“Please don’t throw your dinner at me.”
I shake my head, looking at the man next to me. “I won’t. I like it too much to waste it on you.”
“Ouch. A knife through the heart. Guess I won’t wave to you guys on TV tomorrow.”
“Well, we’ll all be watching. Whether you wave to us or not.” I laugh.
“I always get nervous before the start of a new season. I know it’s only preseason, and we’re heading to New York, but will everything we’ve done carry over to the game? Are we going to play like shit? I want to win it all, and it’s hard to push all of that to the side when the puck drops.”
“Do you tell your teammates this?”
He shakes his head. “No. I don’t want them to think I don’t trust them or us as a team.”
“Well.” I squeeze his arm before taking my hand back. The less contact, the better. “You can talk to me about it. I’m here for you.”
“So I can tell you I’ll miss Caleb like crazy tomorrow.” He presses a kiss to the top of his head.
“I would be worried if you didn’t.”
“I’m glad I can leave him with people I trust. If I didn’t have you or Gran, I don’t know what I’d do.”
“Like I said, we’re all here for you.”
“Thanks, Stevie. I’m glad you’re here.”
“Me too.”
I mean it. Even if it’s going to damn well kill me being in the same room as this man, I’ll do it. Because I like Bode.
And that’s a truth that’s hard to admit after everything I’ve been through.
But a truth, nonetheless.
ChapterThirteen
BODE
The mood is electric. Even though it’s only a preseason game, everyone is pumped.
The start of a new season.
It’s early. The game doesn’t start for another hour, but the place is packed. People are crowding around the glass, hoping to get a signed puck from one of their favorite players.
“You ready, man?” Jasper is next to me, shooting pucks toward our goal as we warm up on the ice.
“Fuck, yeah.”
Championship banners line the walls in the arena. More than half a dozen retired jerseys sit next to them.
New York is one of the great hockey teams. Even when they’re having a bad season, their fans are always supporting them.
Us? Nashville has their die-hard fans, but these new fans that keep coming on board? I don’t want to lose them.
It’s a good feeling having the support of the fans behind us.
I want us to have a banner ceremony one day. I want it so badly, I can taste it.
“Looks like some fans made the trip.” Marcus skates over to us, his stick resting on his shoulders. A group of kids in red jerseys are waiting by the tunnel where we’ll head back to the locker room before the game starts.
