Epilogue 1
Zane
“You can do it,” I say as I open the gate and get on the ice first. Everything about Gwen tells me she is nervous, but like the strong woman she is, she powers through.
“I still can’t believe you talked me into this. You suck,” Gwen laughs as she slowly steps onto the ice as well, clinging to the sides of the rink.
“Just forget about the first time on the ice. You’ll do better this time,” I try to comfort her.
“I wasn’t even thinking about the first time!” she says loudly with her eyes wide open. “Now I am!”
“One foot after the other, that’s all it takes. I’ll be here for you,” I instruct her as I slowly skate in front of her.
“One foot after the other,” she mocks me, making me laugh. “Easy for you to say,” she chuckles.
I hold out my hand and can see hesitation in her eyes. I tilt my head and smile at her, waiting for her to get the confidence back. It happens quickly. Gwen takes a deep breath, then takes my hand.
“I am not going to fall,” she says to either me, herself, or the universe, I can’t really tell.
Slowly, she glides on the ice next to me. During the first few steps, she holds my hand tightly, but the further she gets, the more she loses her grip.
“You’re doing it,” I tell her proudly. She looks my way and has a big smile on her face.
“I am!” she yells loud enough to cause a little echo through the stadium.
Gwen lets go of my hand, and just like that, she skates in front of me. She has gotten the hang of it and is gliding on the ice without fear.
Watching Gwen skate without fear hits me harder than any goal I’ve ever scored. She moves as she trusts herself now. Like she’s not waiting for the ice, or the world, to betray her. God, I love that about her.
“Are you seeing this?” Gwen asks as she skates past me.
“I am,” I laugh while I chase her. It makes her giggle, and she screams when I catch up to her and put my arms around her waist. “I am proud of you.”
“Maybe I should be on the team. I’m sure I can do this with a stick in my hands,” she chuckles.
We stand still, and Gwen slowly turns around. She leans in and kisses me.
“Thank you for the skating lessons,” she smiles proudly.
“You are more than welcome. Shall we get some hot chocolate now?” I ask her, and she nods enthusiastically right away.
In the locker room hallway, I can’t help but look at her. Gwen bumps my shoulder playfully. “You’re staring at me.”
“Can you blame me?”
She grins. “Yes.”
“Let’s go home,” I suggest as I take her hand and we make our way to the car.
Back at the apartment, the warmth hits us immediately, and the contrast makes her sigh as she kicks off her shoes. She stretches, arms overhead, her sweater lifting enough to make my focus sharpen in a very specific way.
She catches me looking again.
Her smile turns slow. Knowing.
“What?” she asks.
“Nothing,” I say, which is a lie.
She steps closer, close enough that I can feel the heat of her body, smell her shampoo, sense that subtle shift in the air when affection turns into something heavier.
“I love you,” she tells me, and it still sends a shiver through my entire body.
“I love you more,” I tell her.
She kisses me, unhurried, confident, like she knows exactly where she stands now. There’s no hesitation in her, no checking to see if she’s allowed.
I pull her closer, hands finding her waist, then her back, then everywhere I know by heart. She fits against me like something inevitable.
Her fingers slide into my hair. I groan softly before I can stop myself.
“Bedroom,” she murmurs.