Page 30 of Pucking Strong (Jacksonville Rays #4)

W ith hockey back in my life, I feel grounded again. It’s a relief to have at least a few things under my control—my food intake, my workout routines, my sleep schedule. Sure, I may be sleeping in the guest room now, but the bed is comfortable.

At Teddy’s insistence, we moved the exercise bike out of my bedroom and into the living room. Honestly, I prefer it this way. Now I start each morning watching the sun rise over the river as I bike, stretching out my calves and regulating my circulatory system.

He thinks I haven’t noticed the other changes he’s making, but I do.

How am I supposed to ignore new bookshelves?

Just last night, I signed for a trio of boxes that arrived from a home goods store.

Do I know why we needed a fruit bowl or a decorative wooden tray?

No. And I’m not going to ask. If it makes him happy, Teddy can buy whatever he wants.

I can’t think about home decorations. With Karolina’s healthcare and education set, I can only think about hockey. We’re officially one day out from our first game of the season. It’ll be a home game against the New York Islanders.

Despite my time in Sweden, I haven’t lost my starting position.

I’m still holding the line with Langley and Lindberg.

We skate well together. Langley is fast, and Lindberg makes a great center.

He’s quick and decisive, always willing to pass the puck.

He has one of the highest assist rankings in the NHL.

I was glad when the Rays traded him in from the Golden Knights.

“Are you ready, Mr. Karlsson?” The ESPN producer leans in, smiling in my face.

All thoughts of this morning’s drills flash from my mind as I look up. “Yes.”

They’ve been rearranging the lights for the last ten minutes.

All the while, Teddy and I have sat side by side on this leather sofa, silently waiting.

He’s wearing my favorite cable-knit sweater again.

His hair is down, framing his face. They put a powder on his cheeks that dulls some of his freckles. I don’t like it.

I feel like I’m all elbows, sitting here in my favorite navy-blue suit.

Poppy made me take off the tie. She said no tie made me look more approachable.

Any second now, the reporter will start asking us questions.

Teddy has been quizzing me on our answers whenever we’ve gotten a spare moment.

Just last night, he charged into the bathroom while I was neck deep in the tub, shouting, “What if they ask if we kissed at the wedding? Do I lie? Oh, this is so fucking fucked!”

The story is that I pursued him. I invited him to Sweden, where we rekindled our friendship (and started our romance). We decided to leave in the part about me proposing in the hospital cafeteria. Poppy says it’s more believable if we weave in as many real aspects as possible.

“Okay, if you’re both ready, we’ll get started,” says Janine. She’s nice enough. Pretty and polished, she sits in the chair across from us, one camera angled on her.

Poppy set this all up in one of the corner offices at the practice arena. Behind us, there’s a great view of downtown. It’s golden hour, and the lighting is perfect. We need to do this quickly, before the light changes.

I glance over at Teddy. He keeps tugging at the neck of my sweater.

And his new nervous tic is spinning the ring on his finger.

I glance down at my own ring. It’s a simple band of yellow gold.

Since I put it on, I’ve hardly noticed it.

I have to take it off during practice, but slipping it back on before I shower already feels like a habit.

For Teddy, it’s apparently a distraction, an itch he can’t help but scratch.

“Quiet on set,” someone calls out, which makes Teddy stiffen.

Reaching over, I take his hand, weaving our fingers together.

He relaxes a little, scooting closer to me.

Behind the row of cameras, Poppy stands watch, giving us both a nod of encouragement.

If Janine tries to do anything fishy, Poppy will go full Godzilla and knock over the cameras to help us save face.

At the signal from her cameraman, Janine begins, her focus straight down the main camera’s lens.

“Good evening, I’m Janine Marsh with ESPN.

Tonight, I’m sitting down for an exclusive interview with one of the most elusive players in the National Hockey League.

Hailing from a little seaside town outside of Stockholm, he’s a five-time member of the NHL All-Stars and an Olympic silver medalist for Team Sweden.

A founding player of the Jacksonville Rays, now their starting forward, please join me in welcoming Henrik Karlsson.

” She turns to me. “Henrik, hello. It’s so great to finally meet you. ”

My years of media training click on as I smile too. “And you, Janine. Thanks for having me.”

“Oh, it’s my pleasure. I’d like to add that we’re actually not alone for this interview, are we?” She smiles warmly at Teddy.

If he were ever going to run, now would be the moment.

He didn’t ask for any of this. But he sits still, hand clasped in mine, waiting for me to speak.

Clearing my throat, I squeeze his hand. “Yes, this is Doctor Teddy O’Connor.

He’s the assistant rehabilitation therapist for the Jacksonville Rays … and he’s my partner.”

“Oh my goodness.” Janine feigns surprise. “When you say he’s your partner, do you mean he’s your husband? Are you two married?”

“Yes, we’re married.”

“Well, congratulations. Wow, that’s so exciting!”

Teddy flashes a nervous smile and lifts his left hand, wiggling his ring finger for the camera. “He’s officially off the market.”

Janine laughs. “Is that why you wanted to sit down with me tonight? To tell the sports world that you’re an out and proud gay athlete?”

My gaze darts to Poppy. She told me Janine wouldn’t ask the question quite so bluntly. I’m about to speak before Teddy leans forward. “Oh, come on, Janine. Do we really need to put labels on everything? Let’s just say he’s married to me and let the fans draw their own conclusions.”

“Fair enough,” she replies. “Well, how did you two first meet? Because—now, correct me if I’m wrong, Doctor O’Connor—but you were once an intern with the Rays, right?”

He rests our joined hands on his knee. “I was, yeah. But that was six years ago. Another life, really. I joined the team as a PT intern while I was still in undergrad.”

“That must have been so exciting for you.”

He laughs. “If by ‘exciting,’ you mean wrapping this guy’s shoulder in ice after every game? Sure, very exciting. Oh, and don’t forget about the Mario Kart. It turns out being an intern on a pro hockey team means playing hours and hours of Mario Kart.”

“So, how did it go? Did your eyes connect over an exercise bike? Was it love at first sight?”

“Hardly,” Teddy replies. He’s so good at this. The nerves have clearly worn off. Now he’s just talking, charming her like he does everyone. “I had to make him work for it a little.”

Finding my voice, I nudge him with my shoulder. “Actually, I swept him off his feet. Remember, babe?”

That’s the other piece of advice Poppy gave us: Use pet names. Couples in love don’t use each other’s first names. We decided he would call me “baby” and I’d call him “babe.” Though it sounds strange now in the moment, like trying to wear a shoe that doesn’t fit.

Janine glances between us. “Oh, is that so?”

Next to me, Teddy stiffens. I know we rehearsed the gym meeting story, but Poppy also said to layer in as much truth as possible. “The moment I first met Teddy is the moment I saved his life.”

She gasps. “Wait, do you mean literally? You saved his life?”

“I mean, I tackled him to the ground before I ever knew his name.”

“Goodness, why?”

“I had to. A truck was about to squash him into jelly. That’s how we met.

One moment, I was Henrik, walking to work on a Monday morning.

The next, I was on the ground, with this stranger in my arms, his cold coffee leaking all over my shirt.

We both fell. And we’ve been falling for each other ever since. Right, babe?”

Teddy nods, his smile tight.

“Well, that sounds just like a fairy tale.”

“I guess when you know, you know.” I look to Teddy, squeezing his hand. “Right?”

“Yeah. I’d say from that first moment, I just knew.”

“What did you know, Doctor O’Connor?”

He holds her gaze, unwavering in his answer. “I knew that Henrik was the only man for me.”

We make it through the rest of the interview without incident.

Janine asks some carefully worded, Poppy-approved questions about my sister and Karolina.

We share some of the lighter moments from our time in Sweden.

Teddy mentions trying to order a coffee in Swedish, and I make a joke that he snores.

Before I know it, the sound team is taking off our mics.

“Oh my goodness.” Poppy rushes forward. “Boys, that was fantastic. You both did so well. I seriously couldn’t have done it any better myself. You came off so natural and approachable. You were both a little nervous, which will play great. Oh, I could just kiss you!”

Teddy chuckles. “Easy there, Pop. We’re married men, remember?”

“Ugh, and that story about your first meeting? You sweeping him off his feet to save his life? So romantic,” she cries with a slap to my arm. “The fans are just gonna swoon. And it all felt so real!”

We get untangled from the mic wires, but the photographer holds us back for more pictures.

He poses us like we’re a couple on a cruise ship, with Teddy seated in a chair and me standing behind, one hand on his shoulder.

Then they take a few pictures of us up against the windows.

Teddy is in front. The photographer poses us with my arms around him.