Page 228 of While You Were Trending

Declan

Ginny’sscowling at me as we pull up to the winery’s back gate in the middle of the night. “You could still play without the documentary crew.”

I grin at her. “I don’t want to play anymore with or without the documentary crew. I want to be here. With you.”

“Mabel, please tell him he’s being ridiculous.”

My best friend does not, in fact, do what I’ve asked.

“Nothing like going out a hero,” she says instead. “Think you’ll take Indianapolis up on their one-day contract offer so you can retire formally with them?”

I shake my head. “Honestly? I’d rather leave the league as a Thruster. Be a legend for it.”

“You werealwaysa legend,” Ginny says to me.

“We’ll walk from here,” Mabel tells our driver.

The gate’s closed, and it’s not far to the house, so I don’t argue.

I don’t argue about letting the ladies carry my luggage either.

My body’s fucking sore.

Brain too.

Meetings about my future went late yesterday. Today? Yesterday?

Don’t know, don’t care.

All I care about is being home with Ginny.

Once Eddie decided she had enough footage of my comeback for a full documentary and didn’t need to film any more after that incredible single game I had with the Thrusters, I told my agent to get me out of the rest of my hockey contract.

Don’t really care what it costs me financially.

There’s no price too high to be with the woman I love in the place she’s happiest.

I loop my arm around her, grimace out loud at how my sore body reacts to the movement, and press a kiss to her hair. “Love you.”

Her scowl disappears behind one of those gorgeous smiles. “I hope I’m worth it.”

“Always and forever.”

She pauses to go up on her tiptoes to kiss my cheek.

“Winona, the neighbor. She’s retiring?” I’ve wanted to ask for a while, but things have been a bit of a whirlwind. Now that I’m positive I’m done with hockey, that I want to settle here—it’s time to start thinking about things.

Things like Ginny and me needing our own space. But Ginny also still needing to be close to this community of women.

Buying the winery next door and entering into a formal partnership with Pip and Mabel would be fucking awesome. For so many reasons.

“Yes,” Mabel says.

“This year?” I ask.

“Still up in the air. She wants to sell—she doesn’t have any family who are interested in taking over—but she also doesn’t want to move her dad. He’s happy here.”

“Huh.”