Revenge Puck (Shot at Love #1)

Chapter 32

32

Preston

S unday afternoon comes way too fast.

Having to say goodbye to Elle after spending an entire day and night in bed with her feels impossible.

While driving her to the airport, I thought about telling her that our future is fucked and beg her to come with me to California. Despite scoring a goal in game four, no other offers have come in.

Now, we’re standing on the sidewalk outside the front doors of the airport and Elle looks so beautiful in her short, red floral dress. Her blonde hair glows like it’s blessed by the sun. Her cheeks are still rosy from our detour to the crowded parking lot. I pulled her onto my lap and, without removing her panties, she just tugged them to the side and rode me. We mauled each other and fucked like the world was ending around us.

While I’m still having flashbacks, the beautiful woman looks up at me and says, “See you tomorrow in Greensboro?”

“You bet. As soon as the plane lands,” I assure her. That’s less than twenty-four hours from now but feels like a lifetime.

“Okay, good. I had a great time with you this week.”

“Me too, cupcake.” I press a kiss to her lips, then her cheek and neck. “Although, ‘great’ seems like a massive understatement.”

“True,” Elle agrees, her body shivering when I kiss her collarbone.

I just need one more day where everything is so perfect between us before I tell her about California. I know that once I do, Elle will probably start pulling away, unable to imagine us having a relationship from two sides of the country.

Maybe by the time I see her tomorrow, I will have come up with some way to convince her. Opening another salon is the best I’ve thought of so far, but it doesn’t solve the problem of Elle leaving behind her best friend and family.

“I…I’ll miss you,” I say instead of the other three words trying to burst free from my mouth, my heart.

“I’ll miss you too,” Elle replies, giving me a smile. Standing on her toes, she kisses my cheek.

And before I can blink, she’s slipping away, rolling her luggage through the sliding doors.

When I get home, Maya is straightening the living room from the night before.

“Hey,” she says in greeting as she tosses the throw pillows back on the sofa. “I’m not even going to complain about the mess this morning because Finley had so much fun last night.”

“Good,” I say, since I’m not in the mood to hear her griping.

“I like Elle. She’s so sweet. She’s perfect for you, isn’t she?”

“She is, but…” I rub the back of my neck, thinking of the next conversation I’m going to have to have with her.

“But what?”

“I don’t know how this will work with her in North Carolina and I could end up anywhere.” I intentionally don’t mention California to my sister until it’s a done deal with signatures on the page.

“If it’s meant to be, then you two will figure it out.”

“I hope you’re right.”

“Speaking of the future,” Maya starts. She flops down onto the sofa cushion and pats the seat next to her for me to sit, which I take. “I think…I think I may want to stay here with Finley if you have to move.”

Nodding, I tell her, “I understand. Even if it sucks.” If Maya doesn’t want to relocate, then that gives me one less thing to worry about, I guess.

“We’ll miss you like crazy, but there’s no telling if you’ll have to up and change teams again in a year or two. I don’t want to keep relocating Finley once he starts kindergarten in the fall.”

“I know. I get it. I wouldn’t want to upset him with so many changes.”

“That still doesn’t solve one of the biggest changes—not having you around.”

“I’ll visit as often as I can,” I promise her. “And you two can come to the weekend games, right?”

“Right. We’ll figure it out, just like you and Elle will.”

I know Maya’s words are meant as encouragement. It has the opposite effect.

Between hockey and finding time to see Maya and Finley, that won’t leave much time for Elle, and I fucking hate it.