Page 93 of Taylor

“Sit down,” said Coach to Sven. He turned to Taylor. “Get it done.”

And he would do just that.

He skated center ice, closed his eyes, and visualized the goal. He had this. Slowly, he made his way down the ice with the puck. He played like he would go blocker side, just like he had before. But the goalie was smart, knowing Taylor knew he was weak blocker side, which is why he’d successfully gotten a five-hole. It wouldn’t work this time.

As he got closer, he stayed focused on the blocker side, then faked another five-hole, bringing the goalie down in just enough time to chip it up into the corner.

He’d done it! Not only had he won the game. He’d won the game against Florida and gotten a hat trick. Hats were filling the ice as his teammates skated out and huddled up on top of it. This win was everything.

Once they cleared the ice, Coach clapped in on the back. “Nicely done, son. You’ll have to do media now.”

“I know.”

Taylor stopped by the booth, grabbed the headphones, and put them on.

“Taylor, you were on fire tonight. How did it feel?”

“Great,” he said, trying to force a smile.

He’d had extensive media training but still hated all of this.

“You got a Gordie Howe, first player on your team. How was that?”

He chuckled. “Cash had some things to say, but it’s all in good fun. It was a good night out there.”

“Your first hat trick of the season. And it was during a shootout. What was going through your head out there?”

“Don’t miss,” he joked. “I was visualizing it.”

“What changed? Your game was amped up tonight?”

What changed? He thought that one over. One thing had changed. That thing being the beautiful girl somewhere in this building filling his life with color. Fuck. He loved her. She was his. Part of her seemed confused about that sometimes but not after this. She would never doubt what she meant to him again.

He was pulled out of the thought by the woman tipping her head like she was waiting for him to answer. “It was just a good night. All the pieces fell into place, and I have a great team of guys around me.”

“Thanks, Taylor. I’ll let you go celebrate with your team.”

“Thanks,” he said, getting up and handing her the headset.

By the time he made it into the locker room, the guys were out of control. The music was pumping and Conner was dancing to “Simply the Best.” When he entered, the guys all clapped him on their back and kept the celebrating going. Taylor loved it, and if he wasn’t on a mission, he might stop to enjoy time with the team, but he needed to get home to Alice.

She needed to know where they stood, and that the studio he’d made was for her because he wanted her to move in. Maybe it was crazy. It’d only been a handful of months, but when you know, you know. And that, he did. Deep in his soul.

Alice was his. She made his life better just by existing in it, and he would do whatever it took to be there for her and convince her and make her life better.

He made his way to the shower, as tomorrow was a rest day. He intended to spend the day with Alice, but he needed to get to her first.

37

Alice

The press box was loud. Alice had been warned that things when they played Florida things tended to get out of hand, but she was not prepared for it. She came in floating after the conversation she’d had with Taylor. He loved her. He’d said it. She felt it. It was everything.

Now here she was, watching the man she loved score goal after goal. When she’d gotten the suit cam pictures to post, it made her smile and melt. When she’d gotten the videos of his goals, she was so happy. When he’d gotten in a fight, she was tangled in a whole mess of emotions. All the reporters in the press box must have thought she was nuts by the way she jumped out of her seat. Then she had just been straight up, jumping up and down as he got his hat trick and won the game.

She had been using the down time from posting to try for her series of drawing around the team and Mr. Wizard, but this game had been busy. From the goals to the fights and hat tricks, she’d been busy most of the game.

She was ready to get home and see Taylor. He was so fucking sexy on the ice.

---