“I was adopted not long after you dropped me at the hospital. They launched an investigation, and Roger went to jail.”
Rudy’s lips pull into a frown at the name of his foster father.
A giggle bursts from Erin. She clutches her stomach as she tries to simmer down.
“It fits,” she wheezes. “You aresopouty.” She swipes under her eyes, and everyone else chuckles along with them. I know this is her moment, but I can’t help but soak in her glory.
She’s radiant.
“Well…” Erin removes herself from Rudy at the sound of our captain’s voice, but she doesn’t let go of his hand as she looks up at Hayes. Her face is red, tear soaked, and puffy but she’s still the most beautiful girl.
“This team is my family,” Hayes says. “These boys are my brothers. It looks like we’ve got even more reasons to be grateful for you. First, you show this guy he belongs on the ice, then you give us a little bit of Jack back, who was the heart and soul of our family, and now we find out you’re the reason this idiot, who we’ve grown to love very much, is alive.”
Hayes steps forward and places a kiss on Erin’s cheek. “Thank you, Erin.”
The corners of Erin’s mouth twitch, and she turns her face away, a faint rose tint creeping across her skin and shyly introducing itself.
“Come on, guys,” I say gently. “Let’s give Rudy and Erin some time.”
Everyone exits out as Erin climbs up on the bed and sits cross-legged by Rudy’s feet.
She’s with the person who cared for and protected her when she was just a scared little girl. It makes me love the idiot in the bed a whole lot more than I already do. I can’t imagine the rollercoaster of emotions they’re going through right now.
I slip out of the room and only manage to take two steps before small hands grab my wrist. Erin buries herself into me as I turn, and I wrap my arms around her without hesitation.
“Thank you, Eighty-Seven,” she whispers, her voice trembling, but her grip is tight—anchoring herself to me and choosing me in the middle of the storm.
“Thank you for keeping him company until we found each other again.”
“You’re welcome, sweetheart.”
Erin is curledup in the passenger seat, cheek pressed to the window, breathing in slow puffs that fog the glass each time she lets out a breath.
There was a home game tonight, but she arrived halfway into the second period because Angela made her stay late… again.
I swear I felt the change in the air before I even spotted her in the crowd.
Whenever the puck hit the back of the net, she shot to her feet, hands in the air, cheering loudly.
After I scored my first goal of the night, our eyes connected, I ripped off my helmet and patted over my heart like a caveman. I can still hear the way the crowd screamed when I pointed my stick at her.
The jumbotron found her instantly.
Her infectious smile vanished, replaced by that wide-eyed look she gets when she’s caught off guard.
And I just couldn’t help myself. I wanted the whole stadium to know she was my girl.
I winked at her.
“For you, baby,”I mouthed.
The crowd lost it.
She sank into her seat and covered her face but wasn’t able to hide her cheeks turning the prettiest shade of pink I’ve ever seen.
It’s a memory I’m tucking away for a rainy day.
As soon as the interviews were done, we set off for the campsite. She dozed off an hour into the drive.
