Page 148 of Play Book

I open the door cautiously, hoping there isn’t something else that needs fixing.

“Hey, Gina.”

“Hi.” She hands me an envelope. “I, uh, well, Joel and I are getting divorced, so I’ve written you a check for the next two months’ rent. The lease says we can get out of it if we give you three months to find a new tenant, so between two months there and one month’s security… are we good?”

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” I say sincerely. “And yes, don’t even worry about it.”

“Joel’s already moved out and I’m packing up my stuff now.”

“I’m sorry but thank you for letting me know what’s going on.”

She nods. “It’s for the best.”

Canyon pulls up as we’re talking, and she waves at him. “Hi, Canyon. See you later. And thanks for everything, Saylor.”

“Bye, Gina.”

“What was that about?” Canyon asks, following me inside.

I wave the check at him. “She just gave me her notice. They’re moving out!”

“For real? That’s great. Right?”

“It is. It means you can move out of your condo and I can put this place up for sale and we can buy something new. Together.”

He nods thoughtfully. “I’ve got a lot going on right now, babe, so I may not have time to move until summer.”

“Don’t worry about anything. We’ll find someone to handle it. I’ll pack up your stuff and Ally’s, and we’ll sell anything you don’t want or need. I’m happy to pick up the slack. And I won’t put my place on the market until after hockey season, so we have a place to live.”

“Have I told you how much I love you lately?”

“Nope. But I’m listening.”

He laughs, scooping me up in his arms. “I’m going to show you instead.”

“I like the sound of that.”

He grins and kicks the bedroom door shut behind us.

EPILOGUE

Canyon

Fifteen Years Later

The church is packed.

Friends, family, former teammates—they’re all here.

It feels like a magical day, yet I’m nervous as fuck.

I straighten the jacket of my tuxedo and look around as Saylor peeks her head through the door.

“She’s ready,” she says softly, smiling. “Are you?”

“I don’t know that I’ll ever be ready,” I admit, reaching for her.

She puts a hand on the side of my face, gently stroking my cheek with her thumb. “She’s happy. In love. Like us.”

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