Page 71 of Offside Play

“That’s sweet,” Jude said, leaning over to brush a kiss across my lips. It wasn’t sweet. “Nah, he wouldn’t try and punch you. He’s not like that.”

I wasn’t sure, but I pushed it out of my mind. It was time to check out the upgraded community rink, and then?—

No. I couldn’t think about that, either. It was fucking terrifying.

“They’re almost as good at coaching as you, but you still beat them overall,” Marcus told me, directing a playful grin at Davis and Petrov. He skated backwards, showing off, and then did an axel like he was a fucking figure skater. I stared at him, my mouth falling open.

“What the— What was that? What have they been teaching you?”

Petrov came up next to me, clapping me on the shoulder. “Nothing to do with us. Our young protégé got himself a girlfriend. Very talented figure skater.” He shrugged. “They’ve been teaching each other a few tricks.”

“So I see,” I muttered, biting back a smile.

It was good to be back here. When I’d arrived with Jude, and Petrov and Davis had shown us around, a weight had lifted from my shoulders to see how much this place was thriving. The community rink still had that same welcoming, understated vibe I remembered, but the worn edges had been smoothed out, repaired and restored with care. I’d spent some time speaking with Marcus’s dad, too. He told me how the local community had embraced the upgrades to the facilities and assured me thatCC Youth Hockey genuinely cared about improving the skills of these kids. And all for the same miniscule amount I’d been charging for my coaching sessions—one of my stipulations when I’d first brought the idea up with my former teammates.

It was everything I could have ever hoped for.

“Marcus! Time’s up!” Petrov shouted, jerking his head towards me. I grimaced, glancing over at Jude, but he was thankfully engrossed in conversation with Davis.

The rink cleared out quickly, leaving me, Jude, and Petrov. I remained on the ice while Petrov headed to the stands, where my fucking gorgeous boyfriend was draped over the seats in a casual sprawl, all long, lean lines and bright green eyes trained on me.

“Jude.” Petrov crooked his finger. “Could you come here for a second?”

Jude’s brows rose, but he unfolded himself from his seat. Petrov moved, rolling out the carpet he’d “borrowed” from the Bobcats’ supplies—one they used when they needed people to walk onto the ice for awards or interviews.

It unrolled across the ice, the end kissing the toes of my skates. At the same time, an unseen Davis dimmed the main lights, turning on the sweeping spotlights that had been installed as part of the rink upgrades.

“What’s going on?” Jude said to Petrov, who gave him a shove towards the carpet before making a run for the exit. Then it was just the two of us, alone in the place that meant more to me than anywhere else in Canada. Jude was the first person I’d told about my coaching. The first person to see me right here, working with the kids, doing something no one else knew about. The first person to see the vulnerable parts of me I’d kept hidden from the world, fragile and uncertain and raw. The breakable parts I was too afraid to share, in case they were smashed into pieces.

“Jude. Come here.” My voice was so fucking hoarse, my heart in my throat as the man I loved above everything stepped onto the carpet. His gaze remained fixed on mine as he drew closer, too slow and too fast all at the same time. My palms were sweating, closed around the puck that I’d stashed inside the pocket of my hoodie.

“Cody,” he breathed when he reached me, and I dropped down on one knee, digging the tip of my skate into the ice to keep me in place.

“I have something for you.” My hands shook as I tugged the puck from my pocket and handed it to him.

“What—Cody?”

“I want you to be mine forever,” I choked out, which wasn’t even close to the words I’d planned to say, but I meant them with every single part of me.

Jude was staring down at the puck with wide eyes, his own hands trembling as he took in the ring I’d carefully taped to the surface. His gaze went to mine, and he blinked, dropping to his own knees and launching himself into my arms.

I didn’t even care about the tears blurring my vision, because he was here, holding me like he never wanted to let me go. Burying my face in his neck, I kissed his warm skin over and over again before I dared to raise my head. “I love you so fucking much. I want forever with you.”

He swiped at his eyes with one hand, the other pulling at the tape on the puck. “Fuck you, you bastard. You taped this fucking ring too well. I can’t get it off.”

“Is—are you saying yes?”

His gaze went so fucking soft. “Of course I am. I want forever with you, too. You’re the love of my life, Cody.”

“Fuck. I don’t know what I did to deserve this.”

Shaking his head, he smiled at me. “You didn’t do anything. You didn’t have to do anything. You deserve it. You deserve everything.”

Later, we’d have to discuss logistics and press releases and letting our friends and his family know. But for now, as I finally freed the ring and slid it onto Jude’s finger, it was just the two of us.

The realisation struck me as he brushed his lips over mine, whispering words of love into my skin.I felt like I was home.

Home wasn’t a place, after all.

It was a person.

THE END