Page 69 of Love You Already
Except them. Presence is just as important as presents are.
The lights flashing above us signal start time. The guys rush off the ice, the box filling up quickly as we turn to Coach to look for a speech. He's not telling us to go after another team tonight. I'm curious how this will go.
“Tonight is about having fun. There's no heavy play allowed. We don't need another injury this close to things taking off. Put on a show for them and keep your heads on. Let's play some hockey gentleman!”
Cheers go up from the team and even some from the fans sitting close enough to have heard him. It is what tonight is all about anyway.
Our opening ceremony starts up. “Without further ado, let's welcome your Coyotes to the ice...”
One by one the team is called out to wave at the fans before moving to stand in the lineup. When they get to my name, the roar is louder than I expected. Given I played almost a full season here last year, it's to be expected. Still, I left things in a kind of stasis to where I wasn't sure just how much love I'd get this year.
As I skate around the rink to wave, my eyes catch on the beauty sitting front row near center ice. I stop in front of Rose, a smirk on my face. It slips away, making room for shock, as I see my number emblazoned on her chest.
“Ace,” I shout through the glass. I twirl my finger to get her to spin around. When she does, I nearly lose my balance. On the back of her jersey, where it should say Matthews, she's had it customized to say Mrs. Matthews.
“Go get 'em, Superstar!” She mouths the words through the glass with a laugh. A hand on her shoulder has anger rushing through me. I follow the touch up to find... Beckett.
“Holy crap!” I laugh as I realize the entire group of Wrights is here. Even Nate and Donnie. Bridgett sits next to Rose, though I didn't see her at first since I only have eyes for my wife.
“Matthews! Move it,” Captain says as he tugs me from my stare off with Rose and her family. “Head in the game, man. You can get the girl after.”
I nod as I fall in line. The rest of the team makes their way out, then the announcer goes into his spiel about how this game is different from the others. As he talks, I only half listen. My mind is too wrapped up in the woman I can't take my eyes off of. My wife. The woman wearing my number and name. It's the best fucking surprise in the world.
Next up is the Texas pledge, the national anthem, and a welcome from the announcer of the night. After that, the admin staff takes to the ice to announce the charity we're playing for — the local children's hospital — who just so happens to be livestreaming the game tonight in the rooms of each child across the city.
Screams of excitement and respect go up in their honor. It's as loud as when we score a goal, and it reminds me why we have the best fans in the league. They love to support us, but they're also here for the good of the community.
“Give it up for your Coyotes!” The crowd erupts into cheers again as we get in starting positions for the faceoff.
Time to give them a show.
* * *
When it's all said and done, the game is as exciting as the real deal. Egos come together to give everyone watching a front-row seat to how much we can butt heads. Sure, it's all done in jest, but I have no doubt the close-up footage shows how laser focused we all get on the ice.
In the locker room, I rush through a shower. The guys all laugh at me. Joke is on them though, since I get to leave with the hottest woman in all of Texas. Hell, maybe all of the world if I had to guess.
Outside the locker room, I make the turn down the hall to where families typically wait. I dodge the press that tries to stop me, my focus set on getting to the Wrights and my wife. She might be a Wright at heart, but she's wearing the name Matthews tonight.
“Superstar!” Rose's voice rises over the crowd once I reach the bustling space full of people waiting. I get a few smiles from familiar faces, each of which I ignore with a reflexive chin nod.
I'm too set on getting to my woman, too intent on seeing her up close. No glass between us and no game to slow me down.
The second I'm close enough, I drop my bag and lift her into my arms. She wraps around me, her face burying itself in my neck. “I missed you,” she whispers.
“You have no idea how much I've missed you too, Ace. It's hell being without you.”
Donnie's chuckle reminds me we've got an audience. I ease Rose down, one arm remaining wrapped around her as I greet the rest of the family.
“I'm glad you all could make it. I didn't expect to see everyone here,” I admit to them.
Bridgett claps her hands together. “Rose thought it might be nice for you to have some family in the stands today. Plus, Beckett was foaming at the mouth at the first mention of getting to see a game early.”
“Hey now! You kept talking about hockey men and how they compared to football guys. At least I wasn't objectifying them.” Beckett smirks, though it fades quickly at the fire in Bridgett's eyes.
“I wasn't doing that, you pervert. I was talking about athleticism and such. I spend hours photographing the kids at the school. I'm not judging their looks. Ew! I'm old enough to be their... well, not their mom, but a much older sister.”
The group laughs at the pair's squabbles. Donnie steps forward, his hand extended. I pull him into a hug instead, the sense of rightness too strong to pass up.