Page 131 of Pucking Strong

“Of course not,” I reply. “We’ll wait for you in the kitchen.” Tugging on Teddy’s hand, I pull him from the bedroom, leaving Cheryl alone to take her photos.

He’s been on edge for the last three days, feverishly cleaning and reorganizing the house in preparation for this visit. I only just got back this morning from another away game. The apartment looks unrecognizable compared with the sterile, white-walled unit of a month ago. The walls of glass still let in great light and views, but now there is color and life everywhere.

Like an anxious magpie, Teddy has turned this place into a cozy nest. We now have books (and the shelves to hold them). Karolina has a full craft center in the corner, complete with a little desk and chair. Electric candles glow on the coffee table next to a decorative wooden tray he’s filled with fall pumpkins and gourds.

And the whole house smells like cinnamon, because Teddy made kanelbullar. They’re a bit misshapen and a little burnt on the bottom. But he made them, which makes them perfect. He even sprinkled them with pärlsocker.

Dropping my hand, he paces into the kitchen, not stopping until he reaches the far wall of glass. Gasping, he turns. “Oh—I forgot to mention her bath routine—”

I grab his arm as he tries to dart past. “Stay.”

He groans, jerking his arm free. “How are you so calm about this?”

“Because we have nothing to fear. We take excellent care of Karolina. Either Cheryl will see that, or she won’t.”

“Well, we can help her along. You know,tellher all the ways we care for Karro and not just leave it to her imagination.”

I reach out a hand and press it over his chest. I just want to see if his heart beats as fast as his racing thoughts.

He slaps my hand down. “What are you doing?”

“Touching you,” I reply with a smirk.

“Don’t you dare distract me right now, Henrik. This is too important.”

He’s right. We need to focus. Besides, Hanna will be back with Karro at any moment. We asked her to take Karro down the street for ice cream while we gave Cheryl some time to ask her questions and take photos. We already completed all the required questionnaires.

“Fine,” I say. “I won’t distract you while she’s here.”

He huffs, craning his neck to see if she’s coming around the corner. “Good.”

I step in behind him, smoothing my hands up his sides until he stiffens. I like seeing how he reacts to different kinds of touch. His body just seems to know when what I want is the comfort that comes with sleep or the casual touches that come with sharing a life.

But in a moment like this, when I tease? When I caress? His body comes alive like nothing else. It’s intoxicating. I press in behind him, daring to whisper in his ear, “But the moment she’s gone, I’m going to distract you some more.”

Within thirty minutes, we say goodbye to Cheryl at the door. She took all her photos and asked all her questions, including a few directly to Karro. Cheryl warned us that we wouldn’t hear anything for a few weeks. For me, that’s a relief, and I’ll push the case from my mind. No action needed. For Teddy, it’s something to fixate on and worry over every hour of every day until she contacts us again.

We all have our own coping strategies.

Almost as soon as Cheryl leaves, Teddy lets out a gasping breath.“Fuck, why did I think it would be a good idea to wear a sweater?” He tugs it off over his head as he dashes away.

Hanna just laughs, following him as far as the kitchen, while I finish getting Karro set up on the couch with her coloring books. Hanna is staying through the evening because Teddy and I are being forced by Poppy to continue with Operation Mighty Oak. Tonight is date two, wherein I will join Teddy at dinner with all the other queer players on my team.

I’m dreading it. I have such limited free time now that we’re in season. Any moment not spent on the ice or traveling for a game, I want to be home. I want to be with Karolina and Teddy. Sharing him with my teammates tonight feels like a chore. Doubly so, because we all know we’re being photographed.

But, as Poppy said, this matters. We’re sending a signal that will hopefully reach far beyond the hockey world. We’re telling people it’s okay to live, and love, and build families in different ways. The love Jake shares with Caleb and Ilmari is no less sacred than the love Langley shares with Tess.

And we all have children to protect and raise. Tonight is as much for Karro’s future as it is for mine and Teddy’s present.

That’s a lot of pressure to place on one plate of sushi.

“So, where are you all going tonight?” says Hanna, taking a bite of one of Teddy’s cinnamon rolls.

“I’m not sure,” I reply. “Jake Price picked it. I believe it’s a Japanese restaurant.”

“Yum!”

Offering her a weak smile, I step around the island. “Will you excuse me a moment?”

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