Epilogue
Cole
3 months later…
I t was freezing. Though it was almost May, this weather was typical. We were all bundled up, waiting for the photographer to stop taking photos. I was uncomfortable with this level of publicity, but my brothers had insisted it was good for the town.
My team was here with me, wearing their jerseys and hats and holding signs. It was adorable. We’d fought to keep the hockey season from being canceled. Thankfully, Heartsborough had lent us some ice time to host home games, and we’d made do with the pond for practices.
I’d also started hosting a Sunday morning skills clinic on the pond for everyone from toddlers to high schoolers. It had been challenging, but Willa had convinced me that my love for hockey could get us through it.
But spring was coming soon, and although hockey season was over, I had kids from around the region wanting to continue their training. The damage to the rink had been substantial. But between Owen’s construction company and my hockey industry contacts, we’d gotten repairs done in a matter of months.
A few weeks after the FBI took Chief Souza in for questioning, I’d driven down to Portland to meet with a rare watch dealer. He had found a buyer for my Audemars Piguet, and I happily sold it to pay for the repairs to the rink. I’d been holding on to that ridiculous thing for years, clinging to some kind of hope that my father had loved me and been proud of me.
It took me far too long, but eventually I realized that I cared more about possessing integrity and grit than I could ever care about what my father thought. So that money came in very handy, especially when it was time to buy a new Zamboni. A state-of-the-art electric model that drove like a dream. And I drove it a lot, mainly because it made my wife very hot and bothered.
Arthur and I had worked out an agreement where I’d buy and take over the rink. He was ready to retire, and I wanted to use some of my NHL contract money to give back to the community that had lifted me up and had my back when I needed it.
So we remodeled and expanded, adding indoor training areas, a basketball court, new locker rooms, and a homework lounge. The goal was to create a place for kids to spend time playing hockey and also just being kids. My team helped me design it. They were very vocal about their preferences.
And now we were here, ready to cut the ribbon.
The past few months had been a blur. I’d started auditing classes at UMaine, all while coaching and remodeling the rink. I was still in therapy, doing the work and pushing myself to learn and grow from my past mistakes.
“This is so exciting,” Willa squealed, clutching my arm. She looked beautiful, wrapped in a thick scarf I’d knitted for her. She’d been by my side through every step of the process.
Her quick thinking that night, stopping on the side of the road to draw my blood, had helped cement the evidence against Chief Souza and connect him to other outstanding investigations. We were still waiting for the official charges, but as of right now, he was on leave from the Lovewell police department and under the FBI’s surveillance.
The watch—which was, in fact, the one that belonged to my father—had been seized. I still had no idea how he had come into possession of it, but Parker had assured us that the feds were connecting the dots.
I smiled as the mayor walked toward us with his giant scissors. He’d no doubt prepared a long-winded speech, but I was anxious to cut the ribbon and get everyone inside.
“You nervous?” Willa asked as I waited to thank the town and give my brief remarks. Public speaking scared the hell out of me, but we’d been practicing together.
I nodded.
She popped up on her toes and tugged my arm, silently signaling me to come closer. I leaned down and shivered when her lips grazed my earlobe. “I’m proud of you, and I love you. I also can’t wait to go home and tear all your clothes off. I’ve been thinking about sucking you off all day.”
My face heated, and a current of electricity shot down my spine.
“Willa,” I whispered. God, she knew just how to take my mind off things.
She winked at me. “Go get ’em.”
The lobby was full of people, all of them mingling and eating and laughing. For a long moment, all I could do was drink it all in. Finn had organized a silent auction to raise money for the town hockey programs, and we’d had an overwhelming number of donations.
I still couldn’t believe we’d made all this happen so quickly. But I was learning that when Lovewell set its mind to something, it would happen.
Especially my hockey team. Those girls, who I was already set to coach next season, were making the rounds. With Goldie leading the charge, they were shaking down the adults for donations and forcing them to bid on auction items. On the ice, they were powerful; off the ice, they were unstoppable.
My entire family was here, including Owen and Lila, who had driven up from Boston. We had been spending more time together recently, and Owen’s construction contacts had been invaluable. Despite the bad blood between us, he had stepped up to help the town, and for that I would always be grateful.
In the far corner, Debbie was busy chatting with Loraine Gagnon about the upcoming wedding. In a few weeks, Finn and Adele would officially be tying the knot. It had taken him a while to wear her down, but the two of them were outrageously happy.
No one knew quite what to expect from their wedding—planes, throwing axes, and heavy machinery were all possibilities—but we were excited, nonetheless.
I was posing for photos with the ladies from knitting club when a commotion near the door caught my attention. One of the advantages of my height was the ability to see over crowds.
Debbie cried out, and then she was rushing to the door and throwing her arms around a man. Jude stalked to the entrance next, and as he approached and Debbie stepped to the side, a familiar head of sandy brown hair came into view.
Noah.
He was weeks early. He’d arranged time off from work to come out for the wedding, but that was still almost a month away.
Granted, showing up unannounced was Noah’s MO. He lived on his own timeline and put little stock in the importance of holidays and special occasions. I’d only seen him a handful of times in the last decade and a half, and only when he’d come to a game when I played on the West Coast. I wasn’t sure he’d even set foot in Maine since he’d graduated from high school.
I made my way through the crowd, accepting hugs and congratulations, keeping my focus trained on where my family had congregated.
Noah was tan, and his face was covered in stubble. As always, he wore a daredevil air.
But that wasn’t all he was wearing today.
On his chest, in one of those carrier things Finn liked to wear Thor in, was a baby.
A chubby, smiling baby with dark curls and a gummy smile.
“Cole,” he said, stepping toward me and offering his hand. “Congratulations.”
Blinking, I worked to make sense of what I was seeing.
Debbie, Gus, and Finn seemed to be doing the same. Jude had his arm around Noah’s shoulders, seemingly unsurprised by the infant.
The baby was cute. Not a newborn, but not as big as Thor. Based on the pink fleece onesie thing and the polka dot pacifier attached to a bright ribbon, I assumed it was a girl.
Noah looked down at the happy baby on his chest, his expression warming.
“This is Tess, my daughter.”