Page 88 of Bar Down

For Christmas,Eli comes to Grand Marquee, and the two of us go over to Robbie and Olivia’s house as they host their first holiday dinner. A week later, I get called back up to Detroit.

My Detroit teammates are a bit wary of me now. They think I’m a little wild, which in truth, I am, but thankfully no one has complained about Eli and I being a couple. Since Eli addressed it head on, the article died down quickly, and with it so did any rumors. While there are still nasty comments out there about us and our relationship, that’s not something we want to focus on. Instead, we’re focusing on our promising future on and off the ice.

January

After the NewYear’s game, I’m up for another week where we travel to Canada for a stint of games. The news that Nadison is retiring is not shocking, but it does mean our schedules willcontinue to be chaotic as Eli signs a three-year contract with the NHL.

He flies his parents and brother to Detroit for the first game after he signs the contract and we all go out to dinner at one of our favorite restaurants, Leila. His family is proud of him and excited for his career to take off and I can finally apologize to them in person for outing their son. They’re just as forgiving as Eli and we quickly bond all over again. They seem happy for us both, and I shouldn’t have expected anything less.

February

During the all-star break,we end up going back to Traverse City, sharing a room at the cabin and hanging out with our friends.

In a shocking twist of events, Jordan flies up into town and joins us at the cabin for two days. While his interactions with Alice are awkward as she mostly avoids him, he seems to fit right back in with the rest of us.

We snowboard, we play board games, we drink hot cocoa and we mostly catch up. All of us have such hectic lives that we end up giving each other powerpoint presentations of what the last six months of our lives have looked like.

Robbie has been making a huge difference in the community with the youth foundation. Olivia has been kicking ass as an AHL referee. Alice has been writing a book and blowing up on social media after she shared a snippet of it. And Jordan has mostly been depressed in Texas, even though he does a good job of hiding it. At least he’s stayed in contact with us since we reconnected at Thanksgiving.

March

“Signed, sealed and delivered,”I say, closing my laptop and taking a few steps to join Eli on the too small bed in his too small apartment.

His smile is so wide that his dimple is showing and my mouth immediately finds the spot to kiss it. “I hope you’re not sick of me yet, I’m about to be in this bed with you for another few weeks at least.”

“I could never be sick of you,” Eli says and pulls me down to cuddle, one of his hands cradling the back of my neck. I melt into his touch and lean in for a kiss. He tastes like the non-alcoholic sparkling drink we opened to celebrate. “I’m so proud of you,ilo.You deserved that contract.”

“Even if it’s only for two years?” I ask, a bit of anxiety creeping in.What if they trade me at the end of the two years and Eli and I get separated anyway? What if?—

“Stop,” Eli says, pulling me closer into his embrace. “I can basically hear your thoughts, and I can already tell you that no matter what happens, I’m not going anywhere.”

I sigh and look around the small apartment. “Think I can move in here for the rest of the season?” I ask, half joking.

“I was thinking…” Eli says, biting his lip. I wait for a response but his confidence starts to waver.

“What were you thinking?”

“Do you know the condo right next to Juuse?”

“The one with the bright blue door? Who paints their door?”

Eli laughs. “Don’t get hung up on the color now. Yes, that place. Juuse told me it’s available for rent.”

“Okay, and?” I ask, not knowing what that has to do with us.

He gives me a deadpan look and waits.

And waits.

Oh.Oh.

“You want us to… Together?”

“Yes,kultsi. Together. What do you think?

Instead of answering with words, I tackle him with my body and drop kisses on every inch of exposed skin I can find.God, I can’t wait to live with my boyfriend.

June

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