Game Winner (Penalty Kill 3)

Sometimes, I can’t believe my life. I get to surround myself with hockey, play it every day, and live the dream. One day, I’ll be in the NHL and it’ll be unbelievable, I’m sure. Momma would have been proud of my accomplishments so far, but I know that she wouldn’t be entirely happy about my current school situation. I’ll finish my degree eventually because I know she would want me to do that and I want to too.

Then there’s Pops, and having a man like that not only be my father, but to put up with me when I’m particularly difficult too has been just a blessing. He’s been a mountain of strength, love, and support my entire life, and even more so after Momma died. I hope that one day I can be even a little bit of the man he is. My parents and Presley deserve that.

And Presley. She has brought something into my life that neither my parents nor hockey could. Without her, I would be a disaster and my injury wouldn’t have healed as well either. Presley has helped me be better, in every sense. There’s no questioning that she supports me, keeps me going, and kicks me in the ass when I need it. She wants to be with me in the future? Good. Because I need her to be.

Every single second that has yet to come I need her to be in my life. Good, bad, wonderful, horrible, sad, or happy, I want to experience it all with her. My life requires that Presley be there for every moment. When I’m old, retired, and sitting on the couch watching hockey, I want to look back and see Presley in every single memory. It’s the only way I’ll live a happy, fulfilled life.

My mission is to make that a reality.

Chapter Seventeen

Presley

I sit at my table, looking at the books spread out in front of me. Thanksgiving isn’t that far away, the semester will end after that, and then I’m moving. I take a deep breath, think of the next several weeks, and hope that I don’t have a mental breakdown. At least when I get to Pittsburgh, there will be a couple of weeks break. Then I’ll be able to get everything in order and settled before diving into law school.

Law school.

I shake my head in disbelief. It’s really happening. Everything is falling into place like I want it to. But there’s Levi. He’s on track to be in the NHL, and by the looks of it, sooner than he thought. Between the hat trick and how great he’s played the other games, he’ll be there soon.

My mind wanders to the last time he and I were together. That talk about marriage and kids is still playing in my head. Maybe I revealed too much to him, but I wanted him to know that’s what I had planned. I can picture myself at the rink with our kids, watching Levi play, or driving the kids to their own pee-wee league games or dance classes. Maybe a house in the suburbs, while I go to work everyday, and Levi there making chili on his days off. Victor coming down, playing with the kids. Trevor and Marley having a backyard cookout with us

“Oh my God,” I say out loud, throwing my pen down. Why am I thinking about this? This is nuts. If our lives do go in this direction, it will be five or six years down the road, right? Right. Next, I’ll be doodling “Mrs. Levi Carr” in my notebooks if I keep it up.

I put my head in my hands. I blame Trevor for getting me to think about my future. If he didn’t drag me along to look at rings, my daydreams wouldn’t be so out of control. The knock at the door brings me out of my hallucination of the future.

“Hey, what are you doing?” I greet Marley, stepping to the side to let her come in.

“I think Trevor is breaking up with me.” And for the first time since we were kids, I see Marley shed a tear.

I gasp, pulling her into a hug. “No way, I don’t believe it. Why would you even think that?” I guide her over to the couch and we sit down.

“Since we came back from Pittsburgh, he’s been acting all weird. It’s like he has something to tell me, but he doesn’t say anything. Is…Is he cheating on me?” Her question comes out as a whisper. “Please, Pres, tell me the truth.” Another tear falls down her other cheek.

“No. I swear on my Penguins jerseys and the Stanley Cup. He isn’t cheating on you. I would kick his ass if he was doing something like that.” My voice is stern and serious.

Marley lays back and nods. “I believe you. I wish I knew what was going with him. And I know you don’t want to hear this, but the last time we finished having sex, he kept staring at me with this serious expression on his face. I mean it wasn’t creepy, but it seemed like he wanted to say something.” She looks up at the ceiling, unsure of what to think.

I want to tell her that it isn’t what she is thinking, but I can’t ruin the surprise either. Trevor put me in an awkward position with this marriage proposal. I need a plan to keep her mind off this situation for a little while.

“Hey, we need a girl’s day,” I almost shout at her.

“What?” Her expression is mixed with confusion.

“Yes, I’m leaving soon, and I want to spend as much time as I can with you. How about we go to the spa today? I think we both need to de-stress and a massage and a mani-pedi is just the cure we need,” I firmly tell her.

“Well, that doesn’t sound like a bad idea at all, actually,” she concedes.

“Great. Go wash your face and let’s go.” I clap my hands and jump off the couch. Marley goes to the bathroom, while I send a text to Trevor.

Me: Hey dumbass, Marley is at my place thinking you’re cheating on her.

Trevor: What? Why?

Me: Because you’re acting like a fool! Propose before she breaks up with you.

Trevor: I am. Soon!

I roll my eyes at my phone screen. He better because I’m going to have to convince her that he isn’t cheating to keep her from breaking up with him. When Marley comes out of the bathroom, I call the spa and set up two appointments for us. Luckily, they had a couple of cancellations, and we take off.