“How was that?” Jamie whispered into Tyler’s wet hair.
Tyler tilted his head back, resting his chin against Jamie’s chest. “Perfect,” he said, with a cheeky little smile.
Jamie let out a deep breath. “As much as I’d love to stay here forever, I’ve got a party to host, and everyone will be here soon.”He turned the water off and grabbed a towel, handing it to Tyler before he got his own. “Feel free to relax while I get ready.”
“No, I want to help.” Tyler toweled off his dark hair and then shook his head, sending little droplets of water flying through the air. “We’re a team, right?”
“Yeah, baby. We fucking are.”
CHAPTER 16
TYLER
HE’S IN.
There hadn’t been a single second of quiet since the first of the Muskies players showed up at Jamie’s house for the team holiday party.
Booming laughs, shouts, shrieks, and laughter of children filled every corner of Jamie’s home, and Tyler understood, then, why a man like Jamie lived in such a large place.
Jamie had introduced Tyler to his teammates, their partners, and kids, only removing his big hand from Tyler’s back to give everyone a hug. Tyler had been surprised to learn a few members of the Muskies staff were queer, and had loved seeing how openly they were welcomed into the fold.
A lean, dark-haired man wearing a vibrant green Grinch sweater rushed at Jamie, wrapping his arms around Jamie’s body in a bear hug. “We missed you, big guy,” he said, voice muffled against the front of Jamie’s sweater.
“Get off,” Jamie groaned, but Tyler saw that he couldn’t hold back a smile. “Oi!” Jamie called out toward the living room full of people. “Someone come get Matty!”
“He is not my problem!” Elias Svensson, a Swedish defenseman, held up his hands where he sat on the couch. “I am too old for rookies.”
“Shut it, Svenny,” Carter called out from across the room, grinning to reveal his missing front tooth. He had a hint of a Boston accent. “You don’t get to claim you’re old until you start doing yoga at the hotel with the vets.”
Bailey Cox, one of the other young players, scowled from where he was sitting with his girlfriend, Juliet. “Hey! It isn’t just for the old guys, Carts. I’ve been going and I swear it’s helping my stamina.”
That got a loud chorus of laughs and crude jokes from the young guys, followed immediately by the quiet reminder that there wereactualkids in the room from the older guys on the team.
Tyler had given up trying to keep track of the rest of the players’ names, but thankfully Jamie had been whispering reminders in his ear throughout the afternoon.
The main topic of the party was the upcoming Winter Classic, a highly-publicized game played outdoors in a football stadium or ballpark. This year, the Muskies were hosting, and a rink was already being built at Camp Randall Stadium, where the University of Wisconsin’s football team played.
Jamie had mentioned the game briefly before, but Tyler hadn’t realized what a big deal it was. Apparently, the league hosted only one per year, and spent months promoting and advertising the event. It was scheduled for the day after New Years, and there would be a flurry of media events around the game that the players were expected to attend.
Listening as the players ribbed their captain about the silliness of his injury–shouting at him to “watch the hand, Sully,” whenever he picked up a plate or got someone a drink–made Tyler smile.
It was obvious his teammates missed him and loved him. Tyler understood what Jamie’s commitment was to the team, why they came first: Jamie had been chosen to lead them. They looked to him for guidance, and in turn, he took care of them.
They were ready for Jamie to be back.
When it was time to eat, the parents with young kids went through the buffet line first. The spread was classic holiday fare–a turkey, a spiral ham, a few different types of stuffing, more casseroles than Tyler had ever seen in his life, and enough desserts to fill Jamie’s entire kitchen island.
Another defenseman, John Moore, had a newborn baby strapped to his chest in a soft wrap like the one Tyler used to use with Rowan. Tyler watched as players came by, whispering encouragement to John as he stood at the edge of the room and swayed the baby to sleep.
Tyler hadn’t been sure how Rowan was going to do with such a large group of people. At first, he’d clung to Tyler’s hand, staying close amid the chaos. But soon enough, Henri and Jack had arrived, and Rowan had been coaxed into playing with them. Tyler made sure never to go too far away, but he relaxed, realizing he wasn’t worried about his son.
He trusted that Rowan was safe around these people.
“Tyler!” Layla walked up to Tyler and gave him a hug. “It’s so good to see you.”
“Hi.” Tyler felt a little lightheaded, a giddy kind of joy that sent him reeling. “Great to see you, too.”
“Come sit with me.” She grabbed him by the hand, pulling him over to an empty pair of stools by the kitchen bar. They still had a clear view of the kids, who were building something elaborate with colorful magnet tiles.
