Page 118 of Goalie's Obsession

“This was about Ethan owning his shit. About giving him a way back into something that mattered. About giving him something good again without needing others to put out the fires that he fucking starts. But mostly?”

My throat tightens, and for once, I don’t run from it.

“It was about you.”

Her perfect pink lips part, eyes widening so I can see every tiny detail in those beautiful depths.

“For me,” I say, stepping in until there’s barely space between us. “You’re it, Lucy. Always have been.”

She blinks fast, the light from the mural washing her in this warm, golden light that makes her look even more irresistible than when she had that damn dress on at the gala.

My pulse hammers so hard I can feel it in my teeth.

“Baby, I’ve spent years hiding behind the mask. The cocky goalie. The guy with the playoff beard and all the jokes. I've always been the guy who didn’t need anything.” I shake my head. “But I do. I need you.”

She whispers, “I need you too, Connor.”

Her words are soft, like she’s afraid they’ll break if she speaks any louder. But I feel every syllable.

"And I can't thank you enough for what you've done,” she adds, stepping in close, her hands sliding up my chest. “And I understand that tonight wasn’t just about Ethan getting clean. Or the league clearing our names. You said it… this wasn’t even about hockey.”

“No. It wasn't.”

She smiles back at me. “It was aboutfamily.”

My heart stumbles.

“I’ve spent my whole life ashamed of where I came from,” she says, her voice low but certain. “Trying to outrun the Daniels name. Trying to build somethingseparatefrom all of that. But tonight…”

She looks up at me, her eyes glassy.

“Tonight, I looked around that arena and saw something I never expected. I sawhome. Not the mansion I grew up in. Not the name on my old ID. Butthis—you, Ethan, Blake, Logan, Sophia, Natalie… even Ryder, on his good days.”

Her smile wobbles as we both laugh.

“I’ve never been proud of my family before,” she says. “But now? I am. Because you're all here. I finally know what it feels like to belong.”

Her hand curls into my hoodie, right over my heart.

“And that’s all because of you, Connor. You made this happen. You never gave up on me.”

I press my forehead to hers, eyes closed, trying to breathe around the swell of emotion in my chest.

“I didn’t do it alone,” I whisper.

“You didn’t have to,” she says. “That’s kind of the point, isn’t it?”

And damn it, I’m in love with her.

So completely, helplessly in love that I know I’ll never get over her.

I tug Lucy's hand, leading her toward the back exit where my truck's parked. The hallway's quiet now, just our footsteps and the hum of the lights above us. Her fingers lace through mine, warm and so fucking perfect, like they've always belonged there.

Near the exit doors, I pause, drinking in the sight of her.

Her hair's messy from running her hands through it all night, her cheeks still flushed from the emotion of everything. She's never looked more beautiful.

My lips curve into a grin. "You ready to get out of here, Lucy Daniels?"

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