Page 335 of Playing the Pucking Game
People shuffle around and footsteps move closer.
For a moment, I think it’s Linc standing in front of me. But as I breathe in, I know it’s not. It's someone else I know just as well.
“Surprise,” a deep, very familiar voice rumbles, and I rip my blindfold off long before anyone has a chance and jump into my brother’s arms. “Happy birthday, PK.” I squeeze him so freakinghard. Not that he probably feels it because the man is built like a tank.
“I can’t believe you’re here. How?” I ask as I pull back from him, lifting my hands to wipe my eyes.
“Well, there are these things called airplanes,” he mocks.
Lifting my hand, I smack his shoulder, but the second my hand connects, I freeze.
My eyes drop to what he’s wearing, and I swear my heart stops.
“Rett,” I breathe.
“This might surprise you, but I’m not actually the surprise. Not really.”
“What are you saying?” I ask, hoping that I’m not putting two and two together and coming up with eight.
“Look at your cell,” he demands, his eyes holding mine firm.
“Uh…okay.” I reach behind me and pull it from my pocket.
I hold Rett’s eyes a little longer before I wake it up and look down.
Since Linc announced our relationship to the world, I’ve turned off almost all my notifications. My socials are too wild for that now, and mostly, I’d rather not know what’s being said on them. But there are a few apps I still have alerts on for, and the one at the very top of my screen is the most important.
The NHL app.
And what’s the top story right now?
Everett Donnelly has been traded to the LA Vipers.
“Holy shit, Rett,” I gasp, my eyes flooding with tears as I read the words I didn’t think I’d ever get to.
My vision is blurry as I stare up at him.
“You’re coming home?”
“I’m coming home,” he agrees, his voice rough with emotion.
“Turn around,” I demand, desperate to see it.
He smiles and ducks his head before he spins.
And there, right before my eyes, is my big brother’s childhood dream stretched across his wide shoulders.
Donnelly. Seventy-Seven.
Well, I guess it’s true what they say. Dreams really do come true.
Freya
The sound of laughter fills the air as I move around Casey’s kitchen a couple of hours later. The party has been incredible, and Parker has loved every second of it, but my social battery is depleted. There was a time not so long ago when every single day of my life was spent surrounded by other people. It never used to bother me too much back then, but I think that was more so because I didn’t have a choice.
Now that I’m home and everything has changed all over again, I’m finding myself enjoying my own company in a way I was never able to before. I craved the excitement the buzz, but now…now I want to disappear and hide in any way I can.
After transferring all the leftover food onto a handful of plates, I stack the others and place them beside the sink.
