Elli nodded, “I already packed my gifts for them, but I don’t mind going shopping again. We all know I love to shop.”

“You already got my family gifts?”

“Yeah, like a month ago.”

“What did you get?” he asked, as she smiled over at him.

“Stuff. Why?”

“Because I didn’t get squat! Plus, I thought maybe we would do it together,” he said with a shrug.

“You were supposed to be in Chicago. I was just going to send the package up to Boston.”

“Oh, well I guess that makes sense. Getting hurt has messed up a lot of people’s plans.”

Elli shrugged, “It’s no big deal, I’m just glad you’re okay.”

“No, you’re mad because you’re not home with your family. I bet the only reason you’re here is because you’re worried about my arm, and you probably don’t even want to go home with me.”

Elli cut him a look, surprised by his outburst. Hell, he was surprised by it. She narrowed her eyes, taking in a deep breath.

“Um, for one, I’m not mad. Yeah, I’m gonna miss my family during the holidays, but I realize that my life is changing. I can’t worry about just me anymore, I have you now. Second, I do want to go home with you. I love your family, and you know I do. Third, if you don’t lose your little attitude, I’m gonna kick your ass.”

She smiled sweetly before pulling out her book and starting to read. He couldn’t help the scoff that escaped his mouth, but he wished he had because Elli looked back over at him, madder than hell.

“Are you laughing at me?”

He shook his head, “Never.”

“That’s what I thought.”

Shea smiled and the side of her mouth lifted a little, but not much as he said, “I never thought I would be scared of something so small.”

“I’m not small, you’re just huge.”

He laughed at that, causing her to smile, “God, I love you.”

He was rewarded with a dazzling smile before she took his hand in hers, kissing his cheek and laying her head on his shoulder, holding her book against his leg.

He leaned his head against hers, loving the feel of her hair against his cheek. Just loving her, all of her.

Even her sassy little temper.

Elli stood in the freezing cold, outside of General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport while Shea yelled at the rental guy about the Prius he thought he was going give them to rent. Shea was livid, Elli wasn’t sure if it was because he was in pain, or if he really did hate the car that much, but Elli thought it was cute, plus it wasn’t like Shea was going to be driving it.

“It's a chick car!” Shea yelled. They both looked over at Elli, and she shook her head, cuddling into her jacket.

“Sir, this is all we have unless you want a BMW, which is almost $300 a day.”

Shea looked at the dude like he was the biggest idiot on earth.

“Give me the BMW, please,” Shea said through gritted teeth. The guy nodded and Shea walked towards Elli, beet red from either his anger or the cold.

“It's just a car, Shea.”

“I am not riding in that girly ass car, and that dude is being an ass. He knows who I am, he just doesn’t want to act like it because I don’t play for Boston. Asshole.”

“Why does it matter who you play for?”

“You will learn quickly that unless you play for Boston, you aren’t shit around here.”

“You’re the leading defenseman in the league. I think that means a lot more than playing for Boston.”

“No, actually, it doesn’t,” Shea answered as the guy drove a red BMW towards them, parking it in front of him. He got out and helped load their bags. Afterwards, he walked with Elli to the front of the car, opening the door for her.

“Let me ask you a question,” Elli said with a grin. The man smiled, he was her age, cute even.

“Sure.”

“You know who he is?”

“There is only one team worth anything in the NHL and that’s Boston, so I only acknowledge Boston players. And I definitely won’t acknowledge a guy who is from Boston and not playing for Boston.”

Okay then.

After leaving the rental place, they headed towards Copley Place, which Shea said was a really great shopping mall. After going through Louis Vuitton and blowing more money than needed, Shea went to Tiffany’s to get his mom and sister something. Since Tiffany’s made Elli blow money, she headed for Gucci.

She should have just gone to Tiffany’s.

After dropping her first-born’s college fund, she walked out, meeting Shea in the middle of the mall. He eyed her bags, and then smiled.

“Got enough?”

“Don’t ask.” Elli eyed his little blue bag, and nodded towards the bag.

“Anything for me?”

“Maybe,” he said with a grin, as he took as many of her bags as he could with his one arm.

“Anyone ask what happen to your arm?”

“No, they just stared. But one of the girls in there actually acknowledged who I was and said she hoped I recovered well.”

Elli raised an eyebrow, “I’m impressed. Everyone I meet keeps asking me where the hell I’m from, then they raise their noses at me when I say Nashville. They then ask if there is even a hockey/football/baseball team there. These people are crazy.”

Shea laughed, leaning into her since that was all he could really do since her hand was full before saying, “Let’s go, my mom is waiting.”