Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 100661 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 503(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100661 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 503(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
One morning I woke up to a text from Ari that said just one thing.
Better than pining.
Then a screenshot arrived—Joe had posted a photo of us on Instagram in which he was standing behind me, arms wrapped around my middle, his face buried in my neck. I’m laughing with my mouth open and my eyes closed, and the shot is kind of blurry. But the caption made my heartbeat quicken.
Never letting her go.
I felt chosen and cherished. Just like I’d always wanted.
Joe had told me not to worry about the contract and just get settled in, so we hadn’t discussed it yet. But over the last few weeks, I’d made up my mind.
“Joe,” I said, setting aside my book. “I want you to know something.”
“What, cupcake?”
“No matter where the offer is, I’ll go with you.”
His fingers stilled on my foot. His eyes met mine. “Really?”
“Really. We’re a family.” I put my hands on my stomach. “Where you go, we go.”
He didn’t say anything for a moment. Then he reached for me. “Come here,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. I gave him my hands and let him pull me toward him so I lay across his lap, my arms around his neck. “You mean it?”
“Of course I do. If you still want to play, and you feel good enough to do it, you should do it.” Ever since he’d gotten back on the ice after rehabbing his shoulder, he’d been playing well. The team had turned their bad luck around, and they were on a winning streak again. If they stayed consistent, they were assured a playoff spot and had a good chance to win it all.
“It’s funny you say that. Because I’ve been thinking, if Chicago doesn’t extend, I’ll retire.”
“Retire?” I raised my eyebrows. “And do what?”
“Move up north. Buy some land. Watch our kids grow up.”
I laughed. “Are you serious right now?”
“Yes.” He pulled me close, nuzzling my neck. “It sounds so good to me.”
“It sounds good to me too.” My heart was beating so fast.
“My dad told me about this guy he knows up in Michigan who’s thinking of building a hockey training facility. He’s looking for someone to design and run the youth program.”
“And you’d do that?”
“Sure. I think I’d be good at it.”
“I know you would be. But what about a championship win?”
He shrugged. “I mean, that would be cool if it happened. But if it doesn’t, I had a good ride.”
“I can’t believe I’m hearing this.”
“Believe it.” He pulled back and looked me in the eye. “I can imagine my life without professional hockey. But I can’t imagine my life without you.”
“You have me, Joe. Body, heart, and soul.” I pressed my lips to his. “I just want you to have that championship ring too.”
“There’s another ring I’ve been thinking about that will mean more to me.”
My breath caught.
His phone buzzed, and we looked at it. His agent’s name was on the screen.
Trembling, I moved off his lap and stood up. “I’ll let you take this.”
He nodded and took the call, while I went into the bathroom. My legs were wobbly. My hands shook. What ring was Joe referring to? Although we spoke about the future a lot, we hadn’t really talked about getting married. I hoped we’d get there eventually, but living together was such a huge step, I felt like we should breathe for a minute before making that leap.
But what other ring could he mean?
Trying to remain calm, I looked at myself in the mirror, marveling at my reflection. Even now, nearly eight months later, sometimes it still caught me off guard that I was having a baby with the hot hockey player next to me on the plane. That we’d fallen in love. That somewhere along the way, he’d begun to imagine a life with me in which we watched our kids grow up on a piece of land we called our own. It was better than a dream.
When I opened the door, I didn’t hear anything. Not wanting to interrupt, I wandered down the hall toward the baby’s room. Inside, I looked at the rocking chair, at the wall where the crib would go, at the changing table we’d picked out together. The carpet was thick and soft beneath my bare feet. I walked over to the closet and looked at all the little clothes hanging there, a rush of excitement moving through me.
I turned and saw Joe leaning in the bedroom doorway, a familiar grin on his handsome face.
“They offered,” I said breathlessly.
“They offered,” he confirmed.
Letting out a squeal of excitement, I ran for him and threw my arms around his neck, feeling him sweep me off my feet. “Oh my God, this is great news! Congratulations!”
He set me down, but kept his arms around my back. “I haven’t said I’ll accept yet. They want a two-year extension, and I’m not positive I want to commit to two years. I told him I had to talk it over with my wife.”