Epilogue
GOOD PLANS
LOLA
I’ve been at the apartment all afternoon.
Tully and I moved in above The Kitty-Corner Cafe, a cute, cozy place that Juju insists we live in for free.
Tully refuses to do that and says he’ll get creative with ways to pay her if he has to, and I’m going to let the two of them argue that out.
My clothes are unpacked, and my plants sit on every windowsill.
Our coats hang on the hook by the door, and my coffee cup sits next to his in the cabinet.
It’s starting to feel real. Tully is back in my life for good, and every day, I wake up smiling, happy to spend this life with him.
He still has to finish the season, and it’s almost certain that they’re going to the playoffs, but I was ready to get settled into Windy Harbor.
After being around Tully’s family, New York felt especially lonely every time I went back.
I’d rather be around the Whitmans missing Tully than alone in New York missing him.
I gave Mark that was always someone else’s leverage, but I handed over the equipment and the client list. Everything I built over five years, I handed to the two people who’d helped me build it.
They both cried, and then I cried in my car afterward. Mostly because of the price I’d paid to make it successful. The place had been the focus of my love and attention for so long.
The piece clearing my name ran while Goldie and I were in New York. Isla came too, and they helped pack my things, making it way more fun than it would’ve been on my own.
By that night, my Instagram had gained forty thousand followers.
I’m still not entirely sure what to do with that, but I’m excited about the possibilities.
Patrick even called, saying he’d heard about what happened to me and he was really sorry I’d been through that. He wished I’d told him. It was a nice gesture…until he made a smart-ass comment about Tully’s golden retriever energy.
“He wasn’t so golden retriever when he kicked your ass, was he?”
Yeah, he didn’t like that, and hopefully it’ll keep him from calling again.
Daniel’s agent certification has been permanently revoked. Marcus called to tell us, and Tully and I danced around a hotel room in Chicago after his game. Nobody in professional sports wants to be associated with Daniel Crewe.
I haven’t heard from Daniel, which has been surprising. After years of dread, wondering when he’d pounce again, I’m not used to living without that. Yet. He has tried to contact Tully, but the legal protection Tully had in place meant Daniel’s attorney received a response that left no ambiguity.
I want no contact whatsoever. Any further attempts to contact me will result in legal action.
Tully hasn’t heard from him since.
The FBI investigation continues. A plea deal is expected this summer.
Bruce Granger is still out there, which eats away at Tully and his family. Now that I’ve heard more about how far back the vendetta with Bruce goes, I can understand why. But Marcus and Wade swear that Bruce’s day is coming.
I feel bad for Dahlia and Ava that their father is like this. They have no contact with him anymore, but I know it can’t be easy.
My phone buzzes, and I’m jarred out of my thoughts. My mom. She’s been calling more often. It hasn’t been terrible.
“Hey, Mom,” I say.
“Hi there. What are you up to?”
“I’m waiting for Tully to pick me up. He’ll be here soon.”
“Okay, well, I won’t make this long. Dad and I want to come visit…see your new place, get to know Tully a little more. That weekend the two of you spent here went by too fast.”
Tully pulled out his charm that weekend and had my mom and dad eating out of the palm of his hand. I should’ve introduced them years ago and trusted that Tully would soothe any doubts they had about a hockey jock.
“That’d be great. When do you think?”
“Well, if he goes to players, that would be around June?”
“Do you mean playoffs?” I suppress a smile.
“Oh, I guess so. Whatever it’s called.”
“Yes, he should be done by mid-June.”
“Maybe we could come in July then, and we can stay at their resort. Dad and I have looked at it online, and it looks suitable.”
I crack up over that. She is such a snob. “Oh, it’s suitable. I think even you will be impressed with it, Mom.”
“Well. We’ll see.” She sniffs. “Your dad said he’ll be calling you on Sunday. He has a golfing tournament, so he can’t make your weekly call that day.”
My dad has called every week for the past month. It’s easy between us in a way that it’s never been, and I’m enjoying this new phase of our relationship.
“Okay, sounds good. Luca said he’s visiting you next week. I’m trying to talk him and Isla into coming here soon too.”
“They will, I’m sure,” she says. “Gotta run. I’ve got a charity dinner to get ready for.”
“Okay, Mom. Thanks for calling.”
“Mm-hmm. Bye now.”
It’s not ideal with my parents, but it’s a start in the right direction.
It’ll never be perfect—we have such different views on life.
But after they learned about everything that happened with Daniel, there were a lot of apologies all around, and a promise to do better at communicating. That’s enough for me.
A few nights later, the windows are open, and I shiver as I get out of the tub. I’m at Tully’s St. Paul condo, and he’s gone out to get groceries. My phone rings, and I wrap a towel around me before answering it. It’s Tully.
“I think I’ve found our dog,” he says. “I’m so excited. Lola, she’s so cute.”
I laugh. “What kind is she? Where did you find her? I thought you were getting groceries.”
“I was, but there was this lady in line talking about her puppies driving her crazy, and so I asked her about them…and she said her husband was sitting in the car with one of them, and I could go take a look, so I did, and I’m looking at her right now!”
“Take a breath there, Captain.” I laugh, and so does he.
“You didn’t say what kind she is.”
“How about I come pick you up, and you can meet her too?”
I hear someone talking in the background and start putting on my underwear with one hand.
“Okay, I guess I could do that. Don’t you think we should wait until we’re in a house, though? The apartment is pretty small…”
“But we might miss getting her if we did that,” he says.
I laugh again. “Okay, okay. Something tells me that someone has their heart set on this puppy.”
“I do.” He sighs. “You’ll get it when you see her.”
“Okay, I’ll be ready when you get here.”
He talks about how cute she is during the five-minute drive to the house. He parks the car and jogs around to open my door. I can’t stop laughing at how excited he is. A woman opens the door before we reach it, and she has an eager smile.
“I’m Kara,” she says. “Come in.”
“This is Lola,” Tully says.
Kara is already leading us to the back of the house, and when she opens the door to a large room, I’m charged by white fur. Six dogs that look like teddy bears run toward us like we’re covered with beef.
“Oh my goodness.” I laugh, bending down and getting licked to death. “You really are the cutest things I’ve ever seen.”
I stand up and turn, and Tully is holding one up to his face. She’s nestled against him, looking so content.
“This is her,” he says softly. “Here, why don’t you hold her?”
He hands her to me.
“Oh, you’re good. You know the way to make me melt, don’t you?” I tease him.
But then the puppy cuddles up against me, glances up with the sweetest eyes, and sighs. Yep, I’m in love.
“Okay, it worked,” I say.
Tully’s head falls back like he’s so relieved.
“Oh, that’s wonderful,” Kara pipes up, and I jump.
I didn’t realize she was so close.
“I can get her papers for you, and I’ll throw in a complimentary kennel and dog food so you don’t have to get anything tonight.
Mark!” she yells, and I jump again. “Get a kennel and dog food ready to go!” Her voice is softer when she looks at me again.
“That way you can just get her home and get to know each other.” She beams, clasping her hands together. “We take Zelle or cash.”
“Oh, okay. Great.” I glance at Tully, thinking maybe we should talk about this a little more, but I look back down at the sweet puppy, who’s looking up at me with adoration. “Should we?” I ask Tully.
“I think so,” he says, reaching out to pet the puppy.
Kara puts the phone between his hand and the puppy. “Here’s my Zelle information.”
“Great.” He chuckles.
He pulls out his phone and pays for the puppy, and Kara is at the door in the next second, waving us forward.
We hurry over and follow her to the front door.
She laughs as we walk. “I don’t suppose you want two.”
“Better just start with the one,” Tully says, much to my relief.
The kennel and dog food are sitting by the front door, along with a folder.
“Thanks so much,” Kara says, opening the door wide. “You guys take care.”
Tully and I glance at each other, eyebrows raised when she isn’t looking.
“You too,” Tully says.
The door is shut before I say anything, and Tully and I look at each other again.
“Is it me, or was she in a big hurry to get rid of us?” he says.
“Definitely not just you.”
We grin as we look at our new puppy. She really is adorable. We hear a dog bark and glance over. At the gate is the biggest dog I’ve ever seen, and it looks like a mop. My mouth gapes.
“Whoa,” Tully says.
“What kind of dog did you say this was?” I ask.
“You know…I don’t think they ever said.”
“Tully…do you think—is that—is this one of her puppies?”
We stare at the little fluffy thing.
“Nah, this dog is all fluffy, and that one’s got dreadlocks. That couldn’t be you, right?” he says in a high voice that’s hilarious coming from a six-foot-three hockey player.
We get in the car.
“What should we name her?” he asks. “She looks like a Fluffernutter.”
“No, she does not.”
“Cupcake? Fifi?”
“I was thinking of something more like…Penelope or Josephine.”
“So fancy,” he says, wrinkling his nose up slightly.
“Well, Fluffernutter is the other extreme.”