Page 60 of Snowed In With the PUCK

In that moment, surrounded by friends, I feel a sense of hope for the year ahead.

“Thanks for being here for me tonight,” I say softly to Jessica, who’s sitting close by. “After everything with my mom, it really means a lot.”

“Always,” she replies, her eyes sincere. “You’re not alone, Eric. You’ve got me and the rest of the crew here.”

“I mean it. I would never have met Linda without you. I needed you, and you were there for me.” I lean in and give her a quick, chaste kiss. When I pull back, her cheeks are flushed pink, and it’s not from the alcohol in her drink.

At that moment, Jake stands up, pulling Allie to her feet. “Okay you two lovebirds. Looks like it’s time for us all to call it a night.”

I share a look with Jessica that says Jake couldn’t be more right. The rest of the ways I want to show Jessica my feelings most certainly cannot be done in public. For us, the night is just beginning.

Chapter thirty

Jessica

The flight back toColorado is quiet, contemplative. The snowy peaks below stretch endlessly under the sky, and as Eric dozes beside me, I replay the whirlwind of the last few days. Meeting his mom in Las Vegas was emotional, intense—and yet, it seemed to bring him a kind of closure he hadn’t expected. Seeing him finally get answers felt like witnessing a part of him come home. I feel closer to him, grounded in ways I hadn’t expected.

Eric stirs, his head lifting from his shoulder. He blinks, his groggy gaze meeting mine as he stretches. “We back yet?” he mumbles with a grin.

“Almost,” I whisper, smiling. “Just a little more snow and a quick drive, and then we’re home.”

The plane touches down in Denver, and as we step off, the sharp bite of cold hits us immediately, a stark contrast to the Vegas sun. A few scattered flurries drift down, and Eric lets out a breath that hangs in the air, watching it with a bemused look.

“Colorado knows how to make you feel alive, doesn’t it?” he murmurs, pulling his jacket tighter. I laugh, nodding in agreement.

The ride home from the airport is smooth, the roads icy but manageable. Eric is at the wheel, his hand resting casually on the gearshift as he drives, and I settle into the rhythm of the drive, watching the snow-covered trees blur by. Every now and then, he glances over, his smile relaxed and easy.

“So, are you excited to be back? To start the new year in Colorado?” I ask, curious.

“Yeah,” he says with a soft chuckle. “Vegas was a lot. Good, but a lot. I think I needed it, though.” He pauses, taking a steadying breath. “Having Linda in my life feels like the start of something different, something better.”

I nod, watching him carefully. “You mean like maybe finding some peace with your grandparents’ decisions… and your mom’s?”

“Yeah,” he replies, his gaze fixed on the road. “I think that’s part of it. And being back here… I don’t know. It’s weird; I’m starting to feel like this could be home.”

My heart skips, and I bite my lip, gathering the courage to say what I’ve been wondering for a while now. “Would you ever consider…staying in Colorado long term? I mean, Kip offered you a contract to stay with the Avalanche.”

Eric’s eyes flicker over to mine, a glint of surprise mixed with something unreadable. He’s silent for a moment, and I brace myself, wondering if I’ve overstepped so soon after his world being flipped upside down by meeting Linda. But then he sighs, his gaze softening.

I can’t get over how mature he seems since meeting his mom. I think there was something inside him that was always churning, always ill at ease, always knowing that there was a big piece of his life that was missing. And now, it’s been found.

“It’s crossed my mind,” he admits slowly. “It’s not that I don’t want to. I mean, the Avalanche—they’ve got a solid team, a good culture, and a damn good chance of positioning me to lead them to the playoffs. But…” He trails off, his grip on the steering wheel tightening.

“But Nashville hurt you?” I finish for him, realizing this is more than just a new contract for him. He feels betrayed. I don’t know why I didn’t pick up on this before. I watch him closely.

He nods, his expression hardening. “It’s not just that they traded me. They painted this narrative that I was uncommitted, unstable—even a liability. It spread like wildfire, and I can’t get rid of the feeling that signing with anyone else, especiallyso soon, will make it seem like they were right. Like I’m just bouncing from team to team.”

I reach over, placing my hand on his arm. “Eric, you know that’s not true. You work harder than anyone I know. You’re anything but a liability.”

His mouth curves into a small smile, but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “Thanks, Jess. I know you believe that. But signing with the Avalanche feels like a big commitment, and I just don’t know if I’m ready to put myself out there again like that. Not yet anyway.”

I nod, understanding but also feeling a quiet ache in my chest. I want him here, and the idea that he might leave again brings a sense of dread I haven’t felt in a long time. “So…what would it take for you to feel ready?”

He shrugs, his gaze distant. “I don’t know. Time, maybe? Or maybe just a little more faith that this…could be my place. I don’t want to go through another mess like Nashville. It’s like I gave them everything, and they just tossed me aside. You know?”

I nod, biting back the urge to argue, to insist that this is different. But I know this is his decision, one he has to come to on his own terms.

The road stretches on, and we slip into a comfortable silence. Snowflakes begin to fall more heavily, creating a soft white blanket on the surrounding ground. When we finally pull intothe driveway, the house looks inviting, warm lights spilling from the windows.

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