Page 40 of Puck You Not

“And you’ll come with me to Michigan in June to get my brother and sisters?The girls will definitely want a female presence to support them, someone to show them life outside of that existence.”

It didn’t pass my notice that he’d totally shifted my attention from my sister’s surprise wedding and onto our future, giving me the distraction I’d asked for—giving me so much more.He was scheduling our future and making it clear we were together in it.

“Yes.I can’t wait to meet them,” I agreed.

His grip around me tightened.“And after graduation?Do you have a job lined up, or can you move with me to Charleston?”

“No job yet.”

“You can write.Show your family, just like I’m showing mine.Or…” He winked.“Be my trophy girlfriend…eventually my trophy wife.”

“Parrish,” I laughed.

“I mean, look at this cute ass.Total WAG material.”

I narrowed my eyes at him.“I am not twerking.”

“WAGs are wives and girlfriends.”He kissed me quickly before pulling me into the shower and pressing me up against the cool tiles.“Don’t worry, baby girl.I’ll get you up to speed on all the hockey lingo.”

I wrapped my arms and legs around him as he lifted me.“All I care about is you.”His arousal pushed into my folds, and I groaned.“You’re gonna be late for practice.”

“Don’t care.The extra laps will be totally worth it.Now, take the captain’s cock like a good girl.”

A thrill went through me.“Whatever you want, Captain.”

And as he thrust, showing me exactly what he wanted, I saw stars…and the unexpected bright future lain out before us.

Who would have guessed a misdirected email from a stranger wouldlandme with the man of my dreams?Not me.But wow, was I thankful it had.

Epilogue One

Avalon

Three Months Later

Nerves tumbled around in my stomach as Parrish drove his new Expedition SUV, which he’d purchased with his signing bonus, toward his former high school in his home town.The parking lot was empty, except for two pickup trucks, one shiny and new while the other was older and covered in mud.Four people stood near the fronts of the vehicles.

Parrish gripped my hand.“That’s them, along with my old coach.”

“Are you ready for this?”

“Yeah.”He nodded as he said it.“Ready for a long time.”

Still, his hand trembled, and I felt the emotions he tamped down while he tried to hold himself together for this reunion with his siblings.It was something I’d never get, but as I’d talked to Parrish, and Nash, about the shitty things my sister and brother had done to me over the years, I felt less like I’d ever want to see them again.We were too different, and for my peace, I’d have to love them from far away.

Parrish and I could give all our love to his brother and sisters, instead.

“I’m glad you had a break in training this week, so we could come here right on the twins’ birthday,” I said as he pulled up in front of the trucks.The girls both wore long skirts with white blouses, their hair, the same light brown as Parrish’s, hanging in long waves to their waists.His brother had dark brown hair, freckles, and a slighter build than my man, but otherwise, he looked like a younger version of my boyfriend.

“Yeah,” Parrish agreed.“That was really lucky.”He took a deep breath then released it.“Let’s go get our family.”

He hopped out of the SUV, and I followed, hanging slightly back.I watched as he strode confidently to his siblings and pulled them all into a hug for the first time in years.

“I knew you’d come back for us,” the younger of the two girls, Sutton, said into his shoulder.Her older sister, Winslow, openly cried while their brother, Thatcher, blinked his glassy eyes, but didn’t let the tears fall.Moisture burned my own eyes as I watched the reunion.After the long group hug, they parted, and Parrish reached to shake his former coach’s hand.

“The pros, huh?”the man said, looking like a proud parent.And I supposed if anyone besides Parrish had a hand in getting him to where he was, it was this man who’d fought so hard for him.

“Yeah.Thanks to you.I never would have made it if you hadn’t seen the spark in me way back when.”

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