Page 95 of Second Chance with the Enemy CEO
Blake skates over, pumping his fist in the air, a huge grin plastered on his face. Nate’s shouting in celebration. Tomas is hoisting his stick in the air, laughing. The crowd’s still going wild, chanting our name.
Avalanche. Avalanche.
I can barely hear my own breath over the roar, but I do not care. We did it. We won.
Out of the corner of my eye, I spot Hazel in the stands, her camera hanging around her neck. She is clapping, smiling wide, and waving her arms in the air. That smile? It knocks the wind out of me more than the game ever could.
I grin, lifting my stick in the air. This win is for her, too.
Before I can skate off the ice, a reporter from the local station, mic in hand, approaches me near the bench. She is bundled up but beaming, holding out the mic.
"Liam! Incredible game tonight! That was an amazing finish. How does it feel to win the championship?"
I run a gloved hand through my hair, still catching my breath.
"Feels unreal. We have worked for all this season, pushed through every setback, and tonight, we left it all on the ice. This team - these guys - they’re my family, and we fought for this win."
She laughs. "That game-winning goal was something else. Walk us through that moment."
I smirk. "Honestly? It was instinct. Blake kept us in it, and when that puck hit my stick, I just knew. I had to finish it. And hey, it worked out."
The crowd erupts again, and the reporter starts to thank me, but I raise my hand slightly.
"Wait, hold on. I have something to say."
The noise dips just a little. Not silent, but enough. I take the mic gently from her hand and scan the crowd.
"I want to thank all of you for being the best fans we could ask for. You showed up for us every single game, and we could not have done this without your energy. Seriously. Thank you."
The crowd roars in approval, but I keep going.
"But there’s one more person I need to thank."
My eyes find Hazel again.
"Hazel McKee, can you come here, please?"
There is a ripple through the crowd as people turn. A few players are grinning behind me. Hazel looks caught off guard, blinking in surprise. People around her start nudging her forward, and she hesitantly makes her way down.
I watch her step onto the ice cautiously, arms hugging herself against the cold, her expression a mix of confusion and curiosity.
When she stops in front of me, I smile down at her.
"Hazel," I start, my voice steady despite the pounding in my chest, "I owe you a big thank you. Something I remind myselfabout every day. Thank you for giving me a second chance. For sticking around, even when I did not deserve it. For letting down your walls and letting me in again."
Her eyes glisten, and she tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, looking up at me with a softness that nearly brings me to my knees.
"You’ve always been my light, Hazel. When everything else felt like it was falling apart, you were the one thing that made sense. And I have spent so much time trying to figure out the perfect way to tell you how much you mean to me, but the truth is - there’s no perfect way. It is just this. It’s you and me."
I take a step closer, closing the space between us, the crowd’s noise fading into the background.
"I love you. More than anything. More than this game, more than winning tonight. And I want more than just this moment with you. I want forever. I want the late nights, the lazy mornings, and the arguments over what movie to watch, your obsessiveness over the perfect shots, the small things and the big things. I want it all with you."
Her lips part slightly, and I see the tears brimming, but she does not look away. The crowd reacts with a collective "aww" followed by cheers, but all I see is her.
"I know I messed up before, and I can’t erase that. But I swear to you, Hazel, no matter how long it takes, I will keep proving that I am the man who deserves you. I will fight for us every single day. I can’t imagine my life without you in it."
She lets out a shaky breath, her hands fidgeting for a second before she reaches up, resting her palms on my chest.
