Chapter 35
Daisy
Waking up next to Connor was a relief compared to the previous six weeks. Her head pounded, the light streaming through her bedroom window blinding, but at least half her heart wasn’t clear across the country.
The way she’d confessed her love for him pissed her the fuck off.
It was never supposed to be drunk and sobbing in a dive bar bathroom.
They’d never work, split up like they were.
If he were closer, maybe they could do long distance.
But that far, with such a busy schedule, wasn’t going to be feasible.
When Connor asked her to go to Nashville with him, her gut reaction had been no.
It would hurt more to have him close for a short time only to lose him again.
But then he said he might re-sign there, and Daisy realized that while the loss of him had utterly obliterated her heart, her head had been waiting for him to come back.
If he signed a long-term contract in Nashville, the little piece of hope she held onto would be smashed to smithereens, and she couldn’t let that happen. She wouldn’t let him go that easily.
Three months ago, Daisy had been meandering along through life, and in a few short weeks her dreams had begun to come true.
He had been one of those dreams, and now that she’d had a taste of him and knew he felt a fraction of what she did, she couldn’t let him go.
If he could at least sign with a team in the same time zone, they could make it work.
She’d made it work with Patrick. As friends, of course, but they still talked a lot.
So she agreed to follow Connor to Nashville for the playoffs as long as he considered other teams.
Daisy had been right. Nashville did not even come close to winning the cup.
She’d anticipated at least two weeks in Nashville, but the trip got cut short.
Casey and Evan got injured in the first period of the first playoff game, and without them, Nashville lost four games in a row, being swept out of the competition in the first round.
Daisy didn’t mind. Nashville was every bit as horrible as she had anticipated.
The air had been warm and muggy, the culture a far cry from what she loved about Seattle.
Connor had been working more often than not, and it left her time to explore.
She didn’t like what she saw. Eight days had been more than enough time for her to determine she wouldn’t thrive there.
She sat in the arena, waiting for the clock to tick down to the final buzzer. There were three minutes left, and Nashville was down by five goals. She’d seen crazier things in hockey, but the team didn’t have the spirit to pull out a win.
When the game and end-of-season events were over, Daisy waited in the family room for Connor. It was finally time to take her man home.
She’d imagined a million times how she’d tell him she loved him. In the bar bathroom they’d said the words, but they hadn’t repeated them since. In her head it had always been after a big win. But this loss felt like a win.
They got to have a summer together. To hang out with Roxie and Hazy and Valentine and Sarah and Dylan. Patrick and Sophia planned to visit before Sophia got too far along to fly.
Connor would get an amazing offer for a team on the west coast (she was manifesting) and they’d have time to figure out their plans together.
The vibe in the family room was morose. Cranky wives and crying kids waited for crestfallen husbands and fathers.
Daisy vibrated with excitement. When she spotted Connor, she hurled herself into his arms, and he met her embrace with equal enthusiasm.
“I love you!” she told him, pretending it was the first time.
(It was the first time sober, that counts.) He threw his head back in laughter.
All around them, angry people shot glares their way. Daisy didn’t care.
“I love you too,” Connor said as she dragged him out of the arena.
“Good. Let’s go home.”
Daisy and Connor spent the weeks between Nashville’s epic failure of a playoff season and free agency doing as many things as they could to keep their minds off the uncertainty of their future.
They went to concerts and markets and movies.
They took Dylan to the coast for a few days so Sarah could have some well-deserved alone time.
Roxie, Hazy, and Valentine insisted on having multiple binge-watching marathons of various reality TV shows.
They packed up Connor’s apartment for his impending move.
And they spent time in bed. A lot of time. Daisy was getting it while she could. Who knew how many months would go by during the season when her only companion would be her little pink vibrator. She dreaded it.
On July first, they waited by Connor’s phone.
Multiple offers rolled in throughout the day.
Nashville’s offer stood. They discarded a few offers from east coast teams as soon as they came in.
Connor had been wonderful in taking Daisy’s request into consideration.
They had a plan for how they’d communicate, tools they could use to keep their relationship fresh, and how often Daisy would be comfortable visiting.
Although he insisted he could participate, it would be easier for Daisy to travel to him.
At the end of the first day of free agency, Connor was considering offers from Vancouver and San Jose. San Jose would pay more, but Vancouver would be closer to Seattle. Daisy had to admit that being able to see Patrick and Sophia when she visited was a big draw.
Daisy could work with either option. In fact, she was ecstatic about both.
She didn’t anticipate such great choices.
She’d even convinced herself it would be fine if Connor played for Vegas.
She had to fight down bile every time it crossed her mind that she might willingly purchase a Vegas jersey, but she could work around it if necessary.
So, with San Jose and Vancouver in the running, she was over the moon with whichever he picked.
He decided to sleep on it. The offers would still be there in a couple of days.
Daisy was glad he did. His offer from Seattle came two days later.
It was for less money, but it came with a no-move clause and a giant apology from the GM, who insisted ownership had demanded the trade to get a few prospects out of Connor’s expiring contract.
It didn’t matter. Connor signed on the dotted line.