I freeze as my gaze finds a small group of fans directly across from our bench.
I feel like all of the air has been sucked out of my lungs.
Bruce, Harley, Leo, and Ruth are sitting right next to the ice, wearing Revelers jerseys, and holding up signs that say, “Go, Alex!” and “Rebel, Louisiana, says hi!” with a huge face of Rougie the mascot.
My heart squeezes hard in my chest, and I am hit by a wave of nostalgia unlike any I’ve had before.
Then Ruth lowers her sign, and I see who’s sitting right next to her. My favorite person in the world. Chaos and sunshine inone little package. And she’s wearing her bright yellow overalls over her jersey.
The love of my life, Nora Delaune, came to Portland after all.
The shock wears off quickly. They all came for me. And everything about that feels right.
I pull my phone out and text a member of the PR team.Need a huge favor.
Her name is Sydney and she replies after only a few seconds.Will the fans love it?
Alex:So fucking much. Promise.
Sydney:I’ll be right down.
I tell her my plan and she lights up. “That’ssogood, Alex,” she gushes. “Yes, I can definitely set that up.”
“Great. Thanks.”
She rushes off to get everything ready for the first intermission.
I pull my phone out again and text the next person who I need to get up to speed.
Alex:Thanks for the chance, but I quit.
Declan:Dammit, Alex.
I just grin.
Then I notice movement across the ice. Sydney is talking to Nora. Nora asks her something. Sydney nods. Nora shakes her head. Sydney nods again, then motions for Nora to follow her. Ruth, Bruce, Leo, and Harley start encouraging her and finally Nora gets to her feet.
She glances in my direction, and I pretend to be watching the game.
I probably should be doing that anyway. I am coaching right now, after all.
But nothing else matters. Nora is here, and we are not doing a long-distance relationship.
We’re also not not doing a relationship.
Finally, it’s intermission and the team files into the locker room. We’re up by two, and everyone is playing well, so it’s going to be relatively low-key in there.
“Hey, Coach,” I say to our head coach. “I have something I need to take care of.”
He nods. “Fine.”
I head back out, but take one of the tunnels saved for arena staff. I lurk at the end, watching Sydney’s intermission event. She’s out at center ice with two women.
“Hey, Grays fans! We’re so happy to be back in this arena with our Grays on the ice, aren’t we?” Sydney asks into the mic she’s holding.
The fans cheer loudly.
“Well, we’ve got a super fun contest for this first intermission! I want you to all help me welcome two Grays fans. This is Becky!”
