Page 47 of You Make It Feel like Christmas

T HE GAME WAS UNDERWAY when he joined the bench. No one said anything, not that he could hear them over the almost deafening roar of the crowd, the announcers. He no longer found it strange that the noise was comforting but still pushed it to the background and zoned in on the game.

Guardians had the puck. Gable shot it across the line, Rezzi hooked it, soared behind the net and back around, the Kraken goalie went down on both knees a second too soon, Rezzi shot to Dennon, who hit right into the net.

Noise erupted, Rezzi and Dennon both doing Guardian cellys, making Nick laugh, making his shoulders loosen.

He knew these sounds. Loved them. His skin stopped feeling too tight, he took a drink, set the bottle down, and leaned in. Ready.

Then he was on the ice, flying into position.

Their center and one of the Kraken defense were locked against the boards.

Nick’s heart raced like a souped-up Maserati as he moved that way, skirting the boards himself, ready when their center sent the puck straight to his stick.

Nick spun, took advantage of the adrenaline ripping through his blood, and raced for the net, passed to Gable, whipped around the defense, took the puck back when Gable passed it to him, and then sent it flying right into the Kraken net.

His knees went weak but he stayed standing, accepted the shoulder thump Gable gave him, and then everything faded away as he got lost in the game that had raised him.

T HEY WON. S WEAT DRIPPED down Nick’s face as they made their way back through the tunnel.

They’d won. No one other than Coach and Maisie knew that was his last game and either way, he was thrilled he got his ass out on the ice—or, more accurately, Maisie did—but winning was icing on the cake.

The energy in the locker room made Nick vibrate.

Claps on the back, cheers, trash talk, laughter.

Nick took it all in, showered, put on a plaid button-up shirt and a pair of dark jeans.

They hadn’t settled on solid plans for what they were doing after, so Nick wanted to make sure he was dressed okay.

A smile lifted his lips; Maisie wasn’t dressed up and though she’d look hot in anything, there was nothing quite like seeing her in his jersey.

The anxiety he’d felt earlier had retreated, faded into the background. She loved him. He’d won, Maisie loved him. Nick closed his eyes, breathed in and let it out.

“You good, man?” one of his teammates asked.

Nick opened his eyes, looked at him. “I’m fucking great. We won.”

“Yeah, we did.”

He left the locker room, headed for the pressroom just off the hallway, and waited at the side while Coach answered questions. His hand trembled only slightly when he pulled out his phone, sent a quick text to Maisie telling her where to meet him.

When Coach gestured to him, he went up, sat behind the table beside the man who’d been more like a dad to him than his own father.

Questions burst from the group like a mass of explosions. Where had he been? Was he okay? How was his injury? What did he think of their win tonight? Who was the woman he’d been seen around Seattle with? Why was he out for so long? How did he feel playing after so many games?

Nick held up a hand and the room quieted. His body pulsed everywhere as he stared out at the room.

“As reported, I sprained my ACL on my left knee, which I’d had surgery on several years ago.

I’ve been rehabbing and working to get myself back to the point that I could play like I did tonight.

It took some time.” He took a deep breath and the questions started again.

He waited. Eyes latched onto him, phones out to catch every word.

He swallowed around the dry lump in his throat.

“I was—have been—struggling with some mental health issues. Some anxiety around getting back on the ice. That’s been a hard road, more so than the physical injuries, but I’m happy with tonight’s performance.

The guys came together and we played our asses off.

It felt good. I feel good.” And if he thought there’d been an explosion of rapid-fire questioning when he sat down, it was nothing compared to what came at him now.

Coach reached out, squeezed his shoulder, and tapped the mic. “That’s enough for now. I’m proud of these men. They’re not just a team. They’re brothers, and tonight, they came together and lifted each other up. No more questions.”

Coach stood, so Nick did as well. They left the room with questions being shouted at them. Nick squeezed his hands into fists to keep them from shaking.

In the hall, Coach looked at him with a bittersweet smile. “I’d like you to fly back with the team tomorrow. It’ll give you time with the guys to tell them before you announce.”

Nick nodded, hugged him, and focused on taking deep, even breaths as he went to find Maisie.

He’d told her to grab the others and circle around the exit where he and the guys had come in.

When he pushed open the door, a bunch of the guys were standing around talking and laughing.

Some of them said his name and he was pulled into a huddle.

His gaze moved over each of their faces, like he was locking them into memory.

Everything felt different, sort of like he was watching from afar, taking it all in from behind a glass wall.

Then his gaze landed on Maisie, standing across the parking lot with Ethan, Lexi, and Will.

Breaking away from the guys, he dropped his bag to the ground, walked straight to her, and scooped her up, his arms locking around her back, the scent of her perfume and pure Maisie infiltrating his senses, bringing him back down, grounding and centering him at the same time.

“You won,” she whispered in his ear.

“We did.” He did. He’d won more than tonight’s game and this woman in his arms had no idea how he truly felt. He didn’t know how to say it all yet even though it was bubbling like a boiling pot in his chest, ready to spill over.

“King, come on, man. Let’s go!” a few of the guys called to him.

He set Maisie down, shook hands with Will and Ethan, and accepted a hug from Lexi along with all of their congratulations.

Aaron and Charlie walked over and clapped Nick on the shoulder. “Only you would find a woman without even trying,” Aaron said.

Maisie’s bottom lip went between her teeth. Nick made introductions. Ethan and Will were more psyched than either Lexi or Maisie to meet the Gable brothers.

“Let’s go, man. When’s the last time we celebrated New Year’s Eve together after a win?” Charlie asked.

“Nah. I’m hanging with Maisie and her friends. I’m flying back with the team tomorrow. We’ll hang then.” Nick looked at Maisie, surprised at how much he wanted Maisie to himself right now.

“You’re leaving tomorrow?” she whispered the words.

“Always room for more,” Aaron said. He looked at the others. “Come on. It’s an hour until the new year and there’s a big party in one of the ballrooms. Come. All of you. Lots of food and booze. It’ll be a good time.”

“Sign me up,” Ethan said, rubbing his palms together.

Maisie stepped closer to Nick. “You should go. You should celebrate with your team.”

He couldn’t read her expression and knew he’d caught her off guard again, saying he was leaving tomorrow. He really needed a manual for this relationship stuff.

He lowered his chin next to her ear. “I’m not going without you.”

Maisie put the tiniest sliver of space between them. “Then let’s go.”

“Can we catch a ride with you? Beats the bus,” Charlie said.

The protocols were a little lax on a night like this. Normally, they’d all leave together and head for the bus or a plane to take them home, but with it being New Year’s Eve, the team’s management made arrangements to make sure the guys could enjoy the last bit of the night.

“That’s perfect. You guys go with Nick and I’ll go with these guys. Meet you there,” Maisie said, pulling back, her hand slipping from his.

“Ride with me,” Nick said in a low voice and a little more urgently than he meant to. Why the hell did she want to ride with her friends? Did she regret telling him she loved him? Fuck. He hadn’t even said it back.

She backed away, smiling a little too wide. “Go with your friends. I’ll see you at the hotel.”

Nick glanced at Ethan and Will, saw them watching him. His jaw tightened but he gave a brief nod. He’d have her to himself soon enough.

“Let’s go then.” The sooner they got to the hotel and he could tell Maisie how he felt, the better.

He thought about Ellie, who’d texted a selfie of her and Asher watching the game, and how she kept reminding him that actions showed who a person really was.

He leaned in, kissed Maisie’s cheek. “See you soon.”

She nodded and as he pulled back, it looked like her gaze was watery. He hoped it was just the parking lot lights and excitement. He never wanted to do anything to make her cry. Now, if he could just find the words to tell her what he wanted.

But first, it was time to say goodbye to a very big chapter of his life.