Page 37 of The Man in the Cottage

"You're welcome." She squeezes my hands. "Okay, but seriously. How do you feel? About all of it? The lying, the secret identity, all of it?"

I think about it. How do I feel?

"I don't know," I admit. "Part of me is still mad that he didn't tell me sooner. But another part of me understands why he didn't. He's been so... broken, Nicole. You didn't see him last night. The way he talked about his grandmother, about missing her death. He's been carrying this weight for months, and no one's given him any grace for it."

"And you want to give him grace."

"I want to give him a chance." I look out the window toward the cottage. "He's not the guy in the headlines. He's the guy who fixed my sink and helped with my book and brought me firewood because he noticed I was running low. That's who he is. The other stuff—the fight, the scandal—that's just a moment. A really bad moment. But it's not all of him."

Nicole is quiet for a second. Then she says, "You really like him."

It's not a question.

"Yeah," I say. "I really do."

"Then I'm happy for you." She pulls me into a hug. "But if he hurts you, I'm going to kill him. Professional athlete or not."

"Noted."

The next two hours are intense.

Brit and Mona wake up around eight, and Nicole immediately tells them everything despite my protests. Suddenly all three of them are invested in my date in a way that feels both overwhelming and kind of wonderful. Mona starts going through my closet, pulling out options. Brit googles Travis and reads his stats out loud like they mean something to me. Nicole sits on my bed offering commentary on everything.

"This is cute," Mona says, holding up a green sweater dress I forgot I owned.

"Too casual," Nicole says. "This is a Valentine's Day date. With a professional athlete. She needs to look hot."

"She always looks hot."

"Hotter than usual."

"What about this?" Brit holds up a pair of jeans and a silky black top I bought for a work event and never wore. "Sexy but not trying too hard."

"That could work." Nicole tilts her head. "Try it on."

I try it on. And the next thing. And the thing after that. By the time we settle on an outfit—the jeans and black top, with boots and a leather jacket—it's almost noon and I'm exhausted.

"What time is he picking you up?" Mona asks.

"He said seven."

"That gives us plenty of time to do your hair and makeup."

"I can do my own hair and makeup."

"Kelly." Nicole gives me a look. "Let us have this. We drove four hours to celebrate Galentine's Day and instead we're sending you off on a date with a hockey player. The least you can do is let us make you look amazing."

She has a point. "Fine. But nothing too dramatic."

"Define dramatic."

"No false lashes. No contour that makes me look like a different person. I want to still look like me."

"You're no fun." But she's smiling. "Okay. Natural glam it is."

They leave around three, after more hugs and more advice and more warnings to text them the minute I get home. Brit makes me promise to get a photo of Travis so she can show her hockey-fan coworker. Mona hugs me and whispers that she's proud of me for taking a chance. Nicole holds me the longest.

"You deserve this," she says into my hair. "You know that, right? You deserve someone who looks at you like you're the only person in the room."