Page 227 of While You Were Trending

For Declan.

For his day to shine as number one.

The in-rink reporter grabs him as he heads off the ice. She’s a redhead, and she’s holding a puppet of the Thrusters’ rocket-powered bratwurst mascot, Thrusty.

“Foxy, what a comeback,” she says, her voice filling the arena. “How does it feel to have a goal in your first game back after retirement, and against your old team?”

“Almost as good as being in love,” he replies.

I sink to my seat, because my legs can’t hold me anymore.

“I hope you’re as good in love as you are with game-winning goals.” The reporter doesn’t move her lips.

The mascot’s talking.

And the crowd is eating this up.

Don’t go to a Thrusters game if you don’t want a good time.

Declan chuckles and shakes his head. “You should meet my brother. He has talking wigs.”

“Talentless hack,” Thrusty says.

Declan’s still grinning. “I didn’t get in any fights on the ice tonight, hot dog. Don’t make me start one now.”

“My husband wouldn’t like that very much,” the reporter replies as herself.

The crowd goes even more wild.

“I respect that,” Declan says. “I’d throw down for my girlfriend too.”

“Speaking of—I saw you chatting with Alex McMaren before the game. You two good?”

“I don’t make friends with people who can’t forgive, grow, and move on.”

“I do,” Thrusty says. “Why aren’t you talking about hockey?Fight fight fight.”

“And that’s a sign it’s a certain mascot’s bedtime,” the reporter says. “Foxy, so good to have you on the Thrusters. This is a night none of us will forget.”

Declan looks up at me in the family suite again. “Same here, Felicity. Same here.”

“Will we be seeing you the rest of the season?”

“I’ll have to get back to you on that.”

He nods to her, leaves the bench, and tosses his stick to a kid hanging over the railing along the tunnel before heading down it toward the locker room.

That’s my man.

Number one.

The hero tonight for an arena full of fans.

But my hero always.

BONUS EPILOGUE

FOREVER AFTER