Epilogue

"Baby, can you just chill out?" I laughed as Tyler bustled around the house we temporarily called home.

"No! Have you seen my Monday underwear? I can"t go to our Monday training without it; it"s just not right."

Jarman, who'd taken one of our spare rooms, leaned in the doorway hiding his smile behind his coffee. Cal sat beside him, looking like he wanted to say something, but a quick glance from me made him think twice. Tyler was dead serious, after all.

"I thought Australians were supposed to be easygoing?" I teased, and he shot me a look that could put me six feet under.

"I am easygoing. But it"s a crime to wear Tuesday underwear on a Monday."

My laughter burst out uncontrollably. "Or you could just wear plain underwear like a normal person."

"Fuck off, you know this is my thing. You have your own superstitions I have mine—mine is just less smelly."

He had a point. Many hockey players had lucky undergarments, even if they got a bit ripe during long road trips. With a sigh, I joined the hunt for the missing Monday underwear.

"Fucking Mondays, it"s always Mondays," Tyler mumbled to himself and I couldn"t help but find his frustration endearing. Despite his high-strung ways, Tyler was surprisingly easygoing—except for his particular need to have things a certain way.

I headed to my wardrobe, digging through the clean laundry he'd asked me to put away—which I swiftly stowed there in my not-so-clever way of avoiding chores. Grabbing the underwear discreetly, I pretended to find them by magic just as Tyler stopped short and stared at me.

"Ugh, give me those! We"ll discuss that later. I don"t want to be late." Tyler snatched the underwear and stuffed them into his bag which, like always, Mr. Perfect had meticulously organized. Meanwhile, I couldn't even find my own hand in my bag if left to my own devices.

"Baby, we"re going to be half an hour early." I checked the time, confirming that it only took fifteen minutes to drive to the rink. We were already ahead of schedule.

"Good. They need to know we like to be early; it"s a good impression to make." Tyler stormed to the living room, grabbed his pre-prepared kit bag by the door, saluted our still-amused roommates, and left me behind.

"Hurry up, babe! I"m not waiting for you!" At least he hadn"t forgotten about me.

"Yeah, go on, babe; can"t be the second person on the ice," Jarman joked earning a playful finger.

"You"re just jealous. Wait until the day you have one of your own."

I left with a wave and chuckled at Tyler nervously tapping his fingers on the steering wheel while waiting for me in the car. I kind of loved that something"s never changed, even his crazy need for perfection. I'd eased it a little, even getting him to watch the occasional movie with me instead of hockey tapes. In reality, he fell asleep halfway through. Though I didn't mind—he was adorable when he slept.

A much-needed break had me eagerly anticipating my return to the ice. I'd been kidding myself when I thought I could give that up. My life had felt almost complete over the summer, with my guy—a summer romance that would undoubtedly go down as the hottest and most swoon-worthy of all summers. As we navigated the training camp, all eyes were on us. Connor Bellamy had come to watch both Hunter and me working together, showcasing that we were the two winning rookies. Hunter already had a ticket to the minor league and after the training camp, he would be heading for preseason training. Now, I had to hope I would either follow him or get called up.

Skating off the ice for the last time at training camp with sweat pouring off me, showed how I"d given my all on that ice. We finished with a scrimmage, facing off against some other determined young players who playfully chirped at me to head back home to Australia. But proving people wrong was my jam, and even though I wasn"t raised in the hockey capitals of the world, I knew I was just as seasoned and disciplined as the rest of them. Hunter gave my shoulder a reassuring squeeze, and the look in his eyes sent my heart into overdrive.

We came out on top in the scrimmage, and if I thought getting back on the ice was awesome, hitting the ice with my man... that was absolutely stella. Our chemistry had us owning the other team; nothing beat our combo, and I hoped the team managers from both sides caught on to that.

As we stepped into the locker room, my name echoed through the air, and I turned to see Connor motioning for me to join him. I glanced at Hunter, who offered me a reassuring smile and a casual, "You got this, baby," as he swatted me on the ass with his stick.

As I followed Connor into the hallway, he patted my shoulder. "Kid, you really put it all on the ice today." I nodded and tried to catch my breath.

A suited man approached, triggering a surge of anxiety and hope. This was the moment—deciding if I would stay in Vancouver or return to Boston. I wondered if Hunter felt the same way. We briefly considered talking about it that morning but brushed it off instead.

"Mr. Riley, that was some hockey I just watched."

I managed a breathless, "Thank you, sir." I fought the urge to jiggle my legs, determined to remain composed.

"How do you feel about showing that energy and talent on the ice for the preseason?"

I nodded, though my expression couldn"t conceal the questions whirling in my mind. While I knew the players on the ice and grasped the game like a skilled chess player, the politics eluded me. The man in the suit was virtually a stranger to me.

He chuckled, before introducing himself. "Sorry, I'm Jerard Lucas, the team manager for Vancouver"s Voyagers NHL team, and we would like you to sign a temporary contract. I want to see you in the preseason and evaluate your performance in the big leagues. If you showcase the same grit I saw today, we"ll sign you for a set number of games post-preseason. If you maintain your promise, an official signing will follow. If that doesn"t pan out, there may be a spot for you on our minor league team. With your confidence, we want to put you to the test. We"re in a rebuilding year, taking a cautious approach to long-term commitments until we"re confident you can perform."

Before I could respond, Connor interjected, "he"s the real deal. Outstanding academic performance with top grades and he held the highest scoring average in the college league. Plus, his other stats followed the same impressive trajectory. Forward the offer, and I"ll engage in further discussions with Tyler. As you rightly pointed out, he"s weighing other factors, but longevity in one place is always a solid choice. Trust me, committing to him for the long term won"t be a decision you"ll regret."

I sensed my agent wasn"t entirely pleased with the straightforward approach, but I embraced it, as it only added fuel to my determination to stay. "Mr. Lucas, I"m here to prove that I"m the best damn player you can choose. No messing around, no messing up. I want the team to recognize the asset they have, and I"ll go above and beyond to be their best addition. "

Mr. Lucas seemed to fight back a smile. "Good. I hope to see you for preseason training, Mr. Riley."

"I"ll be there early and with bells on."

Connor shot me a warning glance and I realized then that it was his role to do the talking, so I closed my mouth, allowing the typical goodbye handshakes to unfold. "I like you, kid, but please let me do the talking next time." I offered an apologetic smile in place of a verbal answer. "I"ll review the contract and send it to you. It"s a good offer, and I know if anyone is going to show them up, it will be you."

I nodded, expressed my gratitude, and practically sprinted back to the locker room. Hunter emerged from the showers and disregarding the clunky and disgusting gear still on me, I rushed over and pulled him into my arms. "Guess who gets to play a preseason in the NHL?"

I pulled back then, eagerly awaiting his reaction. His eyes widened, matching his smile. I had never been more excited to spend more time with my golden-eyed man. "I knew you could do it!"

Sensing his desire to maul me like a bear, I pulled back and whispered in his ear. "How about we get Cal and Jarman to vacate the house tonight, and we celebrate, just you and me, one more time before we become professional hockey players."

"I'm down for one more time."

Hunter's smile told the whole story; he was everything. The excitement was palpable and despite the hurdles, we still had each other, hockey, and so much more than just one more time.

The end… for now.