Page 66 of One Pucking Wish

“I’m happy for you,” I whisper back, giving him a squeeze.

With that, the couple is off to chat with the next guests. My stare follows them as they move on, and moisture finds my eyes. I’m overcome with a sense of peace and gratitude. I’ve been dreading this day for months, and every fear I harbored was unwarranted. Not an ounce of longing is left in me for Tucker. I was genuinely happy to see him, not because he was my first love but because he was my friend. I’m so different from the girl he knew, but I realize that’s a good thing. I’m better, stronger, happier. I don’t feel a sliver of inadequacy. In fact, with Gunner at my side, I felt nothing but pride in who I’ve become.

It’s a strange feeling—to watch the person you felt destined to be with—walk away with someone else and feel grateful that it’s not you on his arm. A tear rolls down my cheek, and I turn to Gunner.

“I love you.”

He swipes a curl behind my ear and presses his thumb across my cheek, wiping the tear away. “I love you. Is everything okay?”

Another tear falls at the realization that I am genuinely happy for the first time in my life. The journey to this moment in time hasn’t been easy. It has taken me years, but I made it, and I would do it all again to end up here. Now that I know what it is to be utterly free and joyful in one’s skin, I’m never going back to the person I was. Deep down, I know that when Gunner called me his forever, Stanley Cup win or not, he meant it. There’s no doubt in my mind that he’s my forever, and I’m his.

This journey hasn’t been only to find myself. It’s been to find him. “It’s better than okay. Let’s get out of here.”

The corners of his mouth turn up. “That’s what I’m talking about.”

CHAPTER

TWENTY-SIX

GUNNER

Window down, the warm August air hits my arm as I drive toward Penny’s condo. There’s this inexplicable peace surrounding me. This state of being is something I’d never felt until recently, until her. Getting something you never knew existed is surreal. I never knew to wish for this life because I didn’t know it existed. Yet instinctively, I knew to wish for her. She’s always been the key to unlocking this happiness.

Given our start and hatred toward one another, we shouldn’t work. And now… I can’t imagine a life without her by my side. She’s the only one for me. She’s quickly become my entire life. I’ve always felt like a lone island fighting the torrent of the sea, but no more. I have a partner in this life, and it’s so much better.

I’m no longer the closed-off person I was. Penny now knows everything. We’ve talked at length about our pasts and the unfortunate similarity that ties us together—the trauma surrounding our mothers. I held the memories of my mother close to my chest and didn’t share her existence with anyone for years. I thought giving voice to that part of my life would cause a torrent of pain that would swallow me whole. In reality, Penny has given me a safe space to share my love for my mom. Talking about her has brought peace. Denying a voice to such a big part of one’s life is painful. Bringing my mother back to life through stories, both the good and the bad, has healed me when I didn’t know I was broken.

To say that Penny and the love we share has saved my life isn’t an understatement. Sure, without her, I would’ve been alive in the technical term, but I would’ve never known what it feels like to really live. Existing and living are two very separate realities, and I’m so grateful to understand the latter.

I park in Penny’s drive, turn off the car, and grab the pink box from the local bakery and the Trenta-sized Starbucks coffee cup before heading inside.

“Pen!” I call out when I enter.

“In the kitchen!” she calls back, and I hear the clank of dishes being loaded into the dishwasher.

Her distraction gives me time to set the stage. I click on the TV, go to the streaming service, and start season 6, episode 25 of Friends—“The One with the Proposal.” Is this a whole new level of cheese? Yes, it is. But, I’ve always been a go big or go home kind of guy, and if I’m leaning into the romantic cheese, I’m diving in headfirst and slathering that shit everywhere. I do mute it, however, because while it helps to set the stage—it’s not the main event.

Penny enters the living room. Her mouth opens to speak, but she closes it, doing a double take of her favorite show on the television. “What is…” she starts to ask, her voice trailing off when she focuses in on me standing on the other side of the room, a small cake box in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other.

A wide smile graces her beautiful face, and she skips over to me. “You brought me coffee?”

I hold out the large paper cup. “Not just any coffee.”

She takes a sip, and her eyes bulge. “How did you get your hands on a PSL? They don’t release for eight days!”

“I have my ways.” I supply a smug smirk. To be fair, it wasn’t easy getting her a pumpkin spiced latte early. It required Iris’s friend who works at our local Starbucks and her connection to the store manager, a bit of begging on my part, and VIP tickets to a home game for the manager and his friends, along with a thousand-dollar tip. But I would’ve done anything to get her this cup of coffee. “And I got you a present.” I hold out the pink box.

She sets the coffee down on the mantel of the fireplace. “What is this all for?”

“It’s August sixteenth. Our half birthday.”

She chuckles. “We celebrate our half birthday?”

“We do now.” I smile.

“You are the sweetest.” She takes the box from me and opens the lid. She gasps, her eyes filling with tears.

Inside the box are two frosted donuts with sprinkles. There is a candle in each donut, and wrapped around one of the candles is a platinum, three-carat diamond halo cushion-cut engagement ring.

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