I ached for Bryn when we were apart. When I was on the road, I couldn’t wait to come home to her. When I was home, I couldn’t get enough of her.
“I don’t know how the guys with kids do it,” I said. It was hard enough to be away from Bryn. Let alone feeling like you were missing out on your family’s milestones.
She straightened. “I’m sure it’s not easy. On the players or their partners.”
I nodded, knowing she was right. It wasn’t easy to be on the road, to be away from her. But I could only imagine how difficult it would be to be the one at home, taking care of everything. It seemed like the perfect segue into something I’d been wanting to talk about for a while.
“So, you know how it never feels like we have enough time together?” I asked, and she nodded. “And I’m always over here when I’m not traveling.”
“Yeah.”
“I was thinking…what if we moved in together? I could sell my condo, and we could live here or find somewhere else. Whatever you want.”
She was silent for a moment that stretched on and on. And on.
Shit.I rubbed the back of my neck. Had I totally misread the situation?
“Bryn?” I finally asked, my chest tight with anticipation.
“Can I—” She cleared her throat. “Can I think about it?”
“Of course,” I said, trying not to let my disappointment show. This had seemed like a no-brainer. And I wasn’t asking her to move. Even so, her hesitation gave me pause.
“I, um—” She shook her head. “I’m sorry, Frasier.” She placed her hand on my arm. “I just need some time to work through something.”
“You’ll let me know if I can help in any way, right?” I asked. I told myself to be patient, to have faith in Bryn and in our relationship. But it was difficult to sit by and do nothing, not being able to help when I knew she was hurting.
She nodded. “So what did the league have to say?” she asked, clearly wanting to change the subject.
“Apparently, they want to start a new campaign to send a clear message that locker-room talk has no place in hockey. They plan to train players and others in the league how to be upstanders—to speak up even when it feels difficult. Plus, get this, they want to draft new rules with fines attached to them.”
“Wow.” She blinked a few times. “That’s huge. They’re finally going to do something about the bro culture.” She grinned. “Good.”
“And…” I was most nervous about this next part. “They want me to be the spokesperson. Well, Kovi and me.”
She stopped and looked at me. “What did you say?”
I tried to tamp down my excitement. I didn’t want to influence her decision, though I had a difficult time imagining Bryn saying no to something like this. “I said I’d think about it, but that I needed to talk to you first.”
“Talk to me?” She tilted her head.
“Of course I’d consult you. We’re partners, and we make decisions together.”
“Right.” She nodded woodenly. “Together.”
“And this affects you, not just as my partner but because of what Wilson said. The opportunity arose out of the fight in Seattle. So there’s a good chance it—and what was said—will continue to be discussed if I take on this role.”
“Ah.” She lifted her chin. “I see.”
“And I worried that you might have felt triggered by some of Wilson’s comments or what happened in the…aftermath,” I said, alluding to internet trolls. “So I wanted to see what you thought, because of that and the time commitment. My hope is that everyone will focus more on this positive change than the fight, but I can’t promise that. And while I appreciate them offering it to me, I don’t have to accept.”
“What?” She jerked her head back. “Frasier. No.” She came closer. “If it’s something you want to do, you should absolutely accept. I’m just surprised, that’s all. I know how much you hate being the center of attention.”
“You’re right. I’m not a fan of the spotlight.” And I hated when its harsh glare was directed at Bryn—using her tragedy, her pain, to sell stories. “But I am a fan of using my platform to make positive change. And this opportunity could show the world that there’s space for everyone in hockey.”
“Then you should do it.” She gave me a watery smile. “If that’s what you want. Because you’d be a wonderful role model.”
I was humbled by her comments. “Thanks, angel.” I gave her hand a squeeze. “I wish Derek were here. He was always talking about growing the game for the next generation. He would’ve supported this initiative wholeheartedly.”
