A year ago I had a feeling things were about to change.
But I never could have seen any of thiscoming.
Chapter fifty-eight
Duncan + Rhys = LOVE
ONE YEAR LATER
DUNCAN
"That gay hockey show made this seem a lot sexier." Rhys wrinkles his nose at me as we embrace on the ice. "You smell disgusting."
"You like it."
"I do not, but I love you."
"I love you too."
I give Rhys some distance after kissing him again because, yeah, hockey gear is no fucking joke. And I haven’t had the team wash my undershirt this entire run. A dozen games, a few with intense OTs, all living in this same shirt.
Potentially a health hazard but there’s no talking a hockey player out of their ritual. I wanted the reminder of all the work I’d put in to get to each new game. And every time I slid it over my head I got that reminder.
And a little queasy.
Blake comes over with her camera and asks Rhys and I to smile. As the marketing director she has embraced all our superstitions and tendencies because she says they make for social media gold.
I wonder if she’ll want to burn this shirt with me later.
"Harper was a nervous wreck." Rhys says as he draws my attention to where Aiden is holding her hand and keeping her steady on the ice. Little Young Gun is due this fall.
"It was good of you to sit with her against the glass."
Rhys shrugs before he shuffles out the way as Stella sprints across the ice before falling to her belly for a double sploot slide. Two-and-a-half year old Greta slides to her knees to join the golden retriever. Crosby is skating after them, grinning, while Laila walks with baby Maya strapped to her chest.
"Pay Day! I can’t fucking believe we won!" Gabey Baby, our rookie jumps onto my back. Rhys steps away and I take a lap with the kid who brought a little bit of chaos to our lives this season.
Especially Cap’s.
And while Felix Fornier loves to complain about the headaches we give him, I know deep down he loves it. And he’s going to miss it.
Although, he’ll have his hands full with actual children now.
"We taking The Cup to Aces?" Bryson asks as he skates up next to me holding Jo’s hand.
"Yeah, I need a fucking shower first." I deposit Gabe with a few of the younger guys and circle back to Rhys who is with Caroline.
"This WAG jacket might be my favorite." She says as she shows it off. "And the matching embroidered jeans? Rhys, your stylist really nailed it."
"They were so excited to get us all fitted." He says as he straightens the teal suede jacket. The girls’ have fringe under the sleeves and across the back. Rhys’s is cut like a work jacket, and it’s lined in his family’s tartan.
I have begged to fuck him while he’s wearing it but he didn’t want to damage the suede.
"Now that we’ve won I get to fuck you in that jacket." I say as Caroline runs off after her little girl who is wearing a mini version of the jacket.
"Oh do you?"
"Yeah, I’m skipping the club. I’m celebrating with the boys in the locker room and then coming home to you. Wait up for me."
