Page 105 of Pucked Together

Our lips pull apart and I breathe out, "Please."

She smiles, satisfied, and kisses me back, wrapping her arms around my neck.

"Get a room!" Keelan calls from the corner, trying hard to maneuver onto the chair at the end of the table.

I'm about to do just that when there's a honk from the driveway.

Izzy lets go and cocks her head in confusion.

"Rowan?" I ask.

"Maybe," she shrugs.

I pull her with me to the front, and when I open the door, the revamped orange and yellow Bronco I ordered for her in the custom Heatwave colors is sitting out front, gleaming under the lamppost.

"Did somebody order a new windshield?" Rowan asks as he jumps out of the driver’s seat and opens the door for his mother, who slides out after him.

Izzy freezes next to me.

"This is..."

"Your dad's car," I say.

"But it's...so different," she says, stepping out into the driveway.

"It's restored, Izzy. It just needed a little love. And it's good as new."

She turns to me and grabs my hand closest to her, whispering, "Thank you."

My mom and brother walk up to us and we all head inside to celebrate in the middle of a loss all that we've won.

And none of it is what any of us would've expected.

Epilogue

One Year Later | Izzy

"She'll be as snappy as her great Auntie," Aunt Ginny says at the cooing baby in her arms.

We're just resting in the family box of the arena, waiting for the boys to come back after showering from the game. The door opens and we look away from the blushing child to see Rina completely frazzled.

"Oh, great. What now?" I ask.

She rolls her eyes, "He insists on doing it, that brother of yours. And the team doc is no help. He's not ready. Playing is one thing, but this is just ridiculous. I saw him wincing just trying to walk down the aisle after the bachelor party."

She takes a seat on the couch across from me, exasperated.

"So let him," Aunt Ginny says. "He'll learn the hard way."

Rina shakes her head. "So stubborn you Landrys can be."

"And you love us more for it," I remind her.

She stretches out her arms toward Aunt Ginny and flexes her fingers as if to say, 'Give me that baby.’ Aunt Ginny kisses the baby's head and passes her reluctantly to Rina.

Baby Stella is the first Heatwave baby.

Ryker and I finally tied the knot last month, just a few months after having her. And the boys constantly pass her around as gently as if she were the Stanley Cup itself. It's sweet to see my baby girl surrounded by so much love.