Page 90 of Offside and Off-Limits
I don’t take my eyes from him, watching as he raises his stick in the air in celebration, gliding across the ice, a broad grin plastered across his face. His teammates pile on top of him, congratulating him on his incredible game-winning shot. He emerges from the huddle, gliding over to our side of the ice, when he raises his stick and taps the plexiglass, his gaze capturing mine as he mouths, “For you.”
My heart leaps, and as Keira nudges me with her elbow, Igaze back at Cade with the goofiest grin, and I swear something just did a joyful leap somewhere south of my ribs.
I'm in love with a man who can make an entire building lose its collective mind with a single shot, a man who I once wrote off as an overgrown man-child. A tear slips down my cheek as the arena continues to roar around us, the celebration feeling like it might go on forever.
Watching the man I love triumph, not just on the ice, but in claiming us in as public a way as his victory feels like the culmination of everything we've fought for. I press my hand to my heart, feeling it thunder beneath my palm. I know that no matter what challenges await us, no matter what the future holds, we've already won something far more precious than any game.
We’ve won each other.
CHAPTER 20
CADE
Crammingthis many people into Clara’s home was going to be like trying to fit the entire Ice Breakers team onto a Zamboni, which is why we’re all here at my place today. The November sun is weak in the sky, the large windows showcasing the view of the trees, bathed in soft light. The football game on the big screen above the fireplace is on, even though no one’s paying much attention to it, my living room full of family, both Clara’s and mine, congregated here today to celebrate Thanksgiving.
Looking around at the quiet chaos, I’ve come a long way since last Thanksgiving, when I was totallyover the life I’d created for myself, contemplating a move to this small town in Washington state I now call home. Now, I cannot imagine having a Thanksgiving any other way.
Benny is showing my nephew, Oliver, his Max Griffin toy—once a “collectible” but since having spent the last two months out of its packaging, going on adventures with Benny including ending up in the bathtub a couple times, definitely reduced to “toy” status—telling him all aboutThe Timekeeper Chroniclesand why Max is the hero of the series. Oliver is a few years younger than Benny and is hanging on his every word. I make myself a mental note to talk to Oliver later. Everyone knows the true hero of the comic book series isn’t a hero at all but a heroine by the name of Zara Kazan.
I think Benny and I will have to choose to disagree on that one.
Hannah is in her full-on big sister mode, sitting at Bess as she shows my niece, Olivia, how to play the Taylor Swift song “Enchanted” that she and I played together for Show Quest a few days ago. Helping her overcome her stage fright was such a satisfying feeling for me, and yeah, it was pretty dang good when Clara’s dropkick of an ex got all antsy with me after the show about it. Well, not to my face exactly. I find guys like him with the big talk and swagger rarely front up in person.
Coward.
Hannah didn’t win the overall event. That honor went to Leo Garibaldi, although I’ve already agreed with Hannah, we’ll do our darndest to beat him next year. But she did win Best Duet, and she insisted I get up on the stage with her to receive her award.
I’m not going to lie. It felt amazing.
My sister Tori, her husband Lionel, and my mom are still a little starstruck despite having been here for the last hour, although it’s not just thanks to me, Dawson Hayes, or Dan Roberts, the resident hockey pros in the room. Dan and Emmy’s brother, Ethan, is here and not only is he a huge Netflix star onone of my favorite shows,It Came One Winter, but his wife is a princess. As in a literal princess. King and queen for parents, a sister-in-law who’s a queen of a country called Malveaux, and a tiara collection the women have shown way too much interest in.
That said, Princess Amelia is a total sweetheart and is as down to earth as the rest of us, even if her life is a little moregold-plated state dinnerthanpizza night in sweatpants.
Clara is adding a layer of marshmallows to the deep dish filled with yams, and I come up behind her, sliding my hands around her little waist and breathing in her soft floral scent. “Mind if I take one?” I ask, reaching onto the marshmallow bag.
But she’s too quick for me, pulling the bag away before I can dip into it, spinning around in my arms.
“How many times do I have to tell you? You’ll spoil your appetite,” she teases, her eyes sparkling with mirth.
I throw her my best smile, which she’s been known to describe as “knee-weakening,” much to my delight. “Please may I have one?” I say, adjusting my hold on her so I can feel her soft curves pressed against me.
“Since you asked so nicely.” She reaches up and places a marshmallow in my mouth, and I bite down on it, enjoying its soft, gooey sweetness, my eyes trained on her. “You tried one of these?”
“I don’t want to spoilmyappetite,” she replies.
“You should, Triple. They’re delicious. I’ve got an idea.” I lean down and press a sweet, marshmallow-y kiss against her soft lips.
“Mm. You’re right, honey. Delicious,” she murmurs.
It’s been the best part of two months since I inadvertently made a fool of myself at the Inaugural Bash when I made my big announcement that I would walk away from my contract with the Ice Breakers if Clara lost her job over our relationship. I got ribbed mercilessly by the guys for weeks after, but you know what? I would do it all again because I meant every word of it. Iwould have walked away if Management had been short sighted enough to let Clara go. That's how much she means to me.
Since then, our love has only deepened, and spending time with not only the woman I love, but with her kids, too, has shown me what I missed out on all those years. I was so busy dodging commitment and not allowing myself to feel anything for a woman beyond attraction, now that I have it, I feel sorry for that guy. That kind of lifestyle can only last so long before it begins to feel empty, and now, looking out at our blended family, I know I'm exactly where I want to be.
“Hey, you two. This is a family show,” Dawson says as he steals a marshmallow from the bag and quickly returns to the living room.
“I can’t help it,” I reply with a shrug. “Clara’s the woman of my dreams.” She snort laughs. “What?”
“You’re telling me the woman of your dreams has next to no money, two kids, a horrible ex, and CFS?”
