Page 129 of Double Puck

"Because I walked in here thinking choosing myself meant leaving Beachside. That the only way to stop being a Morrison brother was to go somewhere nobody's met the other two."

I look out at the desert, all that open, empty gold. It's like a treasure chest out there, just waiting for me to dive in and help myself.

"But sitting here, listening to everything I thought I wanted? All I kept thinking about was everything I already have."

Philip watches me silently. He's been my agent for a long time now. He's seen me sign things drunk, sober, and once, memorably, inside a giant inflatable bear costume while two children repeatedly punched me in the stomach.

"So what do you want me to do?"

"Keep talking to them. Get the full offer on paper. I want to know exactly what my choices are." I stand, buttoning my rumpled jacket. "But Philip? Don't let anyone rush me. Not Vegas, not Colin, not the deadline. For the first time in my life, this decision is mine."

He nods slowly, and there's something in his face that looks almost like pride. "You know, you sound different."

"Yeah." I grin, heading for the door. "I've been professionally assessed."

I step back out onto the Strip, ready to cross the street and re-join my teammates as we board the plane back to Beachside.

But here's the thing I've learnt:

Choosing myself doesn't automatically mean leaving everything I love.

Maybe that's the part I've been getting wrong.

Chapter 20

Darcy

There are kids everywhere.

Kids on shoulders. Kids with popsicles. One kid asleep face-down on the bleachers with a foam bear claw still on his hand.

"Ah… Community Day," Josie announces beside me, hands on her hips, surveying her commercial kingdom. "Twelve hundred people, zero incidents, and Declan has signed so many jerseys his hand is cramping. I really am a genius."

"What did you promise him this time?" Rose asks, camera up, snapping a shot of Finn teaching a seven-year-old how to celebrate a goal with maximum disrespect.

Josie stares across at her boyfriend, sighing deeply. "Same as always."

"So, more back door action then?" Rose hums, clicking the shutter some more.

Josie nods thoughtfully. "Apparently we've found his primary love language."

I take another bite of my burger and absolutely refuse to participate in this conversation.

The Yard down by the boardwalk smells like heaven decided to open a barbecue stand. Smoke drifts continuously off the grill station, carrying char-grilled beef and caramelized onions across the whole outdoor rink.

The food trucks are lined up shoulder to shoulder along the north strip, with Rico's taco truck pulling a queue twenty people deep. Mack's manning the burger station, and both ice cream vans are currently engaged in a somewhat loud and annoying jingle war.

Overhead, the endless fairy lights are already glowing even though the sun hasn't fully committed to setting over the Pacific. The steady soundtrack of waves crashing from two blocks away soothes me, as salt air rolls in over a sea of tiny Bears jerseys.

"Darcy," Rose says, shooting me a look. "I seriously hope you're moaning at that burger right now. Not Josie's new love for anal—"

"The burger is good!" I interrupt, glaring at Rose. "Seriously, you two. There are kids around."

"Sorry, I can't help it. You just made the noise Rose makes when Mason wears those gray sweatpants."

"Hey," Rose says, offended. "Don't cheapen the sweatpants. They are a godsend to all women."

I laugh, and for exactly four seconds, I forget about the message Colin sent me. There was no waiting. The second the jet landed back in Beachside yesterday afternoon, he informed me that my report is due. Tomorrow.