Page 226 of While You Were Trending

Two.

I’m convinced we’re headed to overtime when Declan steals the puck with thirty seconds to go.

He passes it up to Lavoie, who takes it across the blue line while the Thrusters charge behind him.

Twenty-five seconds.

Lavoie passes the puck back to Cranford, who shoots.

Indianapolis’s goalie deflects it into the air.

Applebottom grabs it and drops it back on the ice.

Fifteen seconds.

Applebottom passes to Cranford, who passes to Lavoie, who passes to Declan, who doesn’t hesitate.

He swings his stick, hitting a slapshot that flies right over the goaltender’s left shoulder.

I’m already on my feet, but now I’m screaming and crying, blinking through the haze as the Thrusters converge on Declan in a group hug, clapping him on the helmet before he skates off to fist-bump the bench as the crowd goes fucking feral.

No one cares that there’s still seven seconds to go in the game.

We all scream and yell and clap—even Mabel—as Indianapolis loses the face-off and the Thrusters take the win.

Courtesy of Declan’s goal.

I’m jumping and throwing my fists in the air.

I can’t see through the tears of joy leaking out of my eyeballs as the wives and girlfriends surround me with hugs too after the final horn blows.

“Look,” Mabel says to me.

She points to the video screen, focused on Declan as he joins the line of Thrusters players to celebrate their goaltender.

He’s looking up at us.

At me.

I drop my gaze from the video screen to the man below on the ice, and I blow him a kiss.

His smile—his smile takes my breath away.

He kisses his glove and points it at me, then takes his turn hugging the goaltender.

That’s my boyfriend.

My heart.

The love of my life.

And I’m here—right here with him—until he’s ready to be done with hockey again.

“I can work from here,” I tell Mabel. “I’ll keep up with the marketing for the winery and website and label design development and I’ll call you every day. I can do this.”

She hugs me tight. “I know. But something tells me you won’t be gone long.”

The crowd is still screaming.