Page 42 of Puck You Not

“Yes, Avie, I do.I was thinking… The beginning of September, before preseason begins.”

“Parrish, that’s less than three months away.”

“We can make it small.These three, Nash and Porter and some of our other friends.We’ll hire a planner, have it at the house.Our yard is plenty big for one of those event tents.”

“You’ve thought through everything,” I said quietly.

“More than you know.”

“What do you mean?”I asked suspiciously.

“You’ll see,” he promised.

“But—”

The GPS interrupted me, telling Parrish to turn onto the highway.

Admittedly, I breathed a sigh of relief once we were on the interstate, and then Parrish did one of the things he did best—he distracted me by turning the conversation to something else.

It wasn’t until hours later when his siblings were settled in their room adjoining ours, and we were alone, that the subject was revisited.

“Do you think they got enough to eat?Maybe, we should take them for dessert or something,” I said as I closed the curtains of our third-floor hotel room.

Parrish didn’t say anything.When I turned to see if he’d dropped off to sleep in the chair where he’d been sitting, I gasped.He was right behind me, on one knee.

“It’s not the most romantic of places, but I’ve been carrying this around for weeks, waiting for the right time.And, baby girl, I can’t have you doubting me or wondering if we’ll get married.Not anymore.I need you to know—”

“I knew,” I interrupted.“I mean… I was waiting.But I knew you’d ask sometime.”

“Well, I’m asking now.Avalon Warner…will you marry me?Be my wife?”He held up a sparkling ring, a large diamond surrounded by several smaller diamonds.

I nodded.It had been him for me since the day he’d rescued me from my crazy roommate’s eviction.Honestly, it had been him for me since our third email.We just hadn’t known it.

“Yeah.Yes.Yes, Parrish.I want to marry you more than anything.”

He stood and slipped the ring onto my finger, then in total Parrish fashion, turned me over his shoulder and carried me to bed.

“Let’s celebrate,” he said, coming down over me.

And we did.

Epilogue Two

Parrish

Three Years Later

The ice rasped beneath my skates as I raced across the ice toward the goal, ready to help drive the puck into the net or create a diversion so one of my wingers could do it.We were second line so we didn’t get as much ice time as the first line, but that didn’t mean we couldn’t get the job done.And with the game tied and seconds to go, it was time to score.

From the corner of my eye, I saw my left winger, Bakeman, breaking free from the defenseman blocking him.I immediately shifted into position to assist.The puck flew my way, and I took it and headed toward the net, Bakeman and the right winger, Warner, flanking me.I spun and passed to Warner while Bakeman skated behind the net.The puck came back to me and before the other team’s goalie could clock Bakeman’s position, I passed to him and my teammate sent the puck flying right past the goalie’s shoulder.Score!

The horn for the goal sounded followed immediately by the horn to end the game.

We won!

I immediately sought out Avalon, who sat in the middle of the lower bowl of seats, along with the other WAGs, who were all on their feet cheering.She pointed at me, yellingYeah!and I tapped my chest then pointed back.

Then I was swept away with the team celebration as Bakeman slammed into me, then several of our teammates joined the fray.In triumph, we headed for the lockers to clean-up and do interviews.The sport’s reporters usually focused on our captain and the scorers for the night.Since I’d only assisted, I figured I was probably in the clear.I just wanted to find my wife and work off some of the adrenaline from the game.As amped up as I was, it would probably take a lot, but Avalon was always happily willing.

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