New York Type of Love: Matt Rempe

The soft, golden light of the morning poured through the windows, greeting me as I stretched lazily in bed. It was the last day at the lake house, and the realization hit me like a wave. The weekend had flown by too quickly, and now, with the end of our time here in sight, there was an undeniable sense of melancholy in the air. 

I sighed and reached for my phone, checking the time. The others would still be asleep for a while, but I could hear the faint sounds of movement from downstairs. Quinn was already up, as usual. I rubbed my eyes, pushed myself up from the bed, and stepped into the hall. As I passed the living room, I saw Quinn standing at the counter, a cup of coffee in his hand as he checked his phone. His face was relaxed, the kind of calm I envied in the mornings. He always had a way of moving through the world with ease, like he knew exactly what he wanted and how to get it.

"Morning," I called softly, crossing to him.

"Morning, Sunshine," he replied with a smile, his eyes still on the phone. "Sleep well?"

I nodded, wrapping my hands around the warm mug he handed me. "Yeah. Always do here."

Quinn chuckled and leaned back against the counter, a grin tugging at his lips. "I swear, the lake has a way of putting everything in perspective. It's like a reset button for my brain."

I grinned at him, my gaze drifting toward the window. The lake shimmered in the distance, the water sparkling in the early sunlight. "I get that," I said quietly. "It's peaceful here."

Quinn studied me for a moment, his expression softening. "You know, you should come out here more often. Just... take some time to breathe. Away from everything."

I nodded slowly, not trusting myself to speak. Quinn had always known how to make me feel understood, especially in moments like these. He had a way of seeing me in ways no one else could.

I turned toward the stairs as I heard Luke and Jack stirring downstairs. "I think I'll take a walk before everything kicks off. You know, one last time."

"Good idea," Quinn said, a slight nod of approval as I slipped out the door.

The walk down the familiar trail to the dock was quiet and still. My footsteps crunched against the gravel path as I walked slowly, taking in everything around me. The smell of the pine trees, the sound of the water lapping against the shore—everything felt so comforting, so right. I wished I could hold on to this feeling forever.

When I reached the dock, I leaned against the railing, gazing out over the lake. The soft waves rippled gently, almost as if the lake was saying goodbye, too. I closed my eyes, letting the wind sweep through my hair and brush against my face.

For the briefest of moments, I almost forgot about the goodbyes that were waiting for us at the end of the day.

I heard footsteps behind me and turned to see my mom walking down the path, her arms stretched out to greet me. "Good morning, sweetheart," she said, her voice warm and comforting, as always. "I thought you might be out here."

"Morning, Mom," I smiled, pulling her into a quick hug. "Just wanted one last look before everything changes."

She looked out at the water with me for a moment, her hand on my shoulder. "I get it," she said softly. "It's hard to leave, isn't it?"

"Yeah," I admitted, my voice thick. "I don't want this to end."

She squeezed me tighter, her voice full of understanding. "I know. But you'll come back next summer. And in the meantime, you'll have memories like this."

I nodded, but the truth was, I wasn't sure when I'd be able to come back. My schedule in New York wasn't exactly flexible, and with the season looming ahead, I wasn't sure when I'd get another chance to relax like this again. 

"But hey," my mom said, lifting my chin to meet her eyes, "let's make the most of today. We'll have a special day, just the two of us. No stress. No distractions. Just us."

I smiled, feeling a flicker of warmth spread through me. "That sounds perfect."

Later that afternoon, after our family breakfast, Mom and I headed into town for our day out. It was a rare opportunity for just the two of us, and I could tell she was savoring it as much as I was. We walked through the small shops, chatting about everything and nothing at all. She picked out a few things for the house, while I browsed for something that would remind me of this weekend. I couldn't quite put it into words, but I needed a keepsake—something to hold onto when the lake house was miles away.

As the day wore on, it felt almost normal again, like the goodbye wasn't even coming. But when we returned to the house, the air was different. The boys had already started packing, their bags scattered around the living room, the tension of departure beginning to settle in.

That night, as the sun began to set, we gathered around the picnic table for one last dinner. The usual banter floated in the air, but it felt bittersweet. Everyone was avoiding the topic of the morning. The fact that tomorrow, we would all scatter in different directions—each of us heading back to our own lives. Even with Jack and Luke only being an hour away hockey schedule areas are always tight and most of the time don't match so the next time I see them or Quinn and the rest of the boys will be on the ice. 

"Tomorrow's the day," Quinn said suddenly, breaking the silence as he wiped his mouth with a napkin. "You all ready for the madness?"

Jack groaned. "Honestly, no. It feels like we just got here. I'm not ready for the drive."

"We've still got tonight," Luke chimed in with a grin, trying to lighten the mood.

As the night wore on, the boys continued to joke and tease, but I could sense the looming farewell hanging over us. The boat ride under the stars was beautiful, but there was a lingering tension in the air that we couldn't escape. It felt like we were all trying to hold onto the moment for just a little longer before it slipped away completely.

The next morning came far too quickly. I awoke to the soft hum of the house coming to life. Quinn had already left for Vancouver, Jack and Luke were getting ready for their drive to New Jersey, Trevor was packing his things for Anaheim, Alex was headed back to Los Angeles, and Cole had an early flight to Montreal. My parents were getting ready to head back to Michigan.

I stood at the door of the lake house, watching everyone say their goodbyes. Quinn gave me a brief but tight hug, his usual calm replaced by an edge of sadness. "Take care of yourself, Sunshine. Don't forget to breathe." even with Quinn being captain this year he seemed to be calmer than the rest of us. 

"I won't," I promised.

As I said my goodbyes to the others, Coop trotted around, trying to soak up every last bit of attention before we all went our separate ways. Finally, it was just Mom and me. She pulled me in for one last hug, holding me a little longer than usual.

"I'll miss you," she whispered.

"I'll miss you too," I whispered back, feeling the sting of tears at the back of my throat.

But as the last of our family drove off, I knew the lake house would always be there, waiting for us. The memories we made this summer would stay with me long after I returned to my life in New York.