Page 72 of Westward

“You know it, and I know it. If you’re not done after this year, and you want to sign again, I’ll go with you. But that’s a decision we’ll make together, okay? I love you. Now go kick ass and bring home a Cup. I’m very needy here.”

I crushed my mouth to hers once again, my heart thudding.

If we didn’t want this to be my last year, Lizzie would come. She would stay in Portland, and we would make it work. Or maybe I could get traded to Denver, or some shit. I didn’t know, but my mind went in a thousand different directions, and then my chest tightened.

“I can see your hamster wheels spinning right now. Go get in the car. Drive safely, and tell me when you get there. In fact, go through the whole routine where you get to the airport, and tell me through security and so on.”

“I used to do that before. And I thought you hated it.”

“I never hated it. Although now you can send photos on phones. It’s so fancy.”

“Technology is amazing, isn’t it?” I kissed her jaw, her lips, her temple, and then I let out a deep breath before turning to get into my SUV.

I would be driving down to Denver because it was easier to catch a direct flight there, but I wouldn’t be going alone. Rune would be heading down with me, then he would run a few errands that he needed to do in the city, before coming back to town. I’d thought about having Lizzie come with me, but saying goodbye in the airport parking lot would lead to random photographs we didn’t want on the internet, and a goodbye I didn’t want to think about.

I wanted to stay, but I needed to go.

The story of my life.

I drove past, meeting her gaze and her small smile, and swallowed hard, before heading down the long road out of Ashford Creek, and back towards my reality.

A reality I wasn’t quite sure where I fit in any longer.

I would have to figure it out this year. No matter the cost.

“Took you long enough,” Thomas said as he hugged me tightly. Then he kissed me hard on the cheek and headed towards his stall.

I rolled my eyes and set down my bag.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t here earlier for you guys to invite me all over to your homes and help babysit your kids.”

“Excuse me, I only have five kids,” Reynolds said.

“Six!” Jacob called out from the other side of the locker room.

Reynolds cursed. “Yes, six.” He put his head in his hands and gave a dramatic sigh. “How do I have six kids?”

“Well, Reynolds, when a mommy and a daddy love each other very much,” Thomas began.

I shoved his shoulder back and laughed right along with everyone else in the room.

“You’re making sure Danielle has helped, though, right?” I asked my right wing.

Reynolds looked up and nodded. “Fuck yeah. We didn’t mean to have the last two sets of twins. I mean, I love them, but we thought maybe three kids would be great, and then boom, four.”

“And you didn’t think to get snipped?” Thomas asked.

Benny sighed. “I did get snipped. But I didn’t go for the checkup, and apparently it didn’t work the first time.”

I cringed. “Dear god.”

“I know. So during our lovely off-season, I got my vasectomy, and Patrice will not let me near her,” he said with a laugh.

“Good on Danielle,” I said as I began to change. It would take me longer than everyone else to get into my gear, but my practice started later. We wouldn’t have a full team session and meeting until the next day. Today was just the first introduction, where the old guys would get to know the new guys. And I could practically feel the ice calling to me.

“Wait, vasectomies don’t always work?” Thomas asked, eyes wide. Then he pulled out his phone and began to type dramatically.

“How much do you want to bet that he’s making sure that his wife has a few pregnancy tests right now?” Benny asked softly.