Epilogue #4
Dad waited until we'd decided where to meet for dinner before drawing me slightly away from the others.
His expression had changed, and I knew immediately that whatever he wanted to tell me had nothing to do with Corey's ridiculous claims about his contribution to my championship. Jack stepped to my mother’s side, leaving us alone.
"I've been sitting on something since yesterday because I wasn't about to put anything else in your head before the final."
That caught my attention.
"What?"
"The Washington Icemen called."
For several seconds I could only stare at him. Half a dozen professional teams had shown interest during the season, but Dad, as my manager, knew as well as anyone that Washington was the organization I'd been hoping to hear from.
I still had another year at Evergreen before I intended to turn professional, and I'd made that clear whenever scouts approached us, but the Icemen were different.
They were the one team capable of offering me the career I'd worked toward without requiring me to build a future somewhere far away from Jack.
"What did they say?"
"They wanted you to know they're serious about you. They know you're staying at Evergreen for your final year and they're not asking you to change that, but they wanted to make their intentions clear before you start next season."
I stepped back and reached for Jack’s hand, drawing him closer.
"They actually want me?"
Dad's expression told me exactly what he thought of the question.
"You just finished as the highest scorer in college hockey after missing almost three months and made it to the Frozen Four final. Do you really think they wouldn’t show interest? They’ll be even more desperate for your answer after you scored the last goal and won the championship."
A laugh escaped me as the significance finally sank in. I'd spent months refusing to become distracted by scouts from teams I had no intention of joining, hoping the one organization I wanted would eventually show the same interest.
Jack squeezed my hand.
"So..."
I turned toward him, already knowing what he was going to see in my face.
"So it looks like Washington might be where we're headed after I finish my last year at Evergreen."
"So I'm going to Seattle?"
The words felt strangely natural.
"I take it you're happy they're interested?"
Jack's expression answered before his voice did. "You know I am."
Dad nodded. "I'll speak to them tomorrow. Nothing needs deciding now, and they know that. You've got another year at Evergreen before any of this becomes real. If everything still lines up a year from now, they could be the perfect place to start your professional career."
I turned to Jack.
"You've still got another eighteen months before you finish medical school. Six months after I begin with Washington."
"Most of my clinical rotations can be arranged around your schedule. Whenever I'm not at the hospital, I'll be wherever you are. Once I graduate we can be together."
The future that had seemed so uncertain only months earlier suddenly stretched before us with remarkable clarity.
Professional hockey.
Medicine.
One apartment.
One life.
Together.
Ryan wandered over carrying the championship trophy balanced against one shoulder.
"You two planning your future already?"
"Something like that."
He grinned.
"Good."
Before I could answer, another player approached from the Lake Superior group waiting nearby for postgame photographs. He couldn't have been more than nineteen, broad-shouldered, dark-haired, and still wearing his navy jersey despite the rest of his teammates beginning to change.
Ryan noticed him at exactly the same moment.
"Hey," The young defenseman stopped in front of Ryan.
"Hey. Congratulations on a hell of a tournament. You didn’t make it easy," Ryan admitted.
"Thanks. Congratulations on the championship."
The young man glanced toward the Evergreen players gathering for one final team photograph.
"I guess I'll be seeing all of you next season."
Ryan frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"I entered the transfer portal three weeks ago. Committed to Evergreen yesterday."
Ryan stared at him. "You're kidding."
"Nope."
He extended his hand.
"Daniel Tybolt."
Ryan shook it.
"Ryan Sullivan."
"Captain. I know."
Daniel smiled.
"I'll see you in Spokane."
He walked away before Ryan could say another word.
Ryan watched him disappear into the crowd several seconds longer than necessary, and something about the sudden concentration on his face caught my attention.
Jack leaned toward me.
"I think there might be something there."
"Hmm, me too," I agreed.
An hour later, after the final photographs had been taken and the arena staff began encouraging everyone toward the exits, Jack slipped his fingers through mine as we stepped into the cold Minneapolis night.
The cold April air hit us as we stepped outside, carrying enough bite to remind me that winter hadn't entirely surrendered its hold on Minneapolis. Behind us, Great Lakes Arena still hummed with celebration, but for the first time all evening the noise seemed wonderfully far away.
Jack looked at me.
"So..."
"So?"
"Ready for the next adventure?"
I smiled, lifted our joined hands to my lips, and kissed his knuckles.
"As long as you're in it."
He answered without the slightest hesitation.
"I always will be."
Hand in hand, we walked toward the people waiting for us, carrying a national championship with us into the final year we still had ahead at Evergreen.
There would be another season, another year of classes, practices, games, and chasing everything we wanted before professional hockey and the rest of our future arrived.
For now, Spokane was still home, Evergreen was still ours, and Jack and I had another year to live the life we were building together before we were ready to discover where it would take us next.