Afterward, we lie tangled together, the quilt kicked to the floor, his arms around me, my face pressed against his chest. His heartbeat is still fast. So is mine.
“Hey,” he says eventually.
“Hmm?”
“When you make the team-”
“If.”
“When.” His hand traces lazy circles on my back. “When you make the team, I’m going to be at every game I can get to. I’m going to sit in the stands and yell at the refs and embarrass you in front of your teammates.”
I laugh against his chest. “Is that a threat?”
“It’s a promise. And one more thing,” he says.
“What?”
“When you score your first professional goal - and you will - I’m going to be the first person to text you. Even if I’m on the ice. Even if I have to bribe someone to hold my phone.”
“That’s very romantic.”
“I’m a very romantic guy.”
I kiss him again, and the world outside and all the ways this could still go wrong - fades to nothing.
36
LEONORA
It’s all official just a few weeks later.
Zane is already playing for his new team - still in the training and development phase but it’s all going well.
He’s due to come out to see me in a week.
I’m at my mom’s house when I get the call.
Then, my phone buzzes again.
Willow’s face appears on the screen. Behind her, Katie is leaning in, both of them pressed together like they’ve been waiting for this call.
“WELL?” Willow shouts.
I laugh. “Hello to you too.”
“Did you make it? Did she call? What did she say?”
I let the silence stretch for one beat. Two.
“Leonora Shaw, if you don’t tell us right now-”
“I made the team.”
The scream that comes through my phone speaker is ear-splitting.
“OH MY GOD,” Willow yells. “OH MY GOD, LEO.”
“You’re going pro,” Katie says, her voice thick. “You’re actually going pro.”
