Page 130 of My Brother's Enemy
I lifted my head to look back at him.
He cringed. “I…I might’ve lost it when you left the locker room, after you told everyone about your brothers.”
My eyes widened with alarm. “What do you mean you lost it?”
He shrugged, looking away. “I might’ve tossed a bench.”
“You tossed a bench?”
“Or two.”
“Or two?” I could only gape at him. “What were you thinking?”
He pursed his lips together. “I wasn’t. I thought they were going to let you walk out of here, away from the team, and I flipped out because I was worried I’d never see you again.”
“So you lost your shit on your team?”
“Not my team. Just a few benches.”
He didn’t regret it. I could see that. He regretted having to tell me. I sighed. “Promise me something.”
His eyes found mine. “Anything.”
“Next time you’re worried you’re not going to see me, come after me. I’ll never isolate like I did before, not from you. That’s my promise to you. You’ll always know where I am.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
He smirked. “That’s probably a better idea.”
I shook my head. “What did Coach say?”
He drew in a breath. “He gave me a lecture, similar to what you walked in on from Hunter. I had to apologize to the team and to Benny, and all the equipment staff. And of course I paid for the new ones. I got fined.”
“You threw a manchild temper tantrum.”
He scoffed but let his forehead fall to my shoulder. His hands curled around my hips, tugging me even closer. He’d taken a shower. His hair was still wet, and I reached up and tangled my fingers in it. He shivered at the touch, but when I let my hand drop, he shook his head, hugging me. “No. I like that.”
I went back to running my hands through his hair.
“I freaked. I didn’t handle it the best. That’s also when I realized I loved you.”
A shiver went down my spine, a good one.
Tyler lifted his head from my shoulder, a smug grin on his face. “You like hearing that, huh?”
“Shut up.” I grinned, feeling my face heat. How was this possible? The team knew about my relationship. They knew about me. And I was still here. I was standing in Tyler’s arms just after a game where the entire team had gone to bat for me. I thought of all the things Coach Hines had said, his wife’s concern, everything that Mal had done, stepping up and saving my job.
Finding out about Mal.
Tears rolled down my face before I knew it.
Tyler touched one of the tears. “Rain?”
I blew out an unsteady breath, trying to reel in the rest of my waterworks. “Just having a moment.” My words were wobbly. “I’m realizing I’ve finally found my hockey family.” I dug my head into Tyler’s neck and shoulder as he held me.
He smoothed a hand down my back. “Get used to it, because I’m not letting you go anywhere anymore, and I highly doubt the team will either.” He continued to rub my back. “I want to marry you, remember?”
