Page 101 of From Wink to Kink

Suddenly, the room erupts in cheers and applause. I bury my face in Chuck's chest, feeling a blush creep up my cheeks.

"Guess cat's out of the bag," he laughs.

I peek up at him, unable to contain my smile. "Ya think?"

Before he can respond, we're swarmed by well-wishers. The Aftershocks players are clapping Chuck on the back, while their wives and girlfriends are peppering me with questions. Even Brad-or-Brett from the singles table offers his congratulations, though he looks a bit put out.

"I knew it!" Veronica, the blonde who was trying to set Chuck up earlier, exclaims. "The way you two were looking at each other all night—it was so obvious!"

I laugh, still tucked securely in Chuck's arms. "Was it? We thought we were being so discreet."

He grins down at me. "Guess we're not as good as we thought, huh?"

Before I can reply, there's a commotion at the edge of the crowd. Tyler and Lucy are making their way toward us, and for a moment, I feel a pang of guilt. This is their day, after all.

But when they reach us, Lucy immediately pulls me into a hug. "I'm so happy for you!" she squeals.

Tyler, meanwhile, is eyeing Chuck with mock severity. "So, Newcomb. You and my sister, huh?"

Like they haven’t already had this conversation. I know my brother.

Chuck straightens, his arm still around my waist. "You know it, brother. And like I promised you, I'll do everything in my power to make her happy."

Tyler holds the stern look for a moment longer before breaking into a grin. "Just remember, Chuck—you hurt her, I'll end you. Teammate or not."

"Fair enough," Chuck laughs.

As the excitement dies down and people disperse back to their tables or the bar, Chuck and I find ourselves alone again in the middle of the dance floor.

"Well," I say, looking up at him, "that wasn't quite how I imagined letting the cat out of the bag. But I suppose it worked."

Chuck raises an eyebrow. "Regrets?"

I pretend to think about it for a moment, then shake my head. "Not a single one. You?"

"Are you kidding?" He pulls me closer. "I get to tell the world that I'm in love with an amazing woman.”

We sway to the music, lost in our own little bubble of happiness. From mistaken retreat bookings to secret rendezvous, from denying our feelings to this very public declaration of coupledom, it’s been a whirlwind of ups and downs, of doubts and certainties.

I’m surprised I survived it all.

It hasn't been easy, and I know we still have challenges ahead. But right here, right now, with Chuck's arms around me and the approval of our friends and family ringing in my ears, I am happy.

As the night wears on, we dance and laugh and celebrate, not just Tyler and Lucy's love, but our own. And when Chuck leans down to whisper "I love you" in my ear for what must be the hundredth time, I know I'll never tire of hearing it.

The future is uncertain, filled with potential hurdles—the public scrutiny of dating a sports star, the challenge of merging our different worlds, the everyday struggles that come with any relationship. But as I look up at Chuck, seeing the warmth and determination in his eyes, I know we'll face it all together.

And really, that's all that matters.

EPILOGUE

Six months later…

I never thought I'd see the day when Chuck Newcomb, star hockey player and self-proclaimed ‘sports guy,’ would be the main attraction at a library event. Yet here we are, in the main reading room of the San Francisco Public Library, with Chuck holding court like he was born for this.

"And then," he says, his voice animated as he reads from a children's book about hockey, "Timmy stepped onto the ice for the very first time. His legs were wobbly, like a newborn giraffe's, but his heart was full of determination..."

The kids gathered around him are hanging on his every word, their eyes wide with excitement. Parents and other adults crowd the periphery, many clutching books or jerseys for Chuck to sign later.

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