Epilogue
July Again
The new beginning
“That's silly. This isn’t our first time, Anna! Nuns all over the world are laughing at you right now.”
“It’s our new first time,” she complained, pushing him onto her bed. “And if you keep saying such stupid things, I might develop a gag fetish.”
He chuckled softly and pulled her toward him by the waist. “I have no problem with that at all. Silence is one of my strengths...”
Could you just stop touching my sister so obviously, Moreau? Thanks, that would be very kind,” Dax said, annoyed.
Lucas narrowed his eyes and Anna sighed heavily.
“He’s touching my waist, Dax,” she replied, squeezing said hand, which in her opinion had found the perfect resting place. “Anyway, I caught you and Lucy in the conference room—”
“Reading papers,” Lucy interrupted loudly as Penny gave her a shocked look. “Reading very innocent papers.”
Anna grinned and slumped against Lucas. “Yeah. Dax has always loved doing paperwork. He really works up a sweat doing it, he’s always so excited.”
Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that Lucas’ expression remained completely neutral, but he gently pinched her hip. He appreciated her wit...and Anna would never tire of discovering all the other ways he communicated. She felt as if they’d developed their own secret language.
Penny groaned and tilted her head back. “Thanks for the mental image, Anna. And where’s Jack? I shouldn’t have to deal with this alone.”
“He’s at the grill,” Dax muttered grumpily, nodding toward the other side of Fox’s yard where most of the players were milling around the gigantic grill, which seemed to have as big of an ego problem as any member of the Hawks.
“Even the fight for the stupid tongs, the guy has to win — but then he can’t score a goal! ”
“Don’t take your bad mood out on your siblings, Dax,” Lucy said warningly but with a hint of sympathy in her voice. “It’s not their fault that you missed out on the Stanley Cup again.”
With those words, Lucas stiffened — the pain and disappointment still ran deep. They had lost the second round of the playoffs by a narrow margin.
Anna cautiously put her arm around his middle anyway and squeezed him tight. Dax sighed heavily, but before he could complain, new voices drifted towards them.
“...me, the agent, or you, Austin?”
“It’s okay, Hazel. I just don’t want you to start an unnecessary argument! I want to stay with the Hawks.”
“Yeah, and Devreaux wants to join the Hawks because he’s sick of the cold weather in Edmonton.
Unfortunately, Gareth Clark knows both of those things, which is why he’s not giving you the money you deserve.
So, if you could at least pretend you’re unhappy with the damn Hawks that would help me a lot. ”
Melody, who was walking beside them with a Frisbee in her hands, giggled and looked at Lucas.
“She said a bad word...Dad.” The last word still came out hesitantly.
She was getting used to using it all the time, and Anna’s heart grew a little bigger each time because she saw how much it meant to Lucas.
Plus, Melody always smiled when she said the innocent word.
“Really?” Lucas looked darkly at his agent. “She should know better.”
“Melody thought it was funny, didn’t she?” Hazel said innocently.
Melody giggled more loudly.
“See.” Hazel smiled broadly. “And, Penny, can we talk, please?” She hooked her arm with the Hawks’ co-owner and pulled her across the lawn. “Don’t you want to negotiate for Fox and Devreaux...”
“Oh, no,” the Hawks owner interrupted hastily. “I’m not getting involved. The contract stuff has always been Gare’s thing!”
“But he’s doing a terrible job!”
Penny laughed. “At upsetting you? No, he’s actually doing a fantastic job.”
“Wait, is Devreaux really up for debate?” Lucy called after them in disbelief. “The guy who sank a yacht the other day? Penny, do you want to give me and the entire PR team a heart attack?” She hurried after the two women.
Anna laughed and shook her head as the three women’s voices faded. “I thought Hazel was one of those women who's not fazed by anything.”
“Oh, she is,” Fox said. “Unless the nothing has that one particular name that starts with G and ends with Areth Clark.”
“Subtle, dude,” Dax said approvingly. “Good thing you didn’t mention any names.”
“Dad, can I have some ice cream?” Melody asked, her eyes wide and innocent. She’d obviously lost interest in adult conversation now that no one was cursing.
Lucas sighed and gently stroked her head. “Mel, ice cream is bad for the body.”
“But good for the soul,” the girl stated seriously.
Anna laughed loudly while Lucas glared at her. “Did you teach her that?”
“Oh, she could have picked it up anywhere,” she remarked innocently. “And she’s right!”
Melody grinned at her. “Yeah!”
“Maybe later, okay? After the real food.” He nodded toward the grill.
“Come on, Melody.” Fox took her hand. “Let’s find some people and play a game. We could all use some fun today. It’ll pass the time before ice cream.”
“Oh yeah,” she said enthusiastically. “We should ask Leon. Dad says he acts like a kid and kids like to play!”
Fox grinned at Lucas, who nodded somberly. “All right. Let’s find Leon.”
“Hey, I want to play too,” Dax complained, running after them. “I need the distraction.”
The next moment, she was alone with Lucas.
They didn’t speak. They just stood there, arms around each other, letting the sun beat down on them, breathing in the summer while watching Melody convince fully grown, super-rich hockey players to play hide-and-seek.
And Anna couldn’t remember ever being so happy. So...content. You didn’t have to spend your whole life chasing the next goal. Sometimes it was okay to just arrive.
She smiled and pulled Lucas closer.
“In case you forgot, we’re meeting my dad tomorrow — and if Dax beats him up, it’ll probably make headlines. So, I apologize for the drama. I know the news about Melody is just starting to die down.” She grimaced and looked up apologetically at Lucas, who merely shrugged.
“It’s your drama. Your drama is always okay.”
She chuckled softly. “Really?”
“Yes.” He turned to her. “And my offer still stands: I’d love to come along and give your dad my best serial-killer stare.”
Warmth spread through her chest. “That’s incredibly sweet, but having a brother around who acts like an idiot in my presence is more than enough.”
“Well, Dax said he could use the distraction, so he shouldn’t complain.”
She nodded. “Next year. Next year you’ll win the Cup.”
Lucas put his hands around her face and gently stroked her cheeks with his thumbs. “It’s okay. I still feel like a winner,” he murmured, smiling, and kissed her.
THE END
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