Epilogue - Zhuri
Several weeks later…
“What a game tonight, everyone!” I smile, sliding into the booth next to Cameron.
Hops and Dreams is a popular place to be tonight after a Comets win.
“It was a damn great game!” Venda cheers from the booth next to ours.
Our team has come a long way in just a few weeks. We’re a couple of weeks into our first regular season as the Comets, and I think Cameron and I have done well at showing them that nothing has changed for the team. We play fairly no matter what.
Elisabet and Sidney didn’t have as much work to do to get the team to understand, but their relationship has been fully accepted now, too.
Michael, though, seems to have continued his antics on the Asteroids because ESPN reported this week about how he’s been released from the team. He hasn’t signed anywhere new yet, but good luck to whatever team decides to sign him. They’re going to need it.
“Look what the cat dragged in,” Wes drawls as he watches Blake walk up, arm linked through Ivy’s.
“Had to practically drag this one out tonight,” Blake teases as Ivy sighs, and they slide in next to Wes.
“You know I’m working on my dissertation,” Ivy says.
“Exactly why I brought you tonight.” Blake smiles brightly at her friend while Nico’s eyes catch Ivy’s. “You need to let loose.”
“You’re always welcome to come out with us,” Nico grins.
Ivy’s freckled cheeks flame scarlet. “Oh… thank you, Nico.”
“What are you studying, Ivy?” Isla asks curiously.
“Neuroscience.”
“Damn,” Nico whistles.
Ivy tries to shrug it off. “It’s not a big deal.”
“Not a big deal?” Blake scoffs. “You’re working on your fucking Ph.D., Ives!” She turns to Nico. “She’s fucking brilliant, honestly.”
“That’s so cool,” Bet smiles.
“I agree,” Nico blurts to the laughter of our friends. Ivy just blushes harder.
She seems to only be nervous around Nico.
Interesting.
“So,” Cameron says, changing the subject, “next Friday is Halloween. We don’t have a game, and we don’t travel until Sunday. Z and I think we should have a team Halloween party in place of dinner.”
“Yes!” Isla shouts. “I’m so in.”
“Gonna find your sluttiest costume, Icy?” I tease.
“You know it,” she winks.
“You should come, Ivy,” Nico says nervously, and Cameron muffles his laugh.
“Maybe,” she replies softly. “I’ll see if I can.”
“You’re going,” Blake asserts. “You spend too much time working on that damn paper, Ives.”
“That paper is going to determine my future.”
“Well, if you can,” Nico interjects, “you should come by. We hardly ever see you outside the arena.”
“I’m only there to sing,” she shrugs. “I come by, do my job, leave, then go write my dissertation. My life isn’t very exciting.”
“All the more reason to come to the party.”
Nico holds Ivy’s gaze before she laughs lightly. “Okay, I’ll try. I’ll try to be there.”
Nico continues watching her with a dopey smile while the conversation continues, but Cameron leans over to whisper to me.
“For Halloween, would you rather dress as Star Wars characters or The Mighty Ducks characters?”
“I was thinking more along the lines of dressing up as a demonic goose,” I smirk.
Cameron pinches my ass. “I will rip that costume off of you, Zhuri baby.”
I look at him playfully. “Aren’t you going to do that anyway?”
“Not in front of our teammates.”
“How about we look up costume ideas tonight?”
“Fine.” He gives me a light kiss. “Is that going to be before or after I strip you out of these clothes and have my way with you?”
“After.” I bite his bottom lip, and he groans in response.
Cameron splays his hand over my leg, slowly teasing his fingers up the inside of my thigh. “Then let’s get out of here.”
“Slow down, Cammy,” I laugh. “We just got here. We can’t leave yet.”
He sighs. “I’m punishing you tonight for teasing me right now. I’m already hard, baby girl.”
“You’re always hard.”
“Because of you. Only because of you.”
I kiss Cameron again and just smile at how much my life has changed.
I’m a completely different person now than I was four months ago.
I’ve spent my life being careful, not allowing myself to let loose and have fun. I still need to exercise caution, but not holding myself back entirely is incredibly freeing.
If I hadn’t done that, I wouldn’t be with Cameron now.
I wouldn’t know what it’s like to be truly loved, truly desired in a way only he can make me feel.
I enjoyed my life before, but I haven’t felt fulfilled until now. I thought hockey was all I needed to be satisfied, but as soon as I let my guard down around Cameron, I realized I wouldn’t ever be truly satisfied if I didn’t also have his love.
The world doesn’t see him the way I do. They don’t know him the way I do.
So only I know what a wonderful thing it is to be loved by Cameron Kovacic.
It’s a feeling I wouldn’t trade for anything.
And it all started with us having to share our home ice.