Epilogue Shay
FOUR MONTHS LATER
Matt’s in the net tonight, and we’re playing the Washington Wild for the first time since the finals last season. The nerves are going to eat me alive. He’s been playing great, but it’s still a tied game with only two minutes left.
Our guys are gassed with nothing left to give as they change out with the next line and defensive pair. Thankfully, Matt stops the Wild’s next scoring attempt, and we’re flying off in the other direction, Luca Bradford’s line taking control of the game.
Luca and Isaac, who have become quite a dynamic duo, break into the zone with ease.
Javier’s right behind them, catching Luca’s quick pass.
He dishes it to Isaac, and in one smooth motion, he blindly kicks the puck back over to Luca, who swings through from an impossible angle.
But not too impossible because with forty-two seconds left, we score.
The guys are fired up as the arena roars in approval, and they skate past our bench, bumping gloves with the rest of the players.
The game resets at center ice, and Reed easily wins the face-off. His stats for face-offs so far this season have been incredible.
Alec takes control, guiding the game across the blue line toward the Wild’s goalie.
He weaves around defenders like it’s a piece of cake, sliding right into the crease.
Quickly, he fakes a shot before dropping the puck back to Cam.
The goalie falls for Alec’s trick hard and is still trying to recover by the time Cam scores.
The game ends ten seconds later with us beating the Wild by two.
“Hell yeah!” I cheer, clapping my hands proudly, watching the guys celebrate and skate out to Matt, bumping their helmets against his, one by one.
The ice and I have gotten back together over the last few months, a big part because of Matt patiently helping me face my fears. Unsurprisingly, when the adrenaline of a Stanley Cup win isn’t coursing through me, my body reacts entirely differently.
But Matt was there, as were his friends, every step of the way, until the fear gradually transitioned to excitement.
It was like I reconnected with an old friend, one I had missed dearly.
And when I put those skates back on for the first time, I cried endlessly, feeling like I finally got a piece of myself back that had been gone for a long time.
Andy is chuckling beside me, shaking his head in disbelief. “God, I’m so damn proud of you, Shay.”
“What?” I turn to him, taken by surprise. “What do you mean?”
He studies me intently. “You are so incredible, and I’m glad I made you take this job.”
“Okay,” I scoff. “You didn’t make me.”
“Shut up, you argumentative brat.” He bursts out laughing before playfully shoving me to the side.
“Hey!” Matt shouts, and I find the biggest smile on his face as he steps into the bench. “That’s my wife you’re talking to.”
“We’re not even married.” I chuckle.
He grabs his heart. “Yet. Jeez, Rooney. You’re going to give a guy a heart attack.”
Striding forward, he stops beside me and winks. “Looking good tonight, Coach.”
“Thanks, MacArthur. Now hurry up and shower. We have to review some tape quickly before we head to The Penalty Box.”
A darkness flutters in his gaze, tipping his lips up. “I’ll be there.”
When he walks away from us, my heart skips a beat.
“I hate you both,” Andy groans, reeling from his most recent breakup. “You and your perfect little relationship.”
“No, you don’t.” I drag the No out, pulling him into a quick side hug. “You love us.”
“Yeah, yeah.” he groans, a genuine smile taking over his face. He lowers his voice, leaning closer to me. “Now go have fun, reviewing the tape.”
I gasp, my eyes bulging as I meet his gaze. “What?! You know?”
He chortles. “You think you’re the first person to review the tape? Nope.”
“Oh my God.” I cover my face, burning up from embarrassment.
Gently, he shoves me down the tunnel. “Don’t worry. Your secret is safe with me. Have a good night, Shay!”
“You too!” I’m giggling as my heels click down the tunnel, hastily making my way to our room, disappearing inside and patiently waiting for Matt to arrive.
Thankfully, he doesn’t make me wait long, appearing not four minutes later. “Finally, alone at last.”
He locks the door behind him and takes three long strides toward me, his hands finding my jaw and his lips finding mine.
I’ll never get enough of him, his touch, his love. I’m addicted, and nothing will ever cure me.
His tongue parts my lips, deepening our kiss, as his hands work fast, stripping both of us naked. There’s something even hotter about being rushed for time, about knowing we shouldn’t be doing this, but making time for it anyway.
Dropping to my knees, I soak his length completely, massaging his balls in my hand as he groans with pleasure. I love giving him head, being in total control of everything he’s feeling. There’s a power to it that I’m obsessed with.
Cupping my face, he pulls me up, claiming my lips once more. “Hands on the mirror, baby, and leg up.”
What can we say? We’re goalies … creatures of habit. It’s almost a superstition at this point if we don’t hook up exactly like this after a home-game win. We’re doing this for the sake of the team.
My eyes find the sticky notes plastered along the mirror, dozens he and I have left for one another. Love notes, encouragement, self doubt, and everything in between.
I do as he instructed as one of his hands finds the curve of my hip, the other lining him up with my entrance. He teases me, swiping his tip through my center over and over until I’m backing up into him, begging for it.
He chuckles darkly and finally gives me what I want, every single inch of it. When he’s buried inside of me, his free hand reaches around my hip, finding my clit and sending every sensation into overdrive.
“Oh my fucking God,” I cry out, nearly seeing stars from how good everything feels.
He slams into me repeatedly, at that perfect pace, and it’s not long before I’m soaring in the clouds, high off of his affection. And it’s not a minute more before he’s flying right beside me, whimpering into my ear as he loses himself inside of me.
The Penalty Box is packed when we arrive, a line around the block with excited fans. The atmosphere is electric inside. Good music, good people, good drinks.
Matt and I are the last to join his friends’ tight-knit group, and we find seats at a table with Alec, Laura, Cam, Morgan, Reed, and Charlotte. Brett, Piper, Evie, Carrington, Jensen, and Lainey are at the table right beside us, not a foot apart.
My heart is overflowing with a sense of belonging, a sense of team and purpose as everyone claps and cheers at our arrival.
“Stop! You guys are ridiculous.”
But the truth is, I love it so much. They welcomed me without batting an eye, and the friendships I’ve not only gotten to witness, but join have been truly life-changing.
There isn’t a better group of people in the world—at least not a group that I want to be a part of.
Alec yawns beside Matt, and Cam glares at him, shouting over the loud music, “Wake up, old man.”
“Hey.” Alec finishes yawning and laughs. “I am getting old, all right? I would love nothing more than to climb in bed right now.”
Cam stares at him in disbelief. “I don’t even know who you are anymore. This is tradition.”
“Yeah.” He nods. “Maybe for the rookie class and a few years up. But we’ve got our sitter at the house with the kids, and I don’t know, Costy, but we might be getting too old for this.”
“But—” Cam pouts. “But we’ve always done this.”
Alec grabs his glass and lifts it up. “And the Nighthawks always will. But I think my partaking in it may be coming to an end.”
“Until the end of this season,” Reed immediately counters, clearly not wanting to stop either.
Alec chuckles. “You guys know you can keep coming here without me, right?”
Brett, across the other table to my right, scoffs. “No, we can’t. Not without Daddy Kos.”
Piper flicks him on the side of the head. “But we could have a spa night after games to relax instead. A nice glass of wine, good snacks, hot bath …” She trails off, holding Brett’s attentive stare.
Brett’s head snaps back our way. “Sorry, guys. I’m going to have to stop coming too.”
Jensen stretches his arms, pulling his fiancée tightly against him. “Shut up. We have an announcement.”
Everyone turns their attention to them, waiting with bated breath.
Lainey whips her hand into the air, squealing, “We got married!”
Cheers, gasps, and applause explode from the group.
But once it slowly dies down, Matt shouts at Jensen. “JD, what the hell? You didn’t invite us?”
Jensen is beaming with pride. “We got tired of waiting and trying to figure out exactly what we wanted, and at the end of the day, this was all we needed. So, we took care of the paperwork and the I dos at the courthouse, and now we’re here with our closest friends to celebrate.”
A burst of congratulatory cheers and applause break out again, and I shout along in joy, excited for that to be Matt and me. The day will probably approach faster than anticipated because we have no doubt that we are meant for each other for a lifetime and the next.
But I’m in no rush. When we get engaged or married, I know it’ll happen at the perfect time. Until then, we’ll continue being nothing but happy together.
“A shot for us all!” Brett calls out, and a waitress nods at him, disappearing into the crowd toward the bar.
Looking around, I catch Carrington’s eye.
He nods sharply at me, a quick grin flashing on his face.
He’s one hell of a coach, and if I’m lucky, maybe I’ll be able to step into a role as a head coach someday.
I’m not sure that’s what I want though. I love being a goalie coach more than I ever expected.
He turns back to Evie, who is looking up at him with the utmost loving stare. A forbidden romance, quite like my own. But now, that grumpy coach is one who has advocated for his players and what makes them happy. We wouldn’t be here without him.
My gaze continues to drift around the table.
To Jensen and Lainey, who are getting ready to welcome baby number two.
Luca, Lainey’s brother, is sitting beside them, looking at his sister with pride and kind eyes.
I don’t know their background, but I can tell from their connection—all three of them—that it’s probably one hell of a story.
To Brett and Piper, an unexpected couple, but clearly meant for one another. I feel like I have one ounce of Piper’s confidence and authority. She has no problem going after what she wants, including Brett, who loves her bigger than anyone I’ve ever seen.
Charlotte’s curled blonde locks pull my attention to her and Reed, who are leaning into each other like they couldn’t hold themselves up without the other. It’s beautiful how they care for one another, nothing but respect and love in their gazes.
Cam and Morgan, two passionate people who chased their dreams regardless of what life threw at them. Through endless hardships and tribulations, they emerged together, stronger than ever.
And finally, to Alec and Laura, a couple who grew up together, but were torn apart by unfortunate circumstances. Somehow, someway, they found their way back together.
Laura catches my stare and smiles softly, a warmth in her eyes like a motherly hug. A light bulb goes off in my brain, and I remember that I was going to ask her something.
But it’ll have to wait because the shots just arrived at our table, and as we each take one in our hand, we raise them up.
“To the Nighthawks!” Piper cheers, and everyone follows, shouting into the abyss with glee.
We all take our shots, tipping our head back in damn near unison. I wince from the taste, taking a sip of my Sprite before turning back to Laura.
“Laura,” I call out, and she instantly gives me her full attention. “What is that saying you guys and your kids use again?”
Matt and I were bickering earlier about what order the phrases went in, but we couldn’t land on a definitive answer.
Her smile grows, eyes softening. “It’s, ‘Even in the rain? Even in the storm.’ ”
“Thank you!” I grin, knowing damn well that Matt was, in fact, right.
She turns back to Alec, and they get lost in their conversation, as does the rest of the table. This place is filled with memories—ones I’ve heard stories of, ones I’ll never learn, and ones still to come.
Matt’s hand slides on top of my thigh as he leans closer to me, and he presses a gentle kiss to my ear before murmuring, “Told you.”
“Yeah, yeah.” I shove him back, giggling. “What do you want to hear? You were right.”
He whistles. “Woo. Music to my ears, Rooney.”
“I bet.”
I pinch his side, and he lifts his arm, pulling me against him.
“You’re just mad because you lost,” he argues, and I know he’s right.
I’m way too competitive. But it’s what keeps everything so fun.
Tipping my head back, I look up into his blue eyes, pursing my lips. “I hate you.”
Brushing my arm with his thumb, he shakes his head. “No, you don’t.”
I roll my eyes, and he grabs my jaw, kissing me passionately and wiping any sense of sass from my mouth. I’m a blushing mess when he pulls away.
“You looooooove me.”
More than anything. “I sure do.”
His lips graze mine, and my heart does a flip in my chest as I feel his warmth wrap me up in an impenetrable shield.
“Oh, yeah, Rooney? Even in the rain?”
Calmness settles deep in my bones. My future is without a doubt me by his side, no matter what turbulence shakes us along the way. I’ve never been surer of anything in my entire life.
Since the beginning, he’s been my safe space, the calm in the eye of the storm. That’s where he found me, shattered and scared, and he held me close, protecting me as I gained my confidence back, found a new path for life, and fell head over heels in love.
Everyone at these tables has weathered the same, one way or another. Yet they all ended up right here, by our side, as one big family.
Pressing a quick kiss to his lips, I nod, my eyes welling with the happiest of tears as love swirls within me, brimming to the surface. “Even in the storm.”
As the world seems to fade away around us and Matt and I get lost in our kiss and the unspoken promise of forever, I can’t help but think of one thing: I am incredibly lucky to have gotten the chance to be a Nighthawk.
The End