With only three days off over the holidays, I hadn't expected much of a variation in routine, but when I woke up on the 24th of December, I found myself in a situation I hadn't yet faced since moving back to Boston.

I was alone, and it threw me for a loop.

There were no practices, games, or meetings on my schedule. Most of my teammates had flown home, Cameron and Isla were busy entertaining her family, and Jo had made the trip home a few days earlier. I had no obligations and nobody to turn to, and as odd as that was for me, I tried my best to enjoy it. Take-out, a few good movies, and multiple at-home workouts took up most of my time—with a stoppage in play for Christmas dinner at my brother's—and then, all too soon, things were back to normal.

Practices were tough, games were hard, and after ringing in the new year, the will to prove myself as a player just kept growing.

And through it all, I was lucky enough to have an amazing woman cheering me on. Jo was witty, compassionate, and a great listener. She was a dreamer currently riding the waves of life, and spending the holidays apart only seemed to solidify my growing feelings. Whether she was cheering me on from the stands or lying next to me in bed, I wanted her there.

Which was why I couldn't miss the opportunity to give her something special.

With Aimee's help, I'd managed to send a gift over to Jo's parent's place for her to open on Christmas morning. It was a joke of sorts—an autographed Knights jersey with my name and number on the back, alongside a handwritten card—which meant I fully expected the call I'd received after she'd opened it. Thanking me, Jo's words were full of amusement and sincerity, and I could only imagine the look on her face as she spoke; the blush that likely coated her cheeks and the smile on her lips. It had been a surprise for her, that was sure.

Though what she didn't know was it had only been a placeholder present. Something to throw her off the fact I was planning something else. Something which required a lot more coordination to iron out the details, but I knew it would mean more to her than any material item ever could. Something she'd appreciate, even if she felt as though she couldn't ask for it herself.

So I called around and did my research, waiting as everything slowly came together. And by the third week of January, when things finally fell into place, I was finally able to let Jo in on the surprise.

I'd planned to tell her over dinner, but after she'd messaged to cancel, having picked up a double shift, I decided it was better not to wait. I left my place early before afternoon practice, giving myself enough time to make a quick pit stop at Apollo's beforehand.

As I stepped in from the cold, my instincts drew my attention towards the bar, but when nothing but emptiness greeted me, I scanned the room and dragged a hand through my hair as I moved away from the doorway. Being that it was half-twelve, the place was starting to fill up with the lunch crowd, but so far, only five tables were occupied. I easily spotted the waiter on shift, welcoming the newest customers and taking orders, but Jo was nowhere to be found. That is, until she appeared, pushing through the doors of the store room with two bottles of wine in her hands.

Seemingly focused on the task at hand, I didn't want to throw her off, so I stayed back, watching as she took her place behind the bar and expertly pulled the corks from both bottles, pouring one glass of each. The waiter quickly moved across the floor to grab the glasses for a table near the back, and as Jo tucked away the bottles and grabbed a rag, I made my move.

She circled the edge of the bar, her back to me as I set my hands gently on her waist for a moment, causing her to jump as I moved to the side. "Hey," I said, my lips twitching upwards.

Her eyes widened slightly, though her surprise faded quickly into glee. "Hey! What are you doing here?" Instead of replying, I leaned forward, grazing my lips across hers quickly, feeling a smile turn up before she pulled away. "I'm serious." She laughed. "Don't you have practice?"

"I'm heading there now," I replied, taking a seat on the closest stool, "but I thought I'd drop in just to make sure you were free tomorrow afternoon."

"I am." Curiosity sparked in her features. "Dare I ask why?"

"I may have something planned," I said, trailing my hand down her arm before intertwining our fingers together.

While wiping down the bar top with the rag in her other hand, she urged me to continue with bright eyes. "And that something is...?"

"Well," I drawled out slowly, "you still haven't been able to find a place for your boutique, right?"

"Yeah," she trailed off, her excitement deflating. "Nothing I've looked at seems to match the way I envisioned it to." Her forehead creased with confusion. "But what does that have to do with tomorrow?"

My lips curled. "I contacted a realtor a few weeks back and was able to schedule a few viewings for you."

The look on Jo's face transformed instantly. Her shoulders tensed, her body froze, and her eyes widened. Seconds passed, and when the initial shock slowly began to fade, her mouth fell open, gaping as all the pieces started to come together. "How... what... why?" she stuttered, the one-word questions all she could manage as her mind continued to whirl.

I squeezed her hand. "I knew you were struggling, so I spent some time over the last couple of weeks looking at listings, picking out a few places I thought you'd like. Now I didn't know exactly what you were looking for, but I had Isla's help, and after I explained to the realtor that you were looking to open a boutique, she helped narrow down the options." Jo blinked in disbelief. "I didn't want to tell you until I knew things were a go."

"You're serious," she breathed, clutching my hand tighter. As though letting go would prompt me to take back my words.

"Completely." My grin widened. "You didn't think that jersey was all I had planned, did you?"

"Holy shit," she said, finally allowing her excitement to rise to the surface. It was like she forgot she was working, letting my hand fall as she bounced on her toes. "I can't believe you did that! I mean, I got you a stuffed bear with a Knights jersey on it."

"And it was adorable," I mused, chuckling.

Grinning, she eagerly threw her arms around my shoulders, pressing her lips to mine. The kiss was fiery and filled with passion—her hands tangling in my hair and her body pressing firmly against mine. "Thank you," she said softly, a hitch in her breath as she stepped back, a red hue marking her cheeks.

Standing up, I wrapped my arms around her waist and dropped a gentle kiss on her forehead. "You're welcome."

***

"The previous owner spent two years here before upsizing her business right before the new year," the realtor, Sarah, explained the following afternoon. "She made all the necessary changes to functionalize this space as a store, with the checkout counter, storage room, and change rooms, but by configuring it as she did, the useable square footage of the building was decreased. However, if this is your first shot at running a business, it may be just what you need."

The three of us were currently viewing the second available space of the day, as the first one had been vetoed almost immediately due to its large space and high price point. This one, however, was significantly smaller. At about a third of the size, it was located below a small apartment complex about fifteen minutes away from Jo's place. It was quaint and would require a few tweaks to fit the vision she had for her boutique, but overall, it had potential.

Though as I hovered near the front of the store, watching Jo pull her bottom lip between her teeth and cast her eyes slowly around the room, it didn't look like she was completely sold.

"I don't know." Uncertainty filled Jo's features as she turned to the realtor. "Do most people usually know right away when they see the space they want?"

"Honestly, it depends on what they're looking for," Sarah responded, a professional and reassuring smile on her lips. "Everyone is different. There are a lot of people who want to find the perfect place and wait until something great comes along, but others are satisfied once they see something that fits their needs and falls within their price range. At the end of the day, it's a decision you have to make; I'm only here to guide you along."

"Okay," Jo said, nodding to herself before glancing my way. I raised my eyebrows, silently encouraging her to speak her mind. Contemplating her words, she stuffed her fidgeting fingers into the pockets of her jacket and turned back towards Sarah. "Would we be able to see the last listing then?"

"For sure." Sarah pulled both her cell phone and the keys for this listing from her pocket. "If the two of you want to go ahead, I'll just call to confirm our viewing appointment before I lock up here."

With a quick goodbye, Jo all but rushed out of the building. Left momentarily thrown, I promised Sarah we'd meet her at the final location before turning on my heel, following close behind. Jogging to catch up with her, the snow crunching beneath my boots, a sense of worry crawled up my spine as I watched Jo move with hunched shoulders and long strides, only slowing her steps after she'd turned the corner and the building was no longer in sight.

"Hey," I said, grabbing a hold of her hand, "look at me." Coming to a stop, she turned to face me, but kept her gaze on the ground. "Don't get discouraged so quickly."

"But what if this next place doesn't work out either?" she asked, drawing in a nervous breath. "All I keep thinking is that I had my chance and I lost it. Twice. Which doesn't make sense because I know I can do this and—"

"You can and you will," I said, cutting off her nervous rambling. Dropping her hand, I placed mine under her chin to lift her gaze. "All you can do is keep looking. This isn't an all-or-nothing type of day. I just wanted to get you out and looking at places that may have slipped through your search, but if none of them work for you, don't feel pressured to make a rash decision. Sooner or later, you'll find exactly what you're looking for."

She smiled weakly, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Okay." She spoke quietly, a sigh leaving her lips. "Then let's see this last place."

Masking my own uncertainties about what would come next, as not to discourage her further, I grinned and gestured towards where we'd parked. "After you."

On the ride over, Jo didn't say a word. Her gaze was pinned to the window and her body awfully tense as she fidgeted in her seat. I, on the other hand, spent the time praying this last place didn't hammer the nail in the coffin for this afternoon, considering I'd chosen it knowing I was taking a gamble.

It wasn't long after we set foot in the neighborhood, however, that I realized I'd significantly underestimated it.

Being the end unit of a newly constructed strip within a growing community of locally-owned businesses, the location was ideal. Even more so considering the amount of business the neighboring stores seemed to be getting. Currently frosted over, large pane windows took up the entirety of the front and side of the shop, which prompted Jo's eyes to widen the moment she noticed.

And the spark didn't fade as we toured the inside.

Currently only a wide-open space with a back office, it was evident renovations would need to be done, but disregarding that aspect, everything else appeared to be perfect. It wasn't too small and wasn't too big, the dark hardwood flooring contrasted nicely with the cream-colored walls, bright lights recessed into the ceiling, and above all else, the listed price was surprisingly under what Jo was looking to spend.

"It's..." Jo said, trailing off after Sarah finished rattling off the specifics of the property. Her features seemed to shine as she took another glance around the room. As though she couldn't believe what she was seeing. "It's amazing."

The grin that pulled at my lips matched that of Sarah's. "So amazing you're looking to make an offer?"

Jo's lips pressed together in a slight grimace. "Do you need the answer right now?"

"Not this minute, no," Sarah replied, toning down her enthusiasm, "but if you are interested, I wouldn't wait too long. This property has been on the market for a few weeks already, and from what I've heard, there are others interested, so we would need to hurry things along." This information did little to calm Jo's mind, confliction still written clearly across her face. "But you have my number, so take a few hours, or days, and then get back to me with your decision."

Nodding, Jo exhaled slowly.

With Sarah needing to return to her office, it was only minutes later, after one last look around the space, that we were ushered out of the building. Though it was evident Jo wasn't ready to leave, she thanked Sarah for taking the time to show us around, and when it was just the two of us left loitering on the sidewalk, she didn't seem to want to leave.

"What's going on inside your head?" I asked, coming up behind her and wrapping my arms around her shoulders.

"I can see it." Her voice was wistful. Yearning. As though she didn't know what to do, but at the same time, couldn't see herself walking away from this. "I can imagine this place being transformed into something special. I can imagine interacting with customers as they try on my designs. I can imagine putting a sign out here, welcoming everyone inside." Turning, she looked up at me, the wind bringing a tinge of pink to her cheeks. "And it's all because of you."

Leaning forward, my lips grazed hers. "This is all because of you," I corrected. "Your ideas. Your designs. Your dream. I did nothing but nudge you a step forwards."

She shook her head. "It's more than that." The vulnerability was clear on her features, a blend of awe and unease. "Over the last couple of years, there's been plenty of people who've looked at me differently once my idea of opening a lingerie boutique is tossed into conversations. Their noses scrunch up and they wonder why I'd want to do something so controversial. Wonder why I couldn't make it in a 'real job'. Then, when they realize I'm serious, they just try to brush it off, as though my dream is nothing but dust."

Each word was filled with the weight of past judgement, the underlying bitterness growing stronger the longer she spoke.

My jaw ticked. "Who?"

She shrugged, dropping her forehead to my shoulder. "Extended family, old friends, my advisor at college—they never got it. They couldn't see that this wasn't just a fantasy I'd dreamt up; it was something real. Yet you do." The animosity in her voice evaporated as she pulled back, and I lifted a hand to brush her hair behind her ear. "You've never once looked down at me for working at bar or for striving to do something a little unorthodox. Instead, you've been interested in all of this. Encouraging. And somehow, you were able to pull this day together without a hitch."

"Oh, it wasn't all that easy," I said. "And I may have offered Sarah a free pair of Knights tickets to get us on her schedule this quickly."

A quiet laugh escaped her lips as Jo shook her head. "I'm serious. It doesn't matter how you did it. You did it for me, and you don't know how much that means to me."

Stretching onto her tiptoes, she kissed me. It was light, yet passionate at the same time, conveying more than any words ever could. The street around us fell away as my senses were overloaded by her. The pressure of her body against mine, the way one of her hands curved around my neck, coasting into my hair, and the sweet taste of her lips as they moved against mine.

"So, does that mean you're making an offer?" I asked, moments after we'd separated.

"I—" Her voice wavered, and behind a thin veil of nerves, a light began to emerge, glowing from the inside out. "I think so."

My lips stretched into a wide grin as I pulled her back towards me, and she gasped in shock when I lifted her off the ground and spun twice around in a circle. Letting her down, laughter spilled freely from her lips. "Then this calls for a celebration."

Her eyes shone as they flitted over my shoulder, and without a second thought, she took my hand and began pulling me toward the bakery across the street. "And I think I know just the place."

a/n: remember to vote and share your thoughts below! 

also, a reminder that if you're looking for a finished story to jump into, Wellsley's story - Fate of Collision - is available in full on my profile!