Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 79319 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79319 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
“I love you, too,” I rasped. “So much. But we have the same problem we always did. We play hockey, baby. It’s what we do. We can’t be boyfriends. We can’t—”
“Yes, we can. We just have to keep it quiet for now and be patient. One day at a time, one thing at a time. Look…” He raked his fingers through his hair and pursed his lips. “I’ve been thinking about us for weeks, Jakey. I know I don’t have a lot to offer. You live in Boston, I live here. We travel constantly—being in the same city won’t happen often enough, and when it does it’ll feel dangerous. But I’ll take what I can get. I’ll wait for you if you wait for me.”
“Yeah, I can do that,” I whispered, hope flaring in my chest.
“I’ll come out too…maybe not tomorrow, but I’ll do it. And maybe you’ll retire sooner, ’cause you’re a little more beat up than me.”
“Fuck off,” I scoffed without heat. My smile was far too big for my face.
“Or hey, maybe I’ll retire first. I’ll come live with you in Elmwood, and we’ll coach teenage punks. And we’ll visit Eddie and my mom in California all the time and stay at my mobster house and we’ll go camping and I’ll share my tent, my sleeping bag, and whatever the fuck else you want. Just give us a chance and be mine, Jakey. Please…be mine.”
He opened his arms and I flew into them, unthinking.
I crashed my mouth over his and damn, it felt like coming home. Maybe that was why it didn’t seem completely and utterly ridiculous to think that we might stand a chance.
“I’m yours. I want you and I love you, and I’m with you all the way.”
“All the way.” Mason rubbed his thumbs along my cheekbones and leaned in to press kisses on my forehead and my nose. “I pucking love you.”
“That’s weird.”
“It’s not weird, it’s romantic. You get it, right? Puck, love, hockey players…” He linked our fingers and pulled me into his kitchen. “C’mon. We need food. I’ll make you an omelet, and we’ll cuddle on the sofa, and you can tell me how awesome my wrist shot looked tonight.”
I laughed, but I was still smiling and I felt lighter than I had in weeks. I had my best friend back, and no matter how hard it might be to keep our private life to ourselves, it was worth it. A thousand times over.
“Hey, Jakey? I’ve got a good feeling about us.”
“Me too. Me too.”
And I did.
Loving him was easy. He was my other half—the one who reminded me to embrace lightness and laughter. Somehow I knew that with him by my side, we’d find a way to have it all.
EPILOGUE
“Iwould not wish any companion in the world but you.”—William Shakespeare, The Tempest
Three years later
Trinsky
A sea of boxes flooded the great room, ruining the view of the yard on a perfect summer morning. Fluffy white cotton ball clouds dotted the blue sky and a gentle breeze flitted through the willow trees’ graceful branches. It was nice to be home.
Jake clapped and pointed at the stack of boxes labeled “office.” “I cleared out the room next to ours for your trophies and awards and stuff. Did you want to look at it again or just schlep these upstairs?”
“No, I want to lay on a blanket outside and eat ice cream. I bought mint chip yesterday,” I added, waggling my brows.
Jake’s lips curled in amusement. “It’s not even noon.”
“This is brunch ice cream. It’s supposed to be consumed before the sun hits its apex. I read it on the container.”
“Is that right?”
“For sure. Besides, we’ve got all day to empty boxes,” I reminded him.
Jake checked his watch, though like the perfect boyfriend he was, he was already striding toward the kitchen. “Okay, but we’re supposed to be at the diner later this afternoon.”
I fished two spoons from a drawer, then wrapped my arms around him from behind and kissed his nape. “Love you, but I’m not going.”
“You have to go. The town made a big-ass banner to celebrate your season. You can thank them with a short speech and buy everyone a milkshake.”
“It is a pretty sweet banner,” I conceded.
“And it’s huge.”
“Like my dick.”
“Right.” He turned in my arms and licked my lips, holding two pints of ice cream above his head. “Grab a blanket. I’ll meet you out there.”
I had Tweety Birds and stars circling my head, but that was a regular occurrence these days. I was home…with Jake, and after three long years, the entire world knew that he was my most important person. Although, to be honest, we hadn’t bothered hiding much over the past few months. It hadn’t felt necessary. Everyone knew we’d gone from enemies to friends. We’d been photographed at restaurants in LA and Denver, attending a Patriots game in Boston and had even taken turns cheering each other on during the playoffs.