Epilogue
REBEL
It’s the final minutes of the playoffs and my heart is at my throat.
Shouts erupt from the entire stadium. The noise so deafening that I’ll be hearing a ringing in my ears for the next two weeks.
But none of that matters.
The clock is ticking.
The game is tied.
This is the Lucky Striker’s last chance to take the number one spot on the leader board.
I can’t breathe.
Gunner cuts across the ice, speeding ahead of the other team’s defense. Beside me, April is screaming for Chance, who currently has control of the puck, but my eyes are on my boyfriend as the defense descend on Chance in a frenzy.
Chance sends the puck skating across the ice.
Come on, Gunner. Come on .
Gunner takes control of the puck in the blink of an eye and skates like a madman to the goal. If I thought it was loud before, the shouts in the stadium are about to tear the roof off this place.
I’m on my feet and screaming my head off along with everyone else. To my left, there’s a voice only slightly louder than mine and, suddenly, a warm hand wraps around mine.
I look over to Carol, who’s got her eyes locked on her son. I doubt she even recognizes that she’s holding me. I bet she’d be horrified. Sure, she agreed to join my association (and even took all her contacts and sponsors—including Rodney Howard—with her), but Carol still acts a little snooty around me.
It’s in her blood, I guess.
Mom and the Kinseys have come to a settlement agreement, and the Kinseys have already started making payments.
Mom moved out of the trailer and into a small but more expensive home in a modest area of Lucky Falls. She also met with an architect to build an apartment on the property near Darkwell Ridge, which I recently found out has always been a dream of hers.
Gunner and I are happily dating.
Mom never has to work another day in her life.
And I no longer need to suck up to the Lady Luck Society to make real change in Lucky Falls.
The only thing we need now is for the Lucky Strikers to win this game and walk away as the champions of the season.
But that last part is easier said than done.
The opposing team swarms around Gunner like a pack of hungry wolves, doing their best to tear him to pieces. He weaves through them like a ghost. Fakes a pass and turns instead. But they’re just as desperate to be number one and he can’t get past.
A slick pass to Theilan is the best decision in that moment and I watch, heart in my throat until the moment the puck is back in his possession.
Eight seconds.
“Go, Gunner! You got this!” I scream, knowing my voice is being drowned out by the multitudes in the stadium.
Gunner lifts his stick and, without hesitation, he goes for it.
The puck sails through the air.
I hear every distinct beat of my heart. Every hiss of sweat rolling down my face. Every thud of my feet jumping up and down on the bleachers.
Time slows until…
The puck soars past the goalie’s glove in a lighting flash and rams into the back of the net.
Score!
Lucky Falls goes wild in the stands. I hug Carol and then I hug April and Delia. Tears are running down Carol’s face and I feel a few tears pressing against the back of my eyes too.
It’s the first time Lucky Falls has won a championship in years. A lot of that is owed to Chance, the indisputable ace of the team. But I know how hard Gunner and the other members have been working, toiling, and yearning for this win.
And it’s finally here.
Gunner rips his helmet off and tosses it while his teammates descend on him, knocking him to the ice in celebration. The celebrating dog pile breaks and Gunner pushes to his feet, his head immediately swiveling to our side of the bleachers.
His eyes find mine and his lips twitch upward, leaking that pleased, half-smile that’s just for me.
I blow him a kiss.
The smile on his face gets bigger.
“I’ve never seen my son smile like that,” Carol says, sniffing. “I’ve never seen him so happy.”
I hug her again, soothing her back as she loses it.
By the time I return my attention to the ice, Gunner is gone.
He has interviews and fan signing with the rest of the team, so April, Delia, and I hang out in the administration building until the players emerge.
“That was crazy,” Delia says, running her fingers through her silky, black hair. “I don’t know much about hockey, but I feel pumped .”
I wrap an arm around her shoulder. “Welcome to Lucky Falls. You’ll get sucked in and become a hardcore hockey fan eventually.”
April nods in agreement. “It really sneaks up on you.”
We hear footsteps. Chance, Theilan, Renthrow, Watson and Gunner walk toward us.
My heart skips a beat when I spot Gunner. His jersey hugs his broad shoulders and hints at the impressive muscles coiled beneath the sleeves. His hair is still damp and slightly curly over his forehead. As always, his resting face is an intimidating one—focused and dangerous.
But, when his eyes meet mine, he softens in a way that only happens when he’s with me.
“Whoo! Congratulations, guys!” April says as she flies into her boyfriend’s arms and gives him a sweet kiss.
“Congratulations,” I murmur, moving into Gunner’s arms.
He hugs me and kisses my forehead. “Thanks, princess.” He eases back. “I like your jacket.”
“Yeah?” I do a little spin so he can admire my pink bedazzled ‘KINSEY’ jacket that I had custom-made for tonight.
The last time I wore his name on a jacket, I wanted to take it off and burn it. But now, not only am I rocking Gunner’s jersey number with pride… I bedazzled the heck out of it.
“You look amazing.” He pulls me close again.
I grin from ear to ear. “I was hoping you’d say that. I have a pink jacket with my name bedazzled on it in the car for you.”
He gives me a quick, horrified look. “Really?”
“No, I’m just joking.” I laugh and cuddle closer to his chest.
“Hey, guys!” Max says, calling our attention to him.
The bear-sized team manager is not alone. A trim, older woman struts beside him. The woman is wearing red leather pants, bold red lipstick and has cutting, dark brown eyes. She’s far, far tinier than Max, but I sense that she has a personality twice his size.
Gunner sees me watching the woman closely and whispers, “Do you know her?”
“Something about her seems familiar.”
“Everyone,” Max grins, “I’d like you to meet our new sponsor, Mrs.—”
“Mom!” A voice shrieks.
“Mom?” Max finishes his announcement and then his forehead creases as if he hadn’t meant to say ‘Mrs. Mom’ at all.
“Cordelia,” the woman says in a cultured voice. Her red lips inch up in a sly smile.
“Mom?” I ask, pointing between Delia and the new sponsor.
The usually cool and unflappable Delia looks ready to bolt for the doors. She eyes the exits for a second and then her head whips around like she’s searching desperately for something. Suddenly, she latches onto Renthrow. Wrapping her hand around his bicep, Delia forces a smile and says in a firm tone. “Mom.”
The sponsor’s eyebrows tighten and there’s a warning in her voice when she responds, “ Cor -delia.”
The two stare each other down and it feels like a heated but silent conversation.
Renthrow tries to wrench his arm away. “What are you doing?” he hisses.
Delia holds fast, her teeth gritted. “Mom, I’d like to introduce you to my…”
“Daddy!”
Delia’s entire face turns pale as Gordie flings herself at Renthrow’s leg.
“Oh. It’s the cool lady!” Gordie points up at Delia with a giant smile. She bounces up and down. “Daddy, it’s the lady I told you about!”
Delia’s eyes dart between Renthrow and Gordie as if someone’s pulled a sick prank on her. “D-daddy?”
The new sponsor scrunches her nose. “Really, Cordelia?”
I glance at Gunner.
He looks at me and shakes his head slowly.
Something tells me that life in Lucky Falls is about to get a lot more interesting.
Thank you for reading Ice Princess.