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laurenairay · 1 year

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you can’t blame a girl for trying - C. Makar

Summary: The night Luna met Cale, she thought her world was going to get turned upside down…so why are all of their dates such disasters? Also known as, the Cale Makar dating fail fic. 4 times a date with Cale failed, and 1 time a date went well.

Word Count: 9.8k words.

Warnings: some bad language, awkward situations, one bloody injury, anxiety, 4+1, fluff

A/N: this has been a work of love over the past few months, a WIP I kept going back and forth from, and I just want to say thanks to @wyattjohnston for all of the support and encouragement!

Title credit; Lasso by The Band Perry

also tagging @hockeylvr59 @fallinallincurls @starshine-hockey-girl

Friday night

When I first laid eyes on you, Well, the night just felt so odd, You looked at me and the stars lined up, So I thought I'd heard from God, And I gave him my best shot.

Friday nights were made for dancing, drinking, and letting go of the stresses of the week. At least, that’s what Luna believed. Going out with friends to blow off some steam felt so cathartic, and this evening was no different. She’d come out to one of her favourite bars in Downtown Denver with some friends from work, and she’d danced, sang, and gossiped her heart out, a few shots of vodka easing the way into the weekend. This was her comfort zone for sure, and she knew her confidence turned heads just as much as the loud conversation with her friends did.

A few cute guys had come over to their table, clearly intent on talking to a couple of her friends – which Luna was absolutely cheerleading because get it girls – and she took the time to escape to the bar herself, ready for another drink. It was only when the bartender had taken her order that she noticed a guy staring at her from down the bar. Huh. He was cute, that much was clear even if he wasn’t Hollywood Handsome, and the way his shoulders filled out his shirt definitely caught her eye. Well it couldn’t hurt to hold a conversation of her own while her friends were busy, no? Luna flipped her long dark hair over her shoulder, tilting her head invitingly, and the guy’s eyes widened slightly before he slowly made his away over. She couldn’t remember the last time a guy looked so nervous to talk to her, especially a guy this cute, and it only enthralled her more. When he finally reached her side, she forced down the butterflies stirring in her stomach at just how much bigger he was than her. Wow.

“Hi,” she murmured, looking up at him through her lashes.

“Hi…do you come here often?”

Oh wow.

Luna couldn’t stop her inelegant snort at his cheesy words, grinning slightly at the mortified blush that crept over the guy’s face. “How often has that line worked for you?”

“I’ve literally never used that line before in my life, I am so sorry,” he groaned.

Simply by the horrified look on his face and the stiff way he held himself, it let her know that he was telling her the entire truth. Poor lamb. Somehow it was endearing though.

“I’m Luna,” she mused, holding out her hand.

He quickly took it, shaking her hand gently, yet she could still sense the strength of his grip. Definitely something she appreciated in a man.

“I’m Cale,” he replied, more relieved than anything else, “Do you mind if we forget the last 30 seconds?”

“Oh I’m remembering this for years – you’re not getting out of that embarrassing line that easily,” she smirked.

The guy…Cale…groaned but seemed to laugh at himself anyway, shrugging his agreement. “That’s fair.”

Luna just smiled to herself, taking him in. She tried waving off Cale’s offer to buy her drink as the bartender finally appeared back in front of her, smiling her thanks as Cale just added it to his tab – who was this guy? – taking a sip of her vodka soda while her eyes not-so-subtly ran over the man next to her. Just as cute as she’d thought when she first spotted his eyes on hers, shoulders somehow even broader in the best way, and his blue eyes were both pretty and earnest. Not to mention tousled light brown hair that she just wanted to run her fingers through, and a perma-blush dusting across his cheeks? He’d definitely caught her attention looking this good, even if his clear awkwardness being in this environment caught her attention even more.

What was this guy’s deal?

“You really don’t come here often, do you?”

“I can’t say a bar of this…intensity is my usual forte, no. I’m just here with friends,” he admitted.

Honesty. She could appreciate that. And he was cute…

“So what would be your forte?” she asked smoothly, tilting her head ever-so-slightly again.

He immediately picked up on her change in tone, her lean towards flirting, and it was almost as if his whole demeanour changed; his shoulders broadened as he relaxed against the bar top, his nervousness eased out, and he smiled softly. She liked it.

“Somewhere a lot quieter. Can’t exactly talk to someone properly when I can’t hear them, hm? Can’t appreciate them like they deserve here,” he shrugged, although his eyes locked with hers, intense and intent.

Oh damn. How direct. How perfect.

“Somewhere quieter to appreciate someone? Like what?” she asked, smile curling at her lips, playing along with his flirting.

“A private intimate dinner. Maybe a little light music, just to set the mood. Candlelight, flowers, excellent wine,” he said with an effortless smile.

Oh he had game, finally.

“That sounds much more appealing than this place. I can see why it’s more your forte,” she said as neutrally as she could.

Nice and neutral, just to see what he would do next. Just to see if he would take the bait.

“Maybe I should take you some time then. Take the opportunity to get to know you properly,” he suggested, eyebrow raising in suggestion.

Oh wow. Hook, line, and sinker – she was intrigued.

“I could be up for that,” Luna replied simply, smiling innocently back, giving none of her racing thoughts away.

“Sounds like a date,” he grinned.

Thursday night

“So you’re really going out on a date with awkward bar guy?”

Luna glanced away from where she was putting on mascara in the mirror, frowning at her flatmate Elena standing in the doorway.

“Cale?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Weird name,” Elena snorted.

“Rude,” Luna shot back.

Elena just stuck her tongue out in retaliation, making Luna laugh. It wasn’t that Elena was acting strange or jealous – she was protective. The two girls had lived together since college, meeting freshman year and moving in with a group of friends in sophomore year. While everyone else had moved away or moved back home, they were the only two to stay in Denver and they knew each other well enough to not want to separate as well.

She and Elena were two peas in a pod, both outgoing and still loving the nightlife that their chosen city gave them, but still with that comforting balance of girls’ nights in; both sharing so much in common that Luna truly considered Elena to be her best friend. And to be honest, Luna couldn’t fault her friend for being overprotective; it wasn’t like her dating history was all that great, and it could never hurt to have a friend looking out for her. Especially when it came to meeting up with strangers.

“Look, he’s really cute and we’re meeting in a public place,” Luna pointed out, “And he was really dorky with his flirting. Even when he got a little smoother, that blush told me everything I need to know about how little he actually flirts around.”

Elena tilted her head in acknowledgement. “Not a fuckboy?” she asked.

“Not that I can tell. I’m pretty good at spotting a red flag like that,” Luna mused.

“And you normally run headfirst towards those red flags,” Elena teased.

Well that was unfairly true.

“Maybe meeting Cale is the break I’ve been looking for,” Luna said, shrugging.

“For your sake, Lu, I hope so,” Elena laughed.

In the week that had passed since she’d met Cale in the bar, having exchange numbers after talking over a couple of drinks, they’d texted here and there; mostly to confirm what day and time to meet for the dinner he’d romanticised about, but also tentatively getting to know each other. Luna hadn’t been lying when she said that she hadn’t spotted any signs of him being a fuckboy. He seemed sweet, and genuine, and even a little shy, which surprised her considering how attractive he was. Then again, it wasn’t like her to judge a book by its cover, so she was trying to keep an open mind about how such a hot broad-shouldered guy could be so modest.

To be honest, she was looking forward to finding out more in person this Thursday night.

Soon enough, she was happy enough with her appearance, smoothing her floaty silk dress over her curves – apparently their restaurant tonight had a dress code – and by the time she’d slipped into a cute pair of heels, her uber was outside.

“Have fun!” Elena grinned from where she was sat on their sofa, “Don’t forget – no glove, no love.”

“Oh my god, not on the first date,” Luna groaned, feeling her cheeks heat up at the ridiculous advice.

Elena just shrieked with laughter as Luna shut the door behind her, leaving her cheeks still burning as she headed towards the waiting uber. The drive to the restaurant was short, not giving her any time to get too nervous, even though she’d taken even precaution by not giving Cale her address and so on, and when the uber pulled to a stop, she smiled to herself as she noticed Cale already standing in the street.

But when she got out of the car, shutting the door behind her, she noticed that Cale looked frazzled, eyes a little wild, sending a pang of worry through her body. What the hell?

“Uh, hi?” she said, more than a little awkward as she waved hello.

“Hi!” he blurted out, although he didn’t look any less stressed.

“Is everything okay?” she frowned.

“The restaurant we were meant to go to, the one I’d made a booking with for tonight, is closed,” he huffed, running a hand through his hair.

“What?”

How had he been able to make a booking, if the place was closed?

Cale pointed just to the left of where they were standing, and it was only then that she noticed a couple of even-more-frazzled people standing out the front of a darkened restaurant, in the typical white shirts and black trousers of waiters, talking to people apologetically.

“What happened?” she frowned.

“A pipe burst,” he explained, making her groan in understanding, “It flooded the main dining area but also shorted out their booking system.”

“So they couldn’t contact anybody who had reservations for tonight,” she guessed.

“Exactly!” Cale nodded, before sighing, “I just wanted tonight to be perfect, to wine and dine you just as I said, and even that can’t go right.”

The poor guy looked miserable, genuinely upset as well as flustered at the thought of not taking her out on the date he’d promised her, and it made her heart ache a little. When was the last time she’d met such a sincere person?

“Hey, this isn’t your fault. And it’s definitely not their fault, so there’s nothing to blame here other than some shitty pipes?” Luna mused.

Cale huffed out a laugh, nodding his acknowledgement, making Luna smile as he smiled slightly too.

“Sorry for not texting you in time – I only got here a few minutes before you did, and I spent that time talking to the restaurant staff as they apologised,” he winced.

“No harm, no foul,” she laughed, shrugging, “Not all plans go smoothly.”

“Still…we can reschedule? I’ll find another restaurant for another time?” Cale offered.

“We can’t still go out tonight?” Luna asked, confused.

Unless he was trying to think of an excuse not to see her…

“I mean, I don’t think anywhere I wanted to take you will seat us tonight without a reservation,” he explained.

Oh.

He really wanted to wine and dine her, didn’t he? Pull out all the stops, everything fancy?

“You know, I don’t need anything high-end to be on a date with you,” she pointed out, “I’d be happy somewhere really low-key.”

“Really? Even though we’re dressed up fancy?” Cale frowned.

Luna looked down at her silk dress and his nicely tailored charcoal grey suit, before shrugging. “So we may be the nicest dressed people in the next place, that doesn’t matter.”

Cale laughed softly, shaking his head fondly. “You might be the most chilled-out person I’ve ever met.”

“And you are adorably flustered over a restaurant reservation,” she teased, earning a fierce blush, “Come on, relax a little. It’ll be fun.”

“I promise I’ll make it up to you,” he insisted.

What a sweetheart. Still incredibly flustered, but sweet.

“Alright, it’s a deal,” she mused, earning a smile, “And I know just the place. Let me just text my flatmate about the change in plans.”

“Ah yeah, of course. Safety first!” he nodded seriously.

Could this guy be any more perfect? Really?

To: Elena

The restaurant has a burst pipe.

[image]

I’m going to take him to Tom’s diner down on Colfax.

To: Luna

Oh man, that sucks for the restaurant. But thanks for keeping me in the loop.

Hah oh wow, I bet he’ll love that place in his fancy suit.

To: Elena

How did you guess he was wearing a fancy suit?

To: Luna

I just got those vibes.

Fancy restaurant equals fancy suit.

But seriously, have fun!

And have a chocolate milkshake for me.

Luna smiled and tucked her phone back into her handbag, earning a smile from Cale.

“Is your flatmate okay with us changing location?” he asked.

His eyes were earnest, letting her know he wasn’t teasing in the slightest, allowing her to relax slightly. “Yeah, she’s glad I let her know. And she’ll be even happier that you understand that it’s important,” Luna nodded.

Cale just smiled a little wider, looking pleased with himself, making her laugh at his reaction.

“Ready to change things up?”

“I trust you. Can’t be worse than my attempt to take us out to dinner,” he winced.

“Alright, I’ll keep it a surprise then,” she grinned, “It’s not like you could’ve predicted a burst pipe.”

Cale just laughed, shrugging in an easy going way, Luna just smiling as she pulled her phone back out to pull up an uber request. Soon enough the two of them were on their way, and Cale’s eyes went wide when they eventually pulled to a stop.

“Oh man, you weren’t kidding about changing things up,” he said, smiling.

The smile let her know that he wasn’t put off by her casual choice, and she just waved goodbye to the uber driver as she stepped up next to him.

“I figured that a fancy place was off the cards tonight, so why not go for something comfy and casual,” she shrugged, “The food here is great and so are the vibes.”

“Can’t go wrong with that,” Cale grinned, opening the door to the diner for her.

Sure, they might’ve been the only people in the place in a fancy silk dress and effortlessly tailored suit, but that just made it more fun. Luna knew she looked good and she felt good in her dress, so what was wrong with that? It didn’t hurt that Cale looked amazing in his suit too, all the lines accentuating his incredible physique. And maybe tonight hadn’t gone as well as planned so far – but that wasn’t anything a chocolate milkshake couldn’t solve.

“So what’s good here?” Cale asked.

If he was put off by how sticky the table and menus are, he wasn’t showing it.

“Okay, get ready for the burger that will change your life.” Luna said, smiling.

Friday morning

To: Luna

Hey, are you free on Sunday?

To: Cale

For you Cale, absolutely.

What did you have in mind?

To: Luna

I thought it might be nice to visit Denver Botanic Gardens?

It’s meant to be really pretty there.

And I thought it might be good to try something different than dinner.

To: Cale

Dinner last week was great, even if not how you planned.

But a walk around the Gardens sounds good to me!

Sunday morning

Luna checked out her outfit one last time in the mirror before leaving to catch her bus to meet Cale. She’d decided on wearing a pretty blue sundress, dotted with tiny pale pink flowers – it had a mid-depth v-neck and cinched at her waist, more than enough to let her feel as feminine as she liked without feeling over the top. It wasn’t anything fancy, not like her silk dress from their first date last week, but it was still more than nice enough to show Cale that she’d made an effort.

Her dark brown hair was perfectly straightened, make-up simple but pretty, and her shoes were comfortable to walk around in – she was ready.

Elena wasn’t home right now to tease her or boost her confidence, either of which she could’ve used to distract her from the butterflies she felt in her stomach. All Luna could hope was that this would go smoother than their first date. All of their conversations over text had been so easy since the night of the restaurant fail three days ago, so she desperately wanted that to continue throughout their date today.

Different setting, different time of day, different vibe.

Positive thinking, right?

Thankfully her bus ride was fairly quiet, leaving her as relaxed as she possibly could be as she walked up to the entrance of the botanical gardens. Cale was waiting for her off to the side, and the wide smile he sent her when he spotted her walking towards him sent those butterflies going crazy again. Wow. He looked so good in his white polo shirt and jeans. How was it possible for anyone to make a polo-shirt look that good? His broad shoulders and defined chest filled it out so well, and it took all of her effort not to get caught staring at him.

“Hey, you look beautiful,” he said sweetly.

She laughed softly even as she felt her cheeks heat up with a blush. “Flattery will get you everywhere.”

Cale just grinned. “Good to know. Shall we?”

Luna tucked her hand into the crook of his elbow as he offered it to her, trying to tamper down the giddy feeling rising in her chest. What a gentleman.

The next few hours were spent arm in arm, walking and talking, everything going to smoothly that it felt like she was floating through a dream. The botanic gardens were incredible, she had to give him extra points there for how pretty everything was, and she loved that she was experiencing it all with him. Strolling around the Monet Pond with Cale by her side? Win. Hushed conversation through the Shofu-en Japanese garden? Win. Everything from the orangery to the iris garden to the oak grove, they wandered through and around it all for hours and hours, just talking and laughing, enjoying each other’s company on this beautiful day.

The whole vibe was so incredibly different to their first date, completely different atmosphere, and she loved that she got to see this side of him too. His easy laugh, warm smile, and attentive listening was winning her over quicker than she ever thought possible, if she was being honest with herself, and she couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt this at ease with a guy this quickly. It was everything she’d been wanting for so long, and she almost felt like pinching herself to see if it was all real.

But all good things had to come to an end.

One moment sunlight was streaming down warming their skin, and the next dark cloud cover had rolled out over the blue sky, a gusting wind picking up. Before Luna could even voice her wonder to Cale, a deluge began, rain hammering down in a way that momentarily stunned them both, before they quickly ducked under a tree as refuge.

“What the hell,” Luna gasped, clutching her handbag to her chest, trying not to think about how her dress was sticking to her skin.

Cale still looked stunned, eyes wide as he watched the pouring rain in front of them, before he seemed to shake himself out of his stupor. “Let’s make a run for the gift shop?” he said, pointing to a building in the distance.

“Good idea!”

Luna found herself smiling as Cale took her hand, the two of them wasting no time in breaking into a light jog through the lilac garden, unable to talk as they went because of how heavily the rain was battering down. By the time they eventually reached the visitor center, far from the only people sheltering inside, Luna was completely drenched from head to toe, her dress soaked through and her hair a sopping mess.

Of all the things – a freak heavy rain shower. What were the chances?

Cale guided the two of them to the far side of the gift shop, an illusion of privacy, before stopping to stand in front of her.

“Are you okay?” Cale asked, pushing his dripping hair off his forehead.

She tried to ignore how disappointed she felt when he let her hand go.

“Oh, yeah, I’m fine! Not what I expected to happen today, but fine,” she laughed, “Are you okay?”

“Other than another date going awry, sure,” he said, frowning slightly.

“Two dates in a row where original plans have gone wrong,” Luna mused.

“This has never happened to me before. I swear!” Cale groaned.

“Cale, relax – it’s not like you could control any of it? You literally couldn’t predict that pipe bursting in the restaurant, and you certainly can’t control the weather,” she teased.

“I know, I know,” he laughed, making her smile in return, “I just want something to run smoothly for once, to make a good impression with you, you know?”

Well that was sweet.

“You’ve already made a good impression, I promise. Dressing up all fancy to eat in a diner was a memorable first date,” Luna insisted, laughing softly, “And what we had of this second date was good too…up until we got soaked.”

He winced, nodding his head in acknowledgement. “Shall we do a rain check then? No pun intended.”

As much as she would’ve liked to have continued on with the date, like they had the first time that their original date plan had failed, this time she was soaked to the bone and so unbelievably uncomfortable. And she dreaded to think what her mascara looked like.

“Definitely reschedule. Maybe an indoor one next time just in case?” she mused.

“Yeah that sounds like a good idea,” he said, laughing again, although his cheeks flooded with a fierce blush, “Can I at least give you a ride home so you’re not sitting on the bus soaking wet?”

Oh what a sweetheart.

And absolutely what she needed.

“That would be great,” she nodded.

Elena was going to get a real laugh out of this date, that was for sure.

Thursday night

“I can’t say I was expecting you to suggest this for our third date.”

Cale just laughed, nodding his acknowledgement as she waved goodbye to her uber driver, moving to stand by his side.

“I know, it’s not my usual. But I heard good things about this place anyway? One of my neighbours goes out in this area a fair bit and this is one of the bars she always talks about in the elevator,” Cale explained.

He hadn’t waited to ask her out after their failed-date in the rainy botanic gardens – the moment that he pulled up outside her apartment building, he’d asked her to go out with him again, somewhere ‘indoors’ this time as she’d teased. After tentatively suggesting Thursday night then and there, Luna leaving him with a kiss on the cheek, he’d texted her the next morning with a plan, leaving the two of them to resume their easy conversation just like before.

As their date drew nearer that Thursday night, Luna had kept things casual with her outfit again, at Cale’s suggestion, wearing a pretty white blouse over her favourite black jeans, pairing it with a pair of pretty silver hoops, black leather jacket and her comfy black ankle boots. Simple but again it left her feeling confident, which shone through to add that little extra edge. While she had gotten herself ready for the evening, she’d drank a glass of wine with Elena, her flatmate sitting on the end of Luna’s bed to tease and support her, a much-needed girl’s time while she dressed and put on her make-up, so by the time her uber pulled up outside the bar that Cale had suggested, her butterflies were in full effect.

Despite the fact that their two dates so far had each failed to a certain degree, she was still excited to spend the time with him, desperately hoping that for this date things would just run smoothly. She deserved that much, right?

“Hey Cale!” she said with a big smile, as she walked up to where he was waiting for her.

“Hey Luna,” he replied sweetly.

As she leant up to kiss his cheek in greeting, just as she had on Sunday afternoon when he drove her home in the rain, his cheeks flushed a vivid red, only making her smile even wider. If that reaction was anything to go by, he was just as excited to see her as she was to see him, which could only be a good thing.

“It’s good to see you again. I haven’t been here before, but I know there’s definitely indoor seating,” he mused, a playful nod to their interrupted outing four days ago.

“So you haven’t been here yourself?” she teased.

Cale blushed slightly again but shook his head, making her laugh. She already knew he wasn’t a bar person – he’d admitted as much the first time they met. So why now?

“Why a bar tonight then?” she asked curiously, eyeing the expanse of outdoor bench seating and music drifting out from inside the building.

“It’s a pretty casual place, rather than the intensity of the bar we first met in?”

Well that answers that question.

“…and I know you feel comfortable in these situations so I thought I’d push the boat out since my last two attempts didn’t work out well?” he offered.

“That’s really sweet, Cale,” she said, smiling softly, “But I don’t want to be comfortable at your expense. If it gets too much at any point, let me know? I’d hate for you to feel completely out of sorts.”

“Deal,” he nodded, smiling in relief as the two of them finally made their way towards the entrance, “We can do easy low-key drinks, right?”

“Definitely,” Luna replied, laughing.

Cale just smiled a little wider, holding open the door of the bar for her. Immediately she was hit with the familiar scents and sounds and vibe of a well-loved local bar, and she quickly relaxed. He was right – this was definitely her preferred social scene, and the fact that he was willing to be here with her, trying out the bar that was new to both of them? That made her heart beat just that little bit further, she could admit that.

Somehow they managed to snag a table in the corner, leaving her with a view of the entire room and Cale with his back to everyone, both of them comfortable with the situation. It was far from the fanciest place – definitely far from the bar that they’d met in those couple of weeks ago – but it was busy and comforting and had a great vibe. Luna was honestly excited to see how this evening went, eager to see him in this kind of setting, and she loved that he was trying to do something she felt comfortable with. Hopefully it wouldn’t come at the cost of his own comfort, but time would only tell.

“What can I get you to drink?” he asked, resting his forearms on their small table.

Luna happily asked for a glass of wine, figuring it was probably safer to stick with what she’d already started drinking at home, and soon enough he returned from the bar. They eased into conversation as easily as they always did, talking about their week so far, stress from their workplaces, ridiculous stories about Elena and Luna’s work colleagues as well as Cale’s own colleagues. Speaking of colleagues…Cale also finally told her about his job. About the fact that he was a hockey player in the NHL. It blew her mind a little that he had even looked her way that first night in the bar, that he was still interested in little old her, but she could tell that as much as he was trying to downplay his career to her, he was so incredibly proud of everything he’d achieved. Which, yeah, maybe she should’ve recognised him or at least his name from the Cup Championship last year – but to be honest, she was a football fan (go Broncos!) and had never seen a hockey game in her life. For some reason, that admission eased out a line of tension in his shoulders that she hadn’t realised was there, easing her guilt a little for not knowing who he was. If Cale – Cale Makar – wanted to keep his career low-key with her for the moment, then she was absolutely happy to let him do that. It just showed her yet again how much of a genuinely low-maintenance chilled-out guy he was, and it only made her like him more.

One drink turned into two, Luna buying the second round seeing as he bought the first. As she sat back down at their table, she launched into the details of the trip she was planning in the summer to go back home to see her family, Cale admitting he would be doing the same for the first time in a while. Easy, breezy, fun conversation as always. People ebbed and flowed from the bar, filling up the room beside them, but it felt like they were in their own bubble, nothing mattering outside their little table. How did things feel so easy with him, after only a matter of weeks? It felt crazy, if she was being honest with herself, but she sure as hell wasn’t going to complain.

Halfway through the third round of drinks though – he bought this round, taking things in turn again – someone cleared their throat into a microphone, snapping Luna’s attention across the room. What the hell?

“Testing, testing, one, two, three.”

Oh no.

Everything had been going so well…

“Alright, welcome back to Thursday nights at Tavern on 26th! Who’s ready for karaoke?”

Karaoke.

Fuck.

Luna quickly looked over at Cale, who had gone white as a sheet and looked horrified.

“You didn’t know?” she asked, grimacing.

“Not a clue. I’ve never been here before!” he groaned, “And my neighbour has never said anything about karaoke!”

Luna couldn’t help but laugh, a little resigned already. “Well it is our luck, I suppose.”

“Maybe it won’t be so bad?” Cale offered.

“Up first, Miranda with Total Eclipse of the Heart!”

Maybe not.

As the wailing voice started out across the room, a pained look flashed across Cale’s face, making Luna laugh again. “Shall we get out of here?”

“Yeah, I think that’s a good idea,” Cale said, sighing softly, “Sorry.”

“Hey.”

Luna rested her hand lightly on his forearm, smiling softly as he looked down at her.

“Not your fault. You didn’t know,” she shrugged.

“I should’ve looked it up? Checked out the bar’s event page?”

“Who does that for a low-key bar, eh?” she mused. “Why don’t we just go for a walk?”

“So much for third time lucky,” he said dryly, grimacing as the chorus started.

Damn, this ‘Miranda’ was clearly heartbroken and at least one bottle of wine down. At least.

“Date’s not over yet,” she said simply, “Just because we don’t want to stay in this bar, doesn’t mean we can’t keep talking on a walk, right?”

“You are too forgiving,” he said, huffing out a laugh.

“There’s nothing to forgive,” she replied. “Now let’s get out of here before the key change.”

“Oh fuck yes,” he laughed.

He held a hand out to help her up from their table, Luna gladly taking it, smiling to herself as Cale didn’t let go. As he threaded their fingers together, she felt an unfamiliar blush settling dusting across her cheeks, Cale smiling down at her. “Ready?”

“Ready.”

Another date plan fail.

Hopefully the walk would salvage what was left of it, the alcohol in her system making her not want to leave him just yet. But as he said, it was third time unlucky – was that a sign? What was the universe trying to tell her, in making the plans for their third date come to an abrupt fail? As much as his smile gave her butterflies, could she really ignore all of these signs?

For this evening, she absolutely could, she knew that much. Holding his hand while they walked out of the bar felt too good not to.

Friday morning

To: Luna

Hey, I’m sorry about last night.

Again.

Can I make it up to you?

To: Cale

No apologies! The bar was fun…before the terrible karaoke.

But I’d love to see you again?

To: Luna

Fourth time lucky, right?

How do you feel about going on a picnic on Sunday?

To: Cale

I can’t remember the last time I went on a picnic.

I’d love to.

To: Luna

Okay great!

Leave everything to me.

I’ll pick you up at midday?

To: Cale

Okay sure, sounds like a plan!

Sunday midday

For once, Luna was driving her old car to their date today – she rarely drove, usually preferring public transport, mainly due to the lack of decent public car parking available in downtown where she spent a lot of her time, but Cale had already promised her that the park he’d chosen had plenty of parking spaces, leaving her able to sing along to the radio as she drove, calming her nerves a bit.

Sure, she’d decided to wear a pretty green dress, floaty and low-cut but still cute, curling her hair to give herself that extra boost of confidence. Sure, Elena had let her borrow her comfy white sneakers, keeping the outfit casual. And sure, she’d even had the chance to facetime with Cale yesterday before his game in Minnesota, knowing they wouldn’t get a chance to speak before their date today. But it was Elena’s hesitant words that had left the usual butterflies feeling a little frantic.

A picnic in a park? The two of you are chancing the outdoors again with your luck?

Because Elena wasn’t wrong. Three dates they’d been on now, and not a single one had gone by without a fail. The pipe burst in the restaurant. The unexpected rainstorm in the botanic gardens. The sudden karaoke in the bar. She could only wonder what today would bring, even as much as Elena tried to hype her up with positive attitude.

As she pulled into the parking lot, spotting Cale easily with his cheery smile and wave, she tried to let all of the worries go. Cale wanted to be here on this date with her. He wanted to be with her, which should be enough in itself, right? Fourth time lucky, that’s what he joked. She could only hope he was right.

“Hey, glad you made it okay,” Cale said, smiling as she locked the car behind her.

“Old Betsy may be getting on in life but she still gets me around,” Luna laughed, shrugging.

“You named your car Old Betsy?” he teased.

Luna fought back the blush on her cheeks. “What, you haven’t named your car?”

“I can’t say that I have…”

From there, their conversation started up as naturally as always, Luna smiling as they walked through the park, glad that there wasn’t too much of a crowd yet, letting him lead her to a shaded area under a tree. Perfect.

“I packed a few things for us – I hope they’re all okay?”

As Cale spread out the blanket he’d had tucked under his arm, Luna opened up the picnic basket he’d been holding, eyes wide as she took in all the tubs inside.

Mini vegetable tarts. Chicken salad. Sliced strawberries and kiwis. Double chocolate brownies. Freshly squeezed orange juice from a deli. If she was being honest, Luna was a little blown away at the thought he’d put into this picnic basket, and she knew by the little smile on Cale’s face that he was pleased with himself – as he should be.

“This looks amazing, Cale. Wow,” she murmured, still a little stunned.

“I hope it tastes as good as it looks,” he mused.

Luna just laughed, shaking her head. If nothing else, the effort would win out over anything else – no-one had ever tried so hard to make sure she was happy. She sat down with her legs crossed, facing him as he pulled out the various tubs as well as cutlery, leaving the napkins in the basket for now, smiling at how happy he looked. He really was so cute, wasn’t he?

“Dig in, please!”

Well he didn’t have to tell her twice.

Between bites of food, talking about their last few days apart including the game that Cale scored the winning goal on, as well as people watching and cooing over cute dogs, the next couple of hours passed easily. Luna found herself basking in Cale’s happy smile, sweet and shy all at once, all of her earlier worries melting away. Here was an amazing guy, who’d planned an amazing date, and everything was perfect. The whole date was perfect, from the location to the relaxed atmosphere, and she couldn’t help the wide smile on her face. Finally. Finally.

Eventually, after they’d faux-battled with their forks for the last strawberry, Cale packed all of the tubs away in the basket, letting them both stretch out their legs across the blanket.

“I can’t believe how full I am,” Luna groaned.

“Me too,” Cale laughed, resting a hand on his stomach, “I may have overdone it with that last brownie.”

“So worth it though,” she grinned.

Cale just grinned back, nodding his agreement. A man who appreciated food – she could definitely appreciate that.

Luna tilted her head back for a brief moment, closing her eyes as she let the sun wash over her and sink into her skin, before she opened her eyes again. Out of the corner of her eye, a large black object flew across her vision, and just as she turned her head to see what it was, she saw it collide with Cale’s face with a crunch.

And then blood started pouring down his face.

Oh god, a drone. A drone had hit him smack in the face, and the crunch wasn’t just the plastic either. Fuck.

“Fuck,” Cale groaned, clutching at his face with wide eyes as he unknowingly echoed her thoughts.

What the hell?!

Without hesitating, Luna pulled out the bundle of napkins from the picnic basket, quickly passing them to him, and he wasted no time in pressing them to his nose with a wince. Oh shit. Oh shit, he was really injured, what the hell was this? Of all the things to happen, even with their track record, this was terrible. Fuck, poor Cale.

“Oh man I am so sorry, a dog ran into me and I lost control…”

The apologetic voice trailed off, just as the two of them looked up.

“Oh god no, I broke Cale Makar,” the man gasped.

Shit. A fan. Now she could see why Cale wanted to keep his career so low-key with her – attention like this really wasn’t what he enjoyed, not in this kind of setting. She could only hope this wouldn’t get plastered all over the internet; they’d spoken before on how much social media could drag people down, and that was the last thing she wanted for him, especially because they were on a date. But what could she do?

Cale winced, shaking his head. “Really, it’s fine. Doesn’t feel broken.”

Luna raised an eyebrow, not believing him in the slightest, but stayed quiet for Cale’s sake. If he wanted to make a fan feel better then that was his choice – and fair enough, the guy looked distraught – but that didn’t mean she wasn’t going to make sure he had it looked at properly.

“Let’s get you cleaned up, yeah?” she said lightly, smiling as genuinely as she could.

“Good idea,” Cale nodded, voice muffled through the tissues.

The guy apologised profusely again as they stood up, Cale just waving him off as Luna picked up the basket and blanket, and they started to walk back through the park towards the parking lot. She could see people stopping and staring at them, not just because of the blood staining his white t-shirt, each time Cale’s shoulders stiffening a little more, him looking more and more uncomfortable as they made their escape. Finally, when their path was a little clearer, almost at the exit, she took the chance to glance up at him, feeling a pang of sympathy at how miserable he looked as he held the bloody tissues to his nose.

“Hospital then?”

“No, definitely not,” he groaned, shaking his head, only making her frown.

Why was he being difficult?

“Cale, you really should have that looked at,” she said hesitantly.

“Oh, no, shit, yeah I will, you’re right about that. I just think maybe it might be better to go to the medical staff at the arena? I know there’s some of them working today, and it’ll avoid any fans taking photos.”

That made much more sense.

“Fair enough,” she mused, trying not to grimace at the fact he had to take publicity into account. “I’ll drive us, yeah? I guess you can send someone to pick up your car later?”

Cale just nodded, wincing again, making Luna grimace in sympathy. Thankfully she hadn’t parked too far away from where they’d walked in, and in no time at all, she was buckling her seatbelt, waiting for Cale to do the same before she started the engine of her old car.

“Do you want to call and give a heads up that you’re coming in? So that we’re not held up at the gate?” she suggested, pulling up directions on her own phone.

“Another good idea. You have a lot of those,” Cale nodded, “Shame that I don’t.”

What?

She frowned to herself before his words clicked in her head. Another date gone wrong.

“A picnic was a great idea, okay? Getting hit in the face by a drone wasn’t part of your plan at all and, again, nothing you could’ve predicted,” Luna said firmly.

The last thing she wanted was for him to blame himself. Again.

“I have the worst luck,” he laughed dryly.

Well, yes, it really did seem that way. But she wasn’t going to say that out loud.

“All the food was really nice?” she offered.

Cale laughed for real this time, sliding his phone back into his pocket now that his messages were sent. “Can’t go wrong with strawberries and kiwis together.”

“Right? Perfectly sweet,” she nodded.

“I might have to see if I can recreate those vegetable tarts myself too,” he added.

The hopeful look on his face, that she could see out of the corner of her eye, made her smile, relaxing into her seat as she navigated the street in front of her. This positive attitude was much more like it – and he wasn’t wrong about those tarts either.

“They were so good! You’ll have to let me know if you can find a matching recipe,” she grinned.

She quickly glanced at Cale, finding him grinning back at her, through the blood and tissues still covering his face. At least he didn’t look as miserable as he had done in the park – that was at least a silver lining on the epic fail this date turned into.

Fuck, what was their luck, seriously?

As she dropped him off at the arena gates, several members of training staff waiting their anxiously for him, it was all she could do to squeeze his hand goodbye as he promised to call her, a heavy ominous weight sitting in her stomach. Why did things always have to go so wrong around him?

Friday night

“Hey, how do I look?” Luna asked Elena, leaning in her doorway, “Is this date-night-at-home suitable?”

She was wearing a light-knit dress, long-sleeved with the skirt reaching just below her knee, clinging to her curves in the most comfortable flattering way possible. The soft grey material felt right for a meal indoors, her dark brown hair falling in gentle waves in a way that added to the whole vibe, and she could only hope Cale liked it too. She knew she looked good…but was it the right choice?

“Well, you look as hot as always…but really? You’re going on a fifth attempt at a date with Fail Makar?”

Fail Makar. Ouch.

Technically not wrong, but ouch.

This Friday was not Luna’s usual Friday night. Instead of her typical night out at a bar with friends, she was trying something new. Both her and Cale were – rather than going out, Cale was making them a home-cooked meal. After insisting that the trainers had cleared him from serious injury, going as far to promise that he was still okay to play in the two games over the days that followed, he’d asked her out on another date.

Luna had been hesitant, naturally. Not because she didn’t like him, not because she wasn’t attracted to him – both of those he pulled out of her in spades – but because of everything that had happened over their past four dates. She was only mildly superstitious in general, but even she couldn’t deny that there was some serious bad luck surrounding them so far. How bad was she going to let it get before it was irreparable?

But when he had suggested a date night in, him cooking for them, she hadn’t been able to say no. She was so desperate to make this work with him, the sweetest most genuine guy she’d ever met, that she knew she’d have to give him another chance to have a date run smoothly. That didn’t mean it was fun to hear from her friend.

“Don’t be mean,” she frowned.

“Don’t ignore the cosmos and karma and all that jazz,” Elena shot back, raising her eyebrows.

Luna sighed, but nodded. It wasn’t as if she’d been ignoring the signs herself.

“I’m giving it one more chance, or I really will have to accept that this is fate telling me that things with Cale really aren’t meant to be,” she admitted.

Elena’s expression shifted from judgemental to sympathetic. “Hey, I know you like this guy, okay? I just don’t want you to get hurt.”

“I know. And I appreciate that. I just really want this to work out,” Luna sighed.

Cale had kept texting her while the team trainer took a look at his nose – it wasn’t broken, thankfully, but he did have a nasty bruise, which she’d been stupid enough to look through the speculation on the internet before Elena took her phone away to stop her looking at social media. She couldn’t help the guilt she felt for the extra attention on him, attention she knew he hated, even though she knew that she wasn’t directly responsible for the vivid bruising on his face. That didn’t mean it was easy to read all the stupid rumours sprouting out about what could’ve caused it, seeing as there was no evidence of him being hit in a game or practice.

But there wasn’t anything she could do about. All she could hope was that this attempt to get a date to go smoothly for once wouldn’t be their last one – she just didn’t know how much more she could take.

“Well if a stripped-back, low-key, homecooked meal doesn’t work then I don’t know what will,” Elena mused, “If you need an escape at any time, you just text or call me, okay?”

“I will,” she nodded, smiling. That was the friend she knew and loved. “But I have a good feeling about this date.”

“I can only hope you’re right, for your sake.”

Again, Luna had decided to drive for this date, mainly at Elena’s insistence to give herself an out if she needed it, but she only hoped that she didn’t need it. Maybe she’d make sure to only have one glass of wine, just in case.

By the time she’d arrived at the address Cale had given her, parking in the private apartment parking lot, she’d relaxed enough to feel a lot more positive about the evening ahead of her. Cale was a great guy. They would have a good night, she was sure of it. Why should she let the past four fails dictate how this night was going to go as well? As she walked up to his apartment, Cale having buzzed her in like he’d been waiting at the door, she steeled her nerves and untensed her shoulders. He was letting her see a side of him that no-one ever did outside of his team – and maybe not even all of them. Welcoming her into his home? That was special, and she was determined to embrace it.

“Hey,” she said, smiling as he opened the door.

“Hey!” he said happily, stepping aside to let her inside, “You look incredible.”

Flattery, as always. She couldn’t deny that she welcomed it though.

“Thanks! And thanks for inviting me over,” she said simply.

He shut the door behind her, helping her slip off her light jacket, and hung it up on the hooks next to their heads. It was a relief to see that the bruising on his face had almost completely faded, just as he said it had – even though he’d insisted it wasn’t as bad as it had first looked, seeing it for herself fizzled away the last of that guilt.

“It’s really good to see you. Thank you for giving me another chance,” Cale said softly, “I know things haven’t exactly gone how I’d hoped so far.”

“I can’t say that I’ve ever had so much bad luck either,” she mused.

She winced as Cale winced himself, biting her bottom lip lightly.

“I really don’t want to mess things up tonight,” he murmured.

Her heart panged a little at the nerves in his voice, hating that she was glad he felt as nervous as he did. It was a good sign that he cared so much, right?

“We can only see how the evening goes, right?” she said simply, smiling as reassuringly as she could, “I’m happy I’m here with you, if that counts for anything.”

As Cale smiled, she noticed how relieved he looked, making her smile in turn. “It definitely counts for a lot. Um, dinner is all ready, it’s just warming in the oven. And I’ve set up our date just through here.”

Cale guided her out of her entry hallway into the open-plan living room, dining room, kitchen, a gentle hand on her back, pausing in the doorway. Oh wow. As she took in the room with lips parted in surprise, her mind drifted back to the words he’d said to her the very first night they’d met.

“Somewhere quieter to appreciate someone? Like what?” she asked, smile curling at her lips, playing along with his flirting.

“A private intimate dinner. Maybe a little light music, just to set the mood. Candlelight, flowers, excellent wine.”

It was all here – candles lit around the room, beautiful yellow roses in a vase on the counter, soft music playing from the kitchen that drifted into the dining area. A private intimate dinner – complete with excellent wine, in the glasses he now held in his hands. She hadn’t even realised he’d left her side, too caught up with her memories.

“My god, Cale,” she murmured, “this is amazing.”

“Yeah?” he said shyly.

“Yeah, it is. Exactly how you described your forte location, when we first met,” she said, still in awe as he handed her a glass.

He huffed out a laugh, rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand. “I didn’t think you’d remember that.”

“Of course I do. It was one of the things that intrigued me most,” she admitted, making his blush softly, “And then I got to know you even more.”

Cale’s blush deepened but so did his smile.

“I hope I can keep getting to know you, Luna. I know our dates have failed pretty spectacularly so far, but I really like you. I’ve never met anyone as amazing as you before,” he said softly.

Her lips parted at his earnest words, Cale’s eyes watching her intensely, and it was all she could do to take a quick sip of wine. Damn, it really was excellent. He really liked her? Like, really really? Wow. Even after everything, he was happy to be so open with his thoughts and feelings?

“I really like you too. And I really want this to work,” she said seriously, “I just…hope tonight doesn’t have the same bad luck.”

“Me too. The flowers are for you, by the way, to take home with you. And I cooked one of my staple recipes which hasn’t gone wrong so far, and the candles haven’t burned down the apartment while I was getting ready, so it feels pretty good so far?” he said sheepishly.

She couldn’t help but laugh at his expression, forcing down her doubts, letting his increasingly-familiar comforting presence soothe her. So far so good, right? He had pulled out all the stops, recreated their attempted first date in a safe-space setting, and she could definitely appreciate that. The fact that he was letting her see this side of him too, this vulnerable intimate portion of his life? She’d be a fool not to embrace it.

“Shall we?” she said, tilting her head towards the kitchen.

“Absolutely,” Cale nodded.

While Cale pulled out the covered dishes from the oven and plated them all up, Luna sipped at her wine, watching him intently. He seemed so in his element, relaxed in a way she’d never seen him before, and she had to admit that she liked seeing him like this. Maybe this was what they’d been missing, that comforting edge. She could only hope.

“Okay, ready.”

Cale’s cheerful declaration broke her out of her gaze, and she immediately smiled at him.

“It smells amazing, Cale,” she said happily, letting him lead her into the dining area as he carried both plates while she held their drinks.

“Can’t go wrong with coq au vin!” he said simply, although his cheeks were dusted with a pleased blush, “And I made garlic mashed potatoes as well as roasted green beans to go with it.”

Wow.

Just wow.

“Incredible,” she murmured.

Cale just laughed softly, shaking his head as he sat down at the table.

“I like cooking, you know? It’s something that so different to everything else I do, gets me out of my head when I’m stressed with hockey,” he explained.

“I can definitely understand that. How long have you been cooking like this? Because this, and I can tell you this now with sincerity, isn’t just amateur,” Luna mused.

That blush of his really was something. But as he started talking about when he started cooking, mostly with his mom and family, their usual easy conversation started to flow, allowing Luna to sink into the relaxed atmosphere. She shared some of her own family cooking stories with him when he asked, the two of them continuing to talk as they ate, laughing and smiling the whole time, and to be honest Luna couldn’t remember the last time she’d had a date like this. With anyone. It was everything she’d dreamed of, everything she’d ever wanted from the food to the conversation to the vibe in general, and the more that she was consumed by it all, she forgot all about her worries that had built up over the past week.

How could she have doubts about him, when he made her feel so at ease?

After they’d finished eating, Luna helping Cale load the dishes into the dishwasher for later, they moved to the sofa with a glass of sparkling water each, Cale insisting on not drinking now that she’d stopped too. Honestly it felt like a dream. Where had this guy been all her life?

She lost track of time while they continued to talk and laugh on the sofa, the music still playing softly in the background like a damn movie, and before she knew it, the evening was drawing close to midnight, and she needed to get going before she gave into temptation and stayed overnight. That was far too soon for their tentative relationship, she knew that much.

“Did we just have a date that went smoothly?” Cale mused, as he helped her back into her jacket.

Luna laughed but nodded her head. “I think we did.”

Her grin matched his, and she didn’t care if she looked silly because she was just so damn happy. Finally, fucking finally, their date hadn’t failed. The universe had finally worked in her favour, giving her a perfect date with a perfect guy, and she knew that despite everything, the wait had been worth it.

“Call me when you get home? Just so I know you’re safe?” he asked softly.

Those wide earnest eyes were going to be her ruin, she could tell. Fuck it. Here goes nothing.

“Only if you kiss me goodnight before I leave,” Luna said hopefully, far braver than she felt.

Cale’s lips parted in surprise, only briefly, before that familiar sweet smile spread across his face with a blush to match. He didn’t reply to her, just stepping forward to lean down towards her, one hand rising to cup her face just as his lips touched hers. Luna couldn’t stop the soft sound that escaped her mouth at the gentle touch, hands clutching at his shirt as they kissed slowly, sweetly, sending tingles down her spine. Wow. So incredibly worth the wait. After what felt like hours but could only have been minutes, Cale slowed the kiss down to a few last gentle pecks, lifting his head away from her with a stunned smile.

“Best date ever,” he said happily.

She couldn’t agree more.

#my writing #cale makar fic #dating fails #cale makar imagine #cale makar fanfic #cale makar x oc #hockey fic #hockey imagine #hockey fanfic #nhl fic #nhl imagine #nhl fanfic

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offside-the-lines · 4 months

Text

Only You Can Decide | Cale Makar

Summary: For her parents, Cassandra has always tried to be good— perfect, even. Just grin and bear it. That all comes crashing down because, at the end of the day, Cale is her fiancé— her partner— her future.

This was written for @wyattjohnston's Lowkey Lovefest 2k24. The prompt used: “Fine. Throw me to the wolves. See how that works for you.” Pairing: Cale Makar x Female!OC (Engaged) Word count: 3.4k ⚠️ Warnings: this is pretty angsty and features a lot of the OC's toxic parents and her struggle with them. It does have a happy ending though. The story is also slightly non-linear/features flashbacks. ⚠️ a/n: Thanks to Demi for also requesting such an interesting prompt. I would never have thought to pair the two and it was so fun to write. Thanks to @imperatorrrrr for always co-drifting the writing Jaeger with me (just a random Pacific Rim ref). Nobody show this to my therapist LOL she would be frantically taking notes. Requests (open) | Masterlist & Who I Write For | Join My Taglist

Cassandra sat in her childhood bedroom and stared at the blank white walls. Growing up, she never had any posters, or magazine cutouts, or pictures taped to the wall like the other kids. The walls remained always pristine. Plain. Perfectly presentable. She guessed it worked out now that her parents used the room as a guest bedroom.

There were obviously no tissues in here— she sure as hell wasn’t about to go find some— so she just wiped her tears on the sleeves of her sweater and tried not to wince at her makeup staining the beige cashmere. Fuck.

The thing is, she knew that this would happen. They had been fighting about it the entire drive over.

“Cale, we can’t just tell them. It’s my parents. You know what they’re like,” she huffed as he pulled into her parent’s driveway.

“I know Cass, and that in and of itself is already so fucked up. They shouldn’t get to talk to you like that. They definitely don’t get to talk to me like that,” he sighed.

“I don’t know what you want me to do.” Her cheeks were hot. She knew they needed to calm down before they went inside; otherwise, her parents would have a million questions about why they looked so flustered.

“Cassie, baby, we have to tell them. We can’t keep doing this,” he sighed.

“I know… I just have to make sure it’s the right moment, or it’ll be this whole thing. They’re just…”

“And you have to set a boundary with them.” He reached across the center console and tried to take her hand.

She snatched her hand away, snapping, “I can’t do that. You know I can’t do that. Look, Cale, why can’t you just fucking grin and bear it like the rest of us? Aren’t you hockey players supposed to have thick skin or something? Why are you being such a fucking pussy?”

Cale leaned back and just stared at her for a long minute; the oppressive silence in the car was becoming unbearable. She could see the tick in his jaw that indicated he was holding himself back from retaliating. The mounting tension was broken when they heard the front door open, and her mother call out to them.

Cale took a deep breath. “Fine. Throw me to the wolves. See how that works out for you,” he mumbled before he opened the door and stepped out.

Cassandra felt a wave of nausea roll over her. She barely recognized that version of herself, the Cassandra that was bitter enough to say hurtful things on purpose. God, she thought she was better than this— better than them.

She knew in her gut that it was going to be bad because they started off-kilter, the unresolved disagreement hanging over them as they tried to play nice. Anxiety had twisted her body like a coil, winding her too tightly. She had naively hoped they would just get away with it.

Things were fine until the second course. At the end of the day, her parents were sharks, smelling a single drop of weakness from miles away.

Her father was the one to pop the bubble, not even looking up as he casually cut his steak, when he asked, “So, Cale, you’re not still doing that hockey thing, are you?”

She felt him freeze next to her as her own knuckles went white from her grip on her cutlery. He took a deep breath.

“Yes, sir, I am.” Cale’s voice was so calm and even. Too calm and even.

Her father hummed as he chewed, looking between them appraisingly. “That’s a shame,” he finally said, “Do you have a plan for finding a real job when you’re done with that nonsense, then, son?”

Cassandra looked down at her plate and swallowed hard. She could feel Cale’s gaze on her, but the searing heat of shame traveling up the back of her neck paralyzed her.

“No, sir. I am still pretty young for a hockey player. I hope to play for at least another 10 years,” he said. She could see in her peripheral vision that he had put his cutlery down and was clutching the napkin in his lap.

This time, her mother spoke up, “Oh honey, that seems a little silly, wasting all your good years on nonsense like that. A nice young man like you would do so well in a respectable profession. Have you ever considered investment banking? I’m sure Cassandra’s brother would be happy to tell you more about it.”

“Darling,” her father cut in, chuckling lightly, “Wall Street is cutthroat. Only the best of the best make it there. I admit, I don’t know much about Cale here, but I’m sure there are more realistic aspirations for an athlete. I guess he could always work for Cassandra once she owns her own veterinary clinic, isn’t that right, kid?”

Cassandra could feel the tightness take over her throat; her hands were shaking so much her cutlery was clattering on the porcelain. She put them down and wiped her mouth with her napkin.

“Cassandra, I expect you to respond when I speak to you,” her father’s voice boomed.

She forced herself to nod, her eyes darting around the table.

“Sweetheart, sit up,” her mother needled, “No one likes a girl who slouches.”

She felt her spine straighten stiffly without her meaning to. Cale shifted in his seat next to her, placing his napkin, which was clenched in his fist, on the table.

He clears his throat. “Actually, I have no interest in quitting hockey. I will never— With all due respect, Sir, Ma’am, you don’t seem particularly informed on the topic, so I ask that you please not make any comments about it. I am happy to talk about anything else.”

“Do not disrespect me in my house, son.” Her father slammed his own knife and fork onto the table; it made her jump, eyes remaining fixed on a breadcrumb on the tablecloth.

“I’m not going to apologize for making a reasonable request, sir. It seems my presence here isn’t wanted, so I’m going to have to excuse myself. Thank you for the meal, Mr and Mrs Wentworth,” Cale stated dispassionately. He stood up and tucked his chair in before pausing. He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and quietly murmured, “Cassie, can I speak with you outside?”

Cassandra was standing up to follow Cale, who was already walking down the hallway when she heard her father command, “Sit down.”

Her body froze, halfway out of her seat. She watched as Cale kept walking; he didn’t turn to look back once. She tried to swallow down the mounting panic and willed herself not to cry, even as her vision blurred.

“I did not invest so much time and money into my daughter only for her to end up with some stupid, insolent, meathead athlete. Cassandra, I have had enough of this childish thing. Find someone more suitable,” he spat, “Now, you’re going to sit here and eat the food your mother made.”

She didn’t even realize she was crying until she felt the wet splash of tears on her hands clasped in her lap. She dug her nails into her palm and tried to focus on the sharp pain there instead.

“Cassandra,” her mother’s voice added softly, “I know you’re upset right now, but that’s temporary. Your father’s right; you should listen to him. We have lived long enough to know what’s best for you, and we’re just the only ones who love you enough to tell you the truth. You are wasting your time with that boy.”

She felt the words hit her like a slap in her face; it was enough to unfreeze her body and her voice. She sprung up, knocking over her chair. “Excuse me,” was all she said before running out of the room. She heard them yell after her, but she wasn’t listening.

When she threw the front door open, she saw Cale ducking into a car.

“Cale, wait!” she yelled, frantically running to him.

He looked up, red-cheeked and teary; it had hurt that he looked surprised to see her.

“Cale, please— Please don’t go,” she cried, reaching out for his hand as soon as she was close enough.

He allowed her to pull him out of the car but only moved until he was standing in front of her. He reached up and cupped her cheek. She hated what she saw: Cale was teary and red. The rosy cheeks she loved so much meant something different at that moment.

“Please don’t go,” she whispered, biting her bottom lip hard enough to taste the metallic bloom of blood.

He sighed and squeezed his eyes shut for a moment.

“Cassie, I love you, I really do. But I—” His voice wavered. “I have heard a lot of shit on the ice, but I have never felt—” He paused and took a deep breath before continuing, “Look, you are welcome to stay. It’s your parents, I understand, but I just can’t be here anymore. I’m just heading home, okay?”

“I—” she interrupted before he shook his head once, curt and resigned.

“I promise I’ll be there when you are ready to head back. We can talk about this later, maybe once we’ve both had some time to cool off and think.”

“Think?” she felt sick, the blood draining from her face.

“Cassie, if I stay, we’re— I’m going to say something I’ll regret.” He looked down at her with his eyebrows scrunched and jaw clenched tight. “I left the keys in the car, but please don’t drive if you’re upset, okay?”

“Cale…” she started again, but her voice voice trailed off; she didn’t even know what she meant to say.

He leaned in and gave her a kiss on her forehead before stepping back into the waiting car. “I love you, Cass. I’ll see you at home,” he said before closing the car door.

“Please…” she whispered as she watched the car pull away from the curb.

She unclenched her hands and watched the color return; the crescents her nails left behind were dark and deep in the skin. She flipped her hands over, inspecting them.

Cassandra knew it was childish hiding from her parents in her room. But then again— wasn’t she always hiding herself from them?

She took the ring out of her pocket and put it on her left ring finger. As she looked at the sparkle, she felt a fresh wave of tears crash into her. Her chest felt cracked open; Cassandra was sure at that moment that having an eagle rip at her liver for the rest of eternity would hurt less.

She sobbed into her hands until the tears stopped falling from her eyes, wrung dry. The longer she sat there, the more her sadness morphed into anger.

What the fuck was she doing?

Maybe she hadn’t realized before that she was making a choice, but at that moment, it felt crystal clear that she had made the wrong one.

Why was she even there?

When she couldn’t come up with a good reason, she finally stood up and made her way back downstairs. Everything had come into focus, and she had never felt more sure of herself.

“My god, Cassandra, you look an absolute mess,” her mother chided immediately, “Those stains are never going to come out of the cashmere.”

She stood in the doorway of the formal dining room, and she laughed a loud, hollow sound.

“Yeah, no, I’m not doing this anymore,” Cassandra retorted flatly. For once, her voice did not wobble.

Both of her parents made affronted sounds, leaping out of their chairs, but she continued speaking right over them.

“No! I’m done. I do not deserve to be treated like this. I don’t care how much you’ve ‘invested’ in me. You can find your return on investment elsewhere. I’m leaving.”

“Cassandra—” her mother wailed, clutching her hands to her chest.

“Over my dead body,” her father snarled, stomping over towards her.

She shook her head and turned to leave. Her father’s hand tightened around her arm, pulling her back. She snatched her arm away; her heart was thundering in her chest.

“Do not try to stop me from leaving, or I’ll scream. You don’t want everyone to hear, do you? Because I will cause a scene. You’ll be the talk of the neighborhood. Wouldn’t really be good for the family image, would it?” she spat.

She had taken a few steps toward the door before she turned back, her glaring eyes flicking between her parents. “For your information, Cale is a better person than either of you could ever hope to be. I’ve always let you treat me however you like. I don’t even care; I’m used to it at this point. But not Cale— He is absolutely incredible. Not just an incredible hockey player, but he is an incredible teammate, an incredible fiancé, and an incredible person—”

Her mother squawked.

“Yes, mother, I said fiancé. I plan on spending the rest of my life with him. So don’t call me again until you’re ready to treat him with the respect he deserves.”

Cassandra didn’t hear another word they said as she stormed out of the house, slamming the door as she left.

The drive home was excruciating. She sat in silence, her hands white-knuckled on the steering wheel; the only sounds were her heavy breaths and thundering heartbeat.

Cale was sitting on the couch, a duffel bag next to him, when she burst through the front door. She didn’t bother to take off her shoes as she sprinted to him.

“Cale, what is this?” she said, horrified as she pointed to his bag.

“Cass, I just figured— If you want some space to think, I can go. I called Nate, and I can go stay with him for a couple of days.” He sounded just as raw as she felt.

Her head spun, and she suddenly felt like the air she was breathing was too thick, like she wasn’t getting any oxygen. She fell to her knees in front of him.

“No! No, don’t— No—” she pleaded frantically.

“Woah— Woah. Don’t—” His eyes widened, his arms reaching out to lift her onto the couch.

“Please don’t leave, Cale. Please— Please don’t— I just want to talk, okay? Please— Can you— Just hear me out,” The words rushed out of her in a jumbled mess, catching in her throat.

“Okay,” he said, “Okay, I’ll stay. Just breathe for a second.”

She tried to take a deep breath, but the panic gripping her chest made it difficult. He took her hands, applying gentle pressure as he rubbed circles with his thumbs on the back of her hands.

After a long silence— it could have been a minute or an hour— Cale was the first to speak.

“Are you ashamed of me? And my quote-unquote unrespectable profession?” Cale’s voice was quiet, tired.

“What? No!” she gasped, shaking her head violently, “Of course not.”

“Do you still want to marry me?”

“Yes!” she yelled. She caught herself and continued at a more normal volume, “Of course, I want to marry you. What are you— Cale—”

“Okay, that’s a good start,” Cale shot her a small strained smile, squeezing her hand three times: I. Love. You.— their silent message.

“I’m sorry, Cale. Back at my— I should’ve— I’m sorry.” She paused and let out a shaking breath. “I love you. I choose you. And I will always choose you. I’m sorry that I haven’t been acting that way.”

“Cassie—”

“No. Please just let me get this out. I was planning this speech the entire drive home.”

He chuckled lightly, his smile more natural, “Okay. Go on.”

She nodded and took a deep breath. “After you left, I was just sitting there, hiding in that god-forsaken room I grew up in, and it just hit me: what the fuck was I doing.” She looked down at their joined hands and fidgeted with his fingers.

“Growing up— That room—” She paused, shaking her head. “My parents have always made me feel like I needed to be perfect in order to be loved. I had to be the perfect daughter, following the perfect plan they had mapped out for me. And fuck— I tried. I tried so hard to be that girl. To make them happy. To make them proud. And every time I thought I was getting close, they would just move the bar. It was never good enough. I was never good enough. And I was never going to be— I will never be good enough to deserve their love and—”

She wanted to dig her nails into her hands, but his fingers were in the way.

“Fuck, Cale. Sitting in that room, I realized that I didn’t even want it anymore. I don’t want or need their approval anymore. Because you— You taught me what it meant to be loved without expectation, without conditions. I can totally fuck this up like I did today, and you are always there, loving me and ready to figure it out together. As a team.”

She forced herself to look up at him. It was hard not to get lost in his blue eyes, always so warm, always so constant. She felt herself send him a small smile.

“I never thought that I would get to have this. To be loved like this. Or maybe even deserve to be loved like this. So I just— I’m sorry, Cale, for not having your back and for not being a team.”

“What about your parents?” Cale asked quietly.

“My parents— They are my past, and you, Cale, are my future. And I am never going to forget that again. I’m sorry for all the shit they said to you and for all the shit I said to you. I promise that I will never throw you to the wolves like that again.”

Cassandra was panting, her breaths coming out in wet hiccups. Cale pulled her in and enveloped her in a tight hug.

“Wow, Cass, I’ll give it to you; that was quite a speech,” he mumbled into her hair.

It startled a laugh out of her— although it came out as more of a choked sob.

“Maybe we should’ve recorded it so you could just play that for your vows when we get married,” he chuckled in return.

He leaned back and held her face in his hands. He brushed his callused thumbs over her tear-streaked face.

“For what it’s worth, you deserved better than how they treated you. You deserve— You have always deserved to be loved without condition and without expectation,” Cale whispered, his expression so earnest she could feel herself welling up with tears again, “I hope I can remind you of that every day for the rest of our lives. I can’t wait to build a future with you. I love you, Cassandra. So much.”

“Maybe we should just elope,” she mumbled, a wide smile finally settling on her face.

“Okay, maybe let’s talk about that another day when we are a little less wrung out emotionally,” he said as he leaned in to press a chaste kiss to her lips.

“Fine, I guess,” she groaned cheekily.

“Don’t get me wrong, I can’t wait to marry you. I just don’t want to make any rash decisions you’re going to regret,” he squeezed her cheeks together, smiling as her lips puckered.

“Shut up, Makar,” her words came out all mumbly, “Stop being so perfect. It’s so annoying.”

Cale’s laugh filled her body with warmth, seeping into every single corner, and loosening the iron grip anxiety and fear had on her chest. He kissed her cheek and stood up from the couch, holding his hand out to her.

“How about this? We run a hot bath, and then we can see if any reckless things come of that.”

“Are you propositioning me, Cale Makar?”

He shrugged, “Maybe? What if emotional intimacy turns me on?”

“Oh my god, you are such a weirdo,” she laughed, rolling her eyes while she let herself be pulled up from the couch.

“Your weirdo,” he smiled proudly, wrapping his arms around her from behind and gently nudging her to their bedroom.

She felt the corners of her mouth tick up automatically, “Yeah, you are.”

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