I really feel for Immi, she has so much going on right now and the stress of Luna being in the background. What do you think of all this Luna business? Do you think Cody and Immi can make it through or will Immi decide she can't take anymore of this? Thanks lovelies for reading xoxo
CodyMy place seems so big and empty without Immi being here, I kind of got used to having her around before we split up and Immi staying the night felt right. I wonder how on earth I am going to cope missing her when I get to Dallas.I’ve made myself a pot of strong coffee and had a bowl of cereal, Cornflakes my favorite. I don’t feel much in the mood for making any pancakes or waffles. Tonight is worrying me, Luna is worrying me, moving to Dallas is worrying me. Too much stress, too much going on. It’s not good for me. I should be riding the high of winning the Stanley Cup not being all consumed with all this shit.My phone beeps, I check and see it is Atlas messaging.Hey Man, you want to go to the old rink shoot the puck?Yeah, why not. What about Fallon?She’s cool, wants to go shopping with my mom and your mom.Wait, I thought your mom was supposed to be taking stuff over to the restaurant for Immi.She’s got my dad handling all of that, she will pass by Immi’s later. She said s
Cody There are a few cars mostly beaten-up ones parked outside the rink, Man I haven’t been here for years. The old place looks a bit run down and could do with a facelift. I step out of my vehicle and go through the glass doors encased in a timber frame. It even smells the same, like lemons and cleaning products. “Well look here, will you?” It’s Mr Stretson the old janitor, shit he must be knocking on eight or something, how can he still possibly be working. “Mr Cody Brannigan. Boy, you did good bringing us that Cup home. ‘Bout time Minnesota got their shit together.” I chuckle and shake his outstretched hand. “Hey, Mr Stretson it sure is good to see you. Thought you’d be retired by now.” “Not me, Boy. Gotta keep on working keep everything going and up here.” He taps a couple of fingers to his head. “Besides the good wife and I would drive each other insane if I was at home all day ever day. There’s only so much of me she can cope with. I only come in on the weekend for a couple o
ImogenI am wringing my hands with nerves alongside having butterflies bursting in my stomach with excitement. In just thirty minutes the first critiques, bloggers you name it will be arriving and the guests then after. I have allowed a thirty-minute gap between guests arriving and the people who can make or break me. I want them to have the experience on their own initially and to sample the dishes, how my staff perform and the ambience of the restaurant.“Nervous?” Autumn asks me. She looks stunning in her gold shimmery cocktail dress, it hangs to her ankles with a high slit on the right-hand side, the bodice is fitted, against her tan skin she looks like something out of a Bond movie. Her hair is piled on top of her head in a kind of 1940’s style and she is pure elegance. When Calli arrives he is going to be bedazzled that is for sure.“Yes, both excited and nervous. I want tonight to be over.”“Hey, don’t say that. No, you don’t. You have worked damn hard for this Imogen; you need
“These are for you darlin’. Happy opening night. I am so damn proud of you, my heart is literally going to jump out of my chest.” He stands up from the stool he was sitting on at the island and moves towards me, I take the dozen deep red roses from him. My breath hitches, the way he looks in his black tuxedo, his crisp white shirt and sapphire cufflinks, is too much for a girl to handle. He is one HOT package. His hair looks as if it’s had a trim and he is clean shaven showing off his strong jaw line. Cody’s head bows to mine as he lifts my chin with his fingers. I inhale his masculine scent; he smells of his signature cologne cinnamon and lemons. “I missed you.” He whispers and gently places his lips on mine. It’s so soft and tender that my breath catches. Emotions swirl around my body like never before and I feel my legs going weak beneath me. How is it that one person can do this to me? Not that I’m complaining. “I only saw you this morning.” “Still too long to be away from you,
Cody I clench and unclench my fists, the woman looks like a wild animal. How dare she come here and disrupt Imogen’s evening, how dare she even claim that I am her husband to be? The paps are having a field day who somehow have cottoned on to the fact that I am here. I bet Luna has tipped them off. Thankfully, the bloggers and the local press left the restaurant earlier, Immi certainly doesn’t need crap like this hitting the local papers. I see Immi looking as if she is close to tears, Atlas has a protective arm around her and is glancing at me with that look in his eyes, the one that says do something about it, Bro. “What are you doing here, Luna?” I ask trying not to lose control of myself, that definitely won’t look good all-over social media. “And to correct everyone and yourself, I am not your husband to be. I never will be, so forget that idea. What on earth has possessed you? You may be carrying my child but that is where it ends.” I am seething, I can barely control the ange
Imogen My heart has dropped out of my body, it feels like it is dragging on the floor. Why did this have to happen tonight of all nights? Now my folks are hovering around me and Autumn as if I am about to break, like I am some kind of China doll. Yes, seeing and hearing Luna has hurt me to the core, I feel like I can’t even catch my breath and my blood pressure is pounding in my ears. The restaurant feels too busy, it sounds too noisy, all the elation of earlier has been ripped away because of Luna. I feel for her, however. Weird right, I mean I hate her, but I do feel empathy for her at the same time. Being pregnant and single must be a huge thing to take on, I couldn’t even imagine how she must feel. But she won’t be alone, what I mean is that Cody will be supporting her til the kid is eighteen. She will receive regular income from him, with that kind of money she can have all the home support she needs. It’s unlikely a girl like Luna will get a proper job in any case. Luna, you se
Cody It’s been a week and I feel like I am losing my mind, my heart is hanging down by my feet. Every fibre of my body and mind misses Immi. Her sweet lips, her legs wrapped around me, her smile, the way she soothes me and makes me feel like I am a whole man. A better man. I feel as if my entire life is crumbling. AGAIN. The house around me feels empty, desolate. “You need to get out of this funk, Bro. It’s not good for you and what about packing your shit up for Dallas?” Atlas had asked yesterday when he came over to check on me. “I’m on it.” I told him. Only of course I’m not on anything. I have been moping around all week, barely changing out of my sweats or my old college T-shirt. Showering has been an effort and all I have done is eat total crap, which left me feeling guilty since Immi was the one brought in originally to sort my nutrition and diet out and now, I’ve been feeding myself with takeaway pizza and ice cream, purely so I don’t have to leave the house. The paps haven
Imogen“I hope you’re not moping around, Immi.” Autumn says sternly over the phone. This has been another one of those longest weeks in history. The restaurant has thankfully been busy every night, many of the local folk have come in to support me, my mom is rushed off her feet with baking all the deserts, and she is loving it. Even Kitten seems to have grown. He’s been missing Cody just as much as I have.The other morning, I caught him sitting by the front door, his tiny face tilted upward, it broke my heart. I cuddle him into my lap as Autumn talks.“I’ve been busy with the restaurant, at night I am so exhausted, I literally just fall asleep with Kitten. If moping had time, I’d be there with it but right now the restaurant is consuming me. I guess it’s on the map, I just hope it doesn’t trail off in a week or two, you know once the novelty has worn off.” I sigh. Kitten purrs against my chest, I bend down and kiss his tiny button nose.“Good. Listen, Cody flies to Dallas next week d
Bonus Epilogue – CodyI watch Immi holding our baby boy, who we called Miles, he’s just three months old and Immi is a natural mother. My heart swells watching her holding him in her arms whilst her mother fusses around her.Her father slaps me on the back, “you did us proud, Cody. I couldn’t wish for a better man for my grandbaby and little Summer. That girl is a firecracker, she’s got you eating out of the palm of her hand.”“Don’t I know it, Sir. My boy will be the same.” We chuckle as we watch my Minnesota team enjoy a few colds ones on the grass that leads down to the lake out back of my Lake home. Immi and I are back now, we’ve come full circle from the first moment she came back into my life to be my nutironist and the sparring of words that took place back then.Who’d have thought that in just two years I’d be married to my gorgeous wife, have a baby girl who totters around everywhere and is obsessed with her baby brother and a baby boy. We plan on going for six kids, hell I’d
Imogen – EpilogueLife has been wonderful to us; our wedding was a dream with all our friends and family around us and the entire hockey teams for Minnesota and for Austin. Of course, as Cody is such a big name, we had to have one of the top celebrity magazine photographers attending and the exclusive pictures in the magazine were amazing. My mom’s cake she made for us was something out of a movie, five tiers, with one chocolate and one vanilla sponge alternating to the top, frosted in a delicate cream frosting with an iced arch at the top, she even made tiny flowers to match the wedding flowers to decorate it. I’m telling you, my mother is a baking wonder.It's been a year since our wedding and I am the happiest I have ever been. Little Summer is crawling and sort of walking, I swear I need eyes in the back of my head. Her blonde curls are to die for and those big blue eyes of hers, well she is a daddy’s girl and the way that Cody is with her, it makes my heart melt. He is the best d
Cody – December 21st “You look worried, Man you need to chill out. She’s going to be here.” I take a look at Atlas in his striped, grey charcoal pants, his matching waistcoat, the button down white shirt and the cream cravat. We’re matching today, it seems surreal we match on the ice and now we match as I stand in the bedroom of my Lake House nervous as hell, about to go out the back and take my place to wait for my beautiful bride to come down the aisle on her daddy’s arm. I exhale.“I am chilled out, but what if I let her down? What if I’m not the husband she wants to spend the rest of her life with? What if she thinks she wants to fly?” He pats me on the shoulder.“Listen to me, Bro. I like that now we’re going to be proper bro’s no getting away from me now. She loves you, Immi is besotted with you, that girl knows her own mind and if she didn’t think you were right for her, she’d have off-skied a long fucking time ago. So, now stop. This is your day as much as it is hers and you n
ImogenSummer is a dream, honestly you couldn’t ask for a happier baby, she hardly cries and always holds out her chubby little hands when she sees me, and don’t even get me started on when she sees her daddy. Oh, my it makes my ovaries ache something crazy and I literally cannot wait the next two months for our wedding.Where has the time gone? It’s literally insane. Where to start, first Cody did bring the Stanley Cup home for Austin during the event in June. He is now officially a legend, the crowds went absolutely nuts for him and the team, we have been inundated with so much press and media attention that sometimes it feels stifling, but I have to accept it because being married to the man who won both years in a row for his teams with hattricks in both games, is going to be a major thing. He could happily hang his skates now if he wanted to. He has achieved all the dreams he ever had as a child in his ice hockey career. Although, I have to admit, I would miss going to the games w
CodyWatching Luna giving birth was surreal, she didn’t make a fuss or create and scream the hospital down, she took it all in her stride, showing her strength and dignity. Seeing the crown of my baby girl’s head brought tears to my eyes.We’re all in the private room and Luna holds our baby in her arms, swaddled in a pale pink blanket, Immi and I have both held her and oh my, I can’t begin to tell you the way I feel. My heart expanded and fluttered like crazy, the love that I feel for this tiny little girl is unbelievable and the way I want to protect her and keep her safe, Man it’s blowing my mind.“So beautiful, Luna.” Immi says her smile wide on her face, her eyes shining like diamonds. “I think she has Cody’s cute nose,” she touches the baby’s face, yes, we still need to name her.“Cody, can you take her, then settle her down, I’m pretty exhausted and will nap.”“Absolutely,” I extend my arms to take our baby girl. “Come here Princess my daddy’s little girl.” Immi giggles and I ca
Imogen – five months later“I’m coming hold on.” I shout to Cody as he calls me from the front door. We’re due to go riding this morning but we’re both on edge kind of as it has already gone past Luna’s due date by a week. She is totally fed up and just wants the baby to drop. NOW.I rush to step into my riding boots, Ben is coming with us - he has become a real fixture of our bizarre family set up. And the best thing is that he has gotten closer to Luna. How amazing is that since Ben would often keep Luna company on her cabin porch when Cody and I were travelling to his ice hockey games.Fallon has been a dream constantly popping over to see us and also Luna, to be honest I think she has found a friend in Luna too. They’re both in the same position with pregnancies and Fallon stopped travelling to the away games with Atlas about three months ago.Life can be weird at times but in a good way. The one person who caused so much heartache for Cody and I, is now a firm friend and not just
CodyHer pussy feels wet as I glide my fingers over the lace of her panties, Imogen is so damn beautiful it can bring me to my knees. “I missed you darlin’,” I tell her as I kiss her neck making her tingle and squirm, I know it’s a feeling of delight and tickling as she giggles at my touch.“You were only gone during today, Brannigan,” she giggles as I nip at her neck, whilst continuing to stroke through her soaking panties.“A second is too long to be away from you, I swear Immi you do something to me that makes me want to be glued to your side. It’s a job to take myself away from you.”“You’re such a smooth talker, Brannigan. I feel the same way.” I know she does, whenever we get the opportunity on my away games that she doesn’t travel with me, we make sure to call each other it seems like every few hours around the games and photoshoots, signing autographs, sponsor meetings and the such like. And when I am at practice hell, we still talk regularly in the day. I feel like I cannot b
Imogen – One Month LaterTime has gone by so quickly, and yes Cody did go on to play with a broken jaw in New York. I went with him and held my breath the entire game, least ways that is how it felt. One more injury and he could have been off the ice for a while. He’s a stubborn old mule is what he is, but they won and he went on to score a hat trick, for those of you who don’t know what that is, it’s when a player scored three goals in a single game. Of course Cody was over the moon, the crowd went nuts even the New York fans.So, where else have we travelled? Let’s see we played a couple of home games, we went to Winnipeg which was fun and I got to do some sightseeing and his folks came too. We are bonding much more and I am loving how much they care about me. His ma even made me a beautiful sweater even though we are heading into Spring, it’s a soft blush pink mohair with daisies. She is so clever, the last time I tried knitting it was a total disaster and I ended up having to ask
CodyWhat the fuck, did I pass out or something? I’m in a room with hooks up to me and darkness filtering through some lemon shade blinds, Immi is sitting by my bed holding my hands and tears on her face. “Hey darlin’,” I manage feeling like I have been run over by a truck or something, I ache in my ribs, my pelvis and my face is fucking sore.“Cody, baby. Are you in pain?”“Some it’s not so bad. What the hell happened?“You were taken down on the ice. They say you have a bad concussion and a broken nose, and your jaw is fractured.”“Hey, don’t cry it could have been a whole lot worse. Least ways I can still play.”“No way, Brannigan.” Just as she says that a man in his fifties or so comes in with dark hair, splattering of grey at the temples and kind green eyes, not dark or emerald just plain green like leaves in the spring.“Good to see you awake, Brannigan. You took several shots to the head. Your jaw is fractured, I am guessing this lady has already told you that. We assessed your