Page 150 of Breakaway Goals

Morgan laughed. “Are you alright?”

“I think. . .I think my brain is broken,” Jacob admitted with a wry laugh, scrubbing a hand across his face. “God, they did it, didn’t they?”

“Yeah, they sure fucking did.” And Morgan had been there for every moment of it. The goodandthe bad.

Morgan nodded at the security guy at the elevator. “Oh, Mr. Reynolds, I was just about to radio Dom to find you,” he said. “You and Mr. Braun both.”

“Nicky, you know I told you to call me Morgan, and I don’t even know who Mr. Braun is,” he teased.

“He really doesn’t,” Jacob said, apparently snapping out of his fugue state. They stepped into the elevator.

“Monty told me to make sure you were both there,” Nicky said as the elevator went down towards the ice level. “He stopped me specially the other day. Told me it was my job to make sure you were both there, even if you protested.”

Morgan laughed wetly. Put a hand on his face and realized he was crying now. Of course Hayes had. They’d talked about it, but Hayes had wanted to besure.

“See?” Jacob said, his own laugh not very steady. “I think I aged ten years, watching this playoff run.”

Morgan looked over at him. “You look it, with that raggedy-ass beard.”

“Like yours is any better,” Jacob retorted but he sounded fond.

“Can’t wait to shave it off,” Morgan admitted.

Jacob patted him on the cheek. “Now you can. God, they did it. I’ve never been so proud.” He glanced at Morgan. “How do you stand it? FinnandHayes?”

The truth was, he didn’t. He couldn’t. The pride and happiness was too big to be contained inside him, even when he’d learned to carry everything for so long. He’d never imagined he’d face something that would be too big for him.

But this felt like it.

“Not sure I can,” Morgan admitted, wiping away another tear. “I’m probably gonna embarrass everyone once we get out there. My son and my boyfriend, for sure.”

The elevator dinged. Nicky looked over at them as the doors opened. “You couldn’t, Mr. Reynolds. Hayes is so proud of you. Finn, too.” Nicky’s chin lifted, like he was worried Morgan might argue with him.

Morgan wasn’t going to.

He couldn’t really.

“This way,” Nicky continued, gesturing into the hall. Morgan could already hear the yelling of a celebration going on in the locker room.

But Hayes would probably be the last one out on the ice. And if Morgan knew his son, he’d be with him.

“God, I can’t believe we’re doing this,” Jacob muttered. “We shouldn’t—”

Morgan elbowed Jacob in the ribs. “Hayes told me he wanted me there and that Finn wantedyouthere, too. Did you guys not talk about this?”

Jacob winced. “We didn’t want to anger the hockey gods!”

“Jesus, logistics are important too,” Morgan complained.

They passed by the locker room, doors thrown open, raucous sounds spilling out.

There were still a lot of players out on the ice. Morgan could see them as they walked out of the tunnel.

“There you go,” Nicky said, giving them both a nod.

“Thank you, Nicky,” Morgan said, nodding his approval. “We’ll see you next season?”

“You better count on it.” Nicky grinned. “Have a good night.”