by S. R. Grey
Just like the doctor said, my brother is one lucky young man.
No More Games
While Eden stays behind with Paul for his discharge paperwork to be completed, I run out and secure us a motel room for the rest of the night.
When I return, they’re waiting at the exit.
I fully expect Paul to come with us, but once he’s in the car, he says he’d really prefer to be dropped off at school.
“That’s where Tanner’s parents are taking him,” he tells us. “So there’s no reason for me not to just go there too.”
Eden looks unsure.
Biting her lip, she says, “I don’t know, Paul.”
“Aw, come on. What difference is there if you drop me off at school tonight or tomorrow?”
“He does have a point,” I interject.
Eden sighs. “I suppose.”
“Sis?” Paul prompts, raising a brow. “Come on. What do you say?”
He gives her a pleading look, and she relents. “Oh, okay.”
After we drop Paul off, we head over to the motel. It’s late, and Eden tells me she’s so tired.
“I hear ya, babe,” I say, yawning. “I am too.”
Leaning her head on my shoulder, she sighs. “I’m just so relieved Paul is okay.”
“Me too.”
“But about us, Graham—”
“We’re staying together,” I interject.
“I agree,” she says, “but the team’s bound to find out you’re up here with me. We better prepare for the worst.”
Passionately, I reply, “I don’t care what the team threatens to do to us. Not anymore. I’m done pretending I’m not with you.”
Sitting up, she asks, “But what if they sue us, Graham? What if they don’t sign you for next year?”
“You know what? I don’t care. I can’t lie anymore. I love you, Eden. And I love Paul like he’s my own brother. I’m done playing games, and I don’t care if the whole world knows it.”
“You know what? I feel the same way. God, I love you.”
Eden begins trailing kisses up my neck, and I’m glad we’ve reached the motel. We’ll worry about the fallout tomorrow, as I’m sure the team does in fact know I’m here.
For now, though, I just want to love my woman.
Facing the Music
Morning arrives and it’s time to face the music. But that’s okay. Graham and I are ready to accept our fate.
Rolling over in bed to face him, I adjust the flat motel pillow under my head and say, “Should we turn on a sports channel to see what they’re saying about us?”
Surprised, he asks, “You think the sports world already knows we’re together?”
I shrug. “People talk, Graham. And everyone has a phone with a camera these days. Folks saw us together at the hospital last night. So yeah, I’d say there’s a good chance we’ve been outed.”
“You have a point.” He reaches for the remote. “Let’s check it out. You ready?”
“I am.”
Graham blows out a breath and pushes a button. On the dresser in front of the bed, the small television flickers to life. It takes us a minute or two, but after scrolling through several channels, we finally find something akin to ESPN.
“Here we go,” Graham mutters when it’s clear they’re talking about football.
Though I’m nervous, I’m willing to accept whatever the outcome of our being together turns out to be. I wouldn’t trade Graham coming with me to see if my brother was all right for anything.
After covering the playoff games from the previous night, and then going through the highlights, many of which Graham is featured in, the topic on the show changes to a “lifestyles” segment.
“Finally,” I mutter.
Right away, a photo fills the screen. It’s of me and Graham last night at the hospital.
“Crap,” I breathe out.
“Damn it,” Graham snaps.
“Have they no shame?”
“Apparently not.”
They don’t, as there’s a whole report on my brother’s accident. Then a segment on how Graham was prompted to “return to my side, rekindling our love.”
Hmm…
“That’s an interesting angle,” I remark. “I mean, seeing as our love never burned out.”
“The public doesn’t know that,” he reminds me. “Only we do.”
“True. The masses still think you’re playing the field.”
The good thing is the story is played out as positive. But still, I fear Graham and I will have hell to pay.
We may be ready to accept our fate, but that doesn’t mean it’ll be easy.
Just then, Graham’s cell starts ringing.
“Shit. It’s Jock,” he says.
I snuggle in beside him and stare down at the phone. “Go ahead and take the call, Graham. Let’s just get this over with.”
He hits Answer and puts the phone on speaker.
It’s time for the shit to hit the fan.
Change of Heart
“Hey, Jock, what’s up?” I’m trying to sound as nonchalant as I can, but let’s face it—he knows the score. “You’re on speaker, by the way.”
“Is Eden with you?” he asks.
“Yes.”
He says hi to her, and then she and I look at each other.
“Just ask him,” she mouths.
Quietly, I say, “Jock, how much trouble are we in? The team has to know Eden and I are together. I’m sure that’s why you’re calling.”
“It is,” he confirms. “But I think you’re going to be surprised when I give you the update.”
Wincing, I hiss, “Shit. They fired me, didn’t they? The Comets let me go.” I sigh. “Well, that’s okay if it means they’ll leave me and Eden alone. I can live with that.”
Jock laughs. “You’re wrong on all counts, Tettersaw.”
“How do you mean?”
“First off, the Comets aren’t going after Eden, not at all.” She and I both breathe sighs of relief. “And they’re not about to let you go. We’re deep in the playoffs, remember?”
That makes sense, but I inquire, “Okay, but what about after the playoffs end?”
“Not then, either. In fact, I think we can get you more money, a lot more money.”
This is all sounding great, but I’m wary.
“Jock, that’s all good, but I’m not interested in more money if it means I have to stay away from Eden. We love each other, you know that. And we want to be together. I’m sick of this stupid playboy image farce. I’m done pretending I’m free and single.”
Jock chuckles, and I snap, “It’s not funny, man.”
“I know, I know.” He sounds contrite. “If it’s any consolation, I’m not laughing at you and what you’re saying. I’m laughing at the irony of it all.”
“Irony of it all?” More confused than ever, I say, “What in the hell are you talking about?”
“You’re not going to believe this, Graham, but the Comets have had a change of heart. The news that came out about the accident, how you rushed to Eden’s side, it turns out the public loves it.”
“What does that mean, exactly?” I ask, seeking clarification.
“It means the Comets are okay with you and her being together. Plus, they feel you’ve reached the point where there’s no need to continue marketing you as a single stud.”
I roll my eyes and murmur a sarcastic, “Thanks, I think.”
“You should be thankful,” Jock goes on. “This means the team is fine with you and Eden doing whatever you want to do. Stay together, break up—”
“You hush your mouth, Jock,” Eden jumps in, cutting him off.
We all share a good laugh at that one.
Jock then says, “That’s good to hear. The Comets prefer that you stay together. It fits with their new marketing plan.”
“Uh…” I shake my head. “I’m afraid to ask, but what is this new marketing plan?”
“The Comets plan to promote you a
s a really good, big-hearted guy, Tettersaw.”
I groan, but Eden says, “I like it. That’ll be an easy one to pull off.”
“How do you see that?” I ask.
Peering up at me with disbelief in her pretty green eyes, she says, “How can you not see it? It’ll be easy because that’s who you really are, Graham—a good, big-hearted guy.”
Pulling her on top of me and laughing, I tell her, “I got news for you, babe. My heart’s not the only thing that’s big right now.”
Hearing that, Jock, chuckling, says, “Okay, I’m hanging up now.”
Coming Out
Later in the day, we check in on Paul.
He’s doing great. He’s happy to be back at school. It’s like the accident never even happened.
Good. It’s better that way.
Paul shows us around his dorm room, pointing out updates he’s already made.
After he’s finished, we give him the good news that Graham and I finally have the green light to be together.
“No way!” he exclaims. “You mean you two don’t have to date on the sly anymore?”
“Nope,” I confirm.
“Cool. Does this mean you’re moving back into that sweet house?”
I look at Graham.
When he raises a questioning brow, I say, “Hmm, I guess so.”
“Awesome.” Paul pumps his fist in the air. “I may have to come home more often now. That is, if it means I still get to use that cool theater room.”
“Of course, buddy,” Graham says.
I smile, because if this means my brother wants to come home for visits more often, I count it as another bonus to living with Graham.
One on top of many, many more.
After we wrap up with Paul, Graham and I drive back down to Columbus.
We stop at my apartment and pick up a bunch of my stuff. Then we head to Graham’s house.
But wait, it’s my house too.
I find that out officially later that night when Graham tells me he not only wants to buy the house from the team, he wants my name on the deed with his.
“Are you sure?” I ask. “What if we don’t work out?”
“Well then, I guess we’ll have to split our assets and file for divorce,” he says.
I laugh. “Silly man, we’re not even married.”
Turning serious, he says, “No. But we could be.”
I look at him curiously.
And then suddenly, in the middle of the living room, Graham drops down to one knee.
“What are you doing?” I ask shakily, though it’s pretty clear.
He takes out a black velvet ring box and flips it open.
I peer down at the most beautiful diamond solitaire ring and exclaim, “Oh my God, Graham. It’s so…sparkly.”
Laughing, he says, “It is, isn’t it? I picked it out when I knew I wanted to be with you forever and ever. And it’s all yours if you just say yes. So say yes, Eden. Say you’ll marry me.”
“Yes. A thousand times yes,” I whisper as I crumple down to kneel with him.
Graham, smiling like this is the best day of his life, slides the ring onto my finger.
And then we’re laughing and crying and hugging and kissing.
“I’m going to make you the happiest woman on earth,” he says when we come up for air.
“I don’t think that’s possible.”
Worried, he asks, “Wait, why not?”
I wrap my arms around him and tell him, “It’s not possible because you’ve already accomplished that. I am, right here in this moment, the happiest woman on earth.”
It’s true, I am.
But Graham insists he can make me even happier.
Falling back and taking me with him, he gets right to work on that.
Happily Ever After
Later that week, Eden and I covertly fly out to Las Vegas to get married. The team works with us to ensure no one finds out, all agreed to upon one condition—that we have a great big wedding this summer, one for the public.
That’s fine with us.
We just don’t want to wait that long to be husband and wife.
My sister, Chloe, and her husband, Dylan, are by our sides as we say our “I do’s.”
They freaking love Eden, as I knew they would.
Paul’s there with us too, having taken off a couple of days from school.
He walks Eden down the aisle and gives her away, where he tells me, “Take good care of her, man.”
I reply, “You know I will.”
After the wedding, we return to Columbus. Everything is fantastic, except for one thing. The playoffs come to an end for the Comets the next playoff game.
Oh, well.
We didn’t win a championship title this season, but there’s always next year.
In a lot of ways, it works to my advantage. The Comets are anxious to sign me to a new contract right away, so Jock and I hop right on that.
I get everything I want: the house is sold to me and Eden, and I agree to play for two more years for a huge salary.
Most importantly, though, there are no more infringements on my personal life.
My life is mine to live however I want.
And how I want to live it is with Eden.
As long as we’re looking to the future, the rest we’ll figure out.
Guess it’s still about the one thing it was in the beginning—forward progress.
Up next in the Men of Fall football romance series is Caleb’s story, Fair Catch.
And in the Boys of Winter hockey rom-com series, look for Noel’s story, Illusion on Ice, to release in May 2019.
S.R. Grey is an Amazon Top 30 and a #1 Barnes & Noble bestselling author. Her bestselling hockey rom-com series, and new football series, feature a different hot player in every story. All of the books can be read in any order since they’re interconnected standalones.
Ms. Grey’s novels have appeared on multiple Amazon bestseller lists, including the Top 100 several times. She is also a Top 100 bestselling author on iTunes.
Author Website (stop on by to see how pretty it is):
http://srgrey.com/
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Wait!
It’s not over yet.
Read the first chapter of Destiny on Ice, the first novel in the bestselling Boys of Winter hockey rom-com series.
Golden Boy Gets a Little Tarnished
My father was a great hockey player. Back in the day, in the era of eighties’ big hair and synthesized music, Billy Oliver won not just one, but two Stanley Cups. He was awarded the Conn Smythe trophy both times and has received an assortment of other hardware throughout the years.
He’s retired now, but my dad was once a star.
To me, though, he’s always just been Dad.
But as his only child, I have a legacy to live up to. I pray I don’t disappoint him. I pray someday I’ll be as good as he once was. And damn it, I better win a freaking Stanley Cup like he did.
I have no choice, not really. Since the moment my father first laced up hockey skates on my three-year-old little feet, the look of pride on his face told me even then all I needed to know—anything short of being the best will never do.
And guess what?
In many ways, I’ve become the best at what I do, which is, like my dad, play professional
hockey.
I’ve been good since the start, a natural some say. I don’t know about that, but I do know that even before I was drafted—in the first round by the Las Vegas Wolves, an expansion team at the time—I was being called “The Golden Boy” and “The Next One.”
These days, three years later, I’m pretty much the poster boy for the NHL. And I have a slew of endorsement deals to prove it.
Lately, though, I’ve been falling short.
And I really don’t know why.
Something is missing for me in the game. Or is it something that’s missing in me?
I blow out a breath and shake my head.
Things started out so great. Where’d it all go wrong?
I made a name for myself early on. Expansion teams usually struggle for years before posting a winning record. Not so for the Wolves. With me centering what was then a subpar line, I was still able to make us shine. We came out swinging that first season in the league.
Brent Oliver Scores the Game-Winning Goal in His and the Wolves’ First NHL Game, Sets Up Teammates for Two More
One month later, there was this:
The Wolves Off to a Completely Unexpected Stellar Start
Then things started to slide.
Those subpar players on my line weren’t enough to keep afloat a pretty much overall crappy team, even with me centering. The Wolves’ owners and management made the necessary moves—they don’t mess around when shit needs to get done.
We picked up a phenomenal winger, Nolan Solvenson. He started to play and things turned around.
Adding Skilled Right-Winger Nolan Solvenson to Rookie Brent Oliver’s First Line Proving to be a Masterful Move
On a Mid-Season Winning Streak, That Solvenson Trade is Paying Off for the Wolves!