"Alli, baby, you are fucking amazing." He whispers softly and kisses me.
When I'm tucked securely in the crook of his arm, he secures the blanket around us. There’s no awkward silence, now worry if one of us should offer to leave or anything.
We simply talk about the game tomorrow and the kid's youth hockey game on Friday. He tellsme more about the ranch he grew up on and the house he built nearby.
“We could take them fishing out on the lake and have a big bonfire.” He says softly, tracing circles on my bare shoulder. I still.
“We?” My brows raise slightly. I try to take a calming breath and not get excited for what I think he’s implying. Casual couples don’t really visit family and hometowns together. Right?
“Yeah. There’s the All-Star break coming up at the end of January. I wasn’t selected to play like Fitz and Grady so I thought a trip home could do some good.” He tips my chin up to look him in the eye, “I’d really like y'all to come with us.”
The sincerity in his eyes makes an emotion bubble up in me, one that’s too big to name right now. I shove it down. It’s way too early for that. A shaky exhale escapes me.
“I’d…” My eyes flick between his hopeful ones. “I would really like that.”
His breath wooshes out in relief. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.” I grin against his mouth. His hand comes up behind my head to hold me as he kisses me deeply.
There’s a knock on the door. This time, it’s take-out Tate ordered in for us. Claiming I’d need my energy for the night we have planned.
He’s right.
The more time I spend with Tate, I feel something waking up inside me. Something that’s been asleep for a long time. I don’t know what’s scarier— how alive he makes me feel or the fact that I don't want it to stop.
Chapter 25 Tate
I'm on fire tonight. After staying up all night well into this morning talking about nothing and everything with Alli, you’d think I’d be exhausted. I’m not. I have the energy of a rookie. There's something about getting into sync and finding that momentum on the ice together as a team that is just achef's kiss.
Ripley hasn’t been super focused but he's such a powerhouse on the ice that it doesn't matter. He's scoring left and right on their goalie.
Quade has been doing better with passing the puck instead of going for personal stats. Fitz and I are on our game tonight, keeping those fuckers out of our blue line so the goalie can do his job and get a shutout. He does.
The celebrations tonight are going to be in full swing. We’ll stay at the hotel tonight before we head home on an early flight.
When the time on the clock runs out we all rush Ronan.
I grin when I see that flash of blonde wearing my jersey. She’s handling post-game interviews. The fans always love to see her interview Ronan because of their sibling banter.
I may have done more interview watching than ever before but I’m considering it media training.
I know better than to run up to her and kiss her while she’s working— even if it’s all I can think of since waking up with her in my arms.
Instead, I get showered and change. I Facetime Matty and Hudson. They chatter excitedly about the game and the win.
“Is mom there?” Hudson’s face gets too close trying to see behind me.
“Yea where’s mom— I mean Alli?” Matty asks. I’ve noticed him slipping with the m word more. I don’t comment though we are probably going to have to talk about it. I can’t have him getting attached. Matty’s heart is the one thing I can’t risk.
“She’s in the postgame press conference. Alli’s kind of a big deal around here.” I grin at the way Hudson’s chest puffs with pride for his mom.
“So, she just helps you answer questions?”
“Mm yes and no. She has the teams back and helps us get out of questions we don’t want toanswer. She makes sure the media doesn’t have a field day with us.”
“So, she’s kind of like a defenseman too.” Matty taps his chin.
“Yep. How was the science club?”
