Page 48

FORTY-SEVEN

declan

“You don’t look happy for a guy who’s about to play in the Stanley Cup Finals,” Ben says, looking up from the book he’s reading on his bed. I’ve been sprawled out on mine and staring at the ceiling for the better part of an hour.

“I just have a lot going on at home,” I explain vaguely. I want to tell him everything that’s going on. Ask for his advice, but I can’t. Not because I don’t trust him, but because it would be dragging another person into a deadly mess. And I can’t do that. I’ve thought about calling Finn more than once, but the distance between us and the fact that we’re about to play each other for the cup hasn’t helped our friendship.

“Marital troubles?” he asks, looking disappointed in me.

I frown. “No. Why are you looking at me like you’re assuming it’s me if there were issues?”

Ben laughs. “Because you’re my friend, and I know you.”

I smile. It’s the first time he’s acknowledged that we’re friends. He sees my stupid grin and rolls his eyes.

“Don’t let it go to your head.” I just grin wider at that, but then sober when his expression turns sad. “You might be my best friend.”

“I don’t like that me being your best friend makes you sad.”

Ben snorts. “It doesn’t.”

When it’s clear he isn’t going to elaborate, I change the subject.

“Since we’re best friends, are you going to tell me where you got that nasty scar?” I ask, pointing to the jagged scar the runs from his right temple to the center of his forehead.

“I’ll tell you if you tell me what has you so stressed out,” Ben counters.

I scratch the stubble on my jaw, examining his face. His bushy beard covers the lower half of his face, which makes him hard to read sometimes, but his brown eyes are only showing sincerity.

He sighs. “I know about Jon. It was all over the news. Is that what it is?”

“Partially,” I admit. There’s no use denying it since he’s right. It’s all over the news.

“Would talking about it make you play better tonight?” he asks, the corner of his lip twitching.

I glare at him before slowly nodding. “I just don’t want to drag you into it.”

He shrugs. “It won’t leave this room. I can’t be dragged into something I don’t know anything about as far as anyone else knows.”

That logic works for me, and I immediately tell him what’s been going on. Ezra, Jon/Patrick, how fucking terrified I am that something will happen to Willa when we’re on the road. She stays with Kai and Belle when I’m gone, but not having her close leaves me in a constant state of anxiety. I even tell him about having to approach Sinclair after the season is over. There’s something about Ben that makes you want to confess everything.

He takes it all in stride. His facial expressions barely change, just some slight widening of his eyes at certain points. Like when I told him James left a journal for Maverick that he’s refusing to read. Or when Cal went into hiding with his family.

“Yeah, I can see why you’re not excited to be here right now.”

“Any advice for me?” I ask.

Ben thinks for a moment. “Is Willa safe?”

“As safe as she can be. She’s flying in on Logan’s private jet with Belle, Kai, and Maggie for tonight’s game. She flies back out right after.” She refused to just watch the game from home. We argued for days until we agreed she could come as long as she flew private and watched from a private box that I hired security for. She’s not thrilled about not being able to watch with the fans, but she understands I won’t be able to focus on the game if she’s out in the open like that.

“I can go with you to talk to Sinclair if you want, but other than that, I don’t think there’s much I can offer you. You’re already doing everything you can. Listening to Harlow’s dad and Theo seems smart from what you’ve said.”

I blow out a breath, my shoulders relaxing even though I didn’t realize I was tensing them. That’s all I needed. Someone on the outside to tell me I was doing the right thing.

“I might take you up on the Sinclair thing because he honestly scares the shit out of me.”

Ben laughs and nods in agreement. “Me too.”

“So,” I say, pointing to his head. “Scar.”

“It’s not as good of a story as yours.”

“Good. I don’t think I can handle more at that level,” I admit.

Ben laughs. “I like to run at night. I lived in the South for a little while after college and it was too hot to run during the day. I went for a run after midnight, tripped over something, and slammed my face against a rock. It knocked me out for a while.” He gestures to his scar. “I was young and embarrassed so I didn’t go to the hospital for stitches like a probably should have.”

I laugh. “Yeah, you definitely should have.” I look at how thick the scar is. He definitely needed stitches. “We should come up with a better story, though. Make you sound like a hero.”

“What?” Ben asks, laughing and shaking his head at me.

“Maybe you wrestled a guy and saved someone from being murdered and he got you with his knife,” I say, making Ben laugh harder. “Oh! How about you saved a little girl from a hungry tiger that escaped from the zoo?”

We’re laughing so hard as my stories get more ridiculous that my abs are hurting, and tears are running down my face. My phone rings, and I manage to get myself together enough to answer it.

“Hello love of my life,” I say.

“Are you okay? You sound funny,” Willa says.

“I’m fine. Ben just fought off an entire biker gang with a toothbrush and three pencils to save a Thor cosplayer.”

The line is quiet as I cackle to myself.

“Ben? Can you hear me? Is Declan okay? He needs to be at the arena in thirty minutes,” Willa yells, making sure Ben can hear her even though she isn’t on speaker.

Ben laughs. “He’s fine. We’re just telling stupid stories to relieve some stress. I’ll make sure he gets there on time.”

Willa sighs in relief. “Thanks, Ben.” She pauses. “You’re good, hockey boy?”

“I’m feeling a lot better than I have in days,” I tell her. “Have you landed?”

“Yeah. We’re on our way to the arena. I’ll be in there in forty-five minutes.”

“I can’t wait to see you, Princess.”

She laughs. “You saw me yesterday.”

“Too long.”

“I love you, baby. I’ll meet you by the locker rooms before your game.” I can hear the smile in her voice.

“I love you too. Be safe.”

“Always.”

I hang up my phone just in time for a pounding on the hotel room door.

“Let’s go, Dec!” Gideon calls. “We have a cup to win!”

“Fuck yeah we do!” I yell, hopping up off the bed and heading out of my room, with Ben following right behind me.

We lost. Barely. Bouchard is kicking himself for letting in the only goal of the whole game. Martinez is blaming himself for letting the puck pass him in the first place. The locker room is somber and depressing.

“We’re back on home ice for the next two games. We’ll have the advantage that we need to beat them,” Gideon tells the team. “We fought fucking hard tonight and let them know we’re going to keep fighting. This win wasn’t easy for them, and they know it. We’re coming for them and the cup. It’s our year, boys. We’re too fucking hungry for it to lose.”

The guys perk up, shouting their agreement with our captain. Coach comes in right at the end of Gideon’s speech. He’s not happy, but he isn’t as angry as I thought he would be.

“I have an announcement to make,” he says, waiting until everyone quiets down to continue. “I’m retiring after this season.”

The room stays silent for a moment before everyone bursts out either in congratulations or argument. Coach lifts his hands.

“It’s time. No matter how this season goes, it’s been an honor to coach you. But Mrs. Monroe has saved this season more than once when it shouldn’t have been needed. I’m getting old and missing things that used to be obvious.” He looks at me. “I’m grateful for Willa. Don’t mistake my words.” I nod, letting him know I understand. “That being said, I’d really like to go out with the cup.”

The whole team cheers, smiles on our faces even though we just lost. Gideon nudges me. He and Ben are the only ones aware that I’m retiring at the end of the season, and I guess he thinks now is a great time to announce it.

I stand and clear my throat. Everyone stops cheering and looks at me.

“I’m retiring at the end of the season too.”

“Why?” Rogers asks, looking alarmed.

“My knees can’t take it anymore. I’ve had a really great career, and I’d like to end it on top instead of on the has-been list.” I scratch the back of my neck. “Plus, Willa and I want to start a family, and I don’t want my kids to have two parents who are on the road.”

I can feel my face burn with all the wolf whistles filling the locker room.

“So if we can get it together to win the cup for me and Coach, I’d appreciate it.”

Everyone cheers again. I smile. That smile doesn’t leave my face while I change or when I shower. It just grows bigger the moment I see my wife waiting for me. Willa is leaning against the wall across from the locker room. She’s wearing my jersey and a pair of ripped black jeans. Her lilac hair is down in waves around her beautiful face. She takes my breath away.

“You’re sure smiling a lot for a guy that just lost,” she teases me before jumping into my arms and snuggling into my neck.

I pull her away so I can kiss her. “No matter what happens with hockey, you’re still my wife. Why wouldn’t I be smiling?” I say against her lips. She kisses me. “I win no matter what.”

I get lost in her. The softness of her lips, the noise she makes when I run my tongue along her neck, the way she pants my name. A throat clears, and I groan before looking over at Belle and Kai. They’re both smirking, and Belle looks like she’s a second away from bursting out in laughter.

“You guys will see each other tomorrow,” Kai says. They’re flying out with Willa right after they leave here. I don’t leave with the team until tomorrow morning, but then I have two days off. “Plus, the next two games are home, so I think you can stop making out like teenagers now.”

Willa sticks out her tongue at him and then turns to me. She kisses me too quickly and I let her wiggle out of my arms.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, hockey boy.”

“I love you, Princess. Be careful.” I tighten my grip on her hips, and she smiles up at me.

“I love you too, baby.”

I watch her walk away after one more kiss and sigh. She has Kai and Belle with her plus the security I hired.

“She’s safe,” Ben says. I jump and look over at him. He laughs. “I called your name, but you were so focused you didn’t hear me.”

“Sorry,” I mutter.

He shrugs. “I get it.” He claps my shoulder. “Let’s get on the bus and go back to the room. You can watch her flight, and I’ll order food.”

“Tacos?” I ask, following him out of the arena and to the waiting bus. He lifts an eyebrow, knowing I’m not supposed to be eating unhealthy food right now. “I’ll agree to chicken tacos, but I need the grease.”

Ben snorts but doesn’t argue.

“You’re the best.”

“Tacos?” Gideon asks, looking at me over his seat in front of us.

I sigh. “Get enough for him too,” I tell Ben.

“Fuck, yeah,” Gideon says, turning back around.

We pull away from the arena with a warmth in my chest that’s been absent with how anxious I’ve been. I have great people around me.