Page 52 of Not My Coach

She laughs and lifts her head, looking at me as her hair frames her perfect face. “Because I split rent with Gracie.”

“I’ll pay your half,” I offer genuinely.

She looks at me and slowly shakes her head. “You are crazy.”

Booping her nose, I smile. “About you.”

“Oh my God …” she groans and lays her head back down on my bare chest.

“Fine, but I want to see you every day.” I smile and kiss the top of her head.

“You’re going to get sick of me, Nathaniel,” she warns.

Now, it’s me who’s laughing. “You don’t understand how impossible that actually is, Evie.”

“If you say soooo,” she sings as I start rubbing my hand up and down her arm.

“And I want you at every game you can be at. Safely in the Nighthawks box,” I say, and her head whips around, her lips curled with disgust.

“I’m not sitting all the way up there, Nate. You can barely even see anything happening on the ice,” she protests.

Bouncing between her eyes, I stare at her and wonder if there’s a chance I could win this fight. But she looks pretty fierce right now, ready to go to war.

“Fine, but I’m buying out the seats next to you so no one tries to piss me off by hitting on you,” I say, and she smiles, biting down on her bottom lip.

“Like I said, crazy,” she whispers.

Catching her off guard, I roll her over and cage her in between my arms. “You’re wrong, Evie. I’m so much more than crazy when it comes to you. I’m possessive, obsessive, and fucking addicted. Crazy is the least of your worries.”

She bursts out laughing and grabs my face. “Is it wrong that I find that stupidly sexy?”

I shrug as she brings my face down to hers. “I don’t think so at all.”

She giggles again and kisses me deeply, passionately, with everything she possibly can. Her mouth moves against mine in a way that makes me want to do more than ask her to move in with me. Maybe she’s right; maybe I am crazy. But I don’t care. When it comes to her, I can’t ever get enough of my sweetheart, and that’s never going to change.

“Have a great day, love. Lunch together?” Gracie asks, pulling me into a hug.

Pulling back, I say, “Of course.”

Today is our first day of school as official teachers of little humans. I am beyond excited to see my classroom full of students. It feels like the journey to get here is finally coming full circle.

Knock, knock.

“Come in,” I call out to the door.

The doorknob twists, and in walks Lisa, one of the school’s secretaries. “These were just delivered for you! They are gorgeous!”

She lifts the vase of soft pink peonies up to her nose and inhales deeply. There’s a card in them, but I already know who they are from.

My husband.

People probably thought we were crazy for getting married after only knowing each other for about seven months, and that’s okay. I would most likely have the same reaction as an outside party. But I’ve never second-guessed my decision to marry Nate, not for a second. He makes me happier than I ever imagined someone could even do. He makes me feel loved constantly, cherished always, and safe forever. It was the easiest and best decision I’d ever made.

She hands the vase of happiness over to me, and I inhale, breathing in one of my favorite scents in the world.

“Thank you.”

“Of course. Happy first day, Evie. We are so excited to have both you and Gracie join us!” she says, smiling at both of us.

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