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“I threatened to give him a wedgie if he didn’t,” Mabel says as she takes the seat on my other side, two drinks in hand.

She insisted on coming with me when I told her I was joining Declan for the rest of his comeback with the Thrusters.

I didn’t argue. I like having her here.

I like even more that she showed up at our hotel room wearing a Declan Fox Thrusters jersey before the game today. Mabel’s putting a public stamp of approval on our relationship.

The rest of the world won’t care, but I do.

“You did not,” I say to my best friend.

She gives me her straight-faceddidn’t I? look.

Addie laughs. “When you’re done torturing Ginny, I have a rookie or two who could use some incentives to get in line.”

“I’m here for a few more days,” Mabel replies. “Tell me when, where, and how scary I have to be.”

I lean forward, listening to them chat about baseball and hockey while I watch Declan.

He claps Alex on the shoulder, then both of them head back into warm-ups with their teams.

I barely look at Indianapolis’s team.

Not when I can watch Declan.

He’s so graceful on the ice.

And kind.

Sokind.

Shade’s on the bench, filming as Declan tosses pucks to kids pressed against the glass around the rink. He’s not doing it because Shade’s filming, or because the studio sent four othercamera people who are covering Declan’s comeback from all angles tonight.

He’s tossing pucks to the kids because he loves to.

Because his heart is so massive.

Because half of what he’s always loved about hockey is that it’s put him in a position to give so much back.

His agent’s here.

Eddie, the producer, as well.

They keep to themselves in the family suite throughout the game, while I watch my boyfriend play his heart out against the team he should’ve retired with.

It’s a tight game.

Indianapolis goes up early in the first period.

The Thrusters answer it early in the second.

And then it’s just a defensive game.

We’re tied, one each, as the clock ticks down in the third.

Four minutes left.

Three.