“Lieutenant Walker,” he said, putting out his hand. “Thank you for your service.”
I shook it. “Thank you very much.” My eyes flickered between his smile and Ember’s Christmas-morning face. God, she was lit up like the tree, except she’d always been my present.
“I’m Earl Singer,” the guard said. “If you’ll follow me?” He turned and walked off, radioing something in his hand-held.
“You ready?” she asked.
“For what?”
She tugged her lower lip between her teeth with a grin and shrugged, then turned around and walked down the promenade, following the guard. Where you lead, I follow.
Down the hallway, a flight of steps, and more than a few twists later, I found myself entering the arena from the ice level. The temperature drop brought me home to the smell of the ice, the feel of the stick in my hands, the quiet roar of adrenaline through my body. As much as I loved flying, the ice would always be my first love.
The glass came into view, and the familiar noise of a practice filled my ears. Holy shit. The Louisville Bobcats were on the ice, practicing. “They don’t usually practice here,” I said to Ember as the guard opened the door in the glass behind the net.
“No, but today isn’t usual,” she said with a hundred mega-watt smile.
My brain shut down, unable to handle even the possibility that I was about to get anywhere near that ice, those players. “I don’t understand.”
“Luke, my friend from school?”
My eyes narrowed. “The guy you grab coffee with?” The excessively smart one pushing you toward the dig, which makes me like and hate him all in the same breath.
“Yeah. His dad owns the Bobcats.”
I blinked. Seriously?
“Ooh, they’re calling us.” She tugged my hand, and I left my gear outside the glass as I stepped onto the ice.
“Hey,” Chase Miles, the Bobcats’ captain, skated over to us, taking off his glove. “You must be Lieutenant Walker.”
“Just Josh,” I answered as I shook his hand. Don’t say anything stupid.
“Well, Josh, we hear you’re shipping out in a few days and thought you might want to jump in on a little pick-up game we have going.”
No. Fucking. Way. I found myself speechless for the first time since…ever, and gawked up at him.
“Is that a yes?” he asked.
I nodded, almost afraid to blink. Hell yes, it was a yes. Playing in the NHL had been my dream since the first time Mom laced my skates. All those early morning practices, long weekend tournaments, bills that piled up because she wanted me to have the newest helmet.
“Great. Singer will take you back to the locker room. We have a little something for you. See you in a few.” He nodded and skated back to the other players who had all gathered here to play…with me.
“You did this?” I asked Ember as Singer closed the boards.
“Luke helped,” she answered, that smile still bright enough to compete with the ice.
“And they all agreed?” My eyes darted back to where at least a dozen players waited, goalies included.
“I only asked for a few, but when the rest heard it was for a soldier, they jumped at the chance to come play,” she finished. “Do you like it?”
My heart was ready to burst. She’d done this, pulled some magical string to hand me a chance to live out my dream. My throat closed, and words, if I’d had any, were impossible. Instead, I took her in my arms, one hand weaving through her hair and the other lifting her against me. My eyes skimmed her perfect features, from the porcelain texture of her skin to the deep blue of her eyes. “I love you,” I whispered just before I kissed the hell out of her.
She broke away after a minute, her breath uneven, and put two fingers against my aching lips. “Go get dressed. I can’t wait to watch you out there.”
My gaze swung to where they skated, and I couldn’t ever remember being happier. “Okay.” One more swift kiss, and I met Singer where he waited at the door.
“Quite a girl you have there,” he said with a grin as he led me to the locker room.