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E

My smile stretches across my face when I read those three little words but it quickly drops as I realize this doesn’t explain anything. Where is he?

Before I can call him again, the video on the screen starts and I see him. He’s freshly shaved and wearing a red Detroit sweatshirt with our white logo on it. My mind doesn’t fully comprehend why he’s there until the first question is asked by one of the reporters.

“Eli, are the rumors true?”

I inhale sharply. Why are they asking him this? Why did he agree to it?

It’s hard to tell, and anyone that doesn’t know Eli wouldn’t notice it, but his features let it show that he’s a little terrified. His shoulders move slightly, and while his arms are blocked by the table he’s sitting at, I can tell he’s nervously wiping his palms on his pants.

“They are,” he says, looking into the camera.

“No, Eli, what are you doing?” I groan, chewing on my thumbnail. This is torture. Pure torture. The reporters all speak at once and Eli rears back in surprise, not knowing which question to take next.

“Um, you in the jumper, what was your question?” Eli says, pointing off to the side.

“Are you dating your teammate and fellow goalie, Juuse Couri?”

Eli smiles and shakes his head. “No, Juuse is my friend.” The room is silent for a beat, and there don’t seem to be any more questions. That is until Eli continues talking. “But the article waspartly right; I’m gay, and I’m in love with my best friend, Ashton Meyers.”

The room explodes into questions once again, but Eli stands up and says, “I’ve spent a long time hiding who I truly am, but all that’s ever done is hurt me and those around me. While I needed to set the record straight, I would appreciate everyone’s respect for my privacy. Thank you.”

The live video ends and I sit on the edge of the bed. I’m stunned speechless, but I’m so, so proud of him. This amazing man that’s come so far not just in his career, but in his personal life too. When he gets back, I don’t even let him speak before I jump on him and attack him with my mouth. “I love you, I love you. God, you’re amazing, Eli.”

He holds me tight and says, “I’m never letting you go, Ash. You’re everything to me.”

THIRTY-NINE

ASH

Eliand I spend two more weeks together in Detroit and travel around for a few away games. I got to spend two nights filling in for the injured forward I was called up to replace, but with the captain being out after his recent injury, they decided to keep me around longer.

I played six more games and gave it my all and even though we didn’t win all of them, getting the experience to play in the NHL was one of the best times of my life.

As I pack up the few belongings I acquired at Eli’s apartment, he pulls me into his chest, dropping kisses behind my ear and on the side of my neck.

“I’m going to miss waking up next to you every morning.”

My head drops against his shoulder and I sigh. “Me too. But Christmas is coming up soon and we’ll have a few days together. Then the all-star break in February. We can go somewhere fun.”

“Anaheim?” he asks, bringing up the trip that was the cataclysm of our relationship.

“Fuck no,” I say, huffing out a breath, “we can do better.”

“We could go to the cabin with our friends.”

I hum and turn around, looping my arms around his neck. “Or we could go somewhere tropical. Just the two of us.”

“I’ll go anywhere with you,” he says, pale blue eyes pinning me to the spot.

“Wow, you’re so obsessed with me, it’s kind of embarrassing.”

Eli bends down and grabs the backs of my thighs, lifting me up. My legs wrap around him of their own accord and he tosses me onto the bed, crawling over me.

“Yeah, I really am.”

December

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