Tell Me It's Not Too Late

The next morning I awoke before Zach, wrapped up in his arms with my face pressed against his chest. His steady breath washed over my face as I looked up at him, kissing his chin and then his lips softly before I climbed out of bed. I jumped in the shower quickly before pulling on one of Zach's t-shirts and a pair of panties. I gave Zach one more look, checking to make sure he was still curled up with my pillow before I headed to the kitchen to make breakfast.

The eggs and bacon sizzled in the pan as I watched the morning news, sipping my coffee and briefly glancing at the paper. I found myself smiling more than usual because not only did I not have to go to work, but I could see this being my daily routine. I wanted to wake up next to Zach everyday for the rest of my life. I wanted to make him breakfast before he had to go to practice and help our kids get ready to school before shooing them onto the bus. When I was little, I always pictured my life to be in Minnesota, the wintry, frozen tundra my place of choice, never did I picture the garden state as a potential home. But as long as Zach was around, this would always be home.

I sighed happily and flipped the bacon in the pan, hearing the creaking of the floor boards and then the sound of water running. I figured Zach was in the shower so I had a little more time to cook the eggs to perfection. I looked back to the TV, watching as a clip of Zach scoring a shoot out goal was shown to the audience, the loud cheering of the Prudential Center quickly following. I smiled slightly, listening as the sports anchor talked about how he had taken New Jersey over, naming the phenomenon the Zach Attack. I giggled, knowing he found that name ridiculously corny.

I separated the eggs onto two plates and made sure Zach had a little bit more since he needed the protein more than I did. I poured him a glass of orange juice along with a glass of water. I opted for a glass of milk along with my coffee. Zach walked into the kitchen just as I finished setting everything on the table, Mikko trailing behind with his nose in the air. I rolled my eyes as he pouted up at me, begging for food.

"No, Mikko." Zach told him, grabbing his collar and walking him out of the kitchen. To my surprised, he sat outside of it, obeying Zach's orders to stay out there. I smirked at Zach who gave me a confused look as he scarfed his eggs down. "What?"

"He actually listens to you?" I asked him, tilting my head to the side as I bit into the bacon.

"Yeah, as long as you aren't distracting him," he laughed, smiling at me.

"Well I'm glad he's healthy enough to want to eat," I gave Zach a pointed expression as he grinned sheepishly, taking my hand over the counter.

"I'm sorry baby," He pouted at me, puckering his lips. I leaned forward and put mine on his softly.

"I forgive you but if you ever pull something like that again, I might just kill you," I told him, pointing my fork at him.

"You couldn't live without me," he insisted, shaking his head at me. I watched him glance at the clock as I scoffed.

"Try again," I giggled. "I did it for 5 years." I pointed out to him, not to be a bitch but just to make a point.

"I'm sorry about that," he murmured, standing up and grabbing his now empty plate. He tilted my chin up and placing a soft, lingering kiss on my lips. He pulled away slowly and my eyes fluttered open to look into his soft, brown eyes. "I love you."

"I love you, too, baby," I murmured, pressing my lips to his once more.

"I really don't want to go to morning skate, but I don't think it's optional." He pouted slightly as Mikko nudged him. "Whoa, bud, did I say you could come in?" He asked watching as Mikko took shelter next to me. I grinned at Mikko as I handed him a piece of bacon while Zach groaned, placing his plate in the sink. "Does everything I say go in one ear and out the other?" He asked, petting Mikko as he licked his face.

"No, I just have selective hearing," I told him, shrugging and watching as he sauntered out of the kitchen.

"Don't burn the house down while I'm gone," he called before as he gathered his stuff and walked back in to give me a goodbye kiss.

"I can't make any promises, babe," I giggled, slapping his butt as he walked away.

"I love you, don't ruin Mikko's obedient training in one day," he scolded me.

"I love you too and again, this is me, not making promises," I smirked as he looked back at me, rolling his eyes before heading to practice.

I spent a majority of my time while Zach was at practice cleaning his house. You would think with all that money he could hire someone to clean it for him but apparently not. Dust coated everything in the living room, making it look like someone hadn't been in the room for months. His bedroom needed a good vacuuming, something I had failed to see when he carried me into his room last night. His kitchen needed some dishes, most of them scattered around the house. By the time Zach waltzed in the door, I was actually tired from cleaning everything.

"Hey you," Zach greeted me, flopping down on the couch and glancing briefly at the TV. My eyes drifted closed as he pulled me into his body, my head resting against his chest. "What did you do while I was gone?" He wondered, smoothing my hair.

"Cleaned," I muttered.

"What? My house?"

"Yeah, everything. I can't believe I did it all before you got home. It was so dirty!" I exclaimed, tilting my head up to look at him.

"I don't have time to clean and I hate it anyway."

"Not an excuse, it was disgusting. What would your mother say Zachary?" I scolded him, running my hands through his wet hair.

"She would be disappointed but happy that you are here to take care of me." He grinned down at me.

"How was practice?" I asked him, playing with his fingers, lacing them with mine.

"Good, I have a good feeling about tonight. The Rangers are done." He told me, kissing the top of my head.

"Are you going to score?" I asked, sticking my tongue out at him.

"Of course. But only for you." He grinned as I kissed his lips softly. Things heated up almost immediately, a regular occurrence. His lips moved against mine as he pressed me into the couch cushions, his body hovering over mine. I wrapped my arms around his neck, holding him to me as his tongue trailed across my bottom lip lightly.

A wet tongue licked up mine and Zach's cheeks, causing us to break away. I burst out laughing as Zach groaned loudly, shoving Mikko playfully, only to get licked one more time. I watched as he glared at the fluffy dog, watching as he nuzzled his face with his wet nose and then let his tongue flop out of his mouth as if he was so innocent.

"Sometimes I wonder why I even got you," Zach told him, watching as Mikko's mouth slid back into his mouth and he gave him a look.

"I think he's giving you some attitude," I giggled as Mikko yelped playfully, nudging Zach again with his nose.

"No, he has to go potty," He told me, sighing as he climbed off the couch, my body instantly feeling cold. "Don't move, I'll be back."

"Zachary Parise, don't you dare leave my baby outside in the cold!" I yelled to him as Zach laughed.

I shook my head and rolled off of the couch and onto the floor, attempting to get myself up and in the shower. My body didn't want to move though so I just laid on the floor, staring up at the ceiling and closing my eyes until he came back. He leaned down, a foot on either side of my body and squeezed my sides, making me squirm in surprise.

"Don't do that," I pouted to him, snuggling up to one of his legs.

"Are you tired? Because you're kinda cranky and you get like that when you're sleepy," He smiled down at me as I glared slightly up at him. "Yep, you're definitely tired." I nodded and he leaned down, scooping me into his arms before carrying me up the stairs.

He set me gently on the bed, before he pulled off his jeans and t-shirt, leaving himself in only his boxers as he slid under the covers next to me. I snuggled into him, enjoying his warmth and the feel of his skin pressed against my cheek. Our legs tangled together. My eyes started to slid shut almost immediately, exhausted from cleaning and because of our extra curricular activities from the night before. But just as I was getting comfortable, I remembered something.

"Hey! Did you leave Mikko outside?" I asked him, slapping his face gently to get him to open his eyes.

"No," he laughed, grabbing my head and making me lay down again. "Go to sleep."
***

I stood up with the rest of the prudential center as Zach knocked in his second goal of the night in the first minute of the the third period, putting the devils up 4-2. I clapped and smiled as Lily screamed loudly, her voice reaching a level so loud that my ears started ringing. I giggled as she grabbed me, bouncing up and down as Zach skated by the bench, his teammates congratulating him. I cheered along with her before I sat back down in my chair a small smile on my face.

"Holy shit, I would have his babies for sure," a girl behind me who looked to be in the college age exclaimed, looking up at the jumbo tron where they had Zach on the bench, laughing at something Travis said. My stomach twisted painfully as I thought about Zach with someone other than me before her friend chimed in.

"Please, he has a girlfriend." She insisted, scoffing at the other girl. I glanced at Lily who gave me a sympathetic look. I cringed at the high pitched laugh that rang out form the other girl.

"Bitch please, that girl wouldn't hold a candle to me. Plus, I could do it better than any girl from Minnesota. Have you seen the picture of her that's floating around on the Internet? She is fucking ugly." The girl shook her head before her friend jumped in once more.

"Seriously? I guess I haven't seen her."

"I'll show you after the game. Total ugg." The other girl insisted before I rolled my eyes and tuned them out. I didn't care what they thought about me, Zach went to bed with me at night not any of them. Plus, I was the bigger person and I wasn't going to let girls who wear slutty outfits to a hockey game bring me down.

I turned my attention back to the game, cheering as the final horn went off signaling a Devils win. I watched with a small smile as Zach turned to our section, grinning at me before he walked under the tunnel, handing his stick to a little kid. I awed out loud, practically dying from how adorable the little kid looked as his dad helped him pull it over the railing.

"That was so cute," Lily cooed softly as I nodded in agreement.

"It's moments like that when he completely takes my breath away. He's such a sweetheart." I murmured thoughtfully, watching as the other Devils fans cleared out of the arena.

"I don't want to get up," Lily complained to which I agreed.

"I'm definitely not moving until they are out of the locker room. They can come meet us," I giggled as we high fived, content with being lazy.

"Do you want me to drive you home or are you going with Zach?" She asked.

"I'll just go with him." I told her, waving it off as I pulled my phone out and checked the time, 11:00 already. I yawned, feeling lazy from all the relaxing I had been doing today with Zach. I felt so refreshed and content with being in New Jersey that I felt myself dreading it every time I had to go home. It almost wasn't fair that New Jersey took over Minnesota in my heart all because of where Zach played hockey.

"Are you sure? Zach always signs autographs for the fans after the games," she informed me to which I shrugged.

"I don't mind waiting," I told her. She gave me a slight look, one I could decipher before she shrugged and stood up.

We slowly made our way to the stairs and down to the locker room where we met up with other family members of the team. I was introduced to several other wives and girlfriends as we mingled together, waiting for the boys to emerge from giving their interviews and such. I sighed and tried to get my mind to stop reeling from the look Lily had given me. Something about it irked my to my core, like she knew something I didn't. Finally, having enough of it, I turned to her and grasped her forearm to get her attention.

"What was with the look you gave me after I said I wanted to wait with Zach?" I asked her, searching her blue eyes as she shifted nervously.

"It's just, most of the fans are women. Like, women who would do anything to be you or take him from you and personally, I don't like to see that part of Travis' job." She shrugged, "but it's not that big of a deal. Zach loves you so I wouldn't be that concerned."

"What? Travis loved you too," I murmured, watching her turn her head away doubtfully.

"Sometimes I just feel like he doesn't," she confessed to me, a deep sigh exhaling from her body.

"Don't be silly. That boy only has eyes for you and I'm pretty sure you're the only one who would be able to handle him," I teased her watching as a smile played onto her lips.

"That's true. He can get a little crazy," she mused to me as he walked out of the locker room, pressing a sweet kiss to her cheek. I bit my lip as a smile stretched across my face, watching as Lily and Travis expressed their I love yous. Lily looked back at me, blushing slightly as if she knew exactly what I was talking about.

"Get a room," Zach murmured as he grabbed me, dipping me and kissing me with enough force to make my knees go weak.

"Like you should talk," Travis scoffed. "I swear I don't even live at home anymore because you two are always banging. I don't know what I'll walk in on if I stay there." He shook his head as if he was scolding a child.

"Travis, you haven't lived with me for months so shut up," Zach rolled his eyes, smiling down at me. "Hey Lil."

"Zachy, good game," she grinned at him, pulling away from Travis to give Zach a slight squeeze.

"I always play good when my woman is here," he winked at me as I shook my head.

"True story. Abbie, you should have heard him boasting about how good he was playing on the bench. He sounded like a little punk bitch." Travis told me, giving Zach a shove. Zach shoved him back and pretty soon they were going at it, acting like brothers who needed to have their occasional smack down.

"Stop." Lily scolded Travis who immediately obliged.

"I swear you guys act like four year olds." I giggled as Zach took my hand and we headed to the parking lot.

"Teammate love." Travis shrugged as Zach scoffed at him.

"Dude, I hate you."

"Okay, correction, you guys are teenage girls," Lily told them, shaking her head along with me. "Abbie, let's hang out before you leave okay?" She asked as her and Travis got ready to go left to the private garage while Zach and I were going right, to the fan area.

"Yeah, I'm not sure when I'm leaving but I'll call you," I assured her as we hugged.

"And make sure to call me so we can get manis and pedis." Travis looked at me grinning girlishly.

"Travis...?" I laughed at him, slapping his face with my mitten covered hand. "You're ridiculous."

"Ridiculously funny," he boasted to which Zach and I rolled our eyes.

"No." Zach and I told him at the same time, giggling at each other.

"Aw, young love," Lily sighed softly before her and Travis went left waving goodbye, as Travis blew me kisses.

"He needs to step off my woman." Zach told me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders and softly kissing my cheek.

"He's teasing, don't get jealous." I smiled lightly, leaning up for a soft kiss. His hands twirled my hips and pulled me into his body before he slipped his tongue in my mouth, our progress towards the parking lot. His hands pressed into my back, holding me to him tightly and with no space between us as he smashed our chests together. I ran my fingers through his still damp hair, massaging his scalp as his tongue ravished my mouth.

"Honey, we're standing in the open and people are looking at us," I giggled to Zach who turned towards the door where Marty Brodeur had left the door open for Zach. I blushed and his my face in his chest as he laughed, kissing the top of my head before urging me forward to where his fans awaited for him.

I swallowed nervously, looking at all the fans that lined the gates, a majority of them females. They looked at me, some with curious eyes and others with envious ones. I tried not to flinch as the whispers started when I emerged, standing next to Zach awkwardly as he posed for pictures and signed autographs. I shifted nervously from foot to foot as I walked down the line with him, feeling so out of place that it made my heart sink.

"Is that your girlfriend?" A girl asked who looked to be about 7 or 8. Zach smiled at her and then at me, nodding for me to come forward. I smiled down at the little girl who beamed up at me with a missing tooth.

"Yeah, her name is Abbie," he told her, crouching down and signing her Parise jersey.

"She's very petty," she responded, watching as Zach signed his name in loopy letters.

"I think so too," Zach told her, winking at me as he stood back up. The teenage brat beside the little girl snorted and under her breath, but loud enough for me to hear, expressed her feelings.

"I don't."

Zach's eyes flicked over her, his brown eyes lowering slightly as he bypassed her in line, moving to the next person. The girl gaped at him, appalled that he would actually do something like that. I held back the giggle as I waved goodbye to the sweet little girl and walked past the bitch with fake blonde hair, tossing my brown hair over my shoulder and walking with Zach the rest of the way. Minus the blonde puck bunny, all of Zach's other fans were generous and outgoing. Some asked about me but a majority of them ignored me, not that I minded one bit. Zach was done signing autographs and taking pictures about 20 minutes later and we headed to his car hand in hand.

I sighed and rested my head against his shoulder as he smoothed my hair down, dropping a delicate kiss against the top of my head. We arrived at his car and he opened my door, letting me slide in before shutting it softly. He climbed in next, starting the car and blasting the heat, his hands cold from being exposed to the biting wind.

"You okay? You're really quiet." He observed as he pulled out of the lot, waving goodbye to the few fans who watched him leave.

"Mhm, just tired." I brushed off, not wanting to let him know that brat got to me. I wasn't normally an insecure person but like everyone else, I had my moments and sometimes when it came to Zach, it hit me a lot harder.

"Honey," Zach murmured, knowing immediately what was wrong. He pulled up to a red light, leaning over and brushing his lips against mine. "You're beautiful, never doubt that."

"I know it's just, I can't be like those girls," I wrinkled my nose. Zach let out a hearty laugh as the light turned green and he turned onto the freeway, speeding towards his house.

"I don't want you to be like them. They are so beyond fake, it's ridiculous. I love you for who you are and everything that comes along with it. You're not perfect, and I don't care. I love you for all your imperfections." He shrugged, changing lanes.

"But haven't you ever been tempted? Like even when you weren't with me?" I asked, curious to know the answer. There had been plenty of those girls at North Dakota but none of them had been outrageously fake. Yeah they had fake hair and fake nails but no fake body parts.

"Nah, you ruined my for any of that crap." He confessed, getting off the exit to get to his house. He drove down the streets, weaving through his gated community before he pulled into his driveway. He parked in the garage, cutting the engine and turning to me. "You are the love of my life and I don't want anyone else. Just remember that. I choose you, and you're the only one for me." He smiled softly, tilting my chin up and softly catching my lips in a kiss.

"I love you," I murmured to him as he pulled away and we walked into the house.

"I love you too baby." He responded, lifting me into his arms and pressing me against the door. His lips moved against mine, my whole body reaction immediately as I tugged on his jacket and the rest of his clothes, wanting to feel skin on skin contact. Zach carried me up to his room shortly after we dressed down to our undergarments. He spent the rest of the night making my insecurities disappear and lavishing me until I felt more beautiful than I had in my entire life.