Me too, Maddie. Me too.
29
THE LOGO ON TOBIAS’ jersey had never been more appropriate than it was as he left the ice.
As he walked down the tunnel into Philly’s locker room, he was reborn, a phoenix rising from the ashes and ready to restart his life in the best possible way.
His skin was on fire, not just from the sweat emanating from every pore of his body, but from the anticipation of what was to come.
Tobias walked to his locker, receiving slaps to his back, his ass, his helmet as he did, but he felt untouchable. He trembled, knowing what he was about to do, and rushed to the bench in front of his locker and sat, bending over to untie his skates. They were the first thing he needed to remove.
He almost didn’t notice Reggie Wolf sit next to himuntil he spoke.
“Sick game, Moyer. You’re gonna have Kendrick thinking you’re coming for his job.”
As if Wolf summoned him, a group of current players breezed into the locker room. Shane Kendrick made a beeline for him, tackling him in a hug and almost sending him backward over the bench.
“You were incredible!” he shouted. “I knew you still had it in you.” He turned to Wolf. “Coach, I still have my spot right?”
Wolf chuckled, and Tobias gave Shane a slap to his shoulder before straightening them both on the bench so he could resume untying his skates.
“Don’t you worry, Shane. I’m retired for good, but this was exactly what I needed.”
Tobias managed to yank off one skate before the press reached him. For an alumni game, there weren’t nearly as many cameras and reporters around, only one of the local news programs and one guy capturing everything for the team.
A man a little shorter than Chase in a crisp navy suit spoke up, a cameraman beside him.
“Tobias Moyer, how did it feel to be back on the ice for the Inferno tonight?” he asked.
Tobias began untying the laces on his other skate before the guy finished the question, and Tobias paused to answer him.
“It was unreal. I’m glad Sophie talked me into it.”
The reporter brightened and pounced on the tidbit of information.
“Is Sophie a girlfriend?”
“No, no. Sophie Hanson works in PR for the Inferno. Smart as hell,” Tobias said, and the reporter smiled. If not for her, or Riley and Josh talking him into playing, he’d never have made it back on that ice.
Tobias reached down to finish untying his other skate and slipped out of it while the reporter continued.
“We haven’t heard much from you since you retired. Fans are so excited to see you out there. How did it feel to sink that empty-net goal?”
“I’m not sure I believe it yet. I’m gonna have to watch it on replay. It’s something I’d never done while I played, so it feels great to get it tonight.”
As he finished, the doors to the locker room opened again and people dressed in fan gear started to pour in, likely family and friends of other guys in the room. It only took a moment before Tobias spotted his own fan group. Natalie and Grace beamed as they entered, an awestruck Madison on Grace’s hip. Her eyes darted everywhere as she took in the locker room. He almost giggled when her face scrunched up, likely just noticing the smell.
Hidden behind his girls was a crop of brown hair belonging to the love of his life, and when he stepped to Natalie’s side, his face filled with nerves, Tobias knewexactly how to fix it.
“Tobias, what have you been up to since retirement? Do you have a special someone these days?” the reporter asked, the perfect opening for what he needed to do.
“As a matter of fact I do.”
Tobias stood from his spot, and Chase froze as his eyes fell on him. Tobias stalked forward, so thankful he took off his skates because they would only make it harder to reach him.
A nervous smile appeared on Chase’s face as Tobias approached. Tobias didn’t bother with words. He didn’t need them, because there was only one way to show Chase he was in this for real. That he was serious about him, and he wasn’t afraid anymore.
“Tobias, you were—”
