"This is my girlfriend." I say to the reporter.
The locker room explodes.
Dex yells, "ABOUT DAMN TIME!"
Eli shakes champagne at us like ship christening. "Someone get these two a towel... or a room!"
"Pretty sure they don't need a room. Bryce lives dangerously." Gabriel adds.
Colby chest bumps Dex with zero aim. They both crash into a stall laughing.
Annabelle blushes and grins up at me. "Girlfriend?"
I kiss her. Slow. Public. Proud.
Camera shutters go wild.
Erwin Hacker steps forward, shaking champagne off his Rolex.
"Well," he says loudly, "as long as you keep winning games, and maybe stop traumatizing my PR team, I suppose I approve."
Reporters laugh. Teammates howl. Someone spills beer on Erwin. He sighs like a disappointed CEO but doesn’t move away.
He holds out his hand. I grip it. Firm. Unwavering.
"You take care of my daughter."
"I do. I will. Every day."
He studies me for a beat that could break a weaker man. Then nods. "Good. I like you more when you're winning."
Oh, he's definitely Annabelle’s father.
Coach Hale shouts over the chaos, "Blackhorn! Team photo! Bring the girl; she earned this one too!"
I look at Annabelle. She smiles like she owns every inch of me. "Let's go," she says.
We join the guys. Champagne rain. Towels snapping. Laughter like victory. I pull her flush against my side as the photographer counts down.
Three. Two. One. Flash.
Annabelle and I kiss again and it's caught perfectly in the shot.
A moment frozen. A beginning.
The Cup is ahead. Season is still alive. Future is bright. And her, my peace in the turmoil.
I’ve never been more sure.
As reporters peel away and the team keeps celebrating, Annabelle leans up on her toes and whispers in my ear, low enough that only I hear it.
“Champagne’s fun,” she purrs, lips brushing my jaw, “but I can think of better things to pour on you later.”
My brain stops. My body doesn’t.
Dex shouts across the room, “Relax, love birds, this is hockey, notThe Bachelor!Save the rose ceremony for later.
“Yeah, Dex, and you'll be the one ugly-crying at the reunion episode." I chirp back.
