Page 99 of Puck Love

And today, I’d moved to Elmwood. Home.

My mom and Eddie were scheduled to arrive later this week for a monthlong visit. I’d been slowly weaning them into the idea of relocating, though I knew it might not happen for a few years. Eddie loved his school and his friends and his routine, but he was beginning to fall for Elmwood too.

He loved riding horses at Hank and Denny’s ranch, playing bingo at Town Hall, and bellying up to the counter at the diner for milkshakes and a chat about history podcasts with JC. He loved being around the hockey players who seemed to know him even though he didn’t always remember them. He wasn’t shy here. He came out of his shell and thrived.

And I think my mother really enjoyed the mellow pace and the friendly folks who’d embraced us all. So yeah…I hoped one day they’d stay for good.

I spread the red-and-white checked blanket on the grass and handed Jake a spoon, thanking him for the pint of ice cream goodness. We sat shoulder to shoulder, soaking in the warm sunshine and sweet summer air, lost in thought.

“Your mom isn’t going to remodel the office for me, is she?” I asked out of the blue.

“You never know, but I think she’s more concerned about remodeling the LA house,” he replied.

I snort-laughed. “I wish we’d gotten her reaction on camera. That was fucking priceless.”

His family had descended to LA for a game on a weekend I’d happened to have off. We’d hosted the Milligan-Paluchek crew, including his mom and her husband. It had been a blast, but Piper’s stricken reaction to the gaudy chandeliers still made me laugh.

“What’s the matter? A little tacky?” I’d teased.

Piper had wrinkled her nose. “Is the pope Catholic? Oh, honey, you’re my son now too. Let me fix this.”

Okay, I liked that sentiment. His family was my family, and mine was his.

“My mom loves you. So do my dads,” Jake commented as if reading my mind.

I kissed his shoulder. “I know. We’re lucky. Both of us.”

“We are.”

“Thanks for loving me and letting me be part of your world.”

Jake beamed at me. “Are you going soft on me?”

“Yeah, maybe a little. I love you, and I love our life. Today feels like a beginning.”

“How so?”

“We have a plan, you know. We know what we want, we have a solid home base and people who care about us, and I don’t know…I guess the future doesn’t feel so scary anymore.”

Jake nodded. “Yeah. Did you ever think we’d be here—living together, building a life?”

“Fuck, no. I still think I’m dreaming sometimes. If I am, don’t wake me up. I want to be here forever. With you. I love you, Jakey.”

“I love you, too.”

Our spoons clinked as I reached in to steal his ice cream. He pushed me away, and I pushed back till he resorted to straddling my lap and confiscating my container. A short wrestling match ensued, and it was definitely going to continue in the bedroom.

I knew better than to take a single second of this ride for granted. I’d been given a shot at a lifetime with my worst enemy turned best friend, the guy I loved more than anything in the world. This was real and I’d do whatever it took to make him happy…forever.