cuticle around my thumbnail is bleeding from me gnawing on it. Expelling a soft curse, I head for the kitchen. My feet stick to the hardwood flooring as I rummage through one drawer, searching for the mini first-aid kit. It's hidden at the back of the drawer. Crammed with some gum wrappers and old papers.

From the first-aid kit, I remove an antiseptic wipe and a band-aid. I tear open the antiseptic wipe with my teeth and then discard the packaging. Taking a deep breath, I wipe away the dark blood, cringing as the stinging sensation burns against my raw skin.

Once the blood is wiped away, I quickly apply the Band-Aid.

The sight of it wrapped around my thumb makes me roll my eyes. Biting my nails and cuticles is a side effect of anxiety. One I've never been able to remedy. My anxiety tends to get the best of me, resulting in bad habits. Living without her for a month has been difficult. Not seeing Mel or knowing she's at home feels like a rupture in my schdule. In my life.

She'll be here soon, but not knowing the exact moment is agonizing.

After expelling a deep sigh, I collect all the garbage and dispose of the soiled antiseptic wipe and wrappers. Then I stuff the mini first-aid kit back into the drawer.

"See? This is why our kitchen is a constant disaster. Kaleb Rose Jones. The king of being unorganized."

I spin on my heel, my heart leaping into my throat. Mel is standing in the kitchen's entryway. A tote bag is slung over her arm. A backpack is hanging from her shoulders, wrinkling the loose cotton of her T-shirt. Soft half-moons are present beneath her eyes, but her smile counteracts the exhaustion.

Her smile is like a breath of fresh air. The taste of ice cream on a hot summer day. Pumpkin spice candles during the fall.

Mel's smile is everything good in this world, encompassed by the shape of her lips and the dimple in her right cheek.

"Mel," I breathe.

My hand leaves the drawer handle, and then I'm closing the space between us. She's in my arms before she can say another word. The tote bag slips from her arm, falling to the hardwood floor with a soft thump. Burying my face in her neck, we spin around a few times, inhaling her perfume. Adsorbing the head of her body.

She wraps her arms around my neck and kisses my forehead. Then she tips my chin up and kisses my mouth. Her lips leave behind a smudge of black lipstick on the corner of my mouth. My forehead. My cheek.

"I've missed you," she whispers.

I tighten my arms around her waist. "I've missed you, too."

"We could go out for a bite to eat. I'm starving and don't want to cook," she murmurs.

Dinner was a tough decision to make prior to Mel arriving. On one hand, having her favourite meal ready for her arrival was a good option. But I know Mel would've insisted she clean the kitchen instead of relaxing after we ate. Going out for dinner imposes the risk of being recognized by fans, but it means we don't have to cook or clean. And, if Mel's not too tired, we can run to the grocery store after and fill the pantry and fridge with her favourites. Well... any I missed from today's stop at the grocery store. I went a little overboard. But that's what you do when you're in love. You go overboard and do crazy shit.

I smile, setting her down. "That was the plan. We need to induct you as soon as possible. Welcome you to Vancouver." My gaze flicks to the time on the microwave. It's still fairly early. "Should we invite Brenna and Shea? Or have an outing together first?"

Mel shrugs the backpack off, setting it on the countertop. Her keys follow, jingling against the stone. She glances around the space before turning back to me. "Just us for tonight. It's been a while."

Her statement is loaded.

By saying this, she's implying several things.

Tension spreads through my body. It's reacting in anticipation of what's coming later tonight. You can bet we'll be up late into the night. For the second time in my life, my dick's been out of commission for a month. I'm in desperate need of sexual activity. And so is Mel. I can tell by the hungry look in her eyes.

"There's a small pub a few blocks over. Not too far. Shouldn't be busy, either. They've got a good vegan burger, too."

"That sounds perfect," she smiles. "But you may need to wash your face first."

Mel taps the corner of her mouth and then her forehead.

I rub the lipstick stain at the corner of my mouth. My fingertips come back smudged with black. "Why? These lipstick stains are poetic. They tell the world I belong to you."

"There are other ways the world could know," she teases.

My hand slips into the pocket of my jeans. Where the engagement ring is sitting. Her comment makes me wonder if someone's hinted at me wanting to propose to her. Then again, this isn't the first time Mel has made a comment. While she wouldn't have any issues proposing to me, I think she knows how important this is to me. When the right time comes, I want to be the one getting down on one knee and proposing to her.

That time will be some time tonight.

It has to be.

Otherwise, things will get too busy. I'll be on the road agains soon. Mel will start her new job at BC Children's Hospital. It'll be summer before I can propose. Summer is when we should get married. Not when I should be proposing.

Releasing the ring, I cross my arms and flash her a cocky smirk. "Not sure what you're talking about, Mel."

She rolls her eyes, punching my arm playfully. "Go clean your face, Kal. I'll bring in the rest of my bags. Then we can go."

I rub the back of my neck. "Are you sure you don't want me to help?"

Mel squeezes my bicep as she steps past me. "Clean your face, Kal."

She leaves me in the kitchen without another word, and I watch as she heads down the hallway to the mud room. Listen, as the door to the garage closes behind her.

While she's in the garage, I rummage through my pocket and grab the ring again. It shines beneath the kitchen light, bringing a smile to my face.

Tonight.

It has to be tonight.

*  *  *

After dinner, we're walking down the damp sidewalk to our vehicle. My arm is wrapped around Mel's shoulders and her head rests against my chest. The hood of her red raincoat is up, covering her white-blonde hair.

There's a thin misting of rain falling, and the clouds hang low, obscuring the mountains and touching the tips of the cedar trees. The smell of damp earth is strong, filling my nose with muskiness and Mel's sweet perfume. Gravel crunches against the sidewalk as we walk.

"That was delicious," Mel sighs. "Much better than cooking at home. Not that I wouldn't appreciate a home-cooked meal. But I would've insisted on cleaning it up."

My heart stutters. I know her too well.

Chuckling. I press a kiss to her temple while my hand rests in my pocket. All night, I've been toying with the ring. There have been several moments where conducting a proposal felt right, but not perfect. Maybe I'm a fool for following Shea's advice. His whole spiel on you'll know when it's right, bro.

Maybe I should get down on one knee right here.

I shake my head. A sidewalk isn't good enough.

We saunter past a few of the buildings. Lynn Valley has a village-like appeal. The cedars stand tall, and there are lots of properties that have a sense of privacy. Aside from a few chain restaurants and stores dotting the area, this is the major shopping centre. There's a mall with a grocery store, some clothing stores, a pet store, a gas station, and the pub.

"What do you think of the neighbourhood? You're not missing home too much, are you?" I ask.

Mel tips her chin up, smiling. "Home is wherever you are, Kal." Her gaze follows the trees as we walk, and droplets of water slide down her exposed face. "I miss my friends and family, and the Montréal bagels every morning. But I knew what I was signing up for when I started dating you, Kal. When we moved in together. Having Brenna and Ella close by will help. Plus, I'm starting my new job on Monday. Routine will set in again. Don't worry about me."

She gives my hand a reassuring squeeze.

I loosen a tense chuckle. "You're right. Sorry. I just want you to be happy, Mel. Moving from Montréal to Vancouver is a big shift."

"So was deciding to date you," she jokes.

Sliding my arm from around her shoulders, I stop and spin her around to face me. My hand slides up to her face, cupping it. Her skin is cool and damp against my palm. I trace her cheekbone with my thumb, grinning at her.

"Ah, yes," I reply. "The playboy you fell in love with."

Mel's cheeks turn pink. "For the record, I didn't know you. I assumed all hockey players were playboys."

"And I assumed you were a puck bunny. Which was sexist and ignorant."

"My, my," she laughs. "How the playboy and puck bunny have fallen."

Laughing, I pull Mel in for a bone-crushing hug. Having her with me again is... everything. The way Mel makes me feel... my hand finds the ring again.

Now. I could propose now. We're alone on a sidewalk. This probably wouldn't be romantic in someone else's books, but who gives a fuck about romance? What counts is the meaning. The moment.

My hand tightens around the ring. Her name sits on my lips, as do the words I've been longing to say for months. Years.

But just as I'm about to ask, her gaze flicks over my shoulder. "OH MY GOD!" she squeals, gripping my shoulders. "Kittens!"

My eyebrows furrow. "What?"

Turning around, I follow her gaze. Sure enough, in the front window of the pet store, is a litter of kittens. Each one is different, ranging from black and white to orange to grey and white. There's one kitten that's completely black.

Mel's grip tightens on my arm. "Kal. We need to go see them."

I groan. "No, Mel. I know how this works. We'll go in, look at them, and then we'll leave with one. We're not housing a kitten."

She stares at me with pleading eyes.

The same pleading eyes that kill me every time.

While I may be immune to her sassy charm and sweet heart, her eyes kill me. So does her bottom lip jutting out. She's giving me a look that no man could ever ignore. Or conquer.

"Fuck," I groan. "Fine. We can look."

Mel practically drags me into the pet store. A bell hanging from the door rings as we push through. Inside, the air smells like stale dog food and that typical musky smell from the constant rain. There are several aisles filled to the brim with different resources for different pets: cat food, dog food, aquarium necessities, toys. Lots of other pets are for sale, too, despite the size of the store.

Mel bypasses all of them, heading straight for the kittens.

At their cage, she leans forward, pressing her forehead against the bars. She slides two fingers between the bars, and several of the kittens saunter over. They purr and rub against her fingers. The black one paws at her fingers.

"Mel," I say. "The little shit will scratch you."

She waves off my comment. "Knock it off, Kal. You're just upset something's cuter than you."

I snort. I'll admit that kittens are cute. But they're not puppies. Have you ever seen one of those? They're way cuter than kittens.

"I want the black one," Mel sighs. "Kal..."

"No! No way, Mel. We are not getting a cat. I told you this would happen. We never should've come in here."

Cats are bad. They scratch, get hair all over the place, and think they're superior to everyone in the household. They're little shits. Mom used to have a cat named Daisy, and it used to scratch me all the time. There are scars on my shoulders from that little bastard. It used to think it could parade around the house on my shoulders.

She gives me those eyes again, and my heart does a funny flip.

"Stop that," I say.

My voice is uneven. All I want to do is grab the man at the front desk and have him unlock the cage. Then, after Mel has her kitten, I want to toss my credit card down on the counter. She can buy whatever shit she needs to take care of the little bastard.

I wasn't lying when I said I want Mel to be happy. Even if I have to suffer through claw marks and scratches on my leather couch.

"Kal," she pleads.

I cock my head to the side, staring at her. She looks young; like a child begging their parents for candy at the grocery store. The truth is, Mel doesn't need my permission to get a cat. Cats, unlike dogs, are more independent. That is one fact I will never argue against. Despite its ignorance, the cat will have its own life, save for some cuddling. Also, I know Mel will take up all the responsibilities.

To be honest, I don't mind living with a cat. Even if I don't like them.

Mel, however, does not need to know that.

A lightbulb goes off in my head. My hand finds the ring in my pocket. This would be the perfect opportunity. An ode to the day we met. We made a deal to prove to each other we weren't stereotypical characters. Sealing our love with another deal suits us.

My lips curve into a smile. "You can get the cat, Mel. But on one condition."

She turns away from the cage, shooting me a questionable look. She cocks an eyebrow. Her hands find her way to her hips. "What's the condition?"

From my pocket, I remove the ring and drop to one knee. The movements feel rushed, but I don't care. Moving fast is how I counteract my anxiety. If I stall, I'll succumb to my anxiety and make a fool of myself.

Not that I haven't already. Proposing to my girlfriend in the middle of a pet store... location-wise, is pathetic. Guaranteed to earn some roasting from Shea, Jayden, and Hunter. Mel and I are alone in the store, though. So at least there's some privacy.

"Marry me."

Her lips part and her eyes go wide. She's forgotten about the kittens or the dinner we had earlier.

I clear my throat. "Please, Mel. Marry me."

My proposal is short and simple because sometimes, that's all you can do. Sometimes words can't represent the emotions you feel.

Mel's eyes fill with tears. "Kal..."

Her voice catches, and then she's kneeling before me, pulling me into a tight embrace and kissing me.

"Yes," she murmurs against my lips. "Yes, I'll marry you."