Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 86068 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 430(@200wpm)___ 344(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86068 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 430(@200wpm)___ 344(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
I can’t help but smile as Vivienne puts her hands in front of her mouth and bends at her waist. My nerves from before are gone, and in their place is a happiness I don’t think I’ve felt when it came to hockey for a long, long time. “You won’t be sorry,” I assure him, and he laughs.
“Enjoy the rest of the week,” he says. “I expect you on the ice next week. Call Wilson, do some ice time with the guys.”
“On it,” I reply, and I hang up on him, looking at Vivienne, who has tears streaming down her face.
“What just happened?” she asks me, trying not to sob.
“Well, I went in there and told him my story,” I tell her. “Then I told him that the only place I would play would be here.” She laughs and sobs all at the same time. “If you are going to follow me anywhere, you might as well do it with your own support system.”
“You did this for me?” She wipes the tears away from her eyes, but more follow them right away.
“No.” I shake my head and walk to her, grabbing her face in my hands. “I did it for us.” I kiss her lips, tasting her tears. Beatrice barks beside us and walks between our legs. I look down at her. “And for you, too.”
EPILOGUE ONE
VIVIENNE
Four months later
“How nervous are you?” my mother says from beside me as I stand in the luxury box and wait for the team to come out. It’s been four months since he took the offer from Dallas. Four months since he was all in, four months since we went back to New York to live the summer on the boat. It was just a little different this time. Instead of spending all day on the boat with me, he would leave to go and train. He trained from eight to four, six days a week. There is a light that has come back into his eyes I don’t think he knows was gone. The nights would be just the two of us and, of course, Beatrice. He would get back and take me out for sunset cruises all the time. Until it was time for training camp, and then we had to say goodbye to the boats. It was also time to move all our things to Dallas. House hunting was a breeze because both of us only cared about having a bedroom and a yard for Beatrice. We left it in the hands of my aunt Zoe, and she did not disappoint. The house was five bedrooms with a media room and gym and a huge backyard with a pool for Beatrice.
“On a scale of one to ten”—I look over at her—“a million.” I look ahead at the empty ice, wondering how he is doing. It’s opening night. He was a bit nervous today when he got up.
“Hey,” my father says, coming to stand by us. “He’s got this.” He puts his arm around me. “After that special last night.” I look up and wipe away the tear that has fallen over my lashes. “There is no way in fuck one person will be sitting in their seat when they announce him.” I can’t help but smile with pride. After he signed with Dallas, he called Franny. There on FaceTime, he told her his story and asked if she would like an exclusive. She not only jumped on it but she also made sure he was the most comfortable he could be. So, where did we shoot it? On the deck of his boat, his home. It was also the first time she stepped in front of the camera. There was no way she was going to let anyone fuck with him. It was a first for both of them. She asked the questions she needed to and, a week later, sent us the show. I cried through the whole thing, feeling his pain and hurt, but then happy that the light was back. A smile was on his face all the time. Every single man in my family took the time to call and congratulate him. My grandfather thanked him for being so brave, and then he finally cried.
“I just want him to be okay,” I say softly as I look and see the fans coming into the arena.
“Vivienne,” my father says my name. “He has this, and if he doesn’t, he has people around him making sure he’s okay.”
I don’t say anything to him because the door opens, and my grandparents come in, and I’m shocked. “What are you doing here?” I ask them, knowing they were here last weekend. Even though they tried to make it to all the home openers, I didn’t think they would come back.
“We had to come and support our boys,” my grandmother declares, smiling at my father when he goes to give her a hug.