Page 130 of Puck Struck
"I think," he says slowly, "that this is your family home. If anyone should be thinking about moving out, it's me."
"No. Absolutely no way. This is your home too. You’re all staying."
"Logan, it’s fine. You don’t have to take care of us for the rest of your life. We will be fine, especially knowing you’re finally getting the happiness and life you deserve," Tessa says.
"You guys are part of that happiness. And I’m glad you’ll be fine, but I won’t be if you leave. I'm serious. This house is too big for one person anyway. Ethan loves it here. You've got youroffice space, he's got his room set up exactly how he likes it. And Cam..." I turn to look at him, taking his hand and bringing it to my lips for a kiss. "I want you here. Permanently. I want to wake up next to you every morning and fall asleep with you every night. I want us to be a family."
Cam's eyes widen slightly. “Are you asking me to?—?”
I grin. “Relax. I’m not proposing. And I know it's fast. I know we're still figuring things out. But I've never been surer of anything." My heart pounds as I say the words I've been thinking for weeks. "Move in with me. Officially. Make this our home."
Ethan’s pencil moving furiously over the sketchpad is the only sounds in the room right now. He doesn’t look up from his work, but I know the kid is listening. He always is.
"Are you sure?" Cam finally asks. "Like, really sure? Because once I move my stuff in, I might never leave."
"That's the idea."
His smile blinds me. "Okay. Yes. I want that too."
"Good." I reach for his hand with my working arm. "Because I already cleaned out half my closet for your clothes."
"You reorganized closet space before asking me to move in?"
"I like to be prepared."
Tessa snorts. "You reorganized closet space while on pain medication and under doctor's orders to rest."
"Details."
"You're ridiculous," Cam says, but he's glowing, excitement glittering in his heated gaze. "I love you."
"I love you too."
Ethan looks up from his drawing. "Does this mean Cam's going to be here all the time now?"
"If that's okay with you," Cam says.
"That would be great. We can play dinosaurs together. Youcan help me with my homework, too. And maybe you can teach me to draw hockey players!"
"Deal," Cam laughs. “Sounds like a great plan.”
A couple of hours later, after Tessa puts Ethan to bed and disappears into her room to give us privacy, Cam and I sit alone on the couch in the dim light of the room. My head is in his lap while he reads on his phone, his free hand running through my hair in that way that makes my belly flutter.
"Can I ask you something?" I say, looking up at him.
"Always."
"Do you ever regret it? Giving up your anonymity? Doing the press conference and telling your story changed everything for you."
He’s silent for a minute, his expression pensive. "Sometimes I miss how simple things were before, like when my biggest worry was whether I'd make the starting lineup." He drops his gaze down to me. "But no, I don't regret it. Secrets have power only if you let them. And besides, it all led to this."
"This?"
"You. Us. This life we're building. You made me not want to run and hide." His fingers trace my jawline. "I'd make the same choice a hundred times over if it meant ending up here."
"Even though I'm a grumpy recovering patient who can't shower alone?"
"Especially because you're a grumpy recovering patient who reorganizes closets on pain medication." He leans down and kisses me softly on the tip of my nose. "You're mine, Logan Shaw. Shoulder injury, control issues, and all."
