Page 57 of Cross Checks

"Here's to new beginnings," he said softly, clinking his bottle against mine.

"New beginnings," I echoed as I threw an arm around the shoulders of the man I loved. Chase kissed my bearded cheek subtly. Across the table, Lyle raised his drink higher.

"To loyalty, brotherhood, and love," he added. The crew cheered rowdily in agreement. My throat tightened, and I bit my lip.

With my firefighting family on one side and my soulmate tucked against me on the other, I needed no more reassurance that I’d made the right decision to follow Chase and my parents to Florida. Still, my roots ran too deep in Cold Pines to ever abandon the town for long. And every time we’d return in the future, it would feel like coming home.

Chapter17

Chase

Ihad a mission to complete. It was time to come clean with my Cold Pines Cougars teammates. My stomach churned as I sat in front of my locker after practice. The familiar scents of sweat and body wash filled my nostrils.

A wave of nostalgia swept over me as I watched the guys joking and laughing with each other. We were well on our way to a second league championship, and I winced when I thought about not being part of it.

I knew I would have to speak soon, but I tried to focus on the task at hand, changing back into my street clothes. My hands trembled while anxiety bubbled up inside.

I dreaded disrupting a cheerful, ordinary day with my announcements, but they couldn’t wait any longer. I’d be on my way to Florida in a few days. I owed it to the team to not leave sharing the news to the media. They needed to hear the details from my lips.

Coach Hoss entered the locker room and blew his whistle. The guys snapped to attention. They knew something was up. As he stood with his feet shoulder-width apart, Coach gestured for me to join him.

“Okay, men, settle down and pay attention,” Coach Hoss barked, his voice echoing off the tiled walls. He clamped his large, calloused hand on my shoulder like a vice.

The steadiness of his grip calmed me in the nerve-wracking moment. I’d rehearsed what I had to say many times over, but I was already starting to forget details. I swallowed hard, feeling the collective weight of my teammates’ gazes as they all watched me.

“Chase has got something important that he wants to share with all of you,” Coach Hoss announced. “Listen up.”

A hush fell over the room. My throat felt like it was closing in on itself, and I worried that I wouldn’t be able to choke out any words. I coughed and tried to clear it.

It was a moment to embrace my truth and share it with my chosen family. I knew Hank was doing something similar across town, coming out to his firehouse buddies. Thinking about his unwavering support helped to steady my nerves, and I knew I was ready to speak.

“First off,” I began, “I have some great news to share. At least, I hope you’ll all see it as something great. I’ve accepted a contract to play with the Florida Panthers in the NHL.”

The room went silent again. I could almost smell the shock drifting through the air. Then, as if someone pushed a button, the guys erupted into whoops and hollers. The sound of congratulations was deafening. Sticks pounded on the floor, and my teammates clapped their thick hockey gloves together.

“Way to go, Chase!” someone shouted above the noise.

“Florida’s not gonna know what hit ‘em when a true ice man heads south,” another chimed in.

As they all celebrated, it was impossible to ignore the hint of sadness under the surface. Heading to Florida meant leaving the best bunch of men I’d ever known behind. They were my chosen brothers, and realizing I’d started saying goodbye was painful.

The NHL contract was only the first part of my news. The next revelation would be more challenging to talk about. The lump in my throat returned.

I raised my hands. “Guys, if you would, quiet down. I’ve got more to share. This isn’t quite as easy.”

Everyone settled down, and I watched curiosity return to the sea of faces. I thought about Hank, and I knew he would smile, knowing I was about to tell the Cougars how important he was in my life.

“I’m sorry I didn’t say anything earlier, like months ago, but…there’s somebody in my life who means the world to me. His name is Hank. A lot of you will know who he is. He’s more than just a friend to me—he’s the man I love.”

Silence reigned again. My pulse pounded in my ears as I waited for a reaction. I looked from face to face, searching for any hints of acceptance or rejection. At first, they were all stone-faced, showing little emotion at all.

“Taylor,” one of my teammates started, “we’re here for you, man. You’re one of us. We’ve got your back no matter what.”

A few others nodded in agreement. Then I saw the smiles. Finally, another of my chosen brothers spoke up. “We should say a lot more than it’s okay. We should be congratulating you. Finding somebody to love is the greatest thing in life, probably even better than winning a hockey game.”

We all laughed, and cheers erupted again. “Come here, big lug!” shouted Waller.

I walked over to him and suddenly found myself at the center of a massive group hug. Warm, muscular bodies pressed against me, and my anxiety melted away. The shared love and acceptance brought tears to my eyes.

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