Chapter Twenty-Six
Cole
Ishoved the Colorado player away as he tried to come for me.
Fuck him if he thought he was going to take the puck.
I was exhausted, still nursing a hangover from the night before, and felt like my heart had been ripped from my chest. But the Stanley Cup was ours, and I’d be damned if anyone was going to take that away.
All my other dreams were gone. I needed one to pan out the way I had hoped.
I glided across the ice, pumping my legs as fast as they would take me, lifted my arm, whipped my stick, and watched as the puck went over the goalie’s head.
The lamp lit up, and the roar of the crowd behind me was deafening.
Wyatt grabbed me in a hug. One of wingers, Liam Richards, tapped the top of my helmet with his own.
We were already up two before my goal, and this was just the first period.
“You good?” Wyatt raised his voice over the noise. “You looked like you were going to rip Johnny to pieces when you pushed him.”
I grunted. “I’m fine.” Other than the fact that the man I was still in love with didn’t want me. But whatever.
“Okay.” Wyatt squeezed my arm, then he skated off.
I let my gaze drift to where I knew my dads were sitting, along with the rest of our family and friends.
I had gone to Reed’s place yesterday in hopes that he would come watch the game tonight, but that, too, was just a broken dream.
Just like he was. And I spent the night drowning my sorrows in bad alcohol that only made me feel worse.
Tom Olson was in the crease tonight, which meant Oscar was sitting on the bench.
I hopped over the wall to drop into the seat next to him, and he gently nudged my leg with his knee.
I smiled at him, but soon my mind began to wonder back to Reed.
What was he doing tonight? Was he with someone else, or was he as miserable as I was?
Did he even really love me at all, or had he just said those words because I did?
Oscar leaned over so he could speak into my ear. “Your boy’s here tonight.”
“My what? How do you even know that?” I twisted my body to stare at him. “He’s not my anything. Not anymore.”
Oscar smirked. “Tate told me.”
“Oh, and is Tate your boy now?” I hissed. I immediately regretted it when Oscar’s face fell and he turned away. “Shit, man, I didn’t mean that.”
Oscar shrugged. “It’s fine.”
“No, I’m just being an asshole for no reason.”
“You are, but I’m used to that.”
I snorted. “Look, whatever is happening between you and Tate is none of my business. Just know that I’m here for you. For better or worse, right?” I held out my fist, and he bumped it.
“Thanks.” Oscar turned his attention back to the game, and so did I.
None of the guys were able to keep the puck or make another goal, but this was only second period. We still had a whole other team to beat after this one before we could claim the Cup. It felt like a lifetime away.
Just as one of the other team’s captain tried to score a goal, someone slammed into Tom.
I watched in horror as our goalie landed against the net and dropped onto the ice.
I knew he was fine, he was dressed for stuff like that, but all hell began to break loose as Wyatt jumped on the man who hit Tom and yanked him to his feet.
I was on the ice again before I could think twice about it, throwing my gloves off, ready to hit the first Colorado player I came across.
I landed a couple of good punches before he hit me back.
Hard. I tried to take the guy with me when I started to fall, grabbing at his jersey, but he managed to untangle my fingers from his uniform, and I felt my head hit the ice.
I saw stars behind my eyes as I struggled to get up despite my helmet.
“Don’t move.” Wyatt was next to me. “You hit your head?”
I nodded even when I didn’t want to. “But I’m fine.”
“No, you’re not,” Wyatt told me. “You’re going to have to get checked out now, kid. Concussion protocol.”
I tried to sit up. “I’m okay!” I shouted as pain raced through my body.
And then everything went black.
WHEN I WOKE AGAIN, it was dark. I knew immediately I was in the hospital.
I recognized the smell of antiseptic, heard the sound of the heart monitor as it hummed next to me.
The game flashed in my mind. The defense-man who took me down on the ice.
Panic began to set in. Was it that bad? What if I never played again?
What if everything I had worked for was gone?
“How are you feeling?”
I glanced over to find my father sitting in the chair next to my bed. I noticed the shirt he wore was wrinkled, and his hair was a messy halo on his head. Like maybe he’d been running his hands through it. But he looked tired. And worried.
“Okay,” I croaked out. My throat was dry.
Dad stood up and reached over to pour a glass of water into the paper cup. When he handed it to me, his lips curved up into a small smile. “You scared us tonight,” he told me as I gulped down my water.
“That wasn’t my intention.” I leaned back against the pillow. “Where is Dean?”
Dad flicked on the light by the bed, and I grimaced as the brightness hit me. “I sent him home to relieve the sitter. He’ll be back in the morning. I wanted...No, I needed to stay.”
“I just want to go home.” I turned away as my vision blurred. “This bed isn’t very comfortable, and I hate how it smells. Dad, can you ask them to let me go home now?”
He squeezed my arm. “Tomorrow, kiddo.”
“What happened? The last thing I remember is someone knocked over Olson, and I jumped onto the ice. Shit, is it a concussion? Am I going to miss the rest of the games? Miss us winning the cup? Wait, did we even win last night?”
Dad scooted the chair closer and sat down. “You’re not missing any games. You just have to take it easy for the next couple of days before the Panthers take on Seattle.”
“We won.”
“Yeah, you won.”
I dropped my gaze to my lap. “Sorry that I scared you. I just...That’s our goalie. No one touches Tom. Not ever.” I glanced back at my father. “Is he okay?”
“Tom’s fine. I think he had a little flashback from his accident, though.” Dad tilted his head. “They’ve pulled him for the next couple of games. Jax thought it was a good idea, and honestly, I think Tom felt the same way.”
Tom had had a horrible accident which took him out of the game for a bit. But with the help of his husband, Blake, and his brother, Jackson, he was back to playing the best hockey of his life.
“Oscar’s in.”
He wasn’t going to like that. Sometimes I wondered why he even played hockey. He got really upset and nervous when they put him in the net. It would be probably tenfold with it being the playoffs.
“I should call Tom and Oscar. Make sure they’re all right. Where’s my phone?” I asked when I didn’t see it.
Dad shook his head. “Don’t worry about that. Tom and Oscar are fine. They were both here, but you were resting. You can talk to them tomorrow once you’re home. You had a full house of people until the hospital kicked everyone out and left the three of us to stay in your room.”
“The three of you? You mean the three of us? You, Dean, and me?”
“No, I mean the three of us.” Dad pointed across the room.
Sleeping in an over-sized chair was Reed.
He had his legs curled up in a fetal position, which didn’t look very comfortable.
But he was here. For me? My throat suddenly grew tight, and I wanted to run.
Get out of this hospital as fast as possible before Reed woke up.
Why was he here? He had made it more than clear he didn’t want me anymore.
“He insisted on staying. Told everyone he was your husband, just they wouldn’t kick him out.
” Dad chuckled out a quiet laugh. “I like him, Cole. He’s perfect for you.
Kind, caring, and smart. But you never told us he left, though.
That you were in love and then Reed got scared.
Dean and I just thought it was a summer fling for the two of you. ”
My jaw dropped. “Reed told you about that?”
“He told us a lot. We had a lot of downtime while we were waiting.” Dad leaned forward.
“When we invited him—well, Ezra did—he didn’t seem too excited to be there.
But when you went down on the ice? Reed was terrified.
Confessed a few things that maybe he hadn’t meant to, but he loves you. That’s more than obvious.”
I tried to swallow around the lump in my throat. My stomach twisted into angry knots as I stared at the man who had broken my heart. The one I had been chasing for the past five years.
“Me, too,” I whispered. Then I let out a giant yawn as exhaustion took over.
“I’m going to head home. Dean’s not going to get any sleep until I do. But we’ll be back in the morning to make sure you get home safely.” Dad climbed to his feet, leaned down, and gave me a tight hug. “I love you, Cole.”
I sniffed softly. “I love you, too. Dad. And tell Dean I love him, too. Hug Trish for me, okay?”
“Of course. Get some rest.” Dad kissed the top of my head. “And maybe go easy on your boyfriend. I know what he did hurt you, but I meant what I said. Reed loves you. You obviously have a few things to talk about before you can figure out what you both want, but I promise you it will be worth it.”
I opened my mouth to tell him Reed wasn’t my boyfriend, but I bit my tongue.
I gave my father a little wave as he left the room before my eyes moved to where Reed was.
I wanted him to come closer. Wanted him to tell me in his own words that he loved me.
But the heaviness of my eyelids and the exhaustion pulled me under before I had the chance.