CHAPTER FORTY
Whoever made the fucking schedule was a bastard.
Luke was thoroughly sick of playing the New York Rockets. So of course that was who the Harriers were playing during the final game of the regular season. Worst of all, Luke was about to be the center of attention tonight.
It was hard to believe he’d played a thousand games in the NHL.
When he’d begun his pro hockey career, he’d been a guy who would’ve felt grateful to get ten, and damn lucky to get a hundred. A thousand? That had been unimaginable.
Now, standing on the ice near the bench, Luke swallowed hard as the announcer began speaking.
“Harriers fans, please direct your attention to the ice for a very special presentation. Two days ago in Buffalo, Harriers defenseman Luke Crawford played in his one thousandth career game in the NHL.”
A cheer rose up from the crowd and Luke stared at the screen while some of his highlight-worthy hits and assists played on the Jumbotron.
Fucking surreal.
“An undrafted player from Las Vegas, Nevada, Luke played in the WHL before establishing himself in the AHL and securing a spot with the Philadelphia Badgers before being traded to the Calgary Rams. After playing in Calgary, he played for the Dallas Steers, then was acquired by the Boston Harriers, where he remains a crucial part of the team’s defensive core.
Please welcome Luke’s partner, Sebastian Breckon, to the ice. ”
The crowd cheered as Sebastian stepped forward onto the carpet laid out for him, looking handsome and oddly serious in his stupid hipster clothing.
This morning, Sebastian had teased Luke that he’d wear his New York jersey during the ceremony tonight. In retaliation, Luke had pinned him down and blown him, teasing him and holding him on the edge until he’d promised to be good.
Luke would believe that good behavior when he saw it, but he was still glad Sebastian was by his side, whatever he wore.
When they’d talked about the idea of Sebastian attending the ceremony, he’d said he didn’t care. He promised that if Luke wanted his privacy, he’d be happy to sit in the crowd, unacknowledged. He’d meant it too.
But when they’d done a video chat while Sebastian was still in New York, he’d admitted Nicky didn’t trust Luke. He believed Luke would break Sebastian’s heart.
Luke worried about that sometimes too. Spitefully—if he was being honest with himself—he refused to let Nicky or himself be right about that.
So even if Sebastian himself didn’t doubt Luke, he’d told the head office to include Sebastian in the ceremony. Showing everyone that Sebastian was important to him had seemed like a big way of proving both Nicky and himself wrong.
Most importantly, it was a way he could show Sebastian just how serious he was about him.
Had he wanted a big, splashy coming out? Fuck no. But if it would lay Brie and Nicky’s fears to rest about Luke being all-in? It was worth it.
“Luke, please join your partner,” the announcer said.
Luke skated over to Sebastian, reaching out to take his hand. He squeezed it for a brief moment. Sebastian smiled before he let go, and Luke felt the oddest flutter in his chest, a sudden warmth that took him by surprise.
Luke stood beside Sebastian as the announcer said, “Now, please direct your attention to the video board as we honor Luke Crawford for achieving this incredible milestone.”
Luke stared up at his own face as the screen showed the video footage Thad had taken of him walking around Boston and speaking about playing for the team.
This was everything Luke hated. Attention. Talking about his feelings. But his voice was surprisingly steady as he said, “I love this city and its fans. Although I’ve played with many great teams over the years, it’s here in Boston that I finally found my home.”
There was footage of several of his biggest hits with one of the play-by-play guys saying, “He’s big, he’s mean, and he can shoot!”
Luke smiled a little as the image transitioned to one of his goals. Compared to guys like Connor, or even Tanner, he’d never have that many goal points. But he could fire a ripper, that was for damn sure.
Accurate? Ehh, not so much. Hard? Fuck yes.
There were shots of cellies with teammates. Luke and Connor colliding in a hug during a playoff game where Luke had set him up for a goal.
Even further back in his career, a shot secondary assist Luke had gotten for Connor’s father, Declan. Cellies with Tanner and Anker and … they blurred together into a montage of moments with his teammates over the years.
Luke’s father’s face appeared on the screen.
“Luke. From the moment I put you on skates, I knew you had toughness and grit to you. No matter how tired you were, no matter how sore, you never wanted to stop playing. I knew you had something special in you. But I never dreamed I’d get to see you play your thousandth game in the NHL.
It’s a huge accomplishment and watching you lift the Stanley Cup was one of the proudest moments of my life. ”
Luke swallowed thickly at the footage of him lifting the Cup for Boston, his healing black eye partially obscured by damp hair, his face covered in sweat and a heavy beard.
There was a message from his mother, talking about how proud she was of his accomplishments. Were he and his parents close? Nah, not really. But he did love them. And he was glad they’d shared this moment.
There was a video of an old assistant coach of Luke’s from when he’d been about sixteen. “Luke, you began your career by making your name as an enforcer. It’s good to know nothing has changed.”
Luke chuckled at the clips of a much younger and smaller version of him flattening guys against the boards and wrestling them to the ground.
“But even before you believed that you had the skill to make it to The Show, I believed in you.” There were more shots, one of him being dragged to the penalty box, arguing the whole way.
“Your physical and mental toughness were evident from the beginning, and I couldn’t be prouder of all you’ve achieved.”
Then there was a video from Brie playing along with footage from Harper’s day with the team.
“When I realized my daughter was obsessed with you as a player, I worried. Was this the role model I wanted for her? But when I saw how kind you were to her, I began to think that I was wrong. And when I think about all you’ve done for her in the past few months and how selflessly you’ve supported our family, I know I was.
Because under that tough exterior is someone with a kind heart and a giving nature. ”
Luke shifted uncomfortably, hating the praise, but he felt the press of Sebastian’s shoulder against his arm, the reminder that even if he didn’t need it acknowledged in public like this, he’d done it because he cared about Sebastian and Harper and Brie.
When Harper appeared on the screen wearing a tiny version of his jersey, there was a noticeable “aww” from the crowd. Harper’s voice was very earnest. “Mr. Luke. You are my very favorite player and my friend. You taught me how to fight and kept me safe from the monsters. I hope you play forever.”
The screen transitioned to Luke taking a swing at a guy from New York, then wrestling him to the ground, before a shot of Sebastian holding the Don’t blame me, I’m just the guncle sign.
Luke laughed, nodding toward where he knew Brie and Harper sat in the crowd.
A moment later Sebastian flashed onto the screen in his usual vintage New York Rockets jersey.
Beside him, the back of Sebastian’s knuckles brushed his.
Luke shifted, rotating his wrist and grabbing Sebastian’s hand again as Sebastian began to speak, knowing he was probably going to get choked up at this part.
“Hey, Luke. As everyone knows, I didn’t like you much when we first met.”
Luke laughed along with the crowd at a shot of Luke in the penalty box, and Sebastian shouting some insult at him.
“You made it your mission to spend as much time in the sin bin as possible and I made it my mission to heckle you every time you stepped foot inside it.”
There was a rapid-fire sequence of game after game, Luke in the box, Sebastian always nearby.
“Maybe I should have known then how important you would be to me, but I never could’ve imagined what we’d become.
But seeing you with my niece, seeing the way you’ve supported me and my whole family, seeing what kind of man you are off the ice?
I feel lucky that you showed up on my flower shop doorstep that night. And glad that I let you in.”
Luke squeezed Sebastian’s hand. He was glad too.
“We’re never gonna agree on which team is the best. I might never be a Harriers fan—”
His words were nearly drowned out by the boos of the crowd, which made Luke laugh. He glanced over at Sebastian to see him grinning too.
“—but I’ll always be your number-one fan.”
Luke squeezed tighter, a little stunned. That wasn’t something Sebastian said lightly.
There were clips from some of his teammates, including Tanner talking about how much he’d learned from Luke. “You’re the grumpiest guy I know,” Tanner said with a grin. “The annoying big brother I never wanted. But I feel lucky to be your D-partner and your friend. I hope you feel that way too.”
Luke glanced over at the bench and made a waggling motion with his hand.
The crowd laughed.
“I know that under all that tough-guy grump, you care about this team and me. Even if you’ll never say it out loud, I know you’re glad we’re paired together.”
And Luke swallowed hard because it was true, damn it.
There was a message from Rafe, talking about what a relief it had been to play on a team with Luke instead of against him, overlayed against hits Luke had had against Rafe when they were opponents.
Luke’s eyes grew a little misty as the messages just kept coming and coming.