Page 163 of Lucky Shot
Nick and I share a concerned look. I accept the call and put him on speakerphone.
“Hey, Trav. Everything okay?”
“Yeah, yeah. I have a quick question for you.”
“Me?” I ask.
“Yeah.”
“O-kay.”
“Is love at first sight a thing?”
“Excuse me?”
Nick groans and falls back onto the couch beside me.
“You’re an expert on love and romance, so I trust your judgment,” he says as if that explains this bizarre phone call.
“I don’t know aboutlovelove, but yes, I think you can have chemistry with someone from the moment you lock eyes,” I say.
Nick’s lips pull up at the corners. “Me, right?” he whispers.
I’m transported back to the airport, me babbling and him with his grumpy, stoic expression.
“I definitely felt a spark of something,” I whisper back, then lean forward and press my lips to his.
“Why?” I ask when Travis falls silent on the other end.
“Because I just met my new neighbor and I’m pretty sure I’m in love.”
EPILOGUE
NICK
The roads are covered with fresh snow and the mountains look like something out of a postcard. I pull into the driveway and cut the engine. It feels good to be home. We had a three-game road trip. Two games in California and one in Washington. We won all three, but it still feels like the real trophy is waiting for me inside.
As I push open the front door and step inside, Aidan’s voice calls out from the living room.
“Dad!” He stands, guitar in hand.
“Hey!” I aim my smile at him, then at Ruby. She’s curled up in her favorite chair with several blankets wrapped around her and her computer situated on her lap. A fire is going, and she has a space heater next to her.
Aidan meets me halfway and stretches his arms around my waist.
“Did you grow another inch while I was gone?” Sometime over the past few months he shot up and doesn’t show any signs of stopping.
“No.” He giggles into my chest. I hug him to me, breathing deeper than I have since I left. There’s nothing more groundingthan getting to be his dad. Any time I leave for an extended amount of time, I’m hit with that reality all over again. Watching him grow and become his own person is such an honor.
Ruby gets up from the chair with one of the blankets draped over her shoulders. Winter has been an adjustment for her. She never leaves the house without at least three layers, including a hat, scarf, gloves, and long underwear. Doesn’t sound sexy, but it’s a lot of fun peeling her out of all of it.
“Welcome home.” She rises up on her toes to kiss me. I circle one arm around her waist to pull her to me.
“Ooh, you’re cold.” She shivers into my mouth.
“Speaking of the cold, the lake froze over.”
“Can we go skating?” Aidan asks almost as soon as the news is out of my mouth. He sets his guitar on the couch and brings his hands up in front of him, begging like he did when he was younger. I don’t know how many more years he’ll do things like plead to go skating with me, but I plan to take advantage of it for as long as he does.
