Total pages in book: 11
Estimated words: 9744 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 49(@200wpm)___ 39(@250wpm)___ 32(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 9744 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 49(@200wpm)___ 39(@250wpm)___ 32(@300wpm)
He hugs his dad back before saying, “Okay, I’m gonna think some more.”
“Okay,” I say sweetly, and Dawson removes himself from his dad before heading out of the room. I stand up and wrap Jayden in my arms. “How was it?”
His eyes are so full of love. “Great. I needed it.”
I lean into him, kissing his nose. “I know.”
He kisses my top lip and takes my hand. “Come see what they got me.”
I already know what it is, but I follow him as if I don’t. When we enter Jayden’s and my hockey memorabilia room, I see that the shadow box came out better than I could have ever imagined. “Oh, it’s gorgeous.”
“I thought so too. I think I want to hang it here,” he says, pointing to a spot beside our medals.
“Sounds good to me,” I agree, bending down to take a better look. “I wish I had one of these. It’s awesome, and I agree, it’s gonna look great with our medals.”
“I think so,” he says, nodding. “Your dad was there, signing his contract.”
I go still. Please don’t tell me my dad told him. “Really?”
“So, you knew.”
I look up at him. “Yeah. I knew before we went to Florida.”
His eyes widen. “Wow.”
“I didn’t want to say anything because I didn’t want to add insult to injury. I know you love how my dad coaches.”
He nods slowly, eyeing me. “So why didn’t you tell me you got hired at Bellevue for the head coach position?”
Thanks, Dad. I swallow hard. “I was offered the job, but I haven’t accepted because I hadn’t told you yet.”
“How long have you known?”
“Since the night before Florida.”
He shakes his head. “Bay. Come on.”
I stand up then. “I didn’t want to upset you. Your career ends, and mine picks up? Like, that’s shitty. I wanted to wait until after you cleaned out your locker and you felt better before I told you everything—”
“Everything?” he asks, his eyes holding mine. “Is there more?”
I press my lips together. “I was offered a spot on Team USA.”
His eyes widen, but not with surprise or shock, more like pride instead. “Baylor! That’s incredible!” He wraps his arms around me, kissing me fully on the lips. “I’m so proud of you.”
I hold him tight. “You’re not mad or sad?”
He laughs. “Not at all. I’m proud. I mean, shit, baby. I’ve always been your biggest fan. Why would you think I would be jealous or even upset about your accomplishments?”
I hold his gaze. “I don’t know. I just didn’t want to come at you with all my good news when you have bad.”
He gives me a dry look. “We’re a team,” he reminds me. “Your good news is my good news, as my bad is yours. And vice versa. I don’t want you to hide your good fortune because of what’s going on with me. In the end, we’re winning—as a team.”
I cup his face. “Are you sure?”
“Baby,” he scolds as his eyes burn into mine. “Since the moment I met you, I’ve known you were always going to succeed and do things that would blow me away. Every day from that first time we kissed, I have known I would love you for the rest of my life. Just as you celebrate my wins, I celebrate yours. We’re in this together, right?”
I nod, tears burning my eyes. “I just want you to be happy.”
He grins at me, his lips almost pressing into mine. “As long as I have you, I’m happy.”
We kiss then, my heart soaring and exploding in my chest. I have loved this man for as long as I can remember, and I am so lucky to still feel that unconditional love after all these years. As we kiss, I’m taken back to the first time I set eyes on him, when we played street hockey, and our first kiss. The times he skated beside me as my equal, unlike the other guys on the team, and how he always protected me. The day he asked me to marry him and our first kiss as husband and wife. When we had Dawson and watching Jayden become a dad. I think I fell in love with him all over again when I saw him hold our son. And then it happened again when we had Louis. It’s as if I continue to fall for him, over and over again, through all the phases of our life. Today is no different.
I’ve fallen head over heels for him once more.
As we part, I lean my nose into his while he holds me closer, basically becoming one.
“I’ve got news,” he says.
I meet his gaze as I wrap my arms around his neck.
“While your dad was telling me about his new coaching position and yours, he told me he put my name in for the coach of the men’s team.”