“Lizzy asked the bartender to call me from Ye Olde King’s Head like you instructed,” Nora smoothly cut in. “And look, I know it sounds crazy, but I have to say I wasn’t that surprised to hear from her. I’ve never seen you so rattled over a woman, Tuck. Or anything, for that matter. I figured what you both have must be something pretty special. And you’re just really lucky that I know a girl who knows a guy who knows another guy in London who might have mad skills in passport forgery and the less we all know about that, the better.”
Later that night, after Nora discreetly turned in early and they had fallen into his king-size bed to make up for lost time, Lizzy crawled into his plaid bathrobe and they padded around his condo, Lizzy turning on lamps, exploring the designer kitchen he never used, the dining room with a wine fridge, the master bathroom’s floor-to-ceiling mirror and large porcelain soaking tub, before stepping out onto the terrace off his bedroom. “We are up so high. It’s as if I could reach out and touch the moon.”
“Fiftieth story. Penthouse, baby.” He stepped behind and hugged her close. The wraparound deck offered panoramic views of the vibrant cityscape and Lady Bird Lake. It was a sight he’d seen often, but tonight? It felt as though they stood together on the edge of a new world, one where anything was possible, where time itself couldn’t get in their way.
“Will this be enough for you?” he asked, entwining his fingerswith hers. They were looking to take the concept of long-distance relationships to the next level. “Will you be able to remember that my heart will always hold on tight, even during moments when I can’t physically do the same?”
“I know this will be a challenge, one that requires commitment and perseverance. But I’m determined for us to triumph. I want nothing more than to be yours as long as time allows. It’s you and I, together, now and for all eternity. Even if not always in body, surely in soul.”
“Eternity, huh? Is that all?” He touched his lips to hers, a sweet, soft kiss, one of many more that would come tonight. “Doesn’t seem long enough, but I guess it’s as good a place to start as any.”
Epilogue
Two Years Later
The floor of Ye Olde King’s Head was still sticky, but Tuck was used to it by now. He moved easily through the crowded pub, dodging elbows and jovial back slaps, carrying a tray with two porters, a lager, and a glass of barley wine.
“No, no, no!” Nora was barely containing her excitement for the impending punchline. “What do you call an English major at a restaurant?”
Lizzy grinned at Tuck as she plucked her glass off his tray, taking a quick sip of the barley wine before the foam spilled down the side of the glass. “I can’t begin to guess,” she said.
“Garçon!” Siobhan, Nora’s newest partner, chimed in with the answer.
Tuck groaned, handing them both their dark beers before sliding into the seat next to Lizzy.
“That hurts, right?” Nora grinned, in high spirits after recently receiving a lecturer position, which they had been celebrating.
Reaching under the small table, Tuck took Lizzy’s hand, his thumb toying with her wedding ring, one of his favorite habits.
“Do you really have to leave tonight?” Siobhan turned to Lizzy,disappointment in their voice. “It’s been so much fun hanging out the last few weeks.”
While it was disappointing that the Regals hadn’t secured a spot in the playoffs this year, there was a silver lining. The early end to the season meant that he and Lizzy had gotten to spend a little time with Nora in England.
“This guy has to get back to Texas.” Lizzy nodded toward Tuck. “And I have my own plane to catch.”
Crossing through time was on a strictly need-to-know basis. Only three people at the table knew the truth: Tuck, Nora, and Lizzy. If Siobhan stuck around, eventually they could be brought into the circle. Tuck knew Lizzy liked Siobhan, especially as they had recently discovered a new Regency-era author—E.H. Wooddash.
“You have to try Wooddash,” Siobhan had said earlier that day. “I found the book in London last spring and I’m fan-geeking so hard. I swear, once you read her, you’ll find yourself more acquainted with the intricacies of Regency life than by reading some scholarly research specializing in the era’s culture and customs. She’s still lesser known, but I’m on a mission to make her just as famous as Austen, the Brontës, Hardy, or Gaskell.”
He loved the way Lizzy had beamed. He was so damn proud that she’d finished writing her book at last. It was about an unconventional heroine who disrupts her relatives’ conservative household and draws the begrudging attention of a visiting soldier. Soon the pair are forced to confront their feelings amidst a whirlwind of failed matchmaking attempts and different social classes.
“I just finished my last Jane Austen.Persuasion. It was enjoyable, but I’ll tell you a secret”—Tuck leaned in, dropping his voice to an exaggerated hush—“Iprefer Wooddash.”
Siobhan shook their head in evident disbelief. “Who knew? Hockey playerscanread.”
“It’s a newer passion,” Nora said smugly. “How long have you been into this reading-as-a-hobby thing, brother? Two years?”
He mock-glared at her feigned ignorance. “That’s right.”
It was Beltane—or May Day—and that meant it was a time when Lizzy could cross. The official story was that she worked in New Zealand, and no one seemed to question that beyond expressing sympathy for her flights and the couple’s long-distance relationship. The media’s attention was focused on the contract negotiations with Regals’ center Gale Knight, leaving little interest in the personal life of a dedicated goalie who rarely saw his wife.
As night descended outside the window, Lizzy glanced over at Tuck. “I’ll have to head out to catch my flight,” she said gently.
After a quick exchange of goodbyes with Siobhan and Nora, they stepped out onto the quiet street of Hallow’s Gate, in stark contrast to the lively atmosphere inside the pub. Hand in hand, they walked in contented silence toward the bridge that led them over the field.
“Send my love to Georgie and Jane?” he asked.
“I always do,” she assured him.
