Page 102 of Goalie Interference

“You’re here.”

I knew I was grinning like a loon. “I am.”

He dropped another kiss on my lips. “Also, I’m in Austin for the rest of the season, and probably the next one too.”

I did a little jig in place. “That’s great.” It wassogreat. It gave us time to figure ourselves out, individually and as a couple.

“I can tell you the details later. But I’m here this season for another month or so, minimum.”

“Only a month or so?”

“Depends on how the team does in the playoffs. Then the summer off and back again in August.”

“We’ll work it out together?”

“Together. Oh, and I told Otts about us and he’s mostly okay.” Then he kissed me again.

This time I was the one who pulled back, breathless. “I’m taking over String Theory.”

“That’s what you want?”

I loved that his first concern was about how I felt. I nodded. “I’m not going to do the custom builds. Just the repairs.”

He nodded. “I think that’s what you really want to do.”

“It is. Diane says she can retire earlier, since there’s less to transition.”

“Wow. How soon?”

“Maybe six months?”

“Would that give you time to come up to the cottage for a while this summer?”

I felt the hairs on my arms all stand at attention. Remy was thinking of a future. The cottage was important to him. Here, in Austin, he’d seen my life. And by asking me to join him this summer, he was inviting me further into his. I’d go as far as he let me.

“I’ll make sure it’s in the contract.” Not just with Diane but for anything I’d do in future.

Epilogue

Yo yourself

Remy

I crossed my ankles on the porch railing, chair tilted back against the wall of the cottage on the remote Ontario lake that was usually my home for the summer. The only sounds to reach me were the gentle lapping of the water on the shore, the call of birds, an occasional splash of fish feeding. A light breeze rustled the leaves, shifting shadows over the lawn sloping down to the lake in front of me. This area wasn’t developed, no road or hydro lines in place, so the waters were rarely disturbed by motorboats full of noisy people. It was calm and peaceful. My whole body relaxed into a zen-like state.

Then my phone rang, ripping through the silence.

I dropped the chair down, grabbing for my phone. Beast grumbled, but I ignored him as I saw it was the call I’d been waiting for. “Yo.”

“Yo yourself. I’ve just crossed the Ontario/Manitoba border. It’s beautiful.”

Sophie’s voice soothed me but also made me impatient. I’d been up here at the cottage for a couple of weeks, getting it ready for the summer and for her. I wanted her to love it the way I did, and I’d scrubbed the place beyond anything it had seen before. But damn, I’d missed her more than hockey.

“It is.” I loved it out here for a reason. “So, I’ll see you in a couple of hours?”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

“Me too.” I wanted to tell her I’d been counting down the hours and now was at the point of counting minutes. That she was in my thoughts every waking moment. But I wasn’t good at the words.

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