Page 73 of Scoring Zone
During warm-ups, we skate onto the ice to a standing ovation. The crowd’s excitement and thirst for a win reverberate in my chest. Their support, or lack of, can be a game changer. Their spirit lifts us up when we’re tiring.
I love my job and appreciate our fans. Not many people get to experience the force of fan admiration on a weekly basis. I’m so grateful.
We’ve got some downtime to get treatments and strategize before Coach comes in and does the pregame speech.
Liska tosses me a jersey. “Give that to Grayson.” It’s for Pride Night, and his name is embroidered on the back. I trace it with my finger, but I don’t experience the guilt that he’s not a player. He absolved me of any lingering responsibility, and I wouldn’t trade our current situation for all the fame and fortune in the world.
I’d quit hockey before I let Gray go. None of this means anything without him. This team has given me my dream, but Gray is my Sunshine. The love of my life.
If anything, I wish he would wear a jersey with my name on it. I love seeing him in my clothes.
I scan the room, realizing these men are my family. They have my back, no questions asked.
“Hey,” I yell, and clear my throat. “I’ve got something to say.” I internally kick myself for stating the obvious. All eyes are on me as I keep talking. “It’s been a weird couple of months for me. I learned some things about myself that were a surprise,the biggest thing: I’m bisexual.” The room is eerily still for a moment, when the door bangs open.
“Kenney, time to tape your leg. Let’s go,” Gray hollers, then takes in the room. “What’s up?” he asks cautiously.
“No big deal, but our captain came out to us,” Benz sings.
“We’re like a gay herd of rams,” Lucky chimes in with a provocative hip swivel.
“Congratulations.” Gray’s eyes light up, and he turns pink, but he doesn’t move.
I cross the room and kiss him. “Have you met my boyfriend, Gray?” I hug him tightly as he pulls back, wide-eyed. He once said I’d never kiss him in the locker room, and now I second-guess this. I whisper, “Is this okay with you?”
His grin takes over his entire face as he devours my mouth again, but then he ends the kiss with a laugh. “Benzy’s gonna yell at us for kissy-face.”
“Don’t worry about that guy.” I’m smiling so wide my cheeks hurt. “Liska brought you this.” I shove the Pride jersey at him.
“Vho knew the shirt could turn people?” Liska’s gruff voice is full of amusement.
“And if I see any of you fuckers exchanging money because you bet for or against Gray and I,” I pause, thinking of a substantial threat. “I’ll throw you out of the group chat.” I ignore their grumbles.
Gray said he’d never push me, but he’s so happy it’s as if rays of sunshine are coming out of his pores. I made the right decision.
“I’m proud of you,” he whispers in my ear, then gives me a peck and turns away. “Kenney, time’s a-wasting.” He points in the direction of the training room.
The game’s a blur, but we win decisively. It’s like I’ve been freed from a cage, and I fly around the ice. I score an all-time high of three goals with one assist.
Drake slaps my shoulder. “You should come out before every game.” He walks past me as if I could actually do that every game.
Coach moves practice to tomorrow afternoon, and the team decides on a place to celebrate tonight.
We have a private room, so I’m able to touch Grayson, and it’s liberating. I get to kiss him in the second place he never thought I would, so for the first time, I’m exceeding expectations. And my lips are constantly on him, warming me like a soft flame.
Almost everyone has come up to congratulate us on our relationship, and my heart soars. The ability to be ourselves is cathartic, almost like salvation. I’m not worried about touching or talking too close for too long or glances that give away my feelings.
It’s an entirely new level of understanding of coming out. I thought I knew, but I had no idea. I want to shout from the rooftops how much I love my man. There will be no way of hiding my love for him.
“Do we have to tell management?” I ask Gray.
His brown eyes widen. “Technically, we’re breaking the rules, but we signed releases when they hired me because of our friendship. They won’t let me treat you anymore.” He threads his fingers through mine. “We’re really doing this.”
“Nothing could stop me,” I vow. “We can talk specifics, but by the end of the season, the world will know you’re mine.”
His smile tells me everything. “You’re the one who needs a ‘keep off’ sign. No one cares about me.”
To celebrate, I have an extra drink as the team toasts us. By the time we leave, the restaurant is closing down and the streets are quiet for New York, which means there’s light traffic and only a few horns blowing.
