“What are you doing here??” I hissed.

“I suddenly had some time off, and I wanted to surprise you,” he smiled.

“Harry, are you serious?” I asked again. “You bought the team I play for? Is that why I made the team?” I thought back to that phone call, how the GM said I was the last person to make the team. Maybe Harry had insisted, and someone else was kicked off to make room for the owner’s pathetic girlfriend?

He shook his head. “No, they really wanted you on the team. Besides, I didn’t tell them I was your boyfriend. I didn’t even buy the team in my own name, I thought it would be safer to use a third party.”

“Third party?” A horrible thought snuck into my head. Had he used my name to buy the team?

“You remember my guitarist, Mitch?” He asked, and I nodded. “Technically he owns the team, but only for documentation purposes.”

“That won’t cause suspicion? Wasn’t he working in like a pizza shop when you found him? Now he randomly owns the hockey team your girlfriend plays on?” I couldn’t hide the annoyance in my voice.

“Maybe, but people don’t know you’re my girlfriend. We’ve been seen together a few times, but nothing’s confirmed.” He shrugged. “I just thought this would be a good way for us to, I don’t know, have something in common.” He looked down and rested his hands on the desk, his initial enthusiasm starting to fade.

“Is this why we’re all suddenly getting paid a lot more?” I asked after a pause. The other three teams in the NWHL struggled to pay their players, making little on ticket sales. I sighed as I realized perhaps Harry might actually attract some attention to the sport and boost game turnout a bit.

“They were not getting paid nearly enough considering how hard you all work,” he answered, and added, “and now, you’ll have your own money, so you don’t have to feel bad about asking me to buy you stuff.”

“But Harry, it’s still your money! You own the team, you pay our salaries,” I sighed angrily.

“I don’t really know what I was expecting, but I thought you’d be happier we get to spend more time together.” He finally raised his eyes to meet mine and I was shocked at how sad he looked. He wasn’t disappointed, or embarrassed, he just looked sad and hurt. He was a master at the puppy dog look, and it always made my heart break, but this was so genuine.

I took a deep breath and tried to clear my head. “Harry, I’m sure many people on this team are grateful for the extra income, and the potential publicity you could bring this sport, but at the moment I am not one of those people. I think it’s going to take some time for me to wrap my head around this.”

He nodded but didn’t say anything.

“I have to get my equipment and stuff, but I’ll see you at home.” I turned and left him alone in the office, not wanting to accidentally say something I’d regret. I just needed to cool off and clear my head before talking to him again.

I took my time getting my things together in the now empty locker room before heading home. As I rode the elevator up to our apartment I tried to mentally prepare for what I’d say to him. But once I got up there, it was empty. He, nor his suitcase, or any other sign of him, was in the apartment. I took a long shower to clear my head and then sat down on the couch with a drink to wait.

I made myself dinner, wondering if I should make enough for the two of us, or if he wasn’t coming back tonight. I ate alone in silence and watched my phone for any messages from him. I finally texted him to say I’d made dinner if he wanted any, but there was no reply. I grabbed another drink and parked myself in front of the TV to wait for him, and ended up watching another one of his favorite rom-com’s, ‘Pretty Woman’, until I fell asleep.

A stirring around 1 AM woke me up and I jumped up, fearing a break in, or worse.

But it was just Harry, stumbling around and ‘trying’ to be quiet. I flicked on the light and he turned to look at me.

“Sorry, love, did I wake you?” He asked, and it was clear he’d been drinking. His northern accent always got stronger when he’d had a few drinks, and he’d certainly had a few (and then some).

“It’s fine, I fell asleep on the couch.” I flicked off the TV and went to the kitchen where he was now leaning on the counter to support himself as he got a drink of water. Maybe it’s because I was tired, or maybe it was the way he kept shyly smiling at me as if I couldn’t see it, but I suddenly felt horrible about how I’d reacted this afternoon. I wanted apologize and give him a hug and kiss his adorable face. “I’m sorry I was so-”

“It’s okay,” he interrupted me. “It didn’t even cost that much. I mean, it did, but it wasn’t really any more than the nice pair of diamond earrings I was going to get you for your birthday. Because your birthday was last week, wasn’t? I realized diamond earring’s aren’t really your thing, and I wanted to get you something you wanted. And what have you always wanted? You said it yourself, playing pro-hockey has been your dream since you were a little girl.”

His wide eyes looked over at me, barely focussing on my face, and I felt the air get sucked out of my lungs as I tried to respond. “How did you know when my birthday was?” I asked quietly, knowing I had never mentioned it to him. I hated to make a big deal out of birthdays, probably because I’d grown up having to share one with my brother.

He laughed and looked back down at the floor. “Ell, you have a twin, I’m assuming that means you have the same birthday. His stats are listed on the Penguin’s roster, it wasn’t that hard to figure out. Happy belated 24th birthday, love, I got you a hockey team.” His tone was not sarcastic, or snide, as I would have expected, but 100% genuine, and I could see in his eyes he really meant it.

“You bought me a hockey team for my birthday?” I was on the verge of crying I was so happy and shocked and somehow proud of him? But I had never cried in front of Harry, and I didn’t really want to break that habit.

He moved closer to slide his hands around my hips, drawing me into a hug. I rested my head on his shoulder, where a few tears escaped my eyes and soaked into his shirt.

“I love you, Ell, and I wanted to get you something you would really appreciate, something you actually wanted. I know you don’t like jewelry that much, or care about fashion, so I bought you a hockey team.” He leaned back to look at me, my face still firmly planted in his shoulder. He leaned down and kissed my forehead before resting his head on mine. “I’m sorry if you thought I’d missed your birthday.”

I leaned away from him and shook my head. “No, Harry, that’s not it. I knew you were busy, and didn’t expect anything.”

“I could have had flowers sent, or I could have sent you a video of me singing you ‘Happy Birthday’ while naked, or something…”

“Naked? Now that’s something I’d like to see…” I smiled for the first time that evening and he smirked in return.

“As I said, I could have bought you diamonds, but really, that’s not you, is it?” He asked rhetorically, so I stared up at his bright green eyes and waited for him to continue. “I thought, maybe, this would be something we could do together. Even if I’m just cheering you on from the sidelines, I want to be a part of your hockey career, because I love you, Ellie, I love you a lot.”

I buried my face in his chest and hiccuped another quiet sob before replying. “I love you too, even if you do drive me crazy.”

We both fell into bed and had really sloppy, tired, drunk sex, but it was what we both needed at that moment. As usual, I slept in longer than he did, so he took it upon himself to get me a proper birthday cake.

“Ellie, I’ve got a surprise for you in the kitchen,” he called to me, and I dragged myself out of bed. I rubbed my eyes a few times, but I must have still been dreaming, because there, in the kitchen, wearing absolutely nothing, holding a cake with candles ablaze, was Harry in his birthday suit for my birthday.

“Harry, you naughty boy,” I laughed, and he started singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to me. I laughed hysterically the whole time, and unsuccessfully blew out the candles I was laughing so hard.

“Did you make a wish?” He asked and set the cake on the the table.

“What could I possibly wish for with an amazing boyfriend like you?” I asked and kissed him.

“I don’t know, world peace, or something like that,” he teased.

“I can’t take you seriously when you’re dressed like that,” I laughed, and turned away from him to grab a knife to cut the cake.

“Dressed like what? I’m not wearing anything!” He laughed.

“Exactly! As much as I want to eat this delicious looking cake, you’re giving me all sorts of thoughts,” I turned back to him and bit my lip.

“It’s your birthday, you can do what you want.” He raised his eyebrow suggestively and sent a swirl of sparks through my body.

“Oh? And what if the thing I want to do, is you?” I smiled bashfully, and he picked me up to set me on the table, right next to the cake. “Okay, but don’t mess up the cake, I really do want to eat it. But sex first.”

He laughed as he removed the cake from the table. “That’s my girl, sex before cake.”

Notes

Writing this chapter put all sorts of unnecessary images in my head...

But, I’ve been working toward this chapter (and the last one) for a while, and I think this is a turning point for the two of them.