Page 27 of Defensive Zone (Chicago Thunder #3)

Chapter Twenty-Six

December - eight months later

Carter

Having a game on New Year’s Eve threw a wrench into my plans, but I wasn’t going to let it get to me. I knew exactly how I wanted it to go, but I also knew I was going to be cutting it close, so I’ve pulled out all the stops and got creative. Along with the help of some others.

Within an hour of my game ending in Denver, I skipped out on the post-win celebrations with my teammates and jumped into a private car that took me to the airport, where I hopped on a charter flight to take me to Chicago. Now, I’m in another car heading toward downtown Chicago, and just my luck, it’s bumper to bumper on the I-90, and the rain is coming down heavily.

Zach also has a game today, and it’s currently into the second intermission, so I’m only going to get a small window of time to get everything perfect.

It’s going to be fine. I’m not going to let this slight inconvenience ruin my mood tonight.

The Thunder are having another stellar season. They are in strong contention for the postseason, as they are currently top of their conference and sitting second in the overall league. They were also crowned Stanley Cup Champions last season, and I’m hopeful they will retain the title for another year, especially if they can continue dominating the way they are.

Watching Zach lift the cup was one of the greatest moments of my life. It wasn’t his first Stanley Cup win, but it was the most special because I knew how much he went through to be there. The struggles, the pain, the knowledge that his condition could stop him from getting on that ice.

Seeing his face light up as he held the Stanley Cup made it all worth it.

There was a point during round two where Zach missed two games due to his migraines, much to his frustration. Like every athlete, especially when they are in postseason mode, he tried to downplay his symptoms, but when he threw up on the bench during morning skate one day, Coach Harris stepped in and took him out from the line-up.

Zach mentioned there was a sense of uncertainty in the locker room regarding whether he could return, which made the win all the sweeter.

I went to every one of his games—even the away games in Boston—but there were times I felt scared watching him play, not that I would ever tell him that. A player thinking about concussions often invites one to happen, but the thought that one hit could set him back in his recovery or even change his entire life meant I spent every second he was on shift as a complete mess.

Even now, he still struggles with migraines, but thankfully they aren’t as persistent as they were earlier on in the year. He has regular follow-ups with his neurologist to monitor for any signs of change, and the team continues to support him in every way.

I’m pleased that his neurologist is happy with his progress, but he’s had to come to terms with the fact that these migraines are most likely here to stay, and he’s going to need to learn how to live with it.

After the Thunder celebrated their win, we headed back to Hawaii. We rented the same villa as last year, only this time we spent more time naked and wrapped up in each other than exploring, but neither of us complained.

Who knew pool sex could be so much fun?

Given how hectic the first six months of the year had been, it did us both good to unwind and fully relax. Instead of going to Denver at the end of our trip, we went back to Chicago to celebrate Ethan’s retirement from the NHL.

It came as a shock to the boys. I think they saw their captain as untouchable, having dedicated two decades of his life to the league, but Ethan said it was time.

Me, on the other hand? I’m keeping an open mind.

Hayden’s heard some rumblings that Chicago might be interested in adding me to their defensive line-up, but I’ve told him if it doesn’t happen, then I’m happy as I am. I’ve joked with Zach on a number of occasions that I’ll be a stay-at-home husband, and maybe Ethan and I can start a retired athletes club. In fact, Ethan’s recently started up a foundation that offers hockey programs to underprivileged kids, but depending on whether I get an offer from Chicago, I might ask him if he would be interested in expanding it to include football.

But I’m not thinking too hard about it for now.

There’s only a few more weeks left of my season in Denver, then I’ll be moving to Chicago permanently. I’ve got a realtor dealing with the sale of my house and I’ve started packing up my belongings. I don’t have that much to pack anyway.

It turns out I lived quite a minimalist existence. I guess somehow, my subconscious knew I would end up here. I don’t feel sad about it, though; if anything, I’m excited, especially since I’ve been having an incredible season, which I think helps because I’ll potentially end my career on a high.

Zach was with me during my preseason, and I got to do something I’ve watched my teammates do for years. I got to run over to him on the sidelines before the game and kiss him in front of everyone.

I’ve never considered myself an overly superstitious guy—not like Zach who is strict when it comes to his pre and post-game routines—but clearly I am, because this season I’m on fire, and I have a feeling it’s all because of him.

Zach’s apartment building comes into view, and I can’t stop the smile that appears on my face. To think in a few weeks, this will be our apartment building. Our home.

I thank the driver as he pulls up outside and make my way inside to see the doorman, Steve, waiting with a light pink box in his hands.

“Good evening, Mr. Lockwood.” Steve bows his head in greeting, a small smile playing on his lips as he holds out the box. “I have a special delivery for you.”

“Amazing, thank you.” I grin, accepting the box from him and following him to the elevator bank.

“Is he still unaware of your arrival?” he asks.

“He has no idea,” I reply, and we both chuckle.

That’s right, Zach has no idea that I’ll be waiting for him when he gets home from his game. I said that I needed to stay in Denver as Coach Jefferson wanted us to run through some game tape ahead of our final games next week, but I’ve really been coordinating all of this behind his back, with the help of the likes of Steve, Jacob, and Zach’s teammates.

I want this to be a night he will never forget, and I’m sure he’ll forgive me for my little white lie.

“He’s going to be pleased to see you. Happy New Year,” Steve says as the elevator doors open.

“Happy New Year, Steve.” I smile before stepping inside and pressing the button for Zach’s floor.

Once I’m inside the apartment, I switch on the TV and find the Thunder game. They’re currently winning 3-1 against Dallas, and it’s halfway into the third period, which gives me a little bit of time to get everything in order.

I know Zach will be eager to get home after the game, thinking he’s going to FaceTime me so we can watch Return of the Jedi together, but little does he know he’s in for a surprise.

I get started preparing his chicken and broccoli Alfredo so it’s ready for me to cook as soon as he gets home, then fetch blankets and pillows from the guest bedrooms and put them on the couch. It won’t be exactly like that night when we were ten years old, because why would we put our bodies through sitting on the floor when he has a perfectly good couch?

It might have been the night he fell in love with me, but I plan on making tonight the night he knows I’m so fucking in love with him, he’s the reason my heart beats.

Anxiety pools in the pit of my stomach as the game ends with a win for the Thunder, and the clock begins to count down. Blaine texts me to let me know as soon as Zach leaves the arena, and I have just under thirty minutes. When twenty have gone by, I start to cook the chicken and boil the water for the pasta.

My hands are literally shaking as I hear the electronic lock of his door engaging.

I watch as he walks in and stops just inside the hall, his brows furrowing when he sees the TV on. He still hasn’t spotted me when he says, “Uhh…”

I round the counter and hold my hands out. “Hey, baby!”

Zach’s mouth drops open, his eyes widening as he drops his bag on the floor with a heavy clunk. He closes the distance between us and engulfs me in his arms, squeezing the breath out of me and hiding his face in my neck.

“Hey, baby,” I say again with a chuckle under my breath, wrapping my arms around his back.

I kiss the side of his head, and when he lifts it to look at me, his eyes are glassy. His hands cup the sides of my face, thumbs sweeping over my cheeks.

“I can’t believe you’re here,” he whispers.

“I wanted to surprise you,” I whisper back.

His wide smile lights up his face before he presses his lips to mine. The kiss is gentle, but it’s filled with emotion. It says, I miss you and I love you and everything in between.

“Why don’t you have your shower while I cook your dinner? Then we can watch a movie.”

“ Return of the Jedi ?”

“You got it, baby.” I give his ass a slap. “Go shower. If we’re going to time it just right, you got five minutes until we need to hit Play.”

With a final kiss, he collects his bag from the floor and rushes into his room. I finish cooking his pasta, and when he returns in only a pair of low-slung sweatpants, I let out a low whistle.

“Damn, you’re so fine! ”

He laughs and falls onto the couch next to me. He eyes the mountain of blankets, then notices the bowl of pasta waiting for him on the coffee table along with his favorite donut and a bottle of water.

“You got me a donut too?” He gasps.

“Yeah, I did.” I nod, leaning in to steal a kiss from his lips because I can’t help myself. “I had it on special delivery and everything.”

“I fucking love you.”

I grin. “I fucking love you too. Now eat up while I start the movie, or it’s going to be all out of sync.”

We settle back into the couch, cuddled under the blankets as he eats his dinner, then the donut. I subtly check my pocket under the blanket, and my heart rate begins to skyrocket as the scene comes closer and closer. From our spot on the couch, we have a perfect view of Navy Pier, where they will set off fireworks, making it even more perfect.

Slipping my hand under the blanket again, I grab hold of the box, and the second the Death Star explodes on the screen, fireworks paint the night sky over Lake Michigan in a multitude of colors.

It’s my cue.

I slide off the couch and get onto one knee with the velvet ring box in hand, flicking the lid open to reveal the black platinum wedding band I had custom made.

Zach’s eyes widen. “Carter…”

With a shaky smile, I begin the speech I’ve been rehearsing for the past week.

“Zach, I was six years old when I bulldozed my way into your life and decided we were going to be best friends. I didn’t really give you a chance to argue, but it took less than a day together for me to realize you were my favorite person, and you’ve remained my favorite person ever since. Over the years, you have always been the first person I thought about when I woke up and the very last person on my mind before I went to sleep. It took me a long time to realize that everything I had been looking for in life had been right there all along. My home has never been a place, but a person. You . You are my home. You’re my life, my soul, and I don’t think I can ever show you how much I love you. You are the Han to my Leia?—”

He snorts a laugh.

“Stop it, I’m serious. I couldn’t use Han and Chewbacca because neither of us are hairy and they weren’t in a relationship, and Anakin and Padmé seemed like a curse.”

We both burst out laughing, then I take a deep, shaky inhale, dragging my teeth over my lower lip as nerves bubble in my chest.

“I want to grow old with you, eat donuts with you, and watch Return of the Jedi every New Year’s Eve with you. I want to travel the world with you, and ultimately, I want to love you every day. And I would really love to do it all with you as my husband.”

His breath hitches, and those icy blue eyes turn glassy as his eyes fill with tears.

“Carter…” His voice trembles.

With another deep breath, I ask, “Zach Reid, will you marry me?”

He nods several times, swallowing roughly as a bubble of laughter escapes him.

“Yes,” he rasps. “Yes, I’ll marry you, Carter Lockwood. I want all those things with you.”

I’m unable to contain my grin as he drops to his knees in front of me. He grabs my face with both hands and kisses me. With the ring box in one hand, I wrap my arms around his neck, my own eyes burning with tears that soon fall down my cheeks.

When he pulls away, he rests his forehead against mine, and I stare back into my favorite pair of blue eyes.

“I love you so much,” I whisper.

“I love you too.” He slants his mouth over mine, guiding his tongue into my mouth. We exchange deep, slow kisses to the sound of fireworks over the lake and the movie behind us.

As we ease apart, I take the band out of the box and hold my hand out for his. Zach places his left hand in my palm, trembling slightly as I slide the ring onto his finger before bringing his hand to my mouth and kissing the ring and his palm.

“You said it was on this day twenty years ago that you first realized you were in love with me, but today marks the day you became my best friend, my lover, and my forever.”

Zach’s teeth dig into his bottom lip as a tear falls down his cheek. I hold the side of his face with my hand and wipe the tear away with my thumb.

“I was six years old when you came into my life and became my favorite person. I think even at that young age, I knew you were someone special. You brightened my day just by being in it, and you brought peace to my life by being by my side. But it was when we were ten that I knew you were my soulmate.” His voice cracks, and he clears his throat. “I didn’t know what it meant at the time, but my heart had always beaten a little faster around you. Your laugh was always my favorite sound, and your smile is my sun. I didn’t know it was possible to love you more.”

Tears pool in my eyes. My heart feels so fucking full that I don’t know how to express everything I’m feeling, so instead I give him a wobbly grin. “That’s because I’m awesome, baby.”

He laughs, taking my face in both hands. “That’s because you’re mine, baby.”

I kiss him, then we move to sit back on the couch. Our heads rest on the cushions, our legs locked together as we simply stare at each other, a soft, unbelieving smile on our faces. I trace the ring with the tip of my finger, marveling at how good it looks on him. And how fucking good it feels to know he’s going to be mine in an official sense, too.

“I can’t wait to see how this looks when you have your hand wrapped around my cock.” I smirk.

Zach tips his head back and laughs. “What are you waiting for, fiancé?” He gets off the couch and holds out his left hand with an arch of his brow. “Shall we start a new tradition of seeing the new year in with a bang?”

I jump to my feet and take his hand in mine while the other slides around to grab his ass. “I think we need a new pact. One where we always come first.”

“Of course you do.” Zach laughs and rolls his gorgeous eyes. “It’s a good thing I love you.”

“I’m all yours, baby.” I grin. “I’m all yours.”