Page 94 of Break Out

The bench clears as the rest of the team makes their way onto the ice.

I skate toward our goal. Incoherent things are being shouted by my teammates, by the crowd, even by the coaches. I don’t even try to figure out what’s being said. No, I’m searching the crowd. Looking for her. My face lights up when I spot Aubrey on her feet, cheering and yelling. Before I can do more than raise a hand to wave at her, I’m engulfed in sweaty bodies as the team converges behind the net.

The next twenty minutes pass in a blur, but finally, all the official things are done except the team picture with the Cup. Caleb is skating around the ice with it. I know he plans to give it to Hunter next since he scored the game-winning goal, so I have time before it’s my turn. Aubrey is waiting for me at the edge of the ice next to the tunnel for our locker room.

“Hi.” I reach for her and scoop her up into my arms. I skate out of the way so the rest of the team can greet their families.

“Brod, you won,” she says, laughing as I stand with her in my arms on the ice.

“We did.”

My fourth Cup.

My last Cup.

I glance around the ice at the fans still packed into the arena. Waving, shouting, and cheering.

“I knew you would.”

I’m at a loss for words, so I simply set her down gently on the ice. She takes my hand, and I lead her back to my teammates. I still can’t believe this is happening. And I would have missed it if I’d retired last summer like I wanted to.

Someone hands me a hat that says Stanley Cup Champions, and I put it on my head. I grin watching my teammates and their families embracing. Our coaching staff and all the front of house staff that were in attendance today chatting. Reporters walking around interviewing people.

“Hey.” Winston, our other alternate captain, skates up to me with the Cup. “It’s your turn.”

“Thanks.” I take it from him and lift it above my head, reflecting on this moment. Though I’ve had the pleasure of hefting the Cup three other times, this time feels different. It’s because it’s the end of an era for me. The end of something I’ve worked my whole life for.

“Wait. Let me take a picture,” Aubrey says, pulling out her phone.

I smile as she snaps a few photos before taking my lap around the ice. The Cup hefted high above my head. But I’m not paying attention to the cheering fans or the cameras that are sure to be trained on me. No, I’m watching my team, my family, celebrating with one another. The looks of pure joy and happiness on their faces.

Hunter and Madison are embracing. I knew she’d say yes to his marriage proposal. She’s head over heels in love with him just like he is with her.

I am happy that we won the Cup, but I’m even happier that the season is over. That I can close this chapter of my life and move on to the next one—a life with Aubrey.

I finish my lap and hand the Cup to Holt. He deserves it. He stepped up in a big way this postseason when Aleksi got injured during the first round and net minding fell to him.

I head back over to Aubrey and pull her into my arms. “I’m sorry I’m a sweaty mess, beautiful,” I mumble into her hair. I hope she doesn’t care because all I want to do is hold her.

“I don’t mind.”

“It’s going to be a while until I can leave. Do you want to go on without me to wait with the rest of the families in the team lounge? They probably have food and drinks set up already.”

“I’m fine waiting,” she says, smiling up at me.

“I love you, Aubs.”

“I love you too, Brody. Always and forever.”

“Always and forever,” I answer back, leaning down to kiss her.

It’s kind of become our thing over the past ten months to say that to each other. We’ve always been each other’s forever, it just took us a while to get here.

But now that we’re here, there’s no place I’d rather be.

Epilogue

Sixteen Months Later