Page 132 of Bountiful
“Right. Sorry. Okay—new plan. How about no contractextension?”
“Comeagain?”
“No years. I’ll just quit while I’mahead.”
Only a gasping, choking sound came through the phone for a fewseconds.
“Bess?Youokay?”
“Jesus,” she exhaled. “If you’re even halfway serious, I need you sit with that idea for a few weeks. Play a few more games. Think about what it would be like to say goodbyeinJune.”
“June, huh? I appreciate the vote of confidence, since that takes us deep into the playoffs again,” I said with a chuckle. “But why do the women in my life keep telling me to go play hockey and think? I know my own mind. I have one more full season to play, and then I make a graceful exit right after Nicoleturnstwo.”
Zara had given up chasing Nicole and was standing stock still, a hand pressed over hermouth.
“Okay,” Bess said slowly. “I think that’s really brave and really amazing. And if that’s what you want, I’ll give it a few days and then letHughknow.”
“I’m not going to change my mind.” I really wasn’t. I loved hockey, but I loved my family just as much. Zara and Nicole deserved the same attention my hockey career had always gotten. And what’s more, I was excited about giving ittothem.
“Didn’t say you would change your mind,” Bess said. “It’s me that needs a few days to getoverit.”
“Don’t buy that yacht, little sis. I’m sorry I’m costing you a stick and a half atleast.”
“It’s not about the money, dumbass. I just worryaboutyou.”
“I’m good, Bess. It’s all good, or I wouldn’t do it. Gotta run, now. I have a kiddie pooltofind.”
She signed off, and I hung up to meet Zara’s startled eyes. “Did you really justdothat?”
“I really just did.” And it had felt pretty great to make a decision. “Let’s go swim. Do you have sunblock? I don’t think Irememberedmine.”
Zara blinked. “I really don’t want to be the reason you give up yourcareer.”
I stood up and hugged her. The scent of coconut shampoo washed over me, and I took a deep breath. “The thing is, this kind of career comes to an end. Always. And this way I get to decide how that happens. I get tosaywhen.”
“You always were bossy like that,” she joked, and her breath at my neck gave me goosebumps. Thegoodkind.
“You better believe it.” I gave her a quick kiss on the hairline because it was either that or a not-so-quick kiss. And we had places to go and things to do. “Hey, Nicole! I can’t take you swimming unless you put on this special diaper. There’s a fish on it andeverything.”
My baby girl turned around and squinted at me,considering. “Otay.”
“Then get over here,angel.”
She came willingly, and Zara gave me a glare that said,I can’t believe that just workedforyou.
Nicole exhaustedherself at the kiddie pool. Then we went down to the beach, where I built a sand castle. Fine, a sand-blob. But Nicolelikedit.
Eventually Zara talked her into wrapping up in a towel on a beach chair under an umbrella. And she took her nap right there as the Atlantic lapped at the sand a few yards away. Leaving her on one of our two chairs, Zara came and sat with me. I draped my legs over the sides to give her some room, and she leaned back against mychest.
“I could get used to this,”shesaid.
“Next year we can plan a vacation without looking at the NHL calendar,” I said. It was hard to wrap my head around. The game schedule had ruled my life since I was nineteenyearsold.
“Maybe we won’t plan any big getaways for a while, though. We’ll have to be a little careful with money until you figure out what you’re goingtodo.”
“Nah,” I said. “We might as well travel before Nicole is in school. Besides, I have investments. And I think I can get three million for my Brooklynplace.”
“Three million…dollars?” She turned around, looking hot as fuck in her sunglasses and bikini top. And the way she was sitting between my legs was doing things to me. I’d probably be carrying a towel in front of my body on the way back toourroom.
