Page 125 of Penalty Shot

Randall:?

Randall:Whoa, there is one named Sea-Nanigans.How do you know the name of that boat?

Elise:I can see it from outside your building. I’m here, Randall. I’m here to stay.

The words fly from my fingers, propelled by emotions out of control.

Less than twenty-four hours after Randall left, I had a major reckoning.

Yes, my family is in Columbus where my job prospects are more stable.

Yes, moving to another country across the continent is more risk than I signed up for.

Yes, being with a man I love more than life itself can be overwhelming.

But my family will always be there and my friends forever loyal.

Job stability is relative, at best. Who says there’s anything stable about being a playwright, after all?

And finally, as overwhelming as it is to move for the man I love, it is also thrilling. To love Randall includes willingly risking my heart, readily offering part of my soul, and gladly sharing the best and the worst parts of our lives.

I’m here. I want to share this life with Randall because even if our location changed, our mutual commitment to each other has only strengthened. That bond fuels me. I’m not moving for him; I’m moving for us.

My phone rings. When I press the green button, Randall doesn’t even wait for me to say hello.

“You’re here? Jesus, please tell me I read that correctly,” he mumbles breathlessly. “Fuck this elevator.”

I hear the sound of a heavy door and the undeniable echoing of footsteps running. “I’m taking the stairs. Don’t move.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” I laugh, tickled by how earnest he sounds.

In a blink, he’s on the sidewalk barefoot in nothing but athletic shorts. Disheveled and disoriented, he’s the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen. I throw myself at Randall and he catches me.

For what might have been a full five minutes, I simply cling like a koala. He holds me up and buries his face in my neck.

“Elise, is this a dream?” Randall’s lips brush my skin like he doesn’t want to lose contact for even a second.

“I’m here to stay. For real,” I assure him. “I don’t know if you noticed, but I wasn’t exactly easy to reach the last few days.”

“I fucking noticed,” he says gruffly.

“This is why,” I explain. “I was preparing to come to you, Randall. To live with you.”

His eyes widen in surprise. He looks like he’s about to say something, but words don’t come quickly. Instead, his embrace tightens and our mouths fuse like two magnets clicking together. He lifts me and navigates us through the lobby and toward an elevator bank. Once alone in the enclosed carriage, Randall presses me against a wall, my legs wrapped around him. My heart is about to burst with happiness. It’s like existing in a dream from which I don’t ever want to wake.

When the elevator doors open, he doesn’t rush out like I expect. Randall holds me in place even as one of his arms jams the door to keep it open.

It reminds me of the first elevator we rode together, when we were just two people on our way to a one night stand. We had no idea our lives were going to change forever.

“I have one rule,” he says gravely, although there’s an unmistakable twinkle in his blue eyes.

“OK, I’m listening.” My wide smile makes my cheeks strain.

“When we first hooked up, you made me promise we would keep things casual. Nothing serious, you said. That wasyourrule.”

“I believe I did mention something along those lines.” I chuckle, amazed at how far we’ve come.

“Well, this is as serious as I get. We belong together, that’s priority number one. You’ll not regret moving to Vancouver, Elise. I’ll do anything and everything to make this work for you, too. I’m serious. Your passion as a playwright and director will flourish here. That’s as important to me as the Stanley Cup.”