Page 53 of No Shot (The Toronto Tundra #2)
Penn
Knock, knock, knock, knock-knock.
The door swings open the second I finish our secret code, and Bri comes running to me. Her arms loop around my neck, and I lift her until her legs are wrapped tight around my lower back.
This? This feeling, this reaction, this moment when we ’ re reunited—it ’ s everything. It reminds me how special what we have really is—enough to make the time apart worth it.
Doesn’t matter if I’m here or in another country. This will always be the best thing. She will always and forever be the best thing in my life.
“ So I spoke to Coach…” I say casually, watching her face light up in shock.
“ And?” She slides down my body, staring at me expectantly.
“ Seems like they want to re-sign me for next year. I didn ’ t get the official contract yet, but it sounds like he wants to keep me with Theo. And I have every intention of making whatever offer they make work. It ’ s not about the money for me.”
She blinks up at me. “ So that means?”
“ It means you ’ re stuck with me, Soup.”
Her arms squeeze around my torso, her face pressed against my chest. I wrap my arms around her, holding her close. “ I ’ m so happy for you, Penn.”
“ So, that means one of us is staying in Toronto. Now, we wait for you.”
She looks down at the floor. “ I really want to stay too. I just—I ’ m going to be applying to a lot of places.
Many graduates go international… The end-of-year job fair has a lot of opportunities abroad, global companies that like to hire right from my program.
” She twiddles with her fingers, a nervous tension washing over her—her body going rigid.
I cup her chin, bringing her gaze back to mine. “ If you have to leave the city, we ’ ll make that work, okay? Your drive and determination are two of my favorite things about you. Why would that change if your dedication to your career took you away from me?”
Her disbelieving eyes bore into mine, and she shrugs.
“ I mean, come on, you could get your dream job in New York, London, hell, even Hong Kong. Sure the distance would suck, the time difference would be tricky, but come on Soup. Think of the snacks you could send me!”
She rolls her eyes, looking down again. “ I ’ m serious, Penn.”
“ So am I. I mean it, I ’ d expect boxes and boxes of foreign treats. All the guys will be so jealous.” I can see a tiny smile forming on Bri ’ s face, but she still looks unconvinced.
“ It doesn ’ t matter where we end up. This is worth every sacrifice. I ’ ll do whatever it takes if it means we get to be together.” She doesn ’ t say anything, but pulls me close again. I bracket her head against my beating chest.
“ You ’ ve got your own dreams—and I love that about you. I know you never wanted to follow anyone. So as soon as I step off the ice and hang up my skates for good, I ’ m following you around the world, wherever you want to go.”
Bri burrows further into my arms, and I plant a kiss on the top of her head.
“ I love you, Penn.”
This right here feels like home.
“ I love you too. It ’ ll always be you and me.”