Page 20 of Game Winner
We play the last few minutes and before I know it, the game clock has his zero and my teammates flood onto the ice to tap their helmets with mine.
Once we finish up here, we’re getting on the bus to go to Chicago. We play one game there tomorrow night, then come home.
Phil taps his helmet to mine. “Way to step up tonight, Soren. You made some big saves.”
“We took some stupid penalties,” Gio adds, hugging me. “But you held strong and didn’t let them get any momentum going. Nice work.”
“Thanks.”
Tyler waits to the end of the line to greet me. His dark eyes sparkling, he throws his arms around me. “You got a shutout. That’s really something.”
I squeeze him tight. “And you, you’re scoring slump is over.”
His smile beams with relief. “I just kept trying to shoot the puck, and finally, finally, one went in. Feels good.”
A buzz from the win fills the locker room. Rasmus laughs as Cal bats away the empty water bottle Rasmus tosses at him. Phil claps Gordy’s shoulder, and Gio fist bumps Tyler as he returns from the showers.
As if he can feel my gaze on him, Tyler turns his attention to me and gives me an up-nod. And damn, but that one simple gesture is like turning the heat up to ninety degrees. Maybe Gio is right about my eyes, because I can’t seem to keep them off Tyler.
“You didn’t suck out there,” Stephens drops his towel and pulls on a pair of boxers. “I was surprised you could stay focused on the puck long enough.” He glances over his shoulder at Tyler, his insinuation clear.
I fist my knuckles. But instead of clocking the asshole, which would feel so, so good, I choose the higher road and ignore him as I finish dressing.
Tyler crosses the locker room, bag over his shoulder, looking fine as fuck in his black sweatshirt and joggers and my coat wrapped around him, his hair still damp from his shower. “Ready?”
Stephens snorts, but he’s smart enough not to turn his ugly mug in my direction.
“Yep.” I zip up my bag, sling it over my shoulder, and follow Tyler out of the locker room, leaving the ribbing and chatter behind us.
The corridor is quiet, the only sound, our shoes on the concrete floor. “Did you see Bax’s text congratulating us on the win?”
A smile hijacks my mouth, and a weightlessness encompasses me. I want to thread my fingers with Tyler’s, but I don’t dare until we talk with Coach and HR, so I bump hisshoulder, then pull out my phone to read the message. “I figured he’d be getting ready for their gig.”
“I wish he were here.” Tyler lets out a sigh filled with the same longing I feel.
“Me too.” I push through the door, and the frigid air slaps at my cheeks.
Tyler pulls his coat closed and tucks his chin into it. “Not sure I’ll ever get used to Minnesota winters.”
“You live here long enough, you will.”
Tyler’s forehead scrunches, lines creasing the smooth skin, dipping down to form a crinkled arrow between his brows, and I feel him deflate next to me.
“Hey.” I bump his shoulder. “Just because you’ve had a rough go of it, doesn’t mean you won’t be here for a long time.” Though if I’m honest with myself, my gut clenches anytime I think about the possibility of Tyler being traded again. Or worse, getting injured.
His footsteps halt, but I’m four steps ahead of him before I notice. I turn to see what’s wrong.
The crinkles from his forehead are gone, and a bright smile lights his face like a beacon. He points, and my gaze follows to where he’s pointing.
“Bax?” I whisper.
“Bax,” Tyler confirms, his grin growing.
Bax waves as he strides to us. Skin peeking out from the holes at the knees of his black jeans, the sheepskin collar of his leather bomber jacket pulled up, and his black boots making him look like the rockstar he’s on the cusp of becoming.
“I thought you had a gig tonight.” Tyler reaches his hand out to touch Bax as he stops in front of us, but pulls it back, looking around.
Bax tucks his hands into his coat pockets, his expression on the verge of shy, which makes me ache to kiss him. Or to haveTyler kiss him. Or better, to have us both kiss him, to wipe any insecurity he may have about this thing between us away.
