And because somewhere out there, Harper’s going to be in the stands. Connor’s going to be cheering.
And for the first time in a long time…
I want more than just the win.
The airinside the arena buzzes like electricity trapped under the rafters. It’s one of those nights where everything feels sharper. The skates, the slapshots, the adrenaline pumping like jet fuel. I step onto the ice and immediately feel the thrill coursing through my veins, electric and intoxicating. The crowd is alive, roaring like a tidal wave, and I can see the sea of jerseys, fans of the Anaheim Stars and the Cincinnati Scavengers. My heart pounds in rhythm with the anticipation swelling around me.
We need this win. I want this win so badly I can taste it, but that’s not the only thing that makes my heart pound.
When we skate out for warmups and I round the far corner of the rink, I catch sight of three faces pressed to the glass. Antoni waving like he’s trying to flag down a rescue helicopter; Connor bouncing in front of his seat, both palms flattened to the glass; and Harper looking right at me. I lock eyes with her for a split second, and it’s like the world narrows down to just us in this massive arena. There’s a warmth in her expression that melts away the tension in my shoulders. I can’t remember the last time I felt this alive, this connected.
God, she looks radiant, her eyes sparkling with pride and something else, something that makes my stomach flip. Her smile flickers and it hits me so damn hard I nearly miss the puck Oliver fires toward my stick. I lift a hand subtly, a small wave meant just for her, and her lips part like I surprised her. I kind of like that I still can.
“Are you seriously going to wave at her every time you skate by?” Ledger teases, a smirk tugging at his lips.
I roll my eyes, unable to suppress a smile. “Shut up. It was just a little wave.”
“A little wave?” Griffin scoffs, feigning a dramatic swoon. “It was a full-on ‘I love you’ gesture.”
I chuckle, shaking my head. “You guys are ridiculous.”
“This is your first game back in front of your son and your girl, man,” Ledger says, nudging me with his elbow. “Your girl! The only one I’ve ever heard you talk about. Ever.”
“Like seriously, ever, man,” Griffin confirms. “Cut yourself some slack. Allow yourself to feel it.” He nudges me with his elbow. “And enjoy it.”
“It’s a big deal,” Barrett adds from the net, his tone suddenly serious. “Having them here, I mean. Do you think Connor is going to freak out seeing you play for the first time?”
Griffin smirks, leaning against his stick as he takes a breather. “The kid has your jersey, man. That’s a whole new level of fandom.”
I can’t help but smile at that. “I know he’s pumped.” My heart races at the thought. “I want him to see me as someone he can look up to, not just some guy who shows up occasionally.”
I can’t help but feel the anticipation bubbling inside me, matching the roar of the crowd. I share a look with Connor through the glass, and he nods excitedly, eyes wide with awe. Fuck, he looks just like me in my jersey. The sight warms my chest, filling me with a wild mix of pride and fierce protectiveness. He’s in it for the experience, to soak up the magic of the game, and that’s all I want for him tonight.
I, on the other hand, I’m in it for so much more.
“Look at him,” Ledger says, nudging me again as I watch Connor bounce up and down. “I can’t wait for my kids to get to game-excitement age. You know this is going to be one of those nights where Connor remembers everything, right?”
I try to keep my focus on the ice, but I steal another glance at Harper, her expression equally lit with excitement. The way she’s watching me, leaning forward, like she’s ready to catch every moment, sends a rush of adrenaline coursing through me just like it used to back in our college days. Moments like these, under the bright lights with the crowd cheering, remind me of every reason I fell in love with the game and with her.
“Let’s make it count, gentlemen,” I say, more to myself than to anyone else. I take a deep breath, letting the smell of the ice and the sound of the crowd seep into my bones, grounding me.
The buzzer sounds, signaling the end of warmups, and I take a deep breath, focusing on the task ahead. We head back to the tunnel and take our spots as the music in the arena dies down. The lights drop all at once, plunging the room into darkness. Thirty thousand people suck in a breath at the same time, and for a heartbeat everything is still.
Then—
BOOM.
Spotlights burst to life, slicing through the dark in bright blue and gold. Music blasts from the speakers, something bass-heavy that rattles my ribcage even through my padding.
And there she is.
Lumin in all her shooting star glory.
Ella—August’s wife—bounding onto the ice in that massive, shimmering, mascot suit, her arms thrown wide like she’s greeting a universe full of fans. The crowd goes insane. Kids leap out of their seats. Grown adults lose their minds.
She skates like she was born to do it, quick little zig-zag cuts, the big gleaming head bobbing with every step. At center ice, she does a dramatic spin, her tail whipping this way and that, raising her magic wand and throwing glitter—actual glitter—into the air with both hands.
Glitter.
