I look up at him, my heart hammering inside my chest. "Declan... what the hell just happened?"
He steps closer, close enough that I can smell sweat still clinging to him.
"I think," he says softly, "the world just fell in love with us."
"Absolutely. The Ledger story is dead," Rose says, bouncing on her toes. "Like,deaddead. Susie Wrath posted her hit piece and the internet turned on her. The whole narrative has flipped. Nobody's saying scandal anymore, Josie. They're saying—" she pulls up one more post and holds it in front of my face, "—this."
THE BEACHSIDE BEARS: THE TEAM THAT PLAYS FOR LOVE.
And that's when Iseeit. All of it.
The wholeSaves the Bearscampaign assembling itself in my head like game film. We can do couples' night promotions,behind-the-scenes series, merch drops. This could be the story that carries this franchise all the way to April, and beyond.
I snatch my phone from Rose's hands, and my thumbs come back to life. They start flying across the screen, my tongue wedged between my teeth like it's trying to make a run for it. The view counter's spinning so fast my phone should be issued a speeding ticket.
"Oh my God, your face right now," Rose says, wheezing.
"Are you—" Declan leans over my shoulder, frowning. "Josie. Are you seriously working right now?"
"Declan." I don't look up. "We just went viral for beingin love. Do you know what that does to ticket sales?"
"I do. I get that. But, um…" He clears his throat. "I was kind of in the middle of something. Remember?"
I nod as I fire off the text to Colin—don't talk to any press until I brief you, and for the love of God don't say the word VISION—then spin around, hold the phone up at arm's length, and yank Declan down by the jersey until his sweaty face is level with mine. "Quick selfie.Smile."
"Josie—"
"SMILE, MORRISON."
I smack his ass as the flash goes off. On the screen we look absolutely deranged. I've got cried-off makeup and a grin like a jack-o'-lantern, and Declan looks mid-protest with helmet hair.
It's the best photo ever taken of two human beings.
I post it with the caption:Sorry Mom.???? (bear emoji, blue heart emoji)
"Right." I sniff once, hard, and shove the phone in my clutch. "Okay. Locker room. You said you had one more thing."
Declan chuckles and shakes his head. "You're lucky you're pretty."
He wraps his gloved hand around mine again, and moves towards the double doors of the locker room. Rose, reading thesudden drop in temperature, quietly falls into step behind us like a bridesmaid who knows the wedding's about to get interesting.
Declan pauses at the door, listening to the music thumping on the other side. The sound of grown men screaming and the pure, unfiltered joy of victory is rattling the door.
Declan takes a breath, and pushes through.
The locker room hits us like a wave.
Music is blasting, Gatorade is spilled everywhere on the floor, and Finn standing on a bench with his shirt off conducting the room like an orchestra.
It's pure hockey mayhem.
Declan looks at me and smiles as Corbin gets doused with a water bottle by Sawyer. Coach Pearson is in the corner pretending to disapprove while visibly fighting a smile. Someone's smuggled in some champagne, and the whole room is celebrating like we just won the cup.
Then somebody spots us standing at the door, hand in hand.
And a room full of grown men lose their entire minds.
"OHHHHHHHH—"
